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Learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Survive bottom positions, escape, then learn to sweep and submit.

Free to start. Built from a single prompt. No credit card.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling art focused on controlling an opponent on the ground and finishing with joint locks or chokes. Progress follows a positional hierarchy: back control and mount are strong, side control is close behind, and the guard lets you fight from your back. Beginners spend the early months learning to survive and escape, with movements like the shrimp and bridge, before sweeps and submissions such as the armbar, triangle and rear naked choke. Learnr builds a personalized BJJ course that explains positions, techniques and rules in short lessons, but jiu-jitsu is learned by rolling with partners under a qualified instructor.

How to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, step by step

Join an academy and learn to tap. Train with a qualified black belt or supervised coach, not just friends in a garage. Tap early and clearly on your partner or the mat whenever a lock or choke is on. See a doctor first if you have neck, spine or heart conditions.
Drill the core movements. The shrimp or hip escape, the bridge, the technical stand-up and the forward and backward rolls appear in nearly every technique. Warm up with them each session until they happen without thinking.
Learn to survive and escape first. Spend your early months escaping mount with the trap and roll, called upa, and recovering guard from side control by framing and shrimping. Defense keeps you safe and lets you stay in rolls longer.
Build a closed guard game. From closed guard, learn to break posture, then a basic sweep such as the scissor or hip bump sweep and attacks like the armbar, triangle and kimura. Connect a sweep and a submission that set each other up.
Study concepts and rules off the mat. Positional hierarchy, grips, framing and IBJJF point rules are easier to absorb in short Learnr lessons, then test on the mat. Keep notes on what you learned in class so techniques do not blur together.
Roll with control and positional sparring. Positional sparring from a set start, such as guard or side control, gives you focused repetitions. In free rolls, prioritize good positions over forcing submissions, and choose calm, experienced partners while you are new.

What you'll learn

Name the main positions and rank them by control
Escape mount and side control with bridges and shrimps
Hold and use closed guard, half guard and open guard
Understand fundamental sweeps and submissions
Tap early, roll safely and follow academy etiquette

What's inside your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu course

A sample path Learnr builds for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. Safety, tapping and academy etiquette
2. Movement: shrimp, bridge and technical stand-up
3. Positions and escapes
4. Guard and sweeps
5. Fundamental submissions
6. Rolling, rules and belt progression

How long does it take to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Basic escapes and a handful of techniques come in the first 3 to 6 months of training two or three times a week. Blue belt commonly takes around 1 to 3 years, and black belt often a decade or more, depending on attendance, academy standards and age.

What you need before you start

No experience or fitness level is required. You need access to an academy with a qualified instructor, a gi or no-gi clothing as the class requires, and a mouthguard.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting too long to tap because of pride. Tapping early protects your joints and lets you keep training tomorrow.
Muscling every position with full strength. Technique, frames and leverage last longer and teach you more than spazzing.
Collecting flashy techniques before fundamentals. Escapes, guard retention and basic submissions win most rolls at every level.

How Learnr builds your course

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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu questions, answered

What are the BJJ belt ranks?

Adult ranks typically go white, blue, purple, brown and black, with stripes marking progress within each belt. Promotion depends on the instructor's judgment of skill and mat time, so timelines vary widely.

Should I train gi or no-gi?

Both teach the same positions and core ideas. The gi adds grips on the collar and sleeves, which slows the pace and teaches control. No-gi is faster and closer to wrestling. Many academies offer both, so try each.