Ballard Jiu-Jitsu Beginner Curriculum

Goals: Introduce new students to basic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu terminology, positions and principles in a safe manner. Introduce students to Ballard Jiu-Jitsu.

Non-Goals: No expectations that students are “good” at the end.

Timeframe: 3 classes per week, 4 weeks in duration.

General Class Structure

Warm ups

Two or three techniques

Interactive drill

Preview next class

Exciting weekly move sequence

Common Warm Ups

Elbow escape/hip escape/shrimp

Bridge/upa

Technical stand up

Pummeling

Breakfalls

Switch base

WEEK 1

Focus --> Escapes

Class One

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, upa, elbow escape)

✔ Rear naked choke

✔ Back escape to the correct side

✔ Back escape to the not-correct side

✔ Interactive drill: back escape specifics

✔ Preview mount escapes

Exciting move sequence of week:
Standing head lock escape, take down, control, armbar finish

Class Two

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, upa, pummeling, technical stand up)

✔ Cross collar joke from mount

✔ Mount escape - upa

✔ Mount escape - shrimp

✔ Mount escape - foot drag to 1/2 guard, shrimp to full guard

✔ Interactive drill: mount escape specifics

✔ Takedown to back take

Class Three

✔ warm ups (breakfalls, pummeling, switch base)

✔ pummel to back to takedown

✔ takedown to back take to finish

✔ interactive drill: takedown to back take/escape back to mount to escape mount

✔ preview guard sweeps

WEEK 2

Focus --> Guard Sweeps, Finishes, Guard Passing

Class One

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, pummeling, technical stand up)

✔ Guard sweep #1 (scissor sweep)

✔ Guard sweep #2 (push sweep)

✔ Interactive drill: guard sweep to mount to mount escape

✔ Preview guard finish

Exciting move sequence of the week: Rear bear hug escape, take down, control, finish

Class Two

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, technical stand up, switch base)

✔ Guard finish (triangle)

✔ Guard finish (arm lock)

✔ Interactive drill: guard attacks - sweep or submit

✔ Preview guard passing

Class Three

✔ Warm ups (switch base, upa, pummeling)

✔ Break the guard (knees)

✔ Break the guard (standing)

✔ Knee cut pass

✔ Interactive drill: guard pass

✔ Preview side control escape

WEEK 3

Focus --> Side Control Escapes, Control and Finishes

Class One

✔ Warm ups (switch base, upa, elbow escape)

✔ Recover guard

✔ Turtle (to knee takedown)

✔ Turtle (to recover guard)

✔ Interactive drill: side control escapes

✔ Preview control

Exciting move sequence of the week: Hip throw, control, arm bar finish

Class Two

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, pummeling, upa)

✔ Side control concepts

✔ Mount control concepts

✔ Interactive drill: pass guard to control

✔ Preview finishing

Class Three

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, elbow escape, upa)

✔ Arm bar from side control

✔ Arm bar from mount

✔ Arm triangle from side control

✔ Arm triangle from mount

✔ Interactive drill: finishes from mount vs mount escape

✔ Preview takedowns

WEEK 4

Focus --> Takedowns, Takedown Defense, Rolling

Class One

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, elbow escape, pummeling)

✔ Single leg

✔ Double leg

✔ Hip throw

✔ Interactive drill: takedowns

✔ Preview takedown defense

Exciting move sequence of the week: Double leg shot, control, mount, choke finish

Class Two

✔ Warm ups (breakfalls, switch base, pummeling)

✔ Take

✔ Sprawl

✔ Push the head down/crossface

Class Three

✔ Interactive drill: flow roll

✔ Review four-week curriculum