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About The Gentle Art Guide.
ABOUT THE GENTLE ART GUIDE & JIMMY ROSE
I'm Jimmy Rose - and I'm a lifelong martial artist. My first martial arts lesson was way back in 1984, following the massive success of the original 'The Karate Kid' movie, I took a bus across town to try Karate. I ended up in a Judo class by mistake, got concussed by landing on my head a few minutes in and I have been loving martial arts and combat sports ever since. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is for me the ultimate combat sport and martial art. It is both endlessly fun, but also endlessly challenging in so many ways. I started this website to share my love and knowledge of this noble (Gentle!) art, especially with white belt beginners. Don't take what we write here as the gospel - please listen to your instructor and use your own care and due diligence. Jiu Jitsu is one of the most rewarding things you can do - and so many of the benefits are not to be found in the actual techniques you learn, even though BJJ techniques have been heavily pressure tested and therefore do work - the trick is to put in the time to discover what works best for your body and your ability to absorb and execute multi-component techniques - enjoy your BJJ journey, and we hope to be a valuable resource for your along the way ...OSS!!!
BJJ White Belt Survival Guide: 5 Essential Things Every New BJJ Student Must Know (That Most Instructors Won’t Tell You)
BJJ White Belt Survival Guide: 5 Essential Things Every New BJJ Student Must Know (That Most Instructors Won’t Tell You) You just stepped onto the mats for the first time. Everyone looks like they know what they are doing. The gi feels weird, the room smells like old sweat and ambition, and you are already wondering if you have made a terrible mistake. Relax. Every single black belt in the room was once exactly where you are right now: nervous, confused, and convinced they we
The Gentle Art Guide
1 hour ago4 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 8, Take the extra classes, do the open mats
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 8, Take the extra classes, do the open mats You’ve probably come across that famous idea that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become a true expert at anything. I’ve always had mixed feelings about that number myself. On one hand, some skills really aren’t that complicated once you grasp the fundamentals, so you can reach a solid level of competence much quicker. On the other hand, certain disciplines are i
The Gentle Art Guide
3 days ago3 min read
The Basic Physics of Leverage in BJJ
The Basic Physics of Leverage in BJJ Leverage is one of the foundational principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). It explains why a smaller, weaker person can often control, sweep, or submit a much larger and stronger opponent. Instead of relying on brute muscle power, BJJ uses mechanical advantage, applying force efficiently through body positioning, angles, fulcrums, and long levers, so that a little effort produces a big result. The Basic Physics of Leverage in BJJ In simp
The Gentle Art Guide
4 days ago4 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 7, Seek Out Ultra Technical Training Partners
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 7, Seek Out Ultra Technical Training Partners We all show up on the mats with wildly different attributes, strengths, weaknesses, body types, and mindsets. Some of us are naturally athletic, others bring years of wrestling or strength training, while some rely more on grit and determination to keep showing up. As a white belt still figuring out the basics of survival, positioning, and not getting absolutely demolished ever
The Gentle Art Guide
4 days ago6 min read
Obscure BJJ Techniques: The Serbian Foot Lock
Obscure BJJ Techniques: The Serbian Foot Lock The Serbian Foot Lock is another hidden gem in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that flies under the radar for most practitioners. It is a specialized variation of the straight ankle lock, or foot lock, that uses a unique entry and grip to make the submission far more reliable than basic toe holds or standard straight ankle attacks. The move originated in Eastern European grappling circles and gained wider attention through creative players l
The Gentle Art Guide
6 days ago4 min read
Obscure BJJ Techniques: The Squirrel Lock
Obscure BJJ Techniques: The Squirrel Lock The Squirrel Lock is one of the most unusual and under-the-radar submissions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is essentially a kimura shoulder lock, but instead of using your arms to apply the torque, you use your legs while stuck on the bottom of side control. This sneaky technique catches opponents completely off guard because almost no one trains defenses against a leg-based armlock from that position. The move is closely associated wit
The Gentle Art Guide
6 days ago4 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 7, Avoid Out Of Control Maniacs
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 7, Avoid Out Of Control Maniacs This one is a personal favourite of mine. For some reason I have generally attracted maniacs throughout the different stages of my life both personally and professionally, perhaps it’s because I am a borderline maniac myself, or perhaps it’s because I have some undiscovered maniac attractor gene – I don’t know to be honest. But I can tell you that of all the tips in this book, this may be th
The Gentle Art Guide
6 days ago2 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 6, Tap early to come back & fight again
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 6, Tap early to come back & fight again This is really important advice: tap early, especially when you begin training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Let me give you a very roundabout, circuitous explanation of why you should tap earlier than you think you need to. As I mentioned in the introduction, I have done a lot of martial arts which involved being struck by your opponent. Over time, the more you get kicked and punched, the mo
The Gentle Art Guide
Apr 23 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 5, Start with the worst-case scenario & work up from there
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part 5, Start with the worst-case scenario & work up from there Because of where I came from in terms of being claustrophobic and having had a traumatic experience of having some local hoodlums on me in full mount beating me up, for me the worst position is being mounted by a heavy opponent who presses their bodyweight down on me and attempts to use pressure to lead them to good submissions. When I began BJJ this situation woul
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 313 min read
Top 10 Most Important BJJ Positions For Beginners
Top 10 Most Important BJJ Positions for Beginners If you have just started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the mat can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of techniques, submissions, and positions to learn. The good news is that you do not need to know everything right away. Mastering a small set of fundamental positions will give you a strong foundation, help you survive early rolls, and accelerate your progress as a white belt. Here are the ten most important BJJ positions every beg
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 273 min read
The BJJ vs Judo Belt Progression Journey Explained
The BJJ vs Judo Belt Progression Journey Explained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo are two of the most popular and effective grappling arts in the world. Both trace their roots back to traditional Japanese Jujutsu, yet they have evolved in different directions. One of the clearest ways to see their differences is by looking at how practitioners progress through the belt ranks. To make this comparison easy to understand, we created a side-by-side infographic titled “BJJ vs Judo B
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 264 min read
The BJJ Journey: Technical Development from White to Black Belt
The BJJ Journey: Technical Development from White to Black Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often described as human chess, but that metaphor barely scratches the surface. It’s a discipline that reshapes how you move, how you think, and how you respond to adversity. It’s a long apprenticeship in problem‑solving under pressure, where progress is measured not just in techniques learned but in the mindset you cultivate along the way. The belt system in BJJ isn’t a ladder — it’s a map
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 264 min read
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Beginner Drills for White Belts
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Beginner Drills for White Belts These simple yet powerful drills will help you build the essential movement skills every new white belt needs. They improve hip mobility, escapes, guard retention, and overall comfort on the mat. Focus on slow, controlled repetitions with perfect form before adding speed. You can do most of them solo at home or as part of your warm-up in class. Aim for three to five rounds of thirty to sixty seconds each, or ten to twenty cl
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 244 min read
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: White Belt FAQ
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: White Belt FAQ If you have just started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or you are thinking about stepping on the mat for the first time, you probably have a hundred questions running through your head. That is completely normal. Every white belt feels the same mix of excitement and confusion in the beginning. This FAQ brings together the most common questions new practitioners ask, with honest, practical answers drawn from real experience. Whether you are wondering
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 246 min read
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part4, Avoid Overwhelm & Focus On One Technique/position at a time
White Belt - How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: Part4, Avoid Overwhelm & Focus On One Technique/position at a time There are a lot of positions, a lot of moves from each position and a lot of submissions within what is allowed in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Without a clear and structured syllabus for the level you are at from the system or from your instructor, the opportunity is for you to focus on what you want to focus on. But DO focus, pick something and get really good at it.
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 202 min read
White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Part 3: Build your BJJ from the foundations upwards
White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Part 3: Build your BJJ from the foundations upwards One of the very unusual things about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that there is no fixed curriculum for each grade. It’s a very loose and fluid teaching style, and therefore from a very early point in your training you are being exposed to far more advanced techniques than you are ready for. The first class I attended was focused on foot locks that are still too advanced for me to
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 192 min read
White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Part 2: Get Strongest In Your Weakest Place
White Belt – How To Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Part 2: Get Strongest In Your Weakest Place When I was in my last year of school aged 16, back in the day, before the current generation of kids came along, when physical education was supposed to make a man of you, and the physical education staff were a fearsome bunch of psychopaths and sadists, the teacher sent us into the gym hall instead of outside due to a storm. We all hit the weights. This was the first time I had prop
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 193 min read
Be Like The Willow Tree, Not The Oak - Strategies To Survive In BJJ Training For White Belts
Be Like The Willow Tree, Not The Oak - Strategies To Survive In BJJ Training For White Belts There’s a potential for the rolling of eyes with this one, because it’s a well-known martial arts cliché. Reportedly an old school Japanese martial arts practitioner was watching a variety of trees in a very windy storm. He noticed how the stiffer and less flexible the trees were, the more likely they would be to blow over in the storm. Conversely, the willow tree he watched just went
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 183 min read
BJJ for Slow, Fat, Old White Belts: My Guide to Not Quitting Week
So you went for your first or first few Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes, and maybe you’re feeling a combination of excitement and fear, wanting more, but also feeling totally out of your depth. If you are feeling that way, congratulations, that’s how you are supposed to feel, and you have now started your journey with the initial realisation of how truly physically helpless you are against an experienced practitioner of BJJ. At the time of writing, your author is a white belt in
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 1812 min read
The Complete Beginner’s Guide to BJJ
The Complete Beginner’s Guide to BJJ Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, often called BJJ or simply "the gentle art," is a grappling martial art that focuses on ground fighting, submissions, and using technique and leverage to control or submit an opponent. It emphasizes that a smaller or weaker person can defeat a larger, stronger one through smart positioning and strategy rather than raw power. Originating from Japanese jujutsu, refined in Brazil by the Gracie family, and popularized worl
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 164 min read
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