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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 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
Beginner Techniques To Escape Side Control
Beginner Techniques To Escape Side Control Side control, also known as cross-side or side mount, is one of the most common and frustrating positions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Your opponent lies across your chest, using their weight to pin you to the mat while controlling your near arm and head. It feels heavy, restrictive, and often leads to submissions like armbars, kimuras, or transitions to mount or the back. For beginners, escaping side control is a core survival skill that
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 163 min read
Women Handling Larger BJJ Opponents: 6 Techniques That Level the Playing Field in BJJ
Women Handling Larger BJJ Opponents: 6 Techniques That Level the Playing Field in BJJ Rolling with larger, stronger opponents is a daily reality for many women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Whether it's training partners who outweigh you by 30-80+ pounds or competing against bigger athletes, size and power differences can feel intimidating. The beauty of BJJ lies in its leverage-based principles—designed precisely to allow smaller practitioners (often women) to neutralize bigger th
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 124 min read
Rolling with Bigger Opponents: 6 Techniques That Level the Playing Field
Rolling with Bigger Opponents: 6 Techniques That Level the Playing Field One of the most common challenges in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is rolling against someone significantly bigger and stronger. Size and power advantages can feel overwhelming, especially when you're giving up 20, 30, or even 50+ pounds. The good news is that BJJ is designed to neutralize those differences through leverage, technique, timing, and smart strategy. With the right approach, smaller practitioners can
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 123 min read
The History Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in America
The History Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in America Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is now one of the most popular martial arts in the United States, with thousands of academies, massive competitions, and a central role in mixed martial arts. But its journey to becoming a mainstream phenomenon in America was gradual, starting with quiet family migrations in the 1970s and exploding into global awareness in the 1990s. The roots of BJJ trace back to Japan and Brazil, where Mitsuyo Maeda (Co
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 104 min read
The Ultimate Almanac Of BJJ Chokes & Strangles
The Ultimate Almanac Of BJJ Chokes & Strangles Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is often called the gentle art, but when it comes to submissions, few things are as decisive—or as feared—as a well-applied choke or strangle. These techniques finish fights by restricting either airflow (air chokes) or blood flow to the brain (blood chokes/strangles), leading to taps or unconsciousness in seconds when done correctly. In modern BJJ, blood chokes dominate the highest-percentage finishes because
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 104 min read
Detailed Heel Hook Drills
Detailed Heel Hook Drills Heel hooks remain one of the most effective yet dangerous submissions in modern BJJ, especially in no-gi. The rotational torque on the knee can cause serious injury with minimal warning, so drilling them safely is non-negotiable. The focus here is on controlled, progressive drills that build mechanics, control, and awareness without risking taps from pain or sudden damage. Always drill with trusted partners, communicate clearly (e.g., "catch and rele
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 103 min read
How To Practise The Leg Game In BJJ Without Being On Crutches All The Time
How To Practise The Leg Game In BJJ Without Being On Crutches All The Time How To Practise The Leg Game In BJJ Without Being On Crutches All The Time The leg game in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has exploded in popularity over the last decade. Once seen as the domain of a few specialists like Dean Lister or the Danaher Death Squad crew, it's now a core part of modern no-gi and even gi competition. Leg entanglements, heel hooks, knee reaps, toe holds, and the whole ecosystem of ashi ga
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 104 min read
Pressure Passing Renaissance: Why Headquarters and Body Lock Systems Are Dominating Gi Competition Again
Pressure Passing Renaissance: Why Headquarters and Body Lock Systems Are Dominating Gi Competition Again Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the gi has always cycled through eras of innovation and counter-innovation. For several years, dynamic, inversion-heavy guards—think berimbolos, lapel entanglements, and flexible lasso variations—ruled the competitive landscape, forcing passers to chase speed, precision, and creative entries. But as we move through 2026, a clear shift is underway: pr
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 93 min read
Berimbolo Counters in 2026: How Top Players Are Shutting Down Inversion-Heavy Guards
Berimbolo Counters in 2026: How Top Players Are Shutting Down Inversion-Heavy Guards The Berimbolo remains a staple in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, especially among guards that rely on inversion like De La Riva, reverse De La Riva, and lasso variations. In 2026, with the meta still favoring dynamic, leg-entanglement-heavy games, inversion-based attacks continue to catch opponents off guard. Yet top competitors have evolved sophisticated counters that shut these systems down be
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 94 min read
The Gentle Art of Tapping: When (and Why) It's Your Best Move on the Mat
The Gentle Art of Tapping: When (and Why) It's Your Best Move on the Mat In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the gentle art, tapping out is one of the most fundamental yet misunderstood skills. Newcomers often see the tap as a defeat, a moment of weakness on the mats. But experienced practitioners know the truth: tapping is smart, safe, and essential for long-term progress. Far from signaling failure, it shows respect—for your body, your training partner, and the art itself. Why Tapping
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 93 min read
Why You’re Getting Swept Every Roll (And How to Stop It Fast)
Why You’re Getting Swept Every Roll (And How to Stop It Fast) If you are a blue belt or early purple belt and feel like every roll ends with you on your back staring at the ceiling, you are not alone. Getting swept repeatedly is one of the most common frustrations at the intermediate level. White belts often get passed or submitted because of basic mistakes, but intermediates get swept because their top game looks solid until someone smarter exploits small holes in posture, b
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 84 min read
Why Defense Comes Before Offense: Building a Strong Survival Game as a Beginner
Why Defense Comes Before Offense: Building a Strong Survival Game as a Beginner In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, beginners often focus on learning cool submissions like armbars, triangles, and rear naked chokes. The excitement of finishing a roll with a tap is what draws many people in. However, the reality for white belts is that you will spend far more time defending and escaping bad positions than attacking. Most rolls start with you getting passed, mounted, or taken to the back, a
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 74 min read
Position Before Submission: Understanding BJJ's Core Philosophy for Newbies
Position Before Submission: Understanding BJJ's Core Philosophy for Newbies One of the first phrases you will hear repeated in almost every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym is "position before submission." It sounds simple, but it represents one of the most important ideas in the entire art, especially for beginners. New white belts often arrive excited to learn flashy chokes, armbars, and leg locks, dreaming of tapping their training partners quickly. While submissions are the exciti
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 74 min read
A Beginner’s Guide to BJJ Positions: The 10 Landmarks You Must Understand First
A Beginner’s Guide to BJJ Positions: The 10 Landmarks You Must Understand First Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can feel overwhelming at first. There are endless techniques, submissions, sweeps, and transitions, but everything builds on a handful of core positions. These are the landmarks of the mat—the spots where the fight happens, where control is won or lost, and where most techniques start or end. Mastering these ten positions early gives you a mental map that makes every class, dri
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 54 min read
How to Train BJJ When You’re Over 40: Longevity, Adaptation, and Smart Intensity
How to Train BJJ When You’re Over 40: Longevity, Adaptation, and Smart Intensity Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a lifelong pursuit for many, but training in your 40s and beyond requires a shift from the "go hard or go home" mentality of younger years. Recovery slows, joints wear faster, and nagging issues can sideline you if ignored. The good news: with smart adaptation, many practitioners roll stronger, smarter, and longer into their 50s, 60s, and beyond. The key is prioritizing lon
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 53 min read
How to Build a BJJ Game That Actually Suits Your Body Type
How to Build a BJJ Game That Actually Suits Your Body Type Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu rewards technique over brute strength, but your physical build—height, limb length, proportions, flexibility, and overall frame—plays a huge role in what feels natural and effective. Forcing a game that fights your body leads to frustration, inefficiency, and plateaus. The smart path is self-awareness: identify your natural advantages, choose positions and techniques that amplify them, and build ar
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 53 min read
Grip Fighting Drills for Beginners
Grip Fighting Drills for Beginners As a beginner in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it's easy to focus on flashy submissions, sweeps, and escapes. But the real game often starts before any of that—with grip fighting. Winning the battle for hand and sleeve control lets you dictate the pace, set up your attacks, and conserve energy. For white belts and new practitioners, building good grip habits early pays massive dividends. These simple, progressive drills target both Gi and no-gi scena
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 53 min read
Gripping, The Undervalued Predictor Of Jiu Jitsu Competition
Gripping, The Undervalued Predictor Of Jiu Jitsu Competition In the high-stakes world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, athletes obsess over guard passes, submission chains, sweeps, and escapes. They drill escapes from bad positions, study leg entanglements, and perfect their berimbolo entries. Yet one of the most decisive factors in who wins matches often gets treated as an afterthought: grip fighting. The battle for hand and sleeve control—especially in the Gi—frequently
The Gentle Art Guide
Mar 53 min read
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