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Gi BJJ · Foundations

White Belt
Curriculum

Foundations — movement, safety and core positions

Basic Intermediate Advanced Fight team
Overview

White Belt is where your journey begins. This level focuses on movement, safety, structure and calm problem-solving. Your goal is not to "win" rolls — your goal is to build reliable fundamentals that will support you for the rest of your grappling life.

You will build habits that keep you safe, composed, and technically sharp as you progress through the belt system.

What you will learn
Movement & structure
  • Hip escape (shrimping)
  • Bridge and recover
  • Technical stand-up
  • Frames and wedges
  • Base and posture
Core positions
  • Mount top and bottom
  • Side control
  • Back control awareness
  • Closed guard basics
  • Passing fundamentals
Escapes & survival
  • Mount survival
  • Side control survival
  • Back escape basics
  • Guard recovery
  • Safe rolling etiquette
Modules
01 — Fundamental Movements & Mobility 02 — Defensive Postures & Survival 03 — Closed Guard Basics 04 — Breakfalls & Standing Posture 05 — Position Survival (Mount, Side, Back) 06 — Basic Sweeps 07 — First Submissions 08 — Guard Retention Fundamentals 09 — Grip Fighting Fundamentals 10 — Standing Transitions 11 — Takedown Introduction
01
Fundamental Movements & Mobility
Shrimping hip escape · Bridging mechanics
3 videos
02
Defensive Postures & Survival
Defensive posture from bottom · Elbow-knee connection · Framing structure · Head positioning and cross-face defence
12 videos
03
Closed Guard Basics
Closed guard posture control · Breaking posture with collar and sleeve grips · Hip angle creation in closed guard · Basic armbar from closed guard
13 videos
04
Breakfalls & Standing Posture
Back breakfall · Side breakfall · Standing posture and base · Forward roll
10 videos
05
Position Survival (Mount, Side, Back)
Side control escape · Elbow-knee mount escape · Bridge and roll mount escape · Back control hand fighting escape
15 videos
06
Basic Sweeps
Scissor sweep · Flower sweep · Hip bump sweep
11 videos
07
First Submissions (Armbar, Cross Collar, Americana)
Kimura from guard · Cross collar choke · Americana from mount · Basic armbar entry
20 videos
08
Guard Retention Fundamentals
Hip escape guard retention · Shin shield basics · Elbow-knee guard retention · Frame pummelling
15 videos
09
Grip Fighting Fundamentals
Grip fighting kuzushi · Grip breaking · Standing grip battles · Sleeve and collar grip control
17 videos
10
Standing Transitions
Standing guard break · Pull guard from standing · Kimura from guard · Collar drag takedown
10 videos
11
Takedown Introduction
Double leg takedown entry · Single leg takedown entry · Ankle pick · Guard pull
13 videos
Videos
01Fundamental Movements & Mobility
Fundamental Movements of BJJ
The Fundamental Movements of BJJ and Advanced Applications
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Shrimping hip escape
30 Animal Grappling Solo Drills
30 Animal Grappling Solo Drills in Less Than 7 Min
The Grapplers Guide (Jason Scully)
Bridging mechanics
Basics of Shrimping
Basics of Shrimping — BJJ Tutorial
Chewjitsu (Nick Albin)
Shrimping hip escape
▲ Back to modules
02Defensive Postures & Survival
3 Escapes Every White Belt Must Know
Every BJJ White Belt Must Know These 3 Escapes
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Defensive posture from bottom
Side Control Escapes for White Belts
White Belts: Learn These Side Control Escapes First
Chewjitsu
Elbow-knee connection
3 Most Important Techniques for White Belts - Danaher
The 3 Most Important Jiu-Jitsu Techniques for a BJJ White Belt by John Danaher
BJJ Fanatics
Defensive posture from bottom
Perfect BJJ Side Control Escape - Danaher
How to Do the Perfect BJJ Side Control Escape by John Danaher
BJJ Fanatics
Elbow-knee connection
Survival Tips for White Belts
Essential Survival Tips for White Belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Chewjitsu
Head positioning and cross-face defence
Side Control Tips
Side Control Tips in BJJ and Grappling
Jason Scully (Grapplers Guide)
Head positioning and cross-face defence
Preemptive Framing Principles
BJJ Guard Retention — Preemptive Framing, Part 1: Principles
BJJ Instructional
Framing structure
Defend the Crossface from Side Control
How to Defend the Crossface and Escape from Side Control
Grapplearts (Rob Biernacki)
Head positioning and cross-face defence
Building Structures and Frames
BJJ Concepts: Building Structures and Frames
MMA Leech
Framing structure
4 Layers of Arm Framing
BJJ Guard Retention — The 4 Layers of Arm Framing
Eliot Marshall
Framing structure
Roll Like This for Side Control Defense
Roll Like This to Increase Your Side Control Defense in BJJ
Chewjitsu
Framing structure
Make Side Control Brutal with Crossface
How to Make Side Control Brutal with the Crossface
Grapplearts
Head positioning and cross-face defence
▲ Back to modules
03Closed Guard Basics
4 Full Guard Sweeps for White Belts
4 Full Guard Sweeps Every BJJ White Belt Should Learn As Early As Possible
Chewjitsu (Nick Albin)
Closed guard posture control
66 Closed Guard Concepts
66 Closed Guard Concepts in 16 Minutes by Jason Scully (Part 1)
The Grapplers Guide (Jason Scully)
Closed guard posture control
BJJ Closed Guard Principles
BJJ Closed Guard Principles
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Closed guard posture control
Closed Guard Fundamentals - Danaher
John Danaher Explains Closed Guard Fundamentals
BJJ Fanatics
Closed guard posture control
Break Posture in Closed Guard
How to Break Posture in Closed Guard
Stephan Kesting
Breaking posture with collar and sleeve grips
Breaking Posture Complete Guide
Breaking Posture in Closed Guard (The Complete Guide)
JonThomasBJJ
Breaking posture with collar and sleeve grips
Closed Guard Posture Break Gi
Closed Guard Posture Break — Tips for Breaking Posture with the Gi
The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully
Breaking posture with collar and sleeve grips
Closed Guard Armbar Tighter
How to Make the Closed Guard Armbar Tighter
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Basic armbar from closed guard
Simple Efficient Armbar - Bodoni
Very Simple and Efficient Armbar from BJJ Closed Guard by Giancarlo Bodoni
BJJ Fanatics
Basic armbar from closed guard
Closed Guard Off-Balance Armbar
Closed Guard Off-Balance Armbar Set Up
Jason Scully (Grapplers Guide)
Basic armbar from closed guard
Breaking Posture Down - Closed Guard
Breaking Your Opponent's Posture Down — Closed Guard
Jean Jacques Machado
Breaking posture with collar and sleeve grips
Getting Angles From Closed Guard
Getting Angles from Closed Guard
The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully
Hip angle creation in closed guard
Create Angles Closed Guard Gordon Ryan
How to Create Angles in Closed Guard Like Gordon Ryan
Gordon Ryan
Hip angle creation in closed guard
▲ Back to modules
04Breakfalls & Standing Posture
BJJ Beginners How to Breakfall
BJJ Beginners Tutorial — How to Breakfall
BJJ Instructional
Back breakfall
How and Why to Breakfall
Jiu-Jitsu Basics — How & Why to Breakfall
BJJ Instructional
Back breakfall
Base Posture Connection Pressure
Understanding Base, Posture, Connection and Pressure
BJJ Instructional
Standing posture and base
Standing Up in Base
Intro to BJJ: Standing Up in Base
Bellingham BJJ
Standing posture and base
Side Break Fall Judo
BJJ Basics: Side Break Fall or Judo Break Fall
Elementum Jiu-Jitsu
Side breakfall
Break Falling Drill Jeff Glover
Break Falling Drill from Jeff Glover
BJJ Fanatics
Side breakfall
Forward rolls for BJJ
Forward Rolls for BJJ
Vital Combat Team
Forward roll
BJJ Warm-ups and Solo Drills
BJJ Warm-Ups and Solo Drills
Dominion BJJ
Forward roll
Proper BJJ Shoulder Roll
How to Do a Proper BJJ Shoulder Roll
Lisboa Brothers
Forward roll
Forward Shoulder Roll Mistakes
The 3 Most Common Forward Shoulder Roll Mistakes
Stephan Kesting
Forward roll
▲ Back to modules
05Position Survival (Mount, Side, Back)
Escape Tight Side Control
How to Escape a Really Tight Side Control
Stephan Kesting
Side control escape
Escaping the Mount
BJJ Self Defense — Escaping the Mount
Stephan Kesting
Elbow-knee mount escape
Simplest Mount Escape
The Simplest Mount Escape for BJJ and MMA
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Bridge and roll mount escape
17 BJJ Positional Escapes
17 BJJ Positional Escapes in 10 Min — Mount & Back Mount
Jason Scully (Grapplers Guide)
Bridge and roll mount escape
5 Ways Out of Back Mount
Jiu-Jitsu Escapes — 5 Ways Out of Back Mount
Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Back control hand fighting escape
Side Control Escape Tight Top Pressure
Side Control Escape Against Tight Top Pressure
Chewjitsu
Side control escape
3 Cheats for Escaping the Mount
Three Cheats for Escaping the Mount
Stephan Kesting
Elbow-knee mount escape
How Not to Lose the Mount - Faria
How to Not Lose the Mount in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Bernardo Faria
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Elbow-knee mount escape
Sidemount Escape High Level BJJ
The Sidemount Escape Used Most Often in High Level BJJ
Grapplearts
Side control escape
23 Positional Escapes Side Control Scarf Hold
23 BJJ Positional Escapes in 11 Min — Side Control, Scarf Hold, Modified Scarf Hold
The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully
Side control escape
Back Control Hand Fighting Tips
Back Control — Important Tips When Hand Fighting from the Back to Set Up the Rear Naked Choke
Giancarlo Bodoni
Back control hand fighting escape
Back Control Escape ELI5
Explain Back Control Escape Like I'm 5 Years Old
Jean Jacques Machado
Back control hand fighting escape
Escape Back Every Time
How to Escape the Back Every Time — Jiu-Jitsu Back Escape System
Matt Arroyo Jiu-Jitsu
Back control hand fighting escape
Escaping Back Control
Escaping Back Control
Absolute MMA St Kilda
Back control hand fighting escape
Survive Back Control Objective
BJJ — Survive Back Control: Objective and Mechanics
The BJJ Project
Back control hand fighting escape
▲ Back to modules
06Basic Sweeps
Scissor Sweep for BJJ White Belts
Scissor Sweep for BJJ White Belts (Try These Adjustments)
Chewjitsu
Scissor sweep
Pendulum Sweep from Full Guard
Pendulum Sweep from Full Guard (Effective at Any Level in BJJ)
Chewjitsu
Flower sweep
Flower Sweep Vs Pendulum Sweep
Flower Sweep vs Pendulum Sweep (How & When to Use Them)
Chewjitsu
Flower sweep
Unlocking Your Pendulum Sweep Full Potential
Unlocking Your Pendulum Sweep's Full Potential — Gi and No-Gi Closed Guard
Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Flower sweep
BJJ Hip Bump Sweep
The BJJ Hip Bump Sweep and How to Connect It to Other Attacks
Stephan Kesting
Hip bump sweep
Hip Bump Sweep Masterclass
Hip Bump Sweep Masterclass
Chewjitsu
Hip bump sweep
BJJ Back Take From Hip Bump Sweep
BJJ Back Take from Hip Bump Sweep Using Switch Movement
Grapplers Guide
Hip bump sweep
Hip Bump Sweep Everyone Should Know
Hip Bump Sweep Everyone Should Know
BJJ Fanatics
Hip bump sweep
Best Scissor Sweep - Matuda
The Best Scissor Sweep by Gezary Matuda
BJJ Fanatics
Scissor sweep
How Sweeps Work
How Sweeps Work — Jiu-Jitsu Sweep Fundamentals
Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Scissor sweep
GB Fundamentals Scissor Sweep
GB Fundamentals Week 1 — Scissor Sweep
Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu
Scissor sweep
▲ Back to modules
07First Submissions (Armbar, Cross Collar, Americana)
5 Best Submissions for White Belts
5 Best Submissions for White Belts
Absolute MMA (Lachlan Giles)
Kimura from guard
Finish the Cross Collar Choke from Guard
How to Actually Finish the Cross Collar Choke from Guard
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Cross collar choke
Americana from the Mount
Jiu-Jitsu for Beginners — Americana from the Mount
Gracie University Online
Americana from mount
4 Submissions for White Belts
4 Effective Submissions for White Belts with a Weak Guard in BJJ
Chewjitsu (Nick Albin)
Basic armbar entry
Collar Chokes from Guard
Collar Chokes from Guard — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Roy Dean Academy
Cross collar choke
Fundamental Armbar from Full Guard
Fundamental Armbar from Full Guard for Beginners in BJJ
BJJ Instructional
Basic armbar entry
Kimura From Closed Guard For White Belts
Kimura from Closed Guard for White Belts (Small Details to Improve Success)
Chewjitsu
Kimura from guard
Basic Armbar transitions - Galvao
Basic Armbar Transitions — Andre Galvao
Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ
Basic armbar entry
Arm Bar From Closed Guard - Hand Positioning
The Armbar from Closed Guard — Hand Positioning As an Indicator to Attack
Jean Jacques Machado
Basic armbar entry
Cross Collar Choke Fundamentals - Arroyo
Everything You Need to Know About the Cross Collar Choke
Matt Arroyo Jiu-Jitsu
Cross collar choke
Increasing Final Percentage Cross Collar Choke
Increasing the Final Percentage of Cross Collar Choke
Jean Jacques Machado
Cross collar choke
Mechanics of Cross Collar Choke
Mechanics of Cross Collar Choke from Closed Guard
Jean Jacques Machado
Cross collar choke
Cross Collar Choke Fundamentals Made Easy
Cross Collar Choke — Fundamentals Made Easy
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu
Cross collar choke
Americana Lock From Mount Galvao
Americana Lock from Mount by Andre Galvao
BJJ Fanatics
Americana from mount
Renzo Gracie Americana from Mount
Renzo Gracie — Americana from the Mount
Renzo Gracie Online Academy
Americana from mount
Americana from Mount
Americana from Mount
Absolute MMA St Kilda — Melbourne
Americana from mount
Secrets to a Deadly Americana
Secrets to a Deadly Americana
Matt Arroyo Jiu-Jitsu
Americana from mount
Kimura from Closed Guard - Roy Dean
Kimura from Closed Guard by Roy Dean
BJJ Fanatics
Kimura from guard
Powerful Kimura Setup for White Belts
Powerful Kimura Setup for White Belts to Stop Basic Guard Break
Chewjitsu
Kimura from guard
The Kimura White to Black Belt
The Kimura — White to Black Belt — Jiu-Jitsu Basics
Roy Dean
Kimura from guard
▲ Back to modules
08Guard Retention Fundamentals
Best Guard Retention Secret - Faria
Best Guard Retention Secret in Jiu-Jitsu with Bernardo Faria
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Hip escape guard retention
5 tips guard retention - Giles Tabak
5 Tips to Improve Your Guard Retention (Lachlan Giles and Ariel Tabak)
Lachlan Giles
Shin shield basics
Perfect Guard Retention - Danaher
How to Do Perfect Guard Retention in BJJ by John Danaher
BJJ Fanatics
Elbow-knee guard retention
12 Guard Retention Concepts
12 BJJ Guard Retention Concepts to Make Your Guard Much Harder to Pass
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Shin shield basics
3 Simple Tricks Guard Retention
Three Simple Tricks to Massively Improve Guard Retention
JonThomasBJJ
Hip escape guard retention
Guard Retention Frame and Hip Escape
Guard Retention 1 — The Frame and Hip Escape
Stephan Kesting
Hip escape guard retention
Why hip escape good for guard retention
Why the Hip Escape Is Good for Guard Retention
RVV BJJ
Hip escape guard retention
4 Essential Guard Retention Techniques
4 Essential Guard Retention Techniques to Master in One Video
BIG OSS Jiu-Jitsu Channel
Elbow-knee guard retention
Elbow-Knee Connection Guard Retention
The Secret Tool to Develop Great Elbow-Knee Connection and Unbeatable Guard Retention
Stephan Kesting
Elbow-knee guard retention
Knee Shield Guard Retention Concepts
Knee Shield Guard Retention Concepts — Cobrinha BJJ
Cobrinha Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Fitness
Elbow-knee guard retention
Frame Prevent Guard Pass - Galvao
How to Frame to Prevent Guard Pass — Andre Galvao
Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ
Elbow-knee guard retention
Guard Retention Complete Guide
Guard Retention — The Complete Guide
JonThomasBJJ
Frame pummelling
No-Gi Beginner Guard Retention Tips
No-Gi Beginner Guard Retention Tips by Jason Scully
The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully
Frame pummelling
Guard retention 101 Heisenberg Heist
Guard Retention 101 — The Heisenberg Heist
Keenan Cornelius
Frame pummelling
Key Guard Retention Concepts
Key Guard Retention Concepts — BJJ Gi Drilling
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu
Frame pummelling
▲ Back to modules
09Grip Fighting Fundamentals
1 Rule for Grip Fighting White Belt
1 Rule for Grip Fighting Every White Belt Should Know
Chewjitsu
Grip fighting kuzushi
BJJ Fundamentals Grip Fighting
BJJ Fundamentals — Grip Fighting
BJJ Instructional
Grip fighting kuzushi
4 Powerful Grip Fighting Principles
4 Powerful Grip Fighting Principles for BJJ (Standing & Ground)
BJJ Instructional
Grip fighting kuzushi
How to Grip - Lachlan Giles
How to Grip by Lachlan Giles
BJJ Fanatics
Grip breaking
Powerful Takedown Gi BJJ Grip Fight
A Powerful Takedown for Gi BJJ & Basics on How to Grip Fight
Chewjitsu
Standing grip battles
Understanding Gi Grips
BJJ Lesson 3: Understanding Gi Grips — An Introduction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Chewjitsu
Sleeve and collar grip control
Essential Grip Fighting Concepts
Essential Grip Fighting Concepts — Gi & No-Gi BJJ
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu
Grip breaking
Perfect Collar Sleeve Guard - Musumeci
How to Do the Perfect Collar Sleeve Guard by Mikey Musumeci
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Sleeve and collar grip control
Gripping 101 for BJJ
Gripping 101 for BJJ
Shintaro Higashi
Grip breaking
Grip Fighting Overview Key to Offense
Grip Fighting Overview — The Key to Controlling Offense
JonThomasBJJ
Grip breaking
Best Way to Break Grips - Ishii
The Best Way to Break Grips in Jiu-Jitsu (Standing) with Satoshi Ishii
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Grip breaking
12 Ways to Kill Difficult Grips
12 Ways to Kill Difficult Grips — Jiu-Jitsu & Judo
Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Grip breaking
Stand-up Grip Fighting
Stand-Up Grip Fighting
Sticks and Stones BJJ
Standing grip battles
Judo Grip Fighting Essentials
Judo — Grip Fighting Essentials
Rochester Judo
Standing grip battles
Basic Standing Grips 101
Basic Standing Grips 101
Sticks and Stones BJJ
Standing grip battles
Understand Collar Sleeve Guard in 5 Min
Understand the Collar Sleeve Guard in 5 Min
JonThomasBJJ
Sleeve and collar grip control
Best Collar Sleeve Guard Sweeps
One of the Best Collar Sleeve Guard Sweeps
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Sleeve and collar grip control
▲ Back to modules
10Standing Transitions
Standing to Ground Techniques - Danaher
Best Standing to Ground Techniques by John Danaher
BJJ Fanatics
Standing guard break
How To Pull Guard BJJ Tutorial
BJJ for Beginners — How to Properly Pull Guard in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
BJJ Instructional
Pull guard from standing
Simple and Easy Way to Pull Guard
A Simple and Easy Way to Pull Guard in BJJ
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Pull guard from standing
Over Under Pass From Pulling Guard
Over Under Pass from Pulling Guard from the Knees by Bernardo Faria
Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics
Standing guard break
3 BJJ Gi Takedowns Cross Collar
3 BJJ Gi Takedowns Using the Same Cross Collar Grips
Chewjitsu
Collar drag takedown
Osoto Gari Collar Drag Combination
Osoto Gari + Collar Drag Takedown Combination
Eduardo Fraga BJJ
Collar drag takedown
23 BJJ Transitions Scrambles Counters
23 BJJ Transitions, Scrambles and Counters in Less Than 8 Min — Jason Scully
The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully
Kimura from guard
Powerful Grip with Takedown Options
Powerful Grip with Powerful Takedown Options
Knight Jiu-Jitsu
Kimura from guard
Cobrinha Collar Drag to Single Leg
Cobrinha Teaches the Collar Drag to Single Leg Takedown
Graciemag
Collar drag takedown
Collar Drag Takedown Effective
Collar Drag Takedown — Effective Jiu-Jitsu Takedown
Casual Jiu-Jitsu
Collar drag takedown
▲ Back to modules
11Takedown Introduction
White Belt Takedown
White Belt Takedown
Chewjitsu
Double leg takedown entry
Best White Belt Takedown
One of the Best White Belt Takedowns to Learn
BJJ Instructional
Single leg takedown entry
Simple Takedown Plan for BJJ Competition
A Simple Takedown Plan for BJJ Competition
Stephan Kesting
Double leg takedown entry
Simple Takedown for White Belts
Simple Takedown for White Belts — Gi and No-Gi
BJJ Instructional
Single leg takedown entry
Dominate Grips Ankle Pick
Dominate Grips & Get the Takedown in BJJ with Ankle Pick
Chewjitsu (Nick Albin)
Ankle pick
Fellipe Andrew Ankle Pick Breakdown
The Merge Ep. 35 — Fellipe Andrew's Ankle Pick Breakdown (Gi Version)
Merge Grappling
Ankle pick
Pull Guard Quick and Easy
Pull Guard Quick and Easy (Every White Belt Should Know This)
Keenan Cornelius
Guard pull
Ankle Pick Knee Pick for Older BJJ
Ankle Pick & Knee Pick for Older BJJ Guys
Shintaro Higashi
Ankle pick
Violent Ankle Pick
The Violent Ankle Pick
Sticks and Stones BJJ
Ankle pick
Ankle Pick Most Efficient Takedown
Ankle Pick — One of Most Efficient Takedowns for All Levels in BJJ
YOSHI Jiu-Jitsu Tech
Ankle pick
Best Ways to Pull Guard Competition
The Best Ways to Pull Guard in Jiu-Jitsu (Competition Tested)
JonThomasBJJ Plus
Guard pull
Pull Guard Immediately Sweep - Duarte
How to Pull Guard in BJJ and Immediately Sweep Your Opponent — Kaynan Duarte Style
MMA Leech
Guard pull
How to Pull Guard
How to Pull Guard
Tarik BJJ
Guard pull
▲ Back to modules

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