No-Gi BJJ · Foundations
White Belt
Curriculum
Foundations without the gi — movement, frames and survival
Foundational Intermediate Advanced Fight Team
Overview
No-Gi White Belt introduces you to grappling without the traditional uniform. Without clothing grips, No-Gi rewards timing, positioning and structure over strength.
Your goal is to build foundational confidence in fast, fluid environments. Focus on frames, hip movement and safe scrambling — the building blocks of everything that follows.
What you will learn
Movement & balance
- Strong No-Gi stance
- Hip escape and recovery
- Frames without grips
- Technical stand-up
- Guard re-entry
Guard foundations
- Seated guard basics
- Closed guard without grips
- Basic guard retention
- Butterfly hook entry
- Half guard basics
Survival & escapes
- Side control survival
- Mount escape basics
- Back survival
- Scramble awareness
- Safe rolling etiquette
Modules
01 — Basic Guard Retention
02 — Closed Guard Basics (No-Gi)
03 — Defensive Postures Without Grips
04 — First Submissions (RNC, Guillotine, Kimura)
05 — Fundamental No-Gi Movement
06 — Guard Passing Basics
07 — Mount Escapes (No-Gi)
08 — Side Control Survival
09 — Standing Clinch Basics
10 — Takedown Awareness
11 — Turtle Position Survival
01
Basic Guard Retention
Hip escape guard retention no-gi · Leg pummelling basics · Shin-to-shin shield · Knee shield no-gi
02
Closed Guard Basics (No-Gi)
Wrist control closed guard · Overhook and head control · Posture breaking no-gi · Inside biceps control closed guard
03
Defensive Postures Without Grips
Elbow-knee frames no-gi · Shield frames inside and outside · Anti-crossface defence · Wedge mechanics no-gi
04
First Submissions (RNC, Guillotine, Kimura)
Arm-in guillotine basics · Guillotine basic high-wrist · Kimura from closed guard no-gi · Rear naked choke mechanics
05
Fundamental No-Gi Movement
Hip escape no-gi · Bridging no-gi · Granby roll · Sprawl and hip heist · Technical stand-up no-gi
06
Guard Passing Basics
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi · Knee slide pass basics · Double under pass basics
07
Mount Escapes (No-Gi)
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi · Trap and roll no-gi · Elbow-knee mount escape no-gi
08
Side Control Survival
Hip escape from side control · Side control frames no-gi · Re-guard from side control
09
Standing Clinch Basics
Underhook basics · Hand fighting fundamentals no-gi · Inside position control · Collar tie structure
10
Takedown Awareness
Double leg basic no-gi · Stance and level change no-gi · Single leg basic no-gi · Body lock entry
11
Turtle Position Survival
Turtle elbow tight survival · Stand-up from turtle · Tripod from turtle
Videos
01Basic Guard Retention
Understanding Guard Retention from the Most Important Positions in Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi
Gordon Ryan
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
The Basics of Around the Legs Retention
Lachlan Giles
Leg pummelling basics
Guard Retention Concepts
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
No-Gi BJJ Guard Retention
Alec Baulding
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
Why the Hip Escape Is Good for Guard Retention
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
Why the Hip Escape Is Bad for Guard Retention
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
Guard Retention — When to Sit Up Escape
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
5 Tips to Improve Your Guard Retention
Lachlan Giles and Ariel Tabak
Hip escape guard retention no-gi
Sweeps from Shin-to-Shin Guard
Lachlan Giles
Shin-to-shin shield
Shin to Shin Free Instructional
BJJ Instructional
Shin-to-shin shield
The Basics of the Shin to Shin Guard
BJJ Instructional
Shin-to-shin shield
Gordon Ryan's Shin to Shin Butterfly Pass
BJJ Instructional
Shin-to-shin shield
Knee Shield or Butterfly Half Guard? — Gordon Ryan BJJ Analysis
Gordon Ryan
Knee shield no-gi
Craig Jones Knee Shield System
Chewjitsu
Knee shield no-gi
Passing a Low Knee Shield No-Gi
BJJ Instructional
Knee shield no-gi
One Basic Rule of Leg Pummeling — Guard Retention No-Gi BJJ
BJJ Instructional
Leg pummelling basics
The Basic Pummeling Drill Done Right
BJJ Instructional
Leg pummelling basics
Jiu-Jitsu — No-Gi Pummeling Drill
BJJ Black Belt
Leg pummelling basics
Pummeling Inside Leg Position from Top RDLR and Single X
Lachlan Giles
Leg pummelling basics
02Closed Guard Basics (No-Gi)
BJJ Techniques: Wrist Control to Arm Bar by Gordon Ryan
Gordon Ryan
Wrist control closed guard
Wrist Controls to Triangles by John Danaher
John Danaher
Wrist control closed guard
Best Wrist Locks from Closed Guard — Pete the Greek Letsos
Pete Letsos
Wrist control closed guard
Closed Guard to the Back
Lachlan Giles
Overhook and head control
Understanding the Closed Guard
Gordon Ryan
Wrist control closed guard
What Is the Closed Guard?
Stephan Kesting
Wrist control closed guard
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu — Closed Guard Submission Attacks
D & A
Posture breaking no-gi
Tap Anyone from Inside Their Guard
ZombieProofBJJ
Posture breaking no-gi
Use Your Head — Improve Your Underhook and Overhook in No-Gi Stand-Up
BJJ Instructional
Overhook and head control
Overhook / Whizzer Control from Bottom of Closed Guard
BJJ Instructional
Overhook and head control
Closed Guard — Overhook Series (TRITAC-Jitsu Lesson)
TRITAC-Jitsu
Overhook and head control
Judo Throws for No-Gi Grappling Using an Overhook
BJJ Instructional
Overhook and head control
Breaking Posture in Closed Guard (No-Gi) — Q&A
BJJ Simplified
Posture breaking no-gi
Breaking Down Posture in Guard (No-Gi)
ZombieProofBJJ
Posture breaking no-gi
Breaking the Closed Guard Posture No-Gi for White Belt
Shawn Williams
Posture breaking no-gi
How to Break Posture in Closed Guard
Grapplearts
Posture breaking no-gi
Elevated Basics — The Ultimate No-Gi Closed Guard Guide
IsakIvanovicJJ
Inside biceps control closed guard
Pro Film Study — Gordon Ryan Double Wrist Control to Back-Take
DPS Breakdowns
Inside biceps control closed guard
03Defensive Postures Without Grips
Elbow-Knee Connection Completely Changes the Guard Retention Game
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Elbow-knee frames no-gi
Advanced Elbow-Knee Escape vs Mount with Brandon Mullins
Brandon Mullins
Elbow-knee frames no-gi
The Secret Tool to Develop Great Elbow-Knee Connection and Unbeatable Guard Retention
Stephan Kesting
Elbow-knee frames no-gi
Elbow-Knee Connection
BJJ Instructional
Elbow-knee frames no-gi
6 Approaches to Passing the Knee Shield
Lachlan Giles
Shield frames inside and outside
How to Weaponize the Knee Shield — Jiu-Jitsu Subs & Sweeps
Jiu-Jitsu Subs & Sweeps
Shield frames inside and outside
Timeless No-Gi Knee Shield in Jiu-Jitsu with Rafael Lovato Jr
Rafael Lovato Jr
Shield frames inside and outside
How to Pass the Knee Shield (Using the Rau Drag Pass)
Core Pro BJJ
Shield frames inside and outside
How to Defend the Crossface and Escape from Side Control
BJJ Fanatics
Anti-crossface defence
How to Work the Crossface in Side Control — Survive and Escape
SBG International
Anti-crossface defence
Gordon Ryan's Simple and Effective Side Control Escape
BJJ Fanatics
Elbow-knee frames no-gi
What's a 'Wedge' in BJJ & How Can You Submit Your Opponent with It?
Stephan Kesting
Wedge mechanics no-gi
04First Submissions (RNC, Guillotine, Kimura)
The Arm-In Guillotine by Gordon Ryan (ADCC Finals 2017)
Gordon Ryan
Arm-in guillotine basics
Guillotine Choke
Lachlan Giles
Guillotine basic high-wrist
ADCC-Tested Guillotine Choke — Craig Jones
B-Team Jiu-Jitsu
Guillotine basic high-wrist
The Arm-In Guillotine from Top (No-Gi)
Grapplearts
Arm-in guillotine basics
Guillotine Choke
Lachlan Giles
Guillotine basic high-wrist
Nicky Ryan Teaches High Wrist Guillotine — B-Team Technique
B-Team Jiu-Jitsu
Guillotine basic high-wrist
Hip Bump Sweep and Kimura from Closed Guard
Lachlan Giles
Kimura from closed guard no-gi
No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu — Countering the Kimura Defense in the Closed Guard
BJJ Instructional
Kimura from closed guard no-gi
Gordon Ryan — Rear Naked Choke (Submission of the Week)
Control Jiu-Jitsu
Rear naked choke mechanics
Craig Jones — Details on Finishing the Rear Naked Choke
Craig Jones
Rear naked choke mechanics
Butterfly Guard Snap Down to High Wrist Guillotine — Nathan Kay
London Grapple
Guillotine basic high-wrist
Best Guillotine Secrets — Centerline Shift by Gordon Ryan
BJJ Fanatics
Guillotine basic high-wrist
Marcus Soares Kimura from Closed Guard
Grapplearts
Kimura from closed guard no-gi
Basic Kimura System from Closed Guard — Andre Galvao
Atos Jiu-Jitsu
Kimura from closed guard no-gi
Ben Dyson — Arm-In Guillotine for No-Gi MMA BJJ
Roy Dean
Arm-in guillotine basics
How to Finish the Arm-In Guillotine
Brian Glick
Arm-in guillotine basics
How to Finish Guillotines Like Kaynan Duarte
FloGrappling
Arm-in guillotine basics
3 Guillotine Choke Variations — High Elbow / Arm-In Guillotine
Cobrinha Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Fitness
Arm-in guillotine basics
05Fundamental No-Gi Movement
Essential No-Gi Movement Drills
Chewjitsu
Hip escape no-gi
Understanding the Jiu-Jitsu Open Guard by Gordon Ryan
BJJ Fanatics
Hip escape no-gi
The 2 Simplest No-Gi Takedowns
Stephan Kesting
Technical stand-up no-gi
Craig Jones Seminar — Octopus Guard (No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu)
Bangtao BJJ
Hip escape no-gi
Guard Retention — How to Never Get Your Guard Passed by Gordon Ryan
BJJ Fanatics
Hip escape no-gi
BJJ Basics — Hip Escape Drill
BJJ Basics DGBJJ
Hip escape no-gi
BJJ for Beginners — How to Hip Escape
Knoxville BJJ
Hip escape no-gi
BJJ Fundamentals: How to Hip Escape (Shrimp)
BJJ Fundamentals
Hip escape no-gi
How to Perfectly Escape from Mount, Side Control and North-South No-Gi
Gordon Ryan
Hip escape no-gi
How to Improve Your Bridge in One Easy Step
Grapplearts (Stephan Kesting)
Bridging no-gi
How to Do a Granby Roll
BJJ Instructional
Granby roll
Learning How to Granby Roll
BJJ Instructional
Granby roll
Granby Roll Drill — Jiu-Jitsu Movement Library
Jiu-Jitsu Movement Library
Granby roll
The Shoulder Roll (aka Granby Roll) Tutorial — 5 Easy Steps
BJJ Instructional
Granby roll
Jiu-Jitsu Hip Heist by Sam Schwartzapfel
BJJ Fanatics
Sprawl and hip heist
Side Control Escape — Bridge Out to Shoulder Roll
BJJ Instructional
Granby roll
Guard Recovery — How to Do a Shoulder Roll (No-Gi)
BJJ Instructional
Granby roll
Basics in Detail — The Bridge and Roll to Escape Mount
Lachlan Giles
Bridging no-gi
Craig Jones — Technical Stand Up
Craig Jones
Technical stand-up no-gi
How to Use Wrestling to Beat Jiu-Jitsu — Craig Jones
BJJ Fanatics
Technical stand-up no-gi
Hip Heist Sweep from Closed Guard — Intro to Jiu-Jitsu
Procel Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Sprawl and hip heist
Hip Heist by Daniel De Groot
BJJ Fanatics
Sprawl and hip heist
Hip Heist by Brian Glick
BJJ Fanatics
Sprawl and hip heist
Takedown Scrambling with a Hip Heist
TeachMeGrappling Coach Brian
Sprawl and hip heist
The Four Types of Technical Standup in BJJ and When to Use Them
Grapplearts
Technical stand-up no-gi
06Guard Passing Basics
5 Tips to Pass Any Guard No-Gi
Lachlan Giles
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
The Best No-Gi Guard Passing System on the Planet
Gordon Ryan
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
How to Perfect Your Guard Passing No-Gi
John Danaher
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
Craig Jones Teaches Jozef Chen — Guard Passing & Top Pressure
Craig Jones
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
No-Gi Guard Passing — HQ Leg Weave
Grapplearts
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
How to Pass Anyone's Guard in Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi
Marcelo Garcia
Guard passing fundamentals no-gi
Free Technique: Knee Slide Pass (Guard Pass System)
AOJ — Art of Jiu-Jitsu
Knee slide pass basics
BJJ Variations on the Knee Slide Pass Tutorial
Stealth BJJ / Warrior Collective
Knee slide pass basics
Dean Lister No-Gi Pass — Diagonal Knee Slide
Victory MMA
Knee slide pass basics
No-Gi Guard Passing — Double Unders
BJJ Instructional
Double under pass basics
Double Unders Pass No-Gi
Revolution Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Double under pass basics
Double Under Pass and Armless Triangle — Friday Night No-Gi
Budo Jake
Double under pass basics
No-Gi Double Under Stack Pass and Back Take
Primate Jiu-Jitsu
Double under pass basics
07Mount Escapes (No-Gi)
Mount Escape — The Most Important Battle to Win + Live Examples
Lachlan Giles
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
Three Cheats for Escaping the Mount
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
BJJ Rear Mount Escape with Craig Jones
Craig Jones
Trap and roll no-gi
4 Mistakes That'll Murder Your Mount Escape
Stephan Kesting
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
Mount Escapes for Blue Belts and ADCC Champions
Gordon Ryan
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
The Mount Escape Everyone Should Know
Gordon Ryan
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
Escaping the Mount No-Gi — Knee Elbow or Kip Escape?
BJJ Instructional
Elbow-knee mount escape no-gi
BJJ Breakdown — How to Do the Elbow Knee Escape from Bottom Mount
BJJ Instructional
Elbow-knee mount escape no-gi
Elbow Escape from Mount — The Elbow Knee Shrimp Escape
BJJ Instructional
Elbow-knee mount escape no-gi
Knee Elbow Escape by Gordon Ryan
BJJ Fanatics
Elbow-knee mount escape no-gi
The First 3 Mount Escapes You Should Know in BJJ — Gi & No-Gi
BJJ Instructional
Bridge and roll mount escape no-gi
I Used to Suck at the Trap and Roll
BJJ Instructional
Trap and roll no-gi
High-Reward Mount Escape — The Trap and Roll
BJJ Instructional
Trap and roll no-gi
Mount Escape 1 — Trap and Roll
BJJ Instructional
Trap and roll no-gi
08Side Control Survival
7 Side Control Escapes in BJJ No-Gi
MMA Shredded
Hip escape from side control
4 Side Control Escapes
BJJ Instructional
Side control frames no-gi
Side Control Escape — These Small Details Change Everything
BJJ Instructional
Side control frames no-gi
Escape Side Control Fundamentals Part 1 — Prevention and Frames
Lachlan Giles
Side control frames no-gi
3 Must-Know Side Control Escapes
Lachlan Giles
Side control frames no-gi
BJJ Intro — Side Control Escape to Half Guard Sweep
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape from side control
Escape Side Control Fundamentals Part 2 — Underhook Escape
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape from side control
Every Single Craig Jones Side Control Escape / Reversal
Craig Jones
Re-guard from side control
Escaping Side Control
Lachlan Giles
Side control frames no-gi
Escaping Side Control with a High Leg by Gordon Ryan
Gordon Ryan
Hip escape from side control
Craig Jones — Octopus Escape from Bottom Side Control
Craig Jones
Re-guard from side control
The Best Way to Escape Side Control
Lachlan Giles
Hip escape from side control
09Standing Clinch Basics
The Basics of Clinch Fighting & Takedowns
Eli Knight
Underhook basics
9 Fundamentals of Clinch Fighting
BJJ Instructional
Hand fighting fundamentals no-gi
Simple Effective Takedown Gi, No-Gi or Self Defense
Ron Boiuso
Inside position control
A Guide to Underhooks — Near Side, Far Side, Tight Waist & Reverse
Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu
Underhook basics
3 Underhook Takedowns That Everyone Should Know (That Actually Work)
BJJ Instructional
Underhook basics
Underhooks and Overhooks — The Basics
BJJ Instructional
Underhook basics
Gordon Ryan — Early Hand Fighting from Mount
BJJ Universe / Gordon Ryan
Hand fighting fundamentals no-gi
Wrestle Like Gordon Ryan — Basics for Beginners
BJJ Instructional
Hand fighting fundamentals no-gi
4 Games to Drastically Improve Your Hand Fighting & Takedowns in No-Gi
BJJ Instructional
Hand fighting fundamentals no-gi
How to Grip by Lachlan Giles
Lachlan Giles
Collar tie structure
Double Bicep Control Concepts Inside the Closed Guard
BJJ Instructional
Inside position control
The Over-Down Wrist Lock from Bicep Control
BJJ Instructional
Inside position control
Wristlock from Biceps Control from Side Control
Fredson Paixão
Inside position control
Master the Collar Tie for BJJ in 5 Minutes
Greg Walker Jiu-Jitsu
Collar tie structure
How to Deal with Collar Ties — Submission Grappling, Wrestling
BJJ Instructional
Collar tie structure
How to Deal with Heavy Collar Ties in Jiu-Jitsu & Wrestling
BJJ Instructional
Collar tie structure
Takedowns from the Collar Tie
BJJ Instructional
Collar tie structure
10Takedown Awareness
3 No-Gi Takedowns for Beginner BJJ
PEIMMA
Double leg basic no-gi
No-Gi Double Leg Takedown
Lachlan Giles
Double leg basic no-gi
30 No-Gi Takedowns
Long Island MMA
Double leg basic no-gi
Wrestling Basics Vol 1 — Stance & Motion, Level Change, Penetration Step
MMA Wrestling with Jens
Double leg basic no-gi
Four Level Change Variations for BJJ Takedowns
BJJ Instructional
Stance and level change no-gi
The Easiest Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Takedowns by John Danaher
John Danaher
Double leg basic no-gi
Stop Getting Taken Down — Gordon Ryan's Standing Basics Every BJJ Athlete Needs
Gordon Ryan
Stance and level change no-gi
No-Gi Basic Single Leg Takedown
Matt (Judo Olympian)
Single leg basic no-gi
Standing Single Leg Basics for No-Gi BJJ
BJJ Instructional
Single leg basic no-gi
The Simplest Way to Do the Single Leg (Gi or No-Gi)
BJJ Instructional
Single leg basic no-gi
Finishing the Single Leg — No-Gi BJJ Breakdown
BJJ Instructional
Single leg basic no-gi
Double Leg Legs Across
Craig Jones
Double leg basic no-gi
Double Leg Trap Sweep from Half Guard
Lachlan Giles
Double leg basic no-gi
Learn How to Do the Perfect Jiu-Jitsu Body Lock Pass by Gordon Ryan
Gordon Ryan
Body lock entry
The Body Lock Pass — Standard Version
Lachlan Giles
Body lock entry
5 Stages of the Body Lock Pass by Lachlan Giles
Lachlan Giles
Body lock entry
Body Lock Passing — The Most Effective Passing Style?
BJJ Instructional
Body lock entry
11Turtle Position Survival
Know Turtle Position — Entropy vs Order (No-Gi BJJ)
Stephan Kesting (Grapplearts)
Turtle elbow tight survival
Recovering from the Turtle
Lachlan Giles
Stand-up from turtle
The 2 Easiest Attacks Against the Turtle Position
Stephan Kesting
Turtle elbow tight survival
Reversing Opponents from Turtle — Power Bottom Techniques from Craig Jones
Craig Jones
Tripod from turtle
How to Take the Back from a Tight Turtle Position
BJJ Instructional
Turtle elbow tight survival
No-Gi BJJ Turtle Attacks — Compression Choke
BJJ Instructional
Turtle elbow tight survival
Attacking Turtle Position in BJJ — Side Breakdown (No-Gi)
BJJ Instructional
Turtle elbow tight survival
3 Powerful No-Gi Chokes That Chain Together While Attacking the Turtle
BJJ Instructional
Turtle elbow tight survival
Tripod Escape from Turtle
Procel BJJ (Jersey City Jiu-Jitsu)
Tripod from turtle
Gordon Ryan — Intro to Escaping Turtle Position
BJJ Fanatics
Stand-up from turtle
No-Gi Attacking the Turtle — Front Arm-In Guillotine, Front Choke and Shoulder Locks
Texarkana Jiu-Jitsu
Turtle elbow tight survival
3 No-Gi Turtle Guard Techniques You Must Learn
5 Elements Studio
Stand-up from turtle
Turtle Turnover into a Hellish Version of Side Control
Stephan Kesting
Tripod from turtle