Guides
Jiu Jitsu Guides for Beginners and Parents
One guide per topic, each followed by articles that go deeper. New guides and articles are added through the year.
Every article and the club’s news, newest first, are on the CJJF Santa Monica blog.
Starting jiu jitsu
Your first class, what BJJ is, how long it takes, starting after 40, safety, fitness and choosing a gym.
What Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)?
What BJJ means, how it works, the positions and rules, and how to start.
8 min read
Learn how BJJ worksArticleYour First Jiu Jitsu Class: What to Wear and What to Expect
What to wear, gi or no-gi, what to bring and what happens in class.
9 min read
Plan your first classArticleHow Long Does It Take to Learn Jiu Jitsu?
What you’ll know after a month, three months and a year, and how long a blue belt takes.
5 min read
See your first-year timelineArticleIs 40 Too Old to Start Jiu Jitsu?
When to see a doctor, how often to train and your first 12 weeks after 40.
9 min read
Start strong after 40ArticleIs Jiu Jitsu Safe? Injuries, Risks and How to Avoid Them
What injury studies found, the real risks, and how to train without getting hurt.
8 min read
Train safely from day oneArticleIs Jiu Jitsu a Good Workout?
Calories per hour by body weight, cardio, muscle and how often to train.
6 min read
See the fitness payoffArticleThe Benefits of Jiu Jitsu
What training does for your body and mind, what studies show, and whether it’s worth it.
6 min read
See what training gives youArticleHow to Choose a BJJ Gym: 10 Checks
Ten checks, a printable scorecard, what BJJ costs, and the red flags.
6 min read
Use the 10-point gym checklistArticleGi vs No-Gi BJJ: What’s Different and Which to Start With
What changes without the gi, which suits beginners, and which is better for self-defense.
5 min read
Compare gi and no-giArticleThe Blue Belt Blues: Why People Quit Jiu Jitsu and How to Keep Going
Why motivation dips after blue belt, what the numbers say, and how to keep going.
6 min read
Beat the blue belt bluesBelts and gear
The belt system, gi sizes, tying your belt, gi care, mat words and open mats.
Jiu Jitsu Belts in Order: How the BJJ Belt System Works
Adult and kids belts in order, stripes, coral and red belts, and how long each takes.
6 min read
See the belt orderArticleBJJ Gi Size Chart and How to Choose Your First Gi
Gi sizes from two brands’ charts, how a gi should fit and the IBJJF’s gi rules.
6 min read
Find your gi sizeArticleHow to Tie a BJJ Belt
Five steps to a knot that stays put, a quick check, and why belts come undone.
6 min read
Tie your belt in 5 stepsArticleHow to Wash a BJJ Gi (and Keep It From Shrinking)
Washing, drying, the smell, white gis, belts and rashguards.
6 min read
Wash your gi without shrinking itArticleJiu Jitsu Terms Every Beginner Should Know
Positions, moves, submissions, slang and what oss means, in plain English.
8 min read
Learn the mat vocabularyArticleWhat Is a BJJ Open Mat?
What happens, kinds of rounds, the etiquette and visiting another gym.
7 min read
Get ready for an open matArticleHow to Tape Your Fingers for BJJ, Step by Step
Which tape to use, two taping methods, and when a sore finger needs a doctor.
5 min read
Learn to tape your fingersCompetition
Your first tournament, IBJJF weight classes and age divisions, and how points work.
Your First BJJ Tournament: What to Expect as a White Belt
Divisions, weigh-in, match length, rules for white belts, and how to prepare.
9 min read
Plan your first tournamentArticleIBJJF Weight Classes and Age Divisions, Gi and No-Gi
Every division in pounds and kilograms, gi and no-gi, plus age divisions and weigh-ins.
6 min read
Find your weight classArticleBJJ Points System: How Scoring Works in Jiu Jitsu
What every position scores, the 3-second rule, advantages, penalties and tiebreaks.
5 min read
See how points are scoredMartial arts compared
How jiu jitsu compares with Muay Thai, MMA, boxing, judo, wrestling and Gracie jiu jitsu.
Jiu Jitsu vs Muay Thai, MMA, Boxing and Other Martial Arts
Muay Thai, MMA, boxing, taekwondo, sambo and more, compared with jiu jitsu.
6 min read
Compare BJJ with other stylesArticleJiu Jitsu vs Judo: What’s the Difference?
Throws versus the ground game, how each match is won, and what judo adds to BJJ.
5 min read
Compare BJJ and judoArticleJiu Jitsu vs Wrestling: What’s the Difference?
How each one wins, why your back matters, and which takedowns carry over.
5 min read
Compare BJJ and wrestlingArticleGracie Jiu Jitsu vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Where the two names came from, what each means today, and BJJ lineage.
6 min read
See where the names come fromSelf-defense
What works in a real situation, for women and men.
What Is the Best Martial Art for Self-Defense?
An honest comparison of eight martial arts for real-world self-defense.
9 min read
Compare 8 styles for self-defenseArticleSelf-Defense Moves That Work: What to Learn First
What comes before any move, the grappling skills to learn first, and how to practice them.
6 min read
Learn the first self-defense movesArticleHow to Get Out of a Headlock, Standing or on the Ground
Protect your neck, then escape standing or on the ground, step by step.
5 min read
Learn the headlock escapesArticleSelf-Defense for Women: What Actually Works
Self-defense tips in order, the moves worth practicing and what studies show.
7 min read
See what works for womenKids and parents
For parents: what kids gain, the right age to start, jiu jitsu or karate, and after-school options.
Is Jiu Jitsu Worth It for Kids? What Parents Notice
What parents notice in the first months, how safe it is and what it asks of a family.
7 min read
See what parents noticeArticleWhat Age Can Kids Start Martial Arts?
Signs your child is ready, classes from 3.5 to 17, and the belts kids can earn by age.
6 min read
Find the right starting ageArticleJiu Jitsu vs Karate for Kids: Which Is Better for Your Child?
What each art teaches, which is safer and which suits your child.
6 min read
Compare jiu jitsu and karateArticleAfter-School Activities in Santa Monica for Every Age
Choosing by age, CREST and school programs, costs, and fitting it around pickup.
6 min read
Compare after-school optionsYour First Class Is Free
Read up, then come try it. No experience needed.