All students of jiu-jitsu will benefit from this step-by-step textbook, which takes them from the white belt right up to the ultimate, coveted goal of black belt. The comprehensive method assembled here by the well-regarded member of the Gracie family lets fighters know exactly what they need to learn, when and why they need to learn it, and what they can do to progress more quickly. How and how often to train, pacing, training objectives, and how to measure success are all addressed according to the different goals students might have, from the casual practitioner to the self-defense student to the competitor bent on going pro. The plan detailed in the text can be customized to fit the trainee's body type and strengths. Instructors of Gracie jiu-jitsu will also find the manual helpful to their teaching, as it provides advice on program management, student evaluation and the selection of technques for lessons.

Rodrigo Gracie is the grandson of Brazilian jiu-jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, has a string of victories at ultimate fighting events, K-1 and Pride, and runs his own Gracie jiu-jitsu academy. He is the author of No Holds Barred Fighting. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Kid Peligro is the author of The Gracie Way and coauthor of Brazilian Jiiui-Jitsu Black Belt Techniqes, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Self-Defense Techniques, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Submission Grappling Techniques, and Superfit. He contributes regular columns to Throwdown and Gracie Magazine. A black belt in jiu-jitsu, he travels the world as an ambassador for the sport. He lives in San Diego, California.

Contents

I Introduction
What to look for in class and in an instructor
Drills
Instructor awareness
Proper pace in learning the techniques
Don't get hurt!
Protecting yourself during training
Identifying mistakes
If you do get injured
Learn how to train
Am I training correctly?
How do regular guys improve?
How do competitors improve?
Conditioning
Technical training
Strategy preparation
Learning a new technique
How to select the best techniques for you
How to learn and retain information
Learning and retaining single techniques
Learning to link and transition between techniques
How to take advantage of your biotype
Technique is power!
Why practitioners quit jiu-jitsu
How to best teach your student
Training with a gi versus no-gi training
Advancing in the Gracie jiu-jitsu belt system
II Path to the black belt techniques
Drills
Basic Drills
1 Hip escape
2 Turning to your knees, or the turtle position
3 Turning to your knees alternative (scissoring the legs)
4 Forward and backward shoulder roll
5 Break fall drill1: Sitting
6 Break fall drill 2: Kneeling
7 Break fall drill 3: Crouching
8 Break fall drill 4: Side to side
9 Break fall drill 5: Standing
10 Break fall drill 6: Partner hip throw
11 Standing forward roll
Advanced drills
12 Side-to-side drill: Side-control
13 Side-to-side drill: Knee on stomach
14 Side-to-side drill: Turtle
15 Fighting drill 1
16 Fighting drill 2
17 Fighting drill 3: Submissions
18 Fighting drill 4: Guard replacement, one hand tied
19 Fighting drill 5: Guard replacement, both hands tied
Techniques and technical insights
Basics
20 Mount escape upa or bridge
21 Side control escape
22 Side control escape alternativee: Bridge-hip escape combination
23 Frame
24 Side control escape: Turning to your knees
25 Forearm use to control distance
26 Leg use to control distance
Dealing with the stiff arm
27 Passing the guard
28 Mounted position 1: Arms push up; Mounted position 2: Arms punch the knees
Chokes
29 Basic collar choke: Standard grip
30 Basic collar choke: Top grip
31 Mata-leao or rear naked choke
32 Cross collar choke
33 Triangle
34 Triangle: Opponent gains posture
Joint submission tips
35 Foot-lock
36 Arm-lock from side control: Details
37 Arm lock
38 Shoulder-lock, or omoplata
39 Key-lock, or Americana
40 Kimura
Takedowns
41 Grip and power control 1
42 Grip and power control 2
43 Grips and control power drill
44 Hip throw drill
45 Takedown 1: Outside trip
46 Take down 2: Leg pick
47 Takedown 3: Duck under takedown variation
48 Counter to the rear clinch: Kimura
Guard defense basics
49 Guard replacement drill
50 Power and control: Defending the guard
51 Guard defense ddrill 1: Open guard hooks
52 Guard defense drill 2: Closed guard to open guard
53 Guard defense drill 3: Cross over sweep
54 Guard defense drill 4: Leg and body swing
55 Arm lock from the guard
56 Toreana guard pass defense
57 Breaking the opponent's posture: Arm-wrap: Opponent blocks arm
58 Breaking the opponent's posture: Arm-wrap: Opponent grabs collar
59 Guard defense: creating space and preventing your opponent from controlling your head
60 Replacing the guard from the turtle positons: Rollover
Sweeps and reversals
61 Scissor sweep
62 Butterfly guard hook sweep
6i3 Butterfly guard hook sweep: Opponents counters opening the leg
64 Overhead sweep
65 Windmill sweep
66 Windmill sweep to arm-lock
67 Windmill sweep variation
68 Windmill sweep from the open guard
69 Windmill sweep from the butterfly guard: Opponent reacts
70 Sider guard scissors sweep
71 Open guard tripod sweep
72 Tripod sweep to sickle sweep
73 Handstand sweep
74 Omoplata sweep
75 Summersault sweep
76 Leg trap sweep
77 Leg spread sweep
Half guard sweeps
78 Half-guard sweep: Foot grab
79 Half-guard sweep: Roll-over
80 Half-guard sweep: Helicopter
81 Half-guard sweep: Summersault
Half guard passes
82 Half-guard pass 1: Leg loop
83 Half-guard pass 2: Hand under
84 Half-guard pass 3: Hip switch
Passing the guard
85 Guard pass drill 1: Toreana or bullfighter's pass
86 Guard pass drill 2: Toreana with knee drop
87 Guard pass drill 3: Toreana with knee drop, opponents rolls
88 Standard guard pass: Stacking
89 Passing the guard
90 Butterfly guard pass 1: Arm-lock
91 Butterfly guard pass 2: Hip turn
92 Butterfly guard pass 3: Jump over
Knee on the stomach
93 Achieving knee on the stomach
94 Knee on the stomach to arm-lock
Mounted position
95 Mounted position drill 1: Roll and take the back
96 Mounted position drill 2: Transition to the side mount
97 Mounted position: Choke
98 Mounted position: Elbow escape cunter: Choke
99 Mounted position: Double attack choke: Arm-lock
100 Escaping the mount: Opponent holds one or both wrists
Escaping the back
101 Escaping the back 1: Opponent is blocked early
102 Escaping the back 2: Opponent grabs the collar
103 Escaping the back 3: Puch and bridge