Most Important BJJ Moves for Beginners | Hayward Jiu-Jitsu

Just starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? These are the most important BJJ moves for beginners, the fundamentals we teach new students every week at Mindset Martial Arts & Fitness in Hayward, CA. Watch the video playlist, then use the guide below to know what to focus on in your first few months.

Learn the Positions First

Before you worry about fancy submissions, learn where you are. Every beginner should understand the main positions in BJJ: closed guard, half guard, side control, mount and back control. Knowing which positions are good for you and which are bad for you is the foundation of everything else.

Escapes Keep You Safe

As a new student you'll spend a lot of time on the bottom. Learning to escape mount and side control is one of the most valuable skills you can build, both for rolling in class and for real-life self-defense.

Sweeps and Basic Submissions

Once you can survive and escape, add simple sweeps to get on top, and a few high-percentage submissions like the arm bar, the triangle and the kimura. Check out our other posts for step-by-step videos of each one.

Tips for Your First Months on the Mat

• Drill each move slowly before you try it in live rolling.
• Focus on position before submission.
• Ask questions. Our coaches and higher belts are here to help.
• Train consistently. Two classes a week adds up fast.

Train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Hayward

Mindset Martial Arts & Fitness is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kids martial arts and kickboxing academy at 24249 Hesperian Blvd in Hayward, CA, a short drive from San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. New students learn all of these fundamentals step by step in class. Our adult BJJ classes are beginner-friendly, and we also offer kids BJJ and fitness kickboxing.

See the class schedule or reserve your first class.