This is not a list of hacks or loopholes to your Jiu-Jitsu blue belt. There is no short road, this article is How to get a blue belt in BJJ. This article is about keeping you on the right track on your journey from white to blue belt.

This week we jump into the topic of the best martial arts for kids. I was having a drink with my neighbor when he told me his 9-year-old son was getting bullied. He asked which was the best martial arts for kids. Over the years I have been asked this question many times by family, friends, and coworkers. It made me think about which martial arts are best for kids to learn. My knee-jerk response is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but I know that other martial arts have their virtues. I’ll elaborate:

Firas Zahabi is grappling training coach for many top level MMA fighters like Kenny Florian and George St. Pierre. In this interview Firas lays out the foundations of his philosophy. If you are serious about training you need to watch this video! Many of his thoughts are very applicable to successful lifestyle.

Getting in a street fight is never a good idea. But if you have too here is a short list to sharpen your skills around. This list is about the most effective ‘Street Jitsu’ techniques.

Ok before we move on any further… I won’t be testing if the War Tribe Gi Kevlar Reinforced can withstand a gunshot. But not a bad idea, Maybe in a future review. When I first heard about this Jiu Jitsu gi I was certain that a kimono maker had figured out a new cheesy gimmick. I was skeptical. Purchasing the gi went easy enough. Some gi makers have a crappy distribution and a cheap website. That wasn’t the case here. They even stock their product on amazon. So points there.

Even in a martial art from the streets of Brazil there is such a thing as BJJ etiquette. One of my favorite sports sayings is “The Ref will moderate the written rules. Your competitors will moderate the unwritten rules.” Here is a mix of written and some unwritten rules. I’ll do this in order of ‘guideline’ to ‘essential’.

Your first day of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should put a couple butterflies in your stomach. Starting something new is always exciting. Nothing can wreck a new experience like showing up unprepared.

Aching joints caused by Jiu Jitsu is very common with all age levels of athletes. Here are some quick tips to help deal with the pain.

In this week we dive into the subject of  ‘How to clean your Jiu Jitsu Gi’. Face it. Your Jiu Jitsu gi smells terrible and no amount of washing it seems to help. The gi smells like nothing you have ever dealt with before. Here are some thoughts on how to clean a Jiu Jitsu gi.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the most unintuitive sport you could take on. It is also one the most effective martial arts known to mankind. You should be sufficiently out of your comfort zone. The first couple months of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are the most challenging. The first couple times on the mat will be a very very humbling experience. The upper belts and the other senior guys will have some sort of magical ability to stay three steps ahead of you. The head instructor might be too busy to give one on one time with you. So here are Jiu Jitsu white belt tips that all white belts should take to heart in their first month of the sport…