10 Ways to Improve Your BJJ Teaching
Let's get this straight: just because you know a tremendous amount about Jiu Jitsu, it does not mean you are qualified to teach it.
By Brendan Hufford
Let's get this straight: just because you know a tremendous amount about Jiu Jitsu, it does not mean you are qualified to teach it.
Most of us have met this phenomenon. Somewhere in school or college we had a teacher who knew everything about their content but, for whatever reason, could not get it across to the people in front of them. We were left to figure it out on our own. They weren't teachers — they were presenters.
In 2009 I was a blue belt asked to cover a few classes after a mishap where I was training. Overnight I was thrust into a world I'd only ever experienced as a student. I went looking for resources on teaching Brazilian jiu jitsu and found Roy Dean and Matt Thornton. I also leaned on the people who'd shaped my classroom practice — Stephen Covey and Charlotte Danielson.
Matt Thornton (author of Aliveness 101 and founder of Straight Blast Gym) has written that "we shouldn't assume that people who have never had any formal training whatsoever as teachers would automatically get it right." With that in mind, I — as a veteran classroom teacher — set out to apply classroom tools to my teaching of Brazilian jiu jitsu. Here are ten tips to improve your teaching on the mat:
1\. Teach to the lowest common denominator – I firmly believe a rising tide raises all ships. That doesn't mean the whole class should be spent walking a beginner through their first submission or escape. It does mean every single class should include a serious review of basic fundamentals. Students of every level should revisit basic positioning, escapes, and so on. By teaching to the lowest-level student in the room, you ensure not only that they get something out of the class, but that they leave believing Brazilian jiu jitsu is for them.
2\. Emphasise time on task – During a class, no time should be "wasted." Classroom teachers work hard to eliminate downtime, but that takes an attentive instructor who notices the moment students finish what they're on and can move them along. This doesn't mean there's no room for discussion or questions — quite the opposite. That time is valuable and should be scheduled, just like drilling, new learning, and sparring. I've found a round timer or a stopwatch works better than a set number of reps when drilling, because it keeps the whole class working together. Scheduling a class is actually quite easy once you've planned ahead and you…
3\. Use a lesson plan / curriculum – Failing to plan is planning to fail. Sure, you can ad-lib a class or two, but the most effective teachers plan ahead and set specific objectives. When you don't have a lesson plan, you default to the easiest thing possible and teach the most standard, forgettable class. This doesn't mean you must stick to the plan — the best teachers also know how and when to adapt it to the students in front of them. A lesson plan helps you meet objectives, keep students on task, and…
4\. Understand different learning modalities – Using Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences as a model, we know there are at least eight different types of learners. To make sure you're reaching everyone, touch as many of these as you can. Give the kinesthetic learner a chance to feel how the technique should feel. Give the linguistic learner a chance to hear you explain it accurately (NOT "here, here, then do this, then go here, and tap them out"). Give the interpersonal learner a chance to ask questions and explain to the logical learner why you're doing what you're doing.
5\. Reflect on your teaching – After every class you should ask: How did my plan work out? Did I accomplish my goal (skill, conditioning, fun)? Was what I taught important to my students? How does this lesson scaffold into the next? Could I make better use of my resources? What are my strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? What could I improve? Would my students pass an assessment? Which leads directly into…
6\. Learn how to assess – In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey describes beginning with the end in mind. Establish what makes a student successful at each belt level (competition, time on the mat, technical knowledge, lifestyle) and base your assessment on that. Don't fall into the trap of leaning on anecdotal evidence — especially competition. Plenty of matches, particularly at lower belts, are won or lost on strength and conditioning, so pinning your whole read of a student on one tournament is dangerous. As a classroom teacher I vary my assessment between multiple formal and informal methods, and I believe the same should be true on the mat.
7\. Put first things first – Covey also writes about putting the most important things first in our lives, and about the difference between urgency and importance. Once you've defined what is most important for your students to learn (based on what they'll be assessed on), make sure those things take prominence in each class. If you believe conditioning is important, it should take up the majority of class time. If you believe stand-up grappling is most important, that's where the bulk of the time should go.
8\. Build community – Don't treat coaching as a business transaction. This is a mistake I see a lot of BJJ instructors make. I believe the old adage: students don't care what you know until they know that you care. I've found it true in every teaching setting, and especially in a BJJ academy. By arriving early, greeting students at the door or as they walk in, and asking about their lives outside the gym, you build a real relationship — one that not only makes them want to come back, but makes them believe in the importance of jiu jitsu, hold themselves to higher standards, and keep showing up to improve. The relationship should stay respectful and within the standards of the academy, but the better you know your students and the more rapport you build, the easier they are to teach.
9\. Yes to habits, no to absolutes – As a teacher, more than anything I want to develop students into critical thinkers. I don't care if they remember the specific details of what I taught them ten years from now. What I care about is building habits that will make them successful in the long run. The ultimate goal of a teacher is to progressively de-emphasise their own role and give students a greater role in their own learning. Building good habits is a big step in that direction.
Try not to use words like "always" and "never." When you speak in absolutes, you close your own mind to what your students can teach you about the art, and you close theirs to the possibilities. For example, if you teach students to never cross their feet while controlling the back, you hinder their development. But if you teach them why crossing their feet can be dangerous, and build the habit of not doing it, they'll learn when they can and can't.
10\. Professional development for BJJ instructors – As a classroom teacher I'm expected to pursue professional development and give back to the profession, and to regularly seek feedback from my employers and colleagues. A BJJ instructor should do the same. Attend seminars and workshops run by other instructors to pick up not only new techniques but teaching styles. Don't just ask how they hit a move — ask how they schedule classes, run their academy, and structure a curriculum.
The biggest part is giving back to the wider BJJ community. The tools for that have never been better than they are now: post a few of your techniques to YouTube or Instagram, break down a concept on TikTok, start a newsletter or a private group chat for your academy so you can stay connected with students even when they can't make it to class. Watch how the best communicators in the sport — a Mikey Musumeci breakdown, a Gordon Ryan concept video, the way the Ruotolo brothers explain their game — teach as well as do. However you do it, keep improving yourself as a professional instructor.
Like any good teacher, I've borrowed and built on the ideas of others. I'd encourage you to look beyond these first ten ideas to the instructors in your association and your local area, and keep developing your own practice.
Brendan Hufford has a Master's Degree in Educational Administration and is a Brazilian jiu jitsu purple belt under Miguel Torres / Andre Maneco. Originally published in Jiu Jitsu Style; refreshed for 2026.