The black belt blueprint : an intelligent approach to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

263 Pages·2015·7.87 MB·English

The Black Belt Blueprint Copyright 2015 by Nicolas Gregoriades
Published: 10th December 2013
ISBN: 978-1-50771-250-4

Publisher: Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood Publications
The right of Nicolas Gregoriades to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by him in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without
written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com
Dedication

For Marc Barton and Arash Moghaddas

“A brother is a friend God gave you; a friend is a brother your heart chose
for you.”
- Proverb
Contents Introduction
PART 1: BEFORE YOU START
How To Use This Book
My System and Why it Works
Where to Train
Equipment
PART 2: THE FRAMEWORK
A Brief History of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
How Jiu-Jitsu Works
The Positions
The Three Pillars of a Black Belt
Progressing Through the Belt System
PART 3: CONCEPTS
Breath Control
Dominating the Center
Using Angles Effectively
Expansion / Contraction From Center
Posture & Structure
Power-Point and Base
Eye & Head Movement
How to Attack Joints Effectively
The B.O.S.S. Principle
PART 4: ON THE MAT
The Importance of Repetition
Memorize Techniques Efficiently
Fundamental Movements
Essential Defensive Techniques
Essential Attacks
Understanding the Grip
Training for Competitions
PART 5: ‘INVISIB LE’ JIU JITSU
Awareness
The Relaxed & Efficient Grappler
Balance
Practise Without Your Hands
Training with Closed Eyes
The Flow Drill
PART 6: IMPROVING OFF THE MAT
The Power of Visualization
Flow Diagrams
Supplemental Training
Basic Conditioning Workout
Yoga & Jiu Jitsu
Nutrition for Jiu Jitsu
PART 7: THE JIU JITSU LIFESTYLE
The Essence of Jiu Jitsu
Competing
Avoiding Common Injuries
Training in Brazil
Overtraining
PART 8: FURTHER RESOURCES
Recommended Resources
Recommended Academies
Frequently Asked Questions
Closing Thoughts
About the Author
About the Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Jiu jitsu has been the single biggest influence in my life.

It helped me totally transform my body and my mind. It has taken me all over
the world. Teaching it has fed me and put a roof over my head. It has allowed
me to meet so many talented and interesting people and make hundreds of
friends all over the planet.

I’m not sure which direction my life would have taken had I not found jiu jitsu,
but it has undoubtedly made me the man I am today. I wrote this book because I
want others to experience the same life-changing and far-reaching benefits of
embracing the jiu jitsu lifestyle that I have.

Jiu jitsu is challenging. It’s been estimated that for every 1000 people that try it
only 5 or so continue and make it to the black belt. I want to change that. This
guide is for those who want to start training but are hesitant for whatever reason.
It’s also for beginners who are finding the journey overwhelming. And it’s also
for the more advanced student’s that are attempting to refine their game. It is my
hope that this resource will make your experience with jiu jitsu as fun and
productive as it can be.

Keep in mind that reading books and watching videos about jiu jitsu is not doing
jiu jitsu. Just as you will never learn to swim if you don’t get wet, neither will
you become a jiu jitsuka if you don’t get on the mats and train.

The hardest part of any undertaking is starting. It’s committing to that initial
action that will be the most daunting and most critical factor on your path to
learning anything, jiu jitsu included.

It doesn’t matter if you attend an introductory class at one of the huge academies
in New York or London, or if you and a buddy get some mats and start training
in your garage – as long as you take that first step.

One of the beautiful things about the art is that it is always in flux. Everyone has
a different experience of it. What I offer you is the knowledge I have gained on
my path. It has worked for me, and for many of my students, but it is not
necessarily the ‘best way’ or the ‘only way’, but merely ‘a way’.

I love hearing from readers and students all over the world, so feel free to email
me ([email protected]) with any thoughts, comments or questions
you might have. I receive many messages per week so it may take me a while to
respond to you, but I will endeavour to do my best.

See you on the mat!

Nicolas Gregoriades Chiang Mai, Thailand - December 2013
PART 1
Before You Start
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao Tzu
How To Use This Book
For those of you who have been training jiu jitsu for a while (blue belt or
higher), feel free to skip to any section you want.

If you’re a complete beginner however, I would strongly advise consuming the
information in the sequence in which it’s presented.