Standing
Win posture and first grips. If the shot fails, recover stance before reaching. If the opponent shoots, hips down, head pressure, circle to an angle.
mat notes
BJJ Cheatsheet
A compact map for survival, position, and simple attacks. Tap early, keep breathing, and treat every line here as a drilling prompt rather than medical or coaching advice.
scoreboard
IBJJF-style scoring map
2Takedown, sweep, knee-on-belly
3Guard pass to side control or north-south
4Mount, back mount, back control
3sStabilize before points matter
priority
Decision ladder
Bad bottom
Defend neck and isolated arms first. Frame, turn to a side, recover knees between bodies, then re-guard or wrestle up.
Guard
Legs control distance. Break posture, keep hips active, pick one sweep and one submission before chasing variety.
Passing
Win inside space, pin hips or shoulders, clear the knees, then settle. Do not rush a submission while legs are still blocking you.
Pins
Side control is a hub. Mount and back control are higher value. Cook first, isolate later.
Submission
Finish only after control. If the finish loosens the position, return to control and rebuild.
bottom rules
Escapes before attacks
- Mount: trap-and-roll if a hand posts poorly; elbow-knee escape when they post and ride.
- Side control: chin safe, near-side frame, hip frame, turn to a side, shrimp until the knee enters.
- Back: two hands fight the choking arm, hide the neck, clear hooks, put shoulders to the mat.
- Half guard: stay on your side, get an underhook or knee shield, recover full guard or come up.
top game
Simple chains
Standing
Grip fight, posture, level change. Double leg is the reference shot; sprawl is the reference defense.
Guard top
Posture first. Break closed guard, choose headquarters/knee cut or pressure passing, then stabilize side control.
Side control
Crossface, hip block, shoulder pressure. Look for mount, back exposure, far-side armbar, paper-cutter, kimura.
Mount
Low mount to settle, high mount to isolate. If they turn, chair-sit to the back.
Back
Seatbelt, hooks or body triangle, head under control. Hand fight to rear naked choke, sliding collar, bow-and-arrow, or armbar.
flow
Position ladder
standing
guard
pass
pin
finish
Closed guard
Bottom: break posture before attacks. Top: posture, hands safe, open the guard before trying to pass.
Open guard
Bottom: feet frame hips, biceps, shoulders, or thighs. Top: clear feet from centerline and make the hips face away.
Half guard
Bottom: underhook, knee shield, or lock-down as temporary tools. Top: crossface, flatten, free the trapped knee, then the foot.
Turtle
Top: seatbelt or front headlock before hooks. Bottom: protect the neck, keep elbows in, build to a sit-out or recover guard.
North-south
Use it as a pressure reset from side control. Watch kimura traps and north-south choke entries, but keep hip connection first.
families
Guard map
Retention
Never let both knees point away. Keep at least one frame between bodies: knee, shin, foot, hand, or forearm.
Sweeps
Load weight onto hands, remove a post, rotate. Scissor, hip bump, tripod, and sit-up sweeps teach the pattern.
Submissions
Closed guard attacks work when posture is broken. Armbar, triangle, omoplata, guillotine, kimura: all start with angle and control.
Passing
Choose one mode per exchange: pressure, outside speed, or headquarters. Switching modes is fine; mixing them halfway usually leaks balance.
drilling
Training loops
One minute survival
Start mounted, back-controlled, and side-controlled. Goal: no submission for sixty seconds, then add the escape.
Three-pass rounds
Top player must pass three different ways. Bottom player scores by recovering guard, not by submitting.
Back control hand fight
Start with seatbelt and hooks. Attacker wins by exposing the neck; defender wins by putting shoulders to the mat.
Reset rule
Any time breathing gets frantic, freeze the ego: frame, breathe, protect neck, protect inside space, then move.
original notes
Old links kept
Guard
Superior position
Guard pass
- Double underhook pass (I don't use this one)
Inferior position
Sweep
Attack
Mount
Superior position
Attack
Take back
Inferior position
Back
Superior position
Inferior position
Sweep
Standing
Side Control
Superior position
Attack
Inferior position
sources