Skip to content
Train My Hands for War taped-hand markTrain My Hands

Learn

Understand the art before you step on the mat.

Short, accurate guides written for the man who has never tied a belt — and useful to the grappler who has tied one for years.

Start here

Safety and etiquette for beginners

Jiu-Jitsu is learned in partnership, not combat. These four pillars keep every round safe, especially when beginners and teens share the mat at 3 Embers Grappling Academy.

Consent first

Every round requires consent. You may decline or stop a round with anyone, at any time, without explanation. Consent outranks rank.

Tap early, release immediately

A tap can be a hand tap, foot tap, or the word 'tap' or 'stop.' Any pain sound, loss of responsiveness, or coach stoppage ends the action right away.

Protect your partner

Apply technique with control. Nobody wins a drill. Train at the level of your partner, not your ego.

Train in your lane

First-timers use beginner positional work. Live submissions and standing rounds require coach clearance.

Read the Full Mat CodeFirst Class Guide

The ten rules

The mat code at a glance

  1. 1

    Leave ego at the door.

    The mat is a classroom, not a courtroom.

  2. 2

    Every round requires consent.

    Anyone may decline or stop a round with anyone, at any time, without explanation.

  3. 3

    Tap early. Release immediately.

    A tap may be by hand, foot, or voice. "Tap," "stop," a pain sound, loss of responsiveness, or coach stoppage ends the action immediately.

  4. 4

    Protect your partner.

    Apply technique with control. Nobody wins a drill.

  5. 5

    Be coachable.

    Listen, ask clear questions, and follow the lead instructor.

  6. 6

    Drill cooperatively.

    First repetitions are cooperative. Progressive resistance is added only when directed.

  7. 7

    Train in your lane.

    First-timers use beginner positional work; live submissions and standing rounds require coach clearance.

  8. 8

    No unsolicited coaching.

    Guest teaching requires advance approval from the lead instructor, gym, organizers, and youth-safeguarding process.

  9. 9

    Honor every academy.

    No recruiting, affiliation politics, rank entitlement, or belt promotion.

  10. 10

    Help your brother up.

    Leave the room safer and cleaner than you found it.

Before you train

First-timer checklist

  • Register in advance so we can plan mat space, lanes, and loaner gis.
  • Both required waivers signed before you step on the mat. Minors 13–17 need a parent or guardian signature and an adult present on site.
  • A clean, fully dried gi. Loaner gis are subject to advance request and availability; sizing varies by brand, so tell us your height and weight rather than a size letter.
  • Rashguard or athletic shirt and compression shorts under the gi.
  • Sandals or slides for every off-mat area, including restrooms. Bare feet on clean mats only.
  • Water bottle and towel — nothing shared.
  • Trimmed nails, no jewelry, no watches, no catchable piercings.
  • Mouthguard strongly recommended for live rounds.
  • Arrive by 6:15 PM for check-in, waiver verification, and questions.

Guides

Search guides and references

6 guides and 9 references match.

Instructional videos are educational and are not a substitute for supervised training. Do not practice submissions or takedowns without qualified coaching and a consenting partner.

References and further reading

Primary sources are linked so you can verify anything on this page. Rules, ages, and promotion standards change — always read the current source.

Download references (PDF)
  1. Official IBJJF Rule BookInternational Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation

    Current scoring, control criteria, advantages, penalties, and illegal techniques by age and belt. The rulebook governs, not a summary.

  2. IBJJF graduation system and age divisionsInternational Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation

    Adult and youth belt categories, minimum ages (blue belt at 16), degrees, and time-in-rank guidance.

  3. Kodokan Judo Institute — history of Jigoro Kano and the KodokanKodokan Judo Institute

    Primary source for the 1882 founding of the Kodokan and the judo lineage Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grew from.

  4. Jujutsu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — encyclopedia overviewEncyclopaedia Britannica

    Neutral background on Japanese jujutsu, its spread, and the Brazilian branch of the art.

  5. USA Judo and judo terminology (uke, tori, ukemi)USA Judo

    Terminology and falling (ukemi) fundamentals carried into BJJ vocabulary.

  6. HEADS UP: concussion signs, symptoms, and return-to-playU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    What to watch for after a head impact, and why any suspected concussion ends the session.

  7. Youth sports safety and injury prevention guidanceAmerican Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org

    Supervision, matching by size and experience, hydration, and rest — the basis of our 13+ youth policy.

  8. Texas Penal Code Chapter 9 — justification excluding criminal responsibilityTexas Legislature

    Self-defense is a legal question before it is a technical one. Read the statute; this is information, not legal advice.

  9. Ephesians 6:10-18Scripture

    The guardrail for how we train: our struggle is not against flesh and blood.

External links are provided for education only and do not imply endorsement of, or affiliation with, this Connect Group.

Pertinent sections on this site

Suggest a resource or report a citation

Rules, ages, and promotion standards change. If a source here is out of date, a link is broken, or a better primary source exists, tell us and we will correct it.

Learn hub feedback

Take it to the mat