Learn
The position map
Jiu-Jitsu makes sense once you can name where you are. Position first, then escape or attack.
Core positions
- Closed guard — you are on your back with legs wrapped around your partner's torso. A defensive and offensive hub.
- Half guard — you control one of your partner's legs; the knee shield and underhook are the beginner's tools.
- Side control — your partner is chest-to-chest across you. Frames and hip escapes come first.
- Mount — top position seated on the torso. Survival, bridge, and elbow-knee escapes from the bottom.
- Back control — behind your partner with hooks or a body triangle. Hand fighting is the defense.
- Turtle — kneeling and folded. Learn safety and the sit-out before anything else.
Language you will hear
Uke means the receiving partner; tori means the executing partner. If a term is unfamiliar, ask. Nobody here loses standing for asking a question.
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.
Take it to the mat
- First Class GuideWhat to wear, what to bring, and exactly how the 90 minutes run.
- 2027 ScheduleEvery session date, Central Time, hosted at 3 Embers Grappling Academy.
- Our CodeThe mat code, consent rules, and techniques we do not train here.
- Reserve My Mat — FreeMen and sons 13+. A parent or guardian registers a minor and stays on site.