What Should White Belts Learn First in BJJ?
Every beginner asks the same question: what should white belts learn first in BJJ? With thousands of techniques available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But the truth is, success in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu isn’t about memorizing moves — it’s about learning the right lessons in the right order.
The first and most important lesson isn’t technical. It’s mental: white belts need to learn how to relax on the mat.
Relaxation Is the First Real Lesson
When coaches are asked what should white belts learn first in BJJ, their answers often come back to one word: relaxation.
A tense beginner burns out fast. Muscling through every roll leaves you exhausted and blocks your ability to absorb information. But when you relax, you think more clearly, breathe more steadily, and move more efficiently.
Relaxation sets you up for long-term success because it creates comfort in a stressful environment. Instead of panicking, you’ll feel at home on the mats — which is exactly what you need to keep learning and growing.
Relaxation and Positional Control
Another way to look at what should white belts learn first in BJJ is through the relationship between control and relaxation. Jiu Jitsu is built on positional structure, and the six core positions are your map:
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Closed Guard
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Open Guard
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Half Guard
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Side Control
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Mount
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Back Control
Relaxation ties directly into these positions. On top, especially in side control or mount, being relaxed makes your weight feel heavier and your control smoother. On bottom, staying calm under pressure helps you frame, breathe, and survive instead of panicking.
Learning to relax in these positions is the foundation for everything else.
Self-Defense and Staying Calm Under Pressure
Another key part of answering what should white belts learn first in BJJ is understanding how these lessons apply to self-defense. It’s not about becoming an MMA fighter — but it is about knowing what real-world threats look like.
For example, what happens when someone mounts you and throws punches? By experiencing this in a controlled training setting, you slowly acclimate to that stress. Your anxiety spikes at first, but with repetition, you become comfortable under pressure.
This is where relaxation pays off again. Staying calm under stress isn’t just a Jiu Jitsu skill — it’s a life skill.
Why Relaxation Leads to Growth
If you want to truly understand what white belts should learn first in BJJ, it comes down to this: relaxation makes everything else possible. It allows you to:
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Retain information instead of forgetting it.
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Feel your opponent’s movement instead of forcing your own.
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Train longer without burning out.
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Develop confidence in both training and self-defense.
Most importantly, relaxation gives you self-control. It helps you manage stress, stay calm in bad positions, and carry those skills into daily life.
Conclusion & Next Steps
So, what should white belts learn first in BJJ? They must learn how to relax, identify the six core positions, and build comfort under pressure. By focusing on these fundamentals, you’ll lay a foundation that supports every technique you’ll ever learn.
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