Beginners BJJ Class

Beginners class: Usually I teach the advanced classes at RGA in NYC. Sometimes however, I get asked to substitute in a beginners class when another instructor is sick or out of town. I always jump on the opportunity when it arises. There is something magical about a beginners class. It immediately returns you to the most important aspects of the sport and brings back the feelings of wonder you had when you first began in the kingly art of jiu jitsu. When teaching advanced students, my main focus is to get them TO IMPOSE THEIR GAME UPON THEIR OPPONENT. Beginners however, lack the skills to do this, and so here my main focus will always be PREVENTING AN OPPONENT FROM IMPOSING HIS GAME UPON YOU. Interestingly, the lessons of the beginner class have primacy - for in all truth, YOU WILL NEVER IMPOSE YOUR GAME UPON ANYONE IF YOU CANNOT FIRST PREVENT THEM FROM IMPOSING THEIR GAME UPON YOU. Those early days in the sport, as frustrating as they often are, when we get pinned and controlled and have no idea how to get out, are the essential part of a journey that perhaps one day will see you able to impose your will upon whoever is in front of you.

-John Danaher