Everyone in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu asks the same question at some point:
“How do I get better faster?”
Most people assume the answer is more techniques, more classes, more YouTube instructionals, more rounds.
That helps.
But after coaching and training for years, I’ve noticed something most people miss:
➡️ Getting better at BJJ is less about collecting information and more about how you process it.
You Don’t Need More Techniques. You Need Better Learning
At a certain point, every grappler has seen enough techniques to last a lifetime.
The difference between someone who improves steadily and someone who stays stuck isn’t access to knowledge.
It’s self-directed learning.
Your ability to:
- Understand what actually happened in a round
- Identify your own patterns (not just your mistakes)
- Test solutions in real time
- Adjust without needing constant instruction
That’s what drives progress.
Your Coach Is Not an Oracle
Having a coach is incredibly valuable. I’m a coach myself, and I’ve seen firsthand how much the right guidance can accelerate someone’s development.
But one of the biggest mindset traps in BJJ is treating your coach like an all-knowing oracle.
Like they have the answer to every problem and your job is just to follow instructions.
That works early on.
But it breaks down long-term.
Because at some point, your progress depends on your ability to think, not just repeat.
The Best Athletes Turn Their Coach Into a Partner
The athletes who improve the fastest usually shift their relationship with coaching over time.
Not by rejecting coaching.
But by evolving it.
Early stage:
- Coach is hands-on
- Coach gives direct instructions
- Athlete executes
Later stage:
- Coach becomes an advisor
- Athlete brings problems, not just questions
- Solutions are tested together
The coach stops being the “answer giver” and becomes a performance partner.
Coaches Who Understand This Approach
There are a few coaches in the sport who really embody this idea of athlete-led development and problem solving.
People like Josh Saunders, Greg Souders, and Sebastian Attard approach coaching less like information delivery and more like guiding athletes to understand their own game. Creating an environment where their progress is directed purposefully.
They’re not trying to create dependency.
They’re trying to create independence.
That’s the shift.
What Self-Directed Learning Looks Like on the Mats
If you want to get better faster, start here:
1️⃣ Review Your Rounds Honestly
Not emotionally.
Look for patterns:
- Where do you consistently get stuck?
- What positions break you?
- What reactions do you default to under pressure?
2️⃣ Test One Idea at a Time
Don’t try to fix everything.
Pick one problem and explore it for a few weeks.
Example:
- “I keep getting stuck in half guard bottom”
- Spend your training experimenting with escapes, frames, and reactions
3️⃣ Stop Collecting, Start Applying
Watching instructionals is useful.
But if you’re not testing it in live rounds, it’s just mental clutter.
The Hidden Layer: Being a Good Training Partner Makes You Better Faster
Most people separate skill development from how they show up in the room.
But they’re connected.
Good training partners:
- Stay safe
- Tap early
- Don’t hurt others
- Are coachable
- Help create good training rounds
And something people don’t talk about enough:
When you’re a good person to train with, you get more rounds, better partners, and more opportunities to improve.
Bad training partners don’t get invited back into the same rounds.
That slows progress more than anything else.
And yes, basic hygiene matters here too (we help with that btw~).
No one wants to spend rounds worrying about skin infections, bad breath, or whether they need to wash their gear twice after training with you.
The Real Secret to Getting Better at BJJ
It’s not a move. It’s not a system. It’s not even a coach.
It’s this:
➡️ You take responsibility for your own development ⬅️
Your coach guides you but doesn’t carry you.
You learn to observe yourself honestly, test ideas, and refine your game over time.
And you understand that becoming a high-level grappler isn’t about memorising answers.
It’s about learning how to ask better questions.
That’s how you get better at BJJ faster.
And that’s how you become the kind of training partner everyone actually wants to roll with.
Justin.