White Lotus Jiu Jitsu

Last night’s class was the perfect way to spend a summer evening. We couldn’t have asked for better weather.

Josh kicked things off by teaching arm-in guillotines, then we got some great rounds of rolling in before trading the mats for picnic tables and lounge chairs. There was plenty of good food, even better company, and it was so nice to slow down and spend time together outside of training.

A huge thank you to everyone who brought a dish to share, and a special shoutout to Ellie for bringing his guitar and providing the soundtrack to the evening.

These nights are a great reminder that the best part of our gym isn’t just the jiu jitsu. It’s the people who make it feel like home.

Half guard has been the focus in advanced class, with a simple idea driving everything: treat it like a two-on-one battle.

From there we worked on the John Wayne sweep, using our feet as extra hands to create control, off-balance our partner.

We finished Tuesdays class up by exploring a variety of kneebar entries and transitions, eventually working our way to the belly-down dog bar.

Last night we kept building on the idea of owning the space between your opponent’s elbow and hip. Once you create that connection, don’t rush past it. Settle in, maintain the attachment, and let it do the work for you.

This time we used a Kimura grip, then threw the leg over to strengthen the attachment before working toward the finish. Strong control makes submissions feel a lot less like a battle of strength and a lot more like a matter of patience and positioning.

It’s always fun to watch everyone start connecting these pieces and seeing how much easier the finish becomes when the attachment comes first.

What can Avatar: The Last Airbender teach us about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

I built an Avatar-inspired BJJ curriculum around the four elements: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. Each one explores a different part of jiu-jitsu, from movement and connection to control and finishing.

What started as a creative way to teach has also become a mirror for my own game, especially the areas I naturally avoid.

I wrote more about how the curriculum works, the martial arts behind each element, and what it has been teaching me along the way.

Read the full blog here: https://www.whitelotusbjj.com/post/how-i-built-an-avatar-inspired-bjj-curriculum-and-what-it-s-teaching-me

How I Built an Avatar-Inspired BJJ Curriculum What can Avatar: The Last Airbender teach us about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? I built a four-element BJJ curriculum to explore movement, connection, control, and finishing, and it has taught me just as much as my students.

Last week in Creativity in Jiu Jitsu, we kicked off our Firebending unit by going back to its roots. 🔥

One of our incredibly talented students, who has a background in Kung Fu, shared some of the history behind the Shaolin Kung Fu traditions that inspired the firebending seen in Avatar: The Last Airbender. She demonstrated a beautiful sequence before teaching us one of our own.

Watching her move was mesmerizing. She looked absolutely badass. The rest of us? Somewhere between enthusiastic martial artists and baby giraffes trying to figure out what legs are.

It’s always fun to step outside of our comfort zones and explore the arts that have influenced the way we think about movement, balance, and body mechanics. Here’s to embracing the awkward, learning something new, and finding a little fire along the way.

Last night we continued working on Americanas. I forgot to take my usual notes and pictures during the technique portion to post, but I did manage to grab a few shots while everyone was rolling.

Last night’s focus was the Americana.

Instead of trying to muscle the submission, we worked on using gravity and body weight to isolate the arm first. Good mechanics make the finish feel effortless.

We also spent time on the other side of the equation:
• Don’t let yourself get flattened.
• Use your feet to stay mobile and create space.
• Keep your elbows home to protect your arms and avoid giving your partner easy attacks.

Be sure to check out aquilathethunderer photogenic facial expressions 😆

We continued working on kimuras in our drilling class this week, with the focus on using the kimura as a position to create sweeps rather than rushing to the submission.

Once you’ve built a strong attachment, your legs do a lot of the heavy lifting. We drilled how to use them to create angles, off balance our partner, and make our sweeps feel effortless instead of relying on upper body strength.

A solid attachment opens the door. Your legs carry you through it.

This week we kept building on the kimura. While it’s known as a submission, it’s just as important to understand it as a position. A solid kimura grip can control your opponent, create movement, and lead to all kinds of opportunities long before you ever think about the finish.

Josh shared a ton of great details in class, helping everyone tighten up the position and make the grip more effective.