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Can a Blue Belt Teach BJJ? Yes but within certain limits. Blue belts are great for teaching specific groups like kids and complete beginners, especially when they have the right supervision and education. Teaching not only helps others, but also reinforces their own understanding of the basics, making it a valuable experience for future growth in both teaching and Jiu-Jitsu.
Can a blue belt teach BJJ? The idea of a blue belt teaching Jiu-Jitsu can sometimes spark debate, but the truth is, with the right framework, it’s completely doable and beneficial—both for the blue belt and the students.
While they may not be ready to handle advanced techniques or run their own classes entirely, blue belts can contribute in meaningful ways, especially with kids and beginners. The key is to provide guidance, supervision, and a structured environment so they can develop their teaching skills alongside their own Jiu-Jitsu knowledge.
Also read: Can You Make a Living Teaching BJJ?
One of the best scenarios for a blue belt to teach is in children’s classes. Teaching kids Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t require the deep knowledge you’d need to teach advanced practitioners. Instead, it’s all about the basics—movement patterns, positions, and fundamental techniques.
However, teaching kids isn’t just about showing them moves; it’s about understanding how to handle their energy, attention spans, and even conflicts that may arise during training. That’s why blue belts teaching kids need to be educated in more than just Jiu-Jitsu—they need to know how to work with children.
I’ve seen firsthand the damage uneducated instructors can do. A well-meaning coach who doesn’t understand how to manage kids properly can easily push them away from the sport, not just physically but mentally. The worst part? They often think they’re doing a great job.
So if you’re a blue belt thinking about teaching kids, don’t just assume you’re naturally good at it—back it up with real education and training.
If you get the right instructor training for kids, you’ll not only be a better coach, but you’ll avoid making mistakes that can turn kids off Jiu-Jitsu for life.
One of the quickest ways to lose your students’ attention is by overloading them with too many details. As BJJ enthusiasts, we love exploring the intricacies of techniques and fine-tuning them. That curiosity is vital for growth as a student—but as an instructor, your goal is different.
Your primary task isn’t just to grab attention, but to hold it. To do this, you need to strike a balance between giving enough detail to be effective, while keeping it clear and concise. This ensures your students can focus on the main concepts and stay engaged throughout the entire class.
Also read: Can You Learn BJJ in One Year?
Another group that benefits from blue belts as instructors is complete beginners. However, this is where supervision comes in.
A blue belt isn’t ready to design a curriculum or prioritize what beginners need to learn. But they can definitely help white belts grasp the basics when working as an assistant coach. In this role, they’re not flying solo—they’re there to support a more experienced instructor, like a brown or black belt.
In a typical beginner class, the main instructor will lay out the day’s concept or technique, and the blue belt’s job is to walk around and help the white belts remember what was taught. Beginners often struggle with details—like putting a foot in the wrong spot or getting their positioning confused.
A blue belt can quickly correct these small mistakes, helping beginners build good habits early on. At the same time, the blue belt benefits from constantly reinforcing their own knowledge of the basics. Every time they explain a technique to someone else, they’re learning it better themselves.
This is why blue belts teaching beginners, even in an assistant role, is so valuable. Teaching reveals gaps in your own understanding, and those gaps are opportunities to learn and improve. With a more experienced instructor available to help troubleshoot and explain details that might still be fuzzy, the blue belt speeds up their own progress.
If you’re a blue belt interested in teaching, it’s crucial to seek out an instructor’s course to help set you up for success. A popular option is Gracie University, where they offer teacher training courses that require in-person attendance. These courses are well-known, but they can be a bit pricey, though the demand for them shows they’re worth considering.
Alternatively, you have TeachGrappling.com, which offers the world’s only course specifically for teaching beginners. This course goes beyond basic Jiu-Jitsu techniques, teaching you how to manage conflicts, create a welcoming atmosphere, and make your students feel confident from day one. Whether you’re looking to level up your teaching skills or fast-track your coaching career, this course provides everything you need to succeed.
One of the standout elements is the focus on teaching fundamental motor skills, which is often the biggest struggle for newcomers. Beginners may understand the technique conceptually, but getting their bodies to cooperate is another story.
This course includes smart movement drills, yoga positions, and simple warm-ups designed to prepare students for technical work with partners.
It also offers a carefully designed curriculum that prioritizes which positions to teach, making it easy for instructors to write out the plan on a whiteboard for students to follow. This visual approach allows beginners to track their own progress, even creating their own mind maps to see what they’ve learned and what’s missing. The curriculum follows a macro plan that spans a year or two, with every class connecting to the others in cycles, so students can jump in at any point without feeling lost if they miss a session.
On top of that, TeachGrappling’s course is incredibly affordable compared to the education you receive and how quickly you can recoup the cost by teaching classes, privates, or even seminars. It’s not meant to compete with the knowledge of a brown or black belt, but to empower blue and purple belts who want to begin teaching, especially when it comes to beginners. This is perfect for gyms that are looking to scale and need reliable instructors with the right tools to succeed.
The gap between blue belt and purple belt isn’t huge—on average, about two years. That’s not a long time in the grand scheme of Jiu-Jitsu. When you reach purple belt, you’re expected to have a solid understanding of the fundamentals, and you may start teaching classes on your own. But teaching without any prior experience can be daunting.
If a blue belt has had the chance to assist in teaching classes or handle a few kids’ classes, they’re way ahead of the game when it comes to confidence, dealing with nerves, and feeling like an impostor.
Teaching as a blue belt gives you a head start on those challenges. You’re practicing not just your Jiu-Jitsu, but the art of teaching itself. You’ll be more comfortable in front of a class, better at explaining techniques, and less likely to feel overwhelmed when it’s time to lead a class as a purple belt.
Also read: Can a Purple Belt Teach BJJ?
So can a blue belt teach BJJ? Absolutely, but with limits and the right support. Blue belts are perfect for teaching kids (with proper education) and helping beginners, especially when supervised by higher belts. The experience they gain by teaching helps them grow as practitioners, sharpening their understanding of the fundamentals and preparing them for future teaching roles as they advance through the ranks.
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