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Best White-to-Blue Belt Curriculum Instructionals
A research-backed ranking of the BJJ Fanatics instructionals that map a clear path from white to blue belt, ordered by community reception and real-world usability.
BJJMore earns an affiliate commission when you buy through the BJJ Fanatics links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We also cover subscription alternatives like Submeta (Lachlan Giles’ free Foundations courses), Grapplers Guide ($297 lifetime), and Hidden Jiu-Jitsu (Henry Akins’ Rickson Gracie lineage curriculum).
Jump to a pick
- 1. Blue Belt Requirements 2.0
- 2. Jiu Jitsu University: The Secret Behind the Pictures
- 3. Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum
- 4. Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- 5. The Road To Blue Belt
- 6. The Daisy Fresh Curriculum: White Belt – Stripe One
- 7. The Daisy Fresh White Belt Wrestling Curriculum
- Comparison table
- FAQ
The top picks, up front
2026 editionBlue Belt Requirements 2.0
Roy DeanA proven, promotion-focused blueprint that turns scattered basics into a clear white-to-blue plan.
≈2 h 15 m · beginner · gi · $$Jiu Jitsu University: The Secret Behind the Pictures
Saulo RibeiroThe gold-standard beginner framework on video, mapping white-to-blue by survival and escapes.
≈9 h 44 m · beginner · gi · $$Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum
Eliot MarshallA modern, structured fundamentals path from a respected coach for your first year.
≈5 h 22 m · beginner · gi/no-gi · $$Blue Belt Requirements 2.0
Roy DeanA proven, promotion-focused blueprint that turns scattered basics into a clear white-to-blue plan.
What it covers
Roy Dean maps 77 techniques from breakfalls to back escapes into a testable checklist, so you always know what to drill next. You will not get deep conceptual lectures; you get an organized, promotion-ready skill list that covers mount escapes, armlocks, chokes (RNC, cross-collar, guillotine), guard passes, and basic leg locks.
Style is system-based, gi-only, across 4 volumes. The biggest takeaway: drill a clear, testable checklist rather than chasing novelty.
Why it stands out
- 77 techniques organized into a clear promotion checklist, frequently called the best beginner instructional on r/bjj.
- Multiple camera angles and speed demonstrations per technique, with short chapters for easy drilling.
- Roy Dean holds black belts in BJJ (4th degree), Aikido, and Judo, giving a uniquely well-rounded perspective on movement and falling.
Roy Dean explains very clearly and slowly what is going on in the technique, step by step, then he does it again at a faster and more realistic speed from four different camera angles.
Georgette Oden, BJJ blogger
Gi-forward, so no-gi white belts should look at the Daisy Fresh No-Gi curriculum instead. At about 2 hours total, each technique gets minimal variation coverage, and the checklist approach teaches breadth over depth. For conceptual understanding of why techniques work, Saulo Ribeiro’s Jiu Jitsu University goes much deeper.
Beginners who want a clear, promotion-ready checklist to drill in the same order every week.
You train no-gi only, or you want deep conceptual lectures over a structured skill list.
Notable alternatives: The White Belt Bible for day-one essentials, or Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a reference library.
Jiu Jitsu University: The Secret Behind the Pictures
Saulo RibeiroThe gold-standard beginner framework on video, mapping white-to-blue by survival and escapes.
What it covers
Saulo turns the book every coach recommends into a watchable, belt-structured course. You learn what to prioritize at white and blue so training feels purposeful. It is conceptual and broad, organized around survival, escapes, guard, guard passing, and submissions rather than a drill list for every micro-position.
Biggest takeaway: survive first, escape second, then build offense on top of that base.
Why it stands out
- Belt-specific priorities end analysis paralysis for beginners.
- Long-term concepts prevent re-learning during each promotion.
- Pairs well with a technique library or a coach’s syllabus.
Higher price than many beginner sets, with less step-by-step drilling than checklist curriculums. The gi emphasis may not match no-gi-only programs.
Beginners who want to understand why techniques work and what to prioritize at each belt stage.
You want a literal drill list for every position, or you train no-gi only.
Notable alternatives: Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 if you prefer a promo-focused checklist, or Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a quick-reference library.
Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum
Eliot MarshallA modern, structured fundamentals path from a respected coach for your first year.
What it covers
You get a clean layout that coaches can mirror and students can follow. The emphasis is on core positions, safe habits, and repeatable drills across takedown basics, escapes, guard retention, guard passing, and back control.
Style is system-based, drill-heavy, and conceptual, in both gi and no-gi. Biggest takeaway: clarity reduces beginner confusion. If you want dense theory, pair it with a concept-heavy title.
Why it stands out
- Fresh, up-to-date structure that fits current beginner needs.
- Easy to repurpose into a fundamentals class plan.
- Balanced mix of drills and positional focus.
Less depth on niche scenarios, and some gyms may find it redundant with their in-house curriculum. The price sits mid-high for a beginner course.
Beginners (or coaches) who want one cohesive, classroom-ready plan to follow for 12 weeks straight.
Your gym already runs a strong in-house fundamentals curriculum, or you want dense theory.
Notable alternatives: Gracie Tampa South Intro BJJ Curriculum for a lower-priced gym-tested path, or Jiu Jitsu University for belt-stage concepts.
Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Bernardo FariaThe best price-to-value beginner set, covering every major position in one place.
What it covers
Five-time IBJJF World Champion Bernardo Faria covers standing, guard, passing, transitions, submissions, and escapes across 6 DVDs (about 6 hours), with closed guard, X guard, pressure passing, and takedown basics. Frequently on sale for about $49, which makes it the best price-to-value ratio of any beginner instructional.
As yourbjjguide.com put it: Bernardo Faria has a gift for making complex techniques beginner-friendly, covering fundamental positions, movements, and principles, all broken down slowly and clearly. Biggest takeaway: simple works at all levels.
Why it stands out
- Best price-to-value ratio of any beginner instructional: about $49 on sale for 6 hours covering every major position.
- Techniques require minimal athleticism, so they work for all body types and ages. Consistently called the single best place to start on r/bjj.
- 6 DVDs organized by position (standing, guard, passing, transitions, submissions, escapes) with 15+ chapters each.
Bernardo Faria is an exception to the rule that top competitors don’t always make good teachers. He is as good (if not better) as an instructor as he is a competitor.
BJJ World
Only 6 hours total means each position gets surface-level treatment, and it lacks the systematic conceptual frameworks of Saulo Ribeiro’s belt-stage approach. It is gi-focused; the no-gi version is a separate purchase, and no-gi beginners should consider Submeta’s free Foundations courses by Lachlan Giles instead.
Beginners who want maximum coverage per dollar for their first six months on the mats.
You want deep per-position frameworks, or you train no-gi only (buy the no-gi version).
Notable alternatives: Jiu Jitsu University for belt-stage concepts, or Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 for a promotion-focused checklist.
The Road To Blue Belt
Travis LutterAffordable, MMA-tested dual-format basics for the very first months.
What it covers
TUF Season 4 winner Travis Lutter, a black belt under Carlos Machado, covers basic movements and techniques for the white-to-blue journey across a 2-DVD set. The focus is a basic jiu-jitsu instructional for regular people with dual gi/no-gi applicability across escapes, closed guard, guard passing, takedowns, and mount offense.
It is simple by design, so anyone past the first few months should look at more comprehensive options. Biggest takeaway: simple works if you drill it.
Why it stands out
- At $47, one of the most affordable beginner instructionals on BJJ Fanatics.
- Dual gi/no-gi applicability from an instructor with real MMA and competition experience under Carlos Machado.
- No-nonsense teaching style covering escapes, closed guard, passing, takedowns, and mount offense without overcomplicating things.
Older production quality, and at about 1 hour total runtime it is barely half the depth of Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements (2+ hours, 77 techniques). It has limited community discussion compared to the top picks. For the same $47, waiting for a Bernardo Faria sale gets you about 6x the runtime.
Brand-new beginners on a tight budget who want MMA-tested dual-format basics.
You are past your first few months, or you want deeper position coverage and production quality.
Notable alternatives: Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 for a more polished checklist, or Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum for a classroom-ready flow.
The Daisy Fresh Curriculum: White Belt – Stripe One
Heath PedigoThe only true stripe-by-stripe curriculum system on BJJ Fanatics.
What it covers
Heath Pedigo, head coach of Pedigo Submission Fighting (the gym behind the FloGrappling Daisy Fresh documentary), built the only true structured curriculum system on BJJ Fanatics. The full curriculum uses a 4-stripe progression system (4 volumes per stripe), and this first stripe covers closed guard, guard retention, escapes, and takedown basics.
Pedigo’s tournament-tested curriculum produced competitors like Andrew Wiltse. It is an entry point; buy the full bundle to get the complete white-to-blue path. Biggest takeaway: reps beat novelty early.
Why it stands out
- Only true structured curriculum system on BJJ Fanatics: a 4-stripe progressive system mirroring actual belt promotion milestones.
- Tournament-tested by one of the most successful development teams in modern BJJ, with strong wrestling integration.
- Both gi and no-gi versions available; scales from Stripe 1 through the full Blue Belt curriculum (16 volumes per bundle).
Buying all 16 volumes stripe-by-stripe gets expensive fast; the bundle discount helps but still costs more than Bernardo Faria’s complete Foundations. Pedigo is less well-known than Faria, so there are fewer community reviews. For pure guard work, Saulo Ribeiro’s guard chapters offer more conceptual depth per position.
Beginners who want a true milestone-based curriculum and will commit to the full 4-stripe path.
You only want one stripe (the value per dollar trails Bernardo Faria’s Foundations).
Notable alternatives: the White Belt Bundle for the full arc in one purchase, or the Blue Belt No-Gi Bundle to continue the path.
The Daisy Fresh White Belt Wrestling Curriculum
Heath Pedigo & Alejandro WajnerThe best wrestling-for-BJJ supplement to bolt onto a ground curriculum.
What it covers
Alejandro Wajner and Heath Pedigo focus on stance, motion, entries, and finishes that fit beginner gas tanks: engagement, grips, snap downs, headlocks, single-leg takedowns, and defensive wrestling. It complements a white-to-blue ground curriculum well.
If your academy rarely starts standing, skip it or wait for a sale. Biggest takeaway: safe entries matter most early.
Why it stands out
- Best wrestling-for-BJJ instructional available, covering stance and motion, single leg, double leg, sprawl, and snap downs.
- Pedigo’s narration makes wrestling details easy to apply in BJJ and connects naturally to passes, back takes, and submissions.
- Pairs cleanly with Daisy Fresh groundwork stripes for a complete standing-to-ground curriculum.
Everything a white belt should know about wrestling: engagement, grips, snap downs, headlocks, single-leg takedowns, and defensive wrestling.
BJJ World
No-gi only, so gi-focused schools will find limited applicability for grip-based takedowns. At $197 it costs the same as a full Danaher GFF volume that covers 8-10 hours, while this set is under 2 hours. Standalone wrestling focus means no guard work, submissions, or escapes, so only buy it as a supplement to a ground curriculum.
Beginners at a wrestling-heavy gym who want safe, BJJ-specific stand-up to add to a ground curriculum.
Your academy rarely starts standing, or you train gi-only and need grip-based takedowns.
Notable alternatives: the Daisy Fresh White Belt – Stripe One to start with BJJ-specific drills, or Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum if your gym does limited stand-up early.
All picks, side by side
Comparison tableSwipe sideways for details · the price column stays pinned →
| # | Instructional | Instructor | Runtime | Level | Format | Category | Tier | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 | Roy Dean | ≈2 h 15 m (4 volumes) | Beginner | Gi | Overall white-to-blue curriculum | $$ | Check price → |
| 2 | Jiu Jitsu University: The Secret Behind the Pictures | Saulo Ribeiro | ≈9 h 44 m (5 volumes) | Beginner | Gi | Conceptual framework | $$ | Check price → |
| 3 | Start Here: A Complete Fundamentals Curriculum | Eliot Marshall | ≈5 h 22 m (8 volumes) | Beginner | Gi/No-Gi | Modern fundamentals | $$ | Check price → |
| 4 | Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Bernardo Faria | ≈5 h 41 m (6 volumes) | Beginner | Gi | Value pick | $ | Check price → |
| 5 | The Road To Blue Belt | Travis Lutter | ≈1 h 4 m (2 volumes) | Beginner | Gi/No-Gi | Budget basics | $ | Check price → |
| 6 | The Daisy Fresh Curriculum: White Belt – Stripe One | Heath Pedigo | ≈3 h 9 m | Beginner | Gi/No-Gi | Structured stripe system | $ | Check price → |
| 7 | The Daisy Fresh White Belt Wrestling Curriculum | Heath Pedigo & Alejandro Wajner | ≈1 h 57 m | Beginner | No-Gi | Wrestling supplement | $$ | Check price → |
How to actually use a curriculum with class
Pick one curriculum and treat it like a 12-week program. Each week, drill two chapters at home, then tell your coach what you are focusing on. After class, log reps and one takeaway per position. Rewatch only what you failed live. Every fourth week, test yourself by starting from the worst positions first. This loop keeps you progressing without bouncing between systems.
Free starting point: Submeta offers Lachlan Giles’ Foundations I-VI courses permanently free (4+ hours of structured beginner content with review questions and troubleshooting exercises). As hooshmand.net noted: “Lachlan Giles has created the most structured remote learning system for Brazilian jiu-jitsu.” Start there before spending $200 on a full system.
Budget first purchase: Start with Bernardo Faria’s Foundations (about $49 on sale) for your first 6 months, then invest in position-specific depth like Danaher’s GFF Pin Escapes when you know what positions you need most.
Gi vs no-gi for white-to-blue
If your gym teaches gi, choose a gi-first set like Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements or Bernardo Faria’s Foundations. If you are no-gi only, the Daisy Fresh No-Gi curriculum or Submeta’s courses (primarily no-gi focused) are your best options. For wrestling integration, Heath Pedigo’s Daisy Fresh White Belt Wrestling Curriculum is the standout choice. As BJJ World advises: “When figuring out what the best DVD for white belts is, the most important criterion is simplicity. To lessen confusion, go for structure.” Prioritize escapes and posture first. Offense scales better later; survival skills pay off immediately.
What to track before your blue belt test
Track three items: positions survived, sweeps hit, and passes held for 3 seconds. Each week record best and worst position. Add one A-game takedown and one back take when escapes feel automatic. Promotion checklists often mirror Roy Dean’s structure: safe falls (ukemi), core escapes from mount/side control/back, one pass family, one guard family (closed guard is the standard starting point), and basic submissions from mount and back (armbar, cross-collar choke, RNC).
Alternative learning paths worth considering: Henry Akins’ Hidden Jiu-Jitsu (subscription at hiddenjiujitsu.com) offers a 56-week Rickson Gracie lineage curriculum focused on invisible details like connection and weight distribution. As simplebjj.com wrote after a year of training with Akins: “Don’t go to Henry for flash. Go to him for absolutely flawless fundamentals.” The Grapplers Guide by Jason Scully ($297 lifetime, 6,000+ videos) offers massive breadth, though hooshmand.net noted after 2 years that “some courses suffer from random videos disorder, sharing semi-random collections of techniques without a strong common thread.”
FAQ
What is the single best instructional to start with?
For most beginners, Bernardo Faria’s Foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (about $49 on sale) gives the best coverage per dollar for your first six months. If you want a promotion-ready checklist to drill in order, Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 is the top structured pick. If you train no-gi only, start with Submeta’s free Lachlan Giles Foundations courses.
Do I need a paid instructional to reach blue belt?
No. Submeta offers Lachlan Giles’ Foundations I-VI courses permanently free, which is enough structured beginner content to support your mat time. A paid curriculum mainly helps by giving you a single, ordered plan to follow instead of bouncing between random videos.
Gi or no-gi curriculum: which should I buy?
Match your gym. If your academy trains in the gi, pick a gi-first set like Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements or Bernardo Faria’s Foundations. If you train no-gi, go with the Daisy Fresh No-Gi curriculum or Submeta’s courses. For wrestling and stand-up, the Daisy Fresh White Belt Wrestling Curriculum is the standout.
How should I actually use one of these curriculums?
Treat it like a 12-week program. Drill two chapters a week at home, tell your coach what you are working on, log reps and one takeaway per position after class, and only rewatch what you failed live. Every fourth week, test yourself by starting from your worst positions.
Pick one curriculum and start your white-to-blue path
For most beginners, Bernardo Faria’s Foundations gives the best value, while Roy Dean’s Blue Belt Requirements 2.0 is the most structured checklist. Pick one, drill it like a 12-week program, and check today’s price on BJJ Fanatics.