Seventy per cent of beginners quit between months two and four. After 16 years of teaching, I can spot the five mistakes on day one, and every one of them is fixable.

How long does it really take to reach blue belt? The five stages every student goes through, and the honest reason most people quit before they get there.

Most injuries on the mat come from ego, not technique. The five areas most at risk, and the habits that keep you training healthy for years.

Feeling like you are getting worse despite training consistently? The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why that feeling is often a sign you are on the right track.

What Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu actually is, how Gracie Jiu Jitsu differs from Sport BJJ, and who it suits. A complete guide from a black belt with 36 years on the mats.

By: Professor Itay Leibovich | Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt | 36 years training, 16 years teaching Date: March 2026 Reading time: ~8 minutes Categories: Beginners Guide, Gi vs No-Gi, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tel Aviv “Itay, I am confused. I have two friends who train Jiu-Jitsu. One of them trains in a Gi, the other one in a tight rash guard. They both say they do BJJ. What is the story?” That was Danny, a new student who googled “BJJ near me” and turned up for a trial class at the

Big, strong, straight from CrossFit, and five minutes later he was flat on his back asking where the gentle part was. Five honest reasons Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is hard for beginners, and why the difficulty is the point.

Been standing outside the academy for seven minutes without going in? A minute-by-minute guide to your first BJJ class in Tel Aviv: what to wear, what happens on the mat, whether classes are in English, and why the tap is the most important thing you will learn.

How do you choose a BJJ academy without wasting two years in the wrong place? Prof. Itay Leibovich on what to check in the head instructor, the group, the trial class and the atmosphere on the mat, including 8 signs of a good academy and 3 red flags.

Which is better, MMA or Jiu Jitsu? The answer starts on a night in Denver in 1993, breaks five myths you need to unlearn, and ends with one question: what is your real goal?