As Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has experienced rapid growth in popularity over the past few years – so has the way people learn from the martial art. In recent times online training websites have also grown in popularity as a result. Because of this, you can now learn from some of the greatest ever whilst at home. Instead of watching low-quality content or struggling to find rare moves, you can now watch it all. With this said we have gathered some of the best BJJ training websites and have accessed their pros and cons.
Keenan Online
Cost – $24.99 per month or $239.99 per year
Keenan Online is the site of lapel fanatic Keenan Cornelius. The first thing you may notice is the quality of his videos. With no expense spared, the quality of the video is high and he is mic’d up whilst teaching. Secondly, his level of detail is also high which is to be expected.
Of course, Keenan has worm and squid guard features on his website and some of these details aren’t really on other parts of the website. This means if you’re obsessed with lapels then it may be a good place to have a look at. However, his website is also more generalized and also has its share of Nogi moves as well as beginner courses too.
In short, if you’re looking for full lapel stuff, his lapel encyclopedia is probably the place to go as this is more broad Jiu Jitsu. Overall, it’s a good website however the one gripe is that it lacks as much content as other sites do. This isn’t a particularly big concern as he updates the website regularly, it just isn’t as big as some of the other sites out there in terms of the number of videos available.
The Grapplers Guide
Cost – $297 (lifetime, one-off payment)
Unlike most sites on the list, The Grapplers Guide is a one-off payment. This may seem expensive as it costs hundreds of dollars, but overall it works out cheaper – especially if you’re in BJJ for the long run. Not only this, but it can be paid for in installments in opted for.
Anyway, The Grapplers Guide literally has thousands of videos – most taught by the founder Jason Scully. An experienced black belt, Scully dedicates his life to the guide as it’s his sole income. This means good quality and regular updates are common. Because of the volume, you can also expect a lot of depth on The Grapplers Guide and it covers all of the BJJ moves, even the obscure stuff.
Perhaps the strongest point of The Grapplers Guide is the expert’s section. Over the years, Scully has bought the likes of Craig Jones, Emily Kwok, Josh Hinger, and more to the site. Each expert usually has over 1 hour of content on their section. When thought of this way, it works out significantly cheaper than buying DVD’s and has something for everyone.
Renzo Gracie online academy
Cost – $14.99 per month or $112 per year
The Renzo Gracie Academy is a good mix that is taught from various black belts under his umbrella. For instance, the likes of Tom DeBlass, Roger Gracie, and Matt Serra can all be found teaching here alongside Renzo himself. The website also has a number of Brazilian teachers who speak in Portuguese.
Perhaps due to his MMA affiliation, Renzo Gracie online focuses mainly on the fundamental moves. For instance, there’s a lot of detailed deep-half-guard sweeps here which aren’t as easily found elsewhere. However, some of the more modern stuff like Berimbolos aren’t featured as much. Having said that, due to the sheer variety of different teachers – the average student can learn some detailed techniques from this site.
Freakjitsu (Ritchie and Geo Martinez)
Cost – $5 per month
For those looking at learning 10th Planet moves away from the obvious choice of Eddie Bravo, Freakjitsu is probably your best bet. The Martinez Brothers are probably his most famous students and have their own site.
Freakjitsu shows both the unusual moves of 10th Planet as well as some of the more conventional BJJ techniques.
For instance, if you want to learn about the Truck or unusual submissions from the back then Freakjitsu is a good place to start. However, they also have more old school videos such as attacking Guillotines and basic sweeps from guard. Because of this, the site is both friendly for 10th Planet practitioners and those who aren’t familiar with the 10th Planet system.
Perhaps the only negative of the site is it lacks the content compared to most. However, at $5 per month, it is one of the cheaper options on the market.
Marcelo Garcia in Action
Cost – $25 per month or $250 per year
Marcelo Garcia in Action is one of the older sites on the list and as a result has some of the most content. With literally tens of thousands of videos, it has enough volume for anyone. Of course, with Marcelo involved the content is high quality too.
This means there are lots to learn but for those wanting to emulate Marcelo’s style then this is the site for you. You’re right in assuming a lot of his content is based on X-Guard, Butterfly guard, and Guillotines. Not only this, but the site also features a lot of sparring from Marcelo Garcia against some of the best guys in the world – so it isn’t just moves being taught. The only negative of this site is that the interface looks a bit out-dated and hasn’t been changed in years. Although this doesn’t affect the content, the site doesn’t look as slick as some of the more modern alternatives.
Estima in Action
Cost – $25 per month or $250 per year
Similar to Marcelo’s ‘In Action’ site, Braulio Estima’s is basically his own version. This means it has his own teaching style with moves such as the cradle and Triangle chokes being plentiful. However, it also features Braulio sparring a variety of different opponents. Once again, this is one of the older sites on the list so you can expect plenty of content and the same user interface.
Again, like Marcelo’s site, this is updated regularly so the library of content is large throughout. It also has suggested videos and a mind-map of similar techniques which may be of use for some.
Gracie University
Cost – $20 per month or $200 per year
The Gracie University is taught by the charismatic brothers Rener and Ryron Gracie. This site is different from most on the list as it focuses on self-defence rather than sport Jiu Jitsu. For instance, the site offers an anti-bullying course for kids and a combatives course for adults. This focuses heavily on defending strikes and using takedowns.
Not only this but the Gracie University also offers Blue belt testing. Here, students can submit a list of drilled moves to show their skills which are accessed and reviewed by the brothers. Because of the focus on basics, this site offers a different perspective compared to the others and is more beginner based. With this said, it is not a bad option for complete beginners to pick up the fundamental moves of Jiu Jitsu.
Mastering the System by Eddie Bravo
Cost – $5 per month
This is Eddie Bravo’s instructional site and as you may have guessed is heavily 10th Planet focused. This means you won’t find Gi Jiu Jitsu here. However, if you’re focus is on leg-locks and Rubber guard then it is a great option.
Mastering the System also features the 10th Planet warm-up systems which are a great way to develop a fluid style of drilling core moves, regardless of your BJJ background. With this said, the site is also an interesting option for those who aren’t involved with 10th Planet BJJ as it may show new, uncovered moves. At $5 per month, it’s probably the cheapest on the market in terms of its volume – which is worth the admission alone if you’re a fan of Bravo’s teaching style.
Chad Hardy BJJ
Cost – $29.99 per month
Chad ‘The Beast Hardy’ is known for his ‘lanky’ style of grappling – with this said his site is a good option for those who like Triangle chokes and use their long-limbs whilst playing guard. Like other sites on the list, it has a variety of sparring and drilling courses which are divided nicely.
The only issue with Chad Hardy BJJ is the cost. Whilst Hardy does update his site, it is still new compared to most of the others so there isn’t as much content compared to the cost when going against the others. With time this should become a better deal when more content is added, however.
Roger Gracie TV
Cost – $20 per month or $192 per year
Undeniably the GOAT, Roger Gracie TV is the go-to guy for learning mount and cross collar chokes amongst other moves. With this said, you are literally learning from the best with Roger. Interestingly, he also has narrated sparring videos that show an insight into his mindset whilst rolling.
Another key part of his site includes his father and teacher; Mauricio Gomes. Mauricio focuses on old school BJJ and self defence moves so for those wanting something different, you can also view his father’s stuff. Unsurprisingly, Roger and his father both favour the fundamental moves when teaching and have a solid approach to showing techniques.
Cobrinha online
Cost – $25 per month or $250 per year
One of the greatest featherweights ever, Cobrinha online shows both Gi and Nogi techniques and is also unique in offering Capoeira moves as well. Cobrinha online also focuses heavily on drilling so combined with the Capoeira you can quickly gain fluid movements appropriate for BJJ.
Unlike others on the list, Cobrinha is naturally one of the smaller competitors so his site may be more suited towards the smaller grapplers looking to model themselves on his style.
Tarik Hopstock Youtube
Cost – Free
Founder of the Tarikoplata, Tatirk Hopstock’s Youtube channel is updated regularly with classes and technique videos. As well as this, he also offers analysis of his competition matches. For those wanting to learn more about the Tarikoplata, this is a good resource. However, it also features various moves for different BJJ players.
The obvious benefit of his channel is that it’s completely free. For those on a budget, this option is ideal.
ATOS Online Academy
Cost – $24.95 per month
Taught by Andre Galvao, the ATOS Academy show various moves suitable for all players. Unlike a lot of the other options on this list – it features both new and old moves meaning it’s suitable for all. It also has videos from other ATOS stars such as Kaynan Duarte so variety is not an issue.
Further, Galvao’s wife Angelica also teaches women’s classes and there is also a lot taught in Portuguese. Because of this, the ATOS academy is arguably the most versatile in offering something for everyone.
Caio Terra Online
Cost – $25 per month or $250 per year
Similar to Cobrinha, Caio Terra Online is suited towards smaller grapplers. Again, the content offered here is vast and has both Gi and Nogi. Interestingly, Terra also shows moves that may not be typically associated with him. For instance, he has an entire course on deep half guard which is quite substantial. He also has videos on his infamous Caio Terra ankle lock for those wanting to learn his signature moves.
Overall it is a good option and is one of the more visually appealing sites on the list.
AOJ Online
Cost – $25 per month or $250 per year
Taught by the Mendes Bros, AOJ Online is like their Jiu Jitsu; slick and impressive. For those chasing Berimbolos and technical moves, this site is a good option. Unlike other sites on the list, AOJ Online also features a Q & A section. This means members can submit their questions and get them answered in a video format. This is a unique function so if you have any lingering questions, you can use AOJ to get them answered by world champions. Elsewhere, the site also has guest teachers under the AOJ umbrella.
Buchecha Online
Cost – $19.99 per month or $165 for two years
One of the newer sites on the list, Buchecha Online is from the world champion Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida. It follows the same format as most on the list, including technique videos and sparring. As to be expected, if you are into pressure passing then Buchecha Online will cater to your needs. Not only this, but it features teaching from the likes of Leandro Lo and even a wrestling section.
The only negative of this site is that it lacks the volume that some of the older sites are offering. Like Chad Hardy and Keenan Cornelius, this will get better in time but for now, it only has hundreds of videos as opposed to thousands.
