Despite being in the 21st century, books are still a good way to learn BJJ and help retain the knowledge you learn in class. They are often supplemented by lots of pictures so you understand the complete movement and position, as well as refining smaller intricacies of moves.
I would not personally advise reading books before you go to a BJJ class as I think there is no real substitute for training and you won’t enjoy it as much. With that being said, everyone has their own way of learning and there is nothing wrong with doing this.
Whilst not quite as good as learning from a video or real life class. There are some very good books on BJJ. Books are somewhat a thing of the past and do not show extremely modern guards or passes, however you can still learn a lot of good, solid, and fundamental information from them.
So, why would you choose to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from a book? Well, if you’re on a train then you can’t physically practice. If your phone has a low battery, then the next best thing is a good book. Another benefit of books is that they are often illustrated with photos. With this said, you can learn by reading and looking at what’s going on. Unlike videos, you can also re-sell them once done due to them being a physical item. Or, you can just choose to keep them on your shelf where they look cool.
Table of Contents
Book criteria
Here are a few ways that we’ve judged the criteria on this list:
Cost
Obviously, price is a big factor in every decision you will make in life. The same goes for books. If something is incredible but costs a fortune, then it may not be realistic. By the same token, if a book costs $1 or so, even if it is rubbish then it’s not exactly a big investment either.
Length
Sometimes, less is more. However, in this case if the book is listing techniques then more is better. There’s no point trying to read a book that can be finished in minutes. As a general rule, the longer book means the more effort, time, and energy has been put into it. Some of these books cover some pretty niche subjects within the world of BJJ.
Author
On this list, there are various big names in the world of BJJ. For instance, we’ve featured 10th Planet moves by Eddie Bravo. This is something that is obviously important. With this in mind, you can only expect the very best in BJJ and their respected fields.
5 Rules for White belts by Chris Matakas
This book is designed for newcomers and how to get to blue belt. In short, it acts as a tool book to navigate through the earlier stages of BJJ. Here, the book breaks down moves, terminology, and principles that are all commonplace in BJJ. With this in mind, it’s a nice starting point into the gentle art and provides a good theory on what you’re getting into. Whilst most of the books on this list focus on specific moves and positions, this book is based more on the mentality of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – Theory & Technique By Renzo and Rener Gracie
When it comes to learning the fundamentals and basics of BJJ, these two know what they’re on about. This was released in 2001, so these days it has an old school feel to it. Because of this, a lot of the technique taught is based on self defense. For those that follow Rener Gracie, you will know that he has always been big on the self defense aspects of the art. Featuring ideas from John Danaher, this one is ideal for those looking to improve their fighting skills.
Jiu-Jitsu University By Saulo Ribeiro & Kevin Howell
I do not wish to rank the books in order from best to worst but I will make an exception for this book. It is pretty much the bible for BJJ beginners. Whilst I wouldn’t describe any BJJ books as “essential reading”, this is definitely the closest thing to it. Jiu-Jitsu University is one of the more modern books and is laid out very well. It will guide you through various submissions and positions.
Not only this but it is fundamentally sound and there is no bullshido or anything outdated in this book. Like all good BJJ books, it has a lot of pictures as well as just explanations and is really the best on the market.
Mastering JuJitsu by Renzo Gracie & John Danaher
This book is pretty much the grandfather of the Saulo Ribeiro book. It is a very solid book in it’s own right, but now it’s quite dated. Again you won’t find any bullshido in this book as it is written by two jiu-jitsu legends. The fundamentals are solid and it’s much like the same layout you will find in Jiu-Jitsu University as mentioned earlier.
The only problem is that it was written in 2003 so you won’t find anything modern in here. It is so old that they’ve actually gone with spelling “JuJitsu” on the front cover. Nonetheless, it is worth having a look at this if you’re a complete beginner, you will definitely learn something.
Mastering The Rubber Guard by Eddie Bravo
Mastering the rubber guard is another solid book. However, it is quite niche since if you’re not flexible or not really interested in 10th planet jiu-jitsu then a lot of the techniques shown in this book will be of no interest to you. I will go as far to say that there will be IBJJF black belts who don’t really use any of the moves shown in this book.
This is not to say it’s bad, it is just very specific and pretty well written. It would probably also be a good book to read for those who are interested in MMA, 10th planet rubber guard is still a very effective system to stop head strikes when you are in guard position.
Roll Strong(er) by Eric Falstrault
This book is based around strength and conditioning and is aimed to make you a stronger grappler, both in terms of cardio and muscular strength. The reason why this book is so important is because often newbies will injure themselves due to being in poor shape. Here, Falstrault outlines efficient ways to condition your body with BJJ in mind.
As well, this book isn’t just suited for beginners either. Too often, BJJ practitioners pick up aches and pains down the line due to inefficient weight training. This book offers to right those wrongs and lengthen your time on the mats.
The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Globetrotter by Christian Graugart
Christian Graugart is a BJJ black belt who is best known for his Globetrotters camps. Here, he teaches people from all around the world and does so in various, exotic locations. Whilst this book may not teach you lots in terms of technique, it’s still a good insight into the BJJ lifestyle and is a genuinely interesting story too.
If you look up Graugarts Globetrotters story on Youtube, you can find a plethora of training videos from high level instructors. Through his book you can re-live his earlier days and what inspired him to reach that point in his career.
Drill to Win by Andre Galvao & Kevin Howell
Another fairly niche book, this entire book is based on learning and drilling movements. You will not find any techniques such as submissions in this book. This is not what it was written for. Galvao is an extremely iconic and established grappler, certainly in the top 5 of all time at the very least.
Anyone who has read this book and put the drills into practice has seen improvements in their movement and BJJ over time. This is not the most entertaining book and is perhaps a bit dull compared to some of the other titles mentioned. However it is still effective and worth a read.
Zen Jiu Jitsu by Oliver Staark
Zen Jiu Jitsu is not your typical BJJ book. You will not find any diagrams, techniques or submissions inside this book. I have not read it myself as it does not appeal to me. However I have heard from several people (especially at white belt) that this book helps your mindstate and mental approach towards BJJ.
At some point in our BJJ training we will all feel we have reached a plateau (even if we haven’t). At this time a lot of people choose to quit, I have never personally felt like quitting so I cannot comment. The people I have spoken to who did feel like this, have told me that this is the book which helped change their mindset and the way they approach their learning.
Advanced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Techniques by Marcelo Garcia
A book oriented around top game and takedowns, this is another solid BJJ book and probably most similar to the top 2 books already reviewed. I would argue that the techniques shown in this instructional are not necessarily “advanced” but more solid fundamentals.
There is not really any typical butterfly guard or single leg X as you would expect from Marcelo Garcia. However, his top game is also extremely strong (as you would expect), as well as his takedown and wrestling ability. This is a strong option for an overall top game book.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Closed Guard by B.J Penn
B.J Penn is an oldschool BJJ legend. If you are new to training then you may not have heard of him, but back in his day he would dominate in the UFC with his grappling abilities. As made obvious by the title, this book will help you with your closed guard. I have included this book since closed guard is a very awkward and difficult position for a white belt.
Even when you think you have mastered it there are still lots of small things which you have completely forgotten about. The book is a solid read and really explains the fundamentals of closed guard well. If you are having trouble with this position then I would highly recommend this book.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide To Dominating by Alexandre Paiva
Alexandre Paiva is probably the least known author mentioned so far, this is not because of his lack of achievement, but because he is oldschool. The book he has written is an extremely fundamental and basic no-frills approach to BJJ. Here you will find techniques that are applicable for MMA and self defense rather than sports and Gi based point scoring.
There is no doubt he is a very accomplished grappler in the Gi, but that is not what the book is about. The book is a way of delivering an original taste of BJJ and how it can be used to defend yourself. Much like the first two instructional books reviewed, it has a very good layout and is well written.
The Grappler’s Handbook by Jean Jaques Machado
Lastly, another grappling legend. For those of you who don’t know Jean Jaques Machado, he is missing 3 fingers on his left hand and is an ADCC champion. Jean Jaques details various positions in this book and it is a very well presented instructional.
It has a bit of something for everyone and is well versed in gi and no gi (as is Machado). The book goes through a variety of positions and submissions which will definitely be helpful to a beginner, as well as how to maintain control. If I compare this to Alexandre Paiva’s book, this one is a bit more oriented towards gi and point scoring jiu jitsu compared to self defense.
