Jiu-Jitsu University

The single most recommended book in all of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and for good reason. Saulo Ribeiro, a six-time BJJ World Champion, organized this book not by technique category but by belt level, which means it meets you exactly where you are in your training and grows with you over years of practice.

Why Start Here

Most BJJ books dump hundreds of techniques on you with no sense of priority. Ribeiro takes the opposite approach. He starts with survival, the skills a white belt actually needs on day one: how to protect yourself, how to escape bad positions, how to avoid the mistakes that get beginners submitted over and over. This alone sets the book apart. Instead of teaching you a flashy armbar you will never land in your first year, Ribeiro teaches you how to stop getting crushed.

As you progress through the chapters, the book mirrors your journey through the belt system. Blue belt introduces the concept of escapes and guard work. Purple belt adds passing and sweeps. Brown and black belt chapters layer in advanced attacks and combinations. The 200-plus techniques are illustrated with clear photographs and organized so you always know what to focus on next.

Ribeiro’s philosophy runs through every page: defense first, then escapes, then offense. This patient, methodical approach builds a game that actually works against resisting opponents, not just compliant drilling partners. It is the same approach that made Ribeiro one of the most technically complete competitors in BJJ history.

What to Expect

A large-format 368-page book packed with photographs. You will not read it cover to cover in a weekend. Instead, treat it like a companion to your training. Read the white belt chapter, drill those techniques at class, then move on when your coach promotes you or when the concepts start clicking. The writing is clear and direct, focused on explaining why each position matters rather than just showing the steps. Many practitioners keep this book for their entire BJJ career and find new details in it each time they revisit a chapter at a higher skill level.