Jiu-Jitsu University

The most widely recommended Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu book ever published. Saulo Ribeiro, a six-time World Champion, structured this instructional guide around the belt system itself, creating a book that grows with you from your first day on the mat to advanced black belt concepts.

Why Start Here

Ribeiro’s genius is in what he chooses to teach first. Rather than opening with attacks and submissions, the book begins with survival: how to protect yourself in bad positions, how to breathe under pressure, and how to stop making the mistakes that get white belts submitted repeatedly. This defense-first philosophy reflects Ribeiro’s own approach to the art and produces practitioners with games built on solid foundations rather than a handful of lucky submissions.

The book progresses through more than 200 techniques organized by belt level, from white through black. Each chapter assumes you have absorbed the previous one, creating a natural learning curve that mirrors how skills develop on the mat. The photographs are clear and well-sequenced, making complex movements easy to follow even without a training partner to demonstrate.

What sets this apart from other technique books is Ribeiro’s emphasis on understanding position before movement. He explains why each position matters strategically, not just how to execute the technique mechanically. This conceptual depth is what makes the book valuable to beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

What to Expect

A large-format 368-page reference that you will return to for years. The writing is straightforward and practical, focused on giving you exactly the information you need for each stage of your development. Treat it as a companion to your mat time, reading the relevant chapter before or after class and using the techniques as a framework for your drilling.