Best BJJ Instructional Series to Study (and How to Actually Finish One)
TL;DR. The best BJJ instructional series is the one that matches how you learn and that you can genuinely finish. BJJ Fanatics is deep and position-specific; Submeta is curriculum-driven; Grapplers Guide is structured belt-progression; FloGrappling leans competition; YouTube is the strongest free option. The platform matters less than your revision system — one position per month, one card per chapter, three touches before rolling.
Most grapplers do not have a learning problem. They have a finishing problem. You buy a 10-hour instructional, watch two chapters, forget the details by Wednesday's class, and the file sits on your phone for a year. This guide compares the main long-form instructional formats honestly and gives you a method to actually complete one.
Founder disclosure. This article is published by BJJ Memo. We build an app that turns BJJ videos into revisable technique cards, so we have an obvious interest in you organizing what you watch. We tried to keep every competitor description neutral; every factual claim about another platform is marked with a [source] placeholder for verification.
Key takeaways
- Long BJJ instructionals fail most hobbyists not because the content is bad but because there is no system to revise them between classes.
- BJJ Fanatics-style series are deep, position-specific libraries you buy once; subscription platforms like Submeta trade depth for curriculum and consistency.
- FloGrappling is strongest for competition footage and breakdowns, not step-by-step technical teaching.
- Grapplers Guide offers a structured belt-progression curriculum that works well for self-learners without a nearby coach.
- YouTube remains the highest-value free option when you treat each video as a technique card, not entertainment.
- The reliable finishing method is one position per month, one technique card per chapter, three revision touches before you roll.
- No instructional replaces live training with a qualified coach — these tools help you remember and apply what the mat teaches you.
Who each option is for
Before comparing them line by line, it helps to think about who each format naturally fits.
BJJ Fanatics [source] is a marketplace of long-form instructionals from well-known instructors (Gordon Ryan, Lachlan Giles, John Danaher, Craig Jones, and many others). You buy a specific series on a specific topic. It suits grapplers who already know what hole they want to fill — "I need a leg lock system", "I want a modern passing style", "I keep losing from closed guard".
Submeta [source] is a subscription platform centered on curriculum-style courses from a selection of instructors. It suits hobbyists who want someone to decide the order of learning for them, and who want new content without buying a $100+ series each time.
Grapplers Guide [source] is one of the older online BJJ education platforms, organized around belt-level curricula and a large library of techniques. It suits self-learners, grapplers in isolated areas, and anyone who wants a structured "what should a blue belt know" roadmap.
FloGrappling [source] is primarily a competition streaming and content platform with technical breakdowns and some instructional series. It suits grapplers who learn best from watching live matches and reverse-engineering what high-level competitors do.
YouTube (free channels like Chewjitsu, Keenan Online's free content, Bernardo Faria, and countless others) [source for each] is the lowest-friction option. It suits anyone, and it is where most grapplers already spend their time whether they admit it or not. The problem is organization, not availability.
Comparison table
| Platform | Best for | Format | Typical cost model | Learning structure | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BJJ Fanatics [source] | Deep dives into one position/system | Long-form series (often 5–20+ hours) | One-time purchase per series | Instructor-led, position-specific | Easy to buy more than you'll ever finish |
| Submeta [source] | Guided curriculum between classes | Subscription | Monthly/annual subscription | Course-based progression | Content tied to selected instructors |
| Grapplers Guide [source] | Structured belt-progression at home | Subscription library | Monthly/annual subscription | Belt curriculum + technique index | Interface and production feel older than newer platforms |
| FloGrappling [source] | Competition study and breakdowns | Streaming + some instructionals | Annual subscription | Match-driven, not step-by-step | Weaker as a pure how-to teaching tool |
| YouTube | Free learning, broad exposure | Short to long videos | Free (ads) | None — you build the structure | No retention system; algorithm pulls you off-topic |
Remember. The platform is not the bottleneck. The number of techniques you can describe from memory, in order, 72 hours after watching is the bottleneck.
Strengths of each option
BJJ Fanatics' strength is depth. A single series will cover entries, grip fights, counters, and finishes for one position in a way no YouTube playlist can match. If you want to build a game around deep half, Z-guard, or the darce, there is likely a world-class instructional on it [source]. For reference, our darce choke game-building guide is the kind of article that pairs well with that kind of deep series.
Submeta's strength is sequencing. You are not left wondering what to study next. If you train 2–3 times a week and want structured homework, that matters more than most people realize. It pairs well with a system like our hobbyist practitioner's guide.
Grapplers Guide's strength is the "what should I know" map. Many self-learners don't have a coach telling them which techniques matter at their level. A belt-level curriculum fills that gap [source].
FloGrappling's strength is live grappling. Watching current competition at the highest level, with breakdowns, is irreplaceable for building positional recognition. If you compete, pair it with our match-watching framework.
YouTube's strength is that it is free and enormous. There is a channel for every position, body type, and ruleset. Our list of best BJJ YouTube channels for fundamentals is a starting point.
Where BJJ Memo is honestly stronger
BJJ Memo is not an instructional platform. It is a retention layer that sits on top of whatever you watch. That matters for three concrete reasons.
- It turns a YouTube video into a structured technique card. Paste the URL, get a card with steps, key details, and tappable timestamps. You spend minutes capturing instead of rewatching the same 12-minute video four times.
- Everything you capture lives in one searchable library, by position. A BJJ Fanatics series, a Submeta course, a YouTube clip, and a note from last Tuesday's class end up in the same place — organized by position, not by date. Our piece on organizing techniques by position explains why that single change changes everything.
- It schedules revision before you roll. The reason you forget is not the instructional. It is that nothing surfaces the technique again 48 hours, one week, and three weeks later. Our spaced repetition plan for grapplers covers the method in detail.
Remember. A $150 instructional you watched once is worth less than a free YouTube video you revised three times before rolling.
Where BJJ Memo is honestly weaker
It would be dishonest to pretend the app replaces an instructional. It does not.
- It is not a teaching platform. We do not produce technique content. If you don't yet know how to escape mount, you need a coach, a class, or a dedicated series — not a retention app.
- It depends on your source material. Technique cards are only as good as the video you paste. Garbage in, garbage out. A vague YouTube clip produces a vague card.
- It does not watch you drill. No app corrects your grips, your angle, or your weight distribution. That is what mat time and your coach are for.
- It is not a substitute for live sparring. No retention tool simulates the pressure, resistance, and problem-solving of actual rolling.
If you want pure teaching depth from a world-class black belt, buy the instructional. BJJ Memo is what you use so that instructional actually ends up in your game.
How to actually finish an instructional
This is the part most "best instructional" articles skip. Here is a method that works for hobbyists training 2–4 times a week.
1. Pick one position for the next 30 days
Not one series — one position. For example: closed guard bottom attacks. Everything you watch, note, and drill this month orbits that position. Our 30-day technique library plan is built around this exact constraint.
2. Pick one primary instructional and one supporting source
One long-form series (BJJ Fanatics, Submeta, Grapplers Guide — your choice) plus one free YouTube channel for a second angle on the same position. Two sources, not twelve.
3. Watch in short chapters, not binges
A 15–25 minute chapter is enough. After each chapter, pause and write a technique card: name, position, 3–5 steps, 2 key details, 1 common mistake. If you use BJJ Memo, paste the URL and let the app draft the card so you can edit it.
4. Pick one or two techniques per week to actually drill
Not the whole chapter. One or two. Drill them before class, in open mat, or as positional sparring starts. Our open mat structure guide is a useful companion.
5. Revise the card three times before you roll
The same night, two days later, and the morning of your next session. Three touches is the minimum for most hobbyists. The 3-touch revision method is the specific protocol.
6. Mark what landed on the mat
After rolling, update the card: landed, half-landed, got countered, never attempted. This is the feedback loop. Over three months you will know exactly which chapters of which series actually transferred.
Final recommendation by user profile
- New white belt, overwhelmed. Skip paid instructionals for now. Train, use free YouTube for one position at a time, and build the capture-and-revise habit. Start with the white belt overwhelm guide.
- Blue belt with one leaky position. Buy a single targeted BJJ Fanatics series on that exact position [source]. Finish it with the method above before buying anything else.
- Hobbyist who wants a weekly curriculum. Submeta or Grapplers Guide [source]. The sequencing solves your "what do I study this week" problem.
- Competitor or match-study learner. FloGrappling plus a technical series for whatever gap your last tournament exposed [source].
- Self-learner far from a good academy. Grapplers Guide for structure + YouTube for breadth [source]. Still — travel to a legit gym when you can; video is not a substitute for feedback.
- Coach wanting students to review class. Any technique app your students will actually open. See our coach's guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best BJJ instructional series?
There is no single best. The best series for you is the one that covers a gap in your current game, taught in a style you follow, from an instructor whose body type and ruleset make sense for you. A world champion's leg lock series is useless to a white belt who still cannot escape mount.
Is BJJ Fanatics or Submeta better?
They solve different problems. BJJ Fanatics is a marketplace of deep, position-specific series you buy once. Submeta is a subscription with curated courses and sequencing. If you know your gap, buy a Fanatics series. If you want someone to tell you what to study next, Submeta's structure fits better. [source]
Can I learn BJJ only from instructionals and YouTube?
No. Video builds recognition and ideas, but BJJ is a contact sport solved under live resistance. You need a qualified coach, training partners, and regular rolling. Video closes the gap between sessions; it does not replace sessions.
How long should it take to finish a BJJ instructional?
For a hobbyist, treating a 10-hour series as a one-month binge almost never works. Spreading it across 2–3 months — one chapter per week, drilled and revised — produces far better retention than finishing it in two weekends and forgetting it by spring.
Should I take notes while watching an instructional?
Yes, but short structured notes, not transcripts. A technique card with position, steps, key details, and common mistakes beats a wall of text. Our comparison of technique cards versus written notes explains why.
How do I stop buying instructionals I never finish?
Make a rule: no new purchase until the current series has a technique card for every chapter and you have attempted at least five of its techniques in live rolling. The rule is simple and uncomfortable, which is why it works.
Train with a qualified coach
Everything above assumes you are also training in person under a qualified black belt or coach. Video is a memory aid and a map. The mat is where the technique becomes yours. If anything in a series looks spine- or joint-risky, don't improvise — ask your coach before you drill it live.
Capture what you watch, revise what you capture
Next time you open an instructional — whether it is a BJJ Fanatics series, a Submeta course, or a free YouTube video — save it as a technique card in BJJ Memo so it is there before your next roll. Build your library by position, revise before training, and watch how much more of what you study actually shows up on the mat.
BJJ Memo is available on iOS and Android.
Last updated 2026-10-23.