What Makes a Great Jiu-Jitsu Instructor?

Examining the craft of coaching in submission grappling.

Knoxville, TN — A photo from a seminar back in 2023.

I was lucky to have a very good Jiu-Jitsu instructor coming up through the lower belts.

My coach taught me a lot about technique, competitive mindset, how to win, how to teach, and even — despite not forcing it down my throat — a lot about life, peace, and happiness.

When I started teaching regularly in 2019, the first thing I realized was how much I (ironically) had to learn about. I learned how different the mindset of a student is from the mindset of a teacher.

In time, I developed my own teaching style (which is heavily influenced by the positive mentorship I had at the beginning of my career) and I started to share my knowledge in Jiu-Jitsu all over the United States with people of all levels.

When I think about the art of teaching, I view it not as a gift, but as a skill. The ability to convey information is not something you are born with, it’s a craft that you develop over years and years of practice.

But, if you focus on the right things, I believe you can fast-track your way to becoming a really good Jiu-Jitsu instructor.

Here are the foundational points of effective BJJ instruction…