1. From Surviving to Escaping

As a white belt, your primary goal was survival. You learned to protect yourself from submissions and endure bad positions. As a blue belt, that is no longer enough. Your new mission is to master high-percentage escapes. You must develop a reliable, technical answer for every major pin: mount, side control, back control, and knee on belly.

Instead of just holding on and waiting for an opportunity, you should be actively working your escape plans. This means:

• Drilling escapes with the same intensity as you drill submissions.

• Understanding the concepts of framing, shrimping, and creating space.

• Having a primary and secondary escape from each bad position.

Mastering escapes builds a foundation of defensive confidence. When you know you can get out of trouble, you become more willing to take risks on offense, which is essential for growth.

2. Connecting Your Attacks: The Power of Chains

A white belt attacks with single moves. A blue belt attacks with combinations. This is one of the biggest conceptual leaps you will make. Relying on one submission attempt against a skilled opponent is a low-percentage strategy. They will see it coming and defend it. You must learn to chain your attacks together, making one threat flow seamlessly into the next.

For example, from the guard:

• You attack with an armbar. Your opponent defends by pulling their arm out.

• You use their defensive momentum to transition immediately into a triangle choke.

• They posture up to defend the triangle, creating the opening for an omoplata.

Start by developing simple, two-move chains from your favorite positions. This connected offense will make your game exponentially more dangerous and efficient.

3. Becoming a Formidable Guard Passer

Many new blue belts are comfortable playing from their guard but struggle when they are on top. This is the time to change that. You must develop a solid guard passing game. Without it, you cannot access the most dominant positions in Jiu-Jitsu.

You don’t need to know twenty different passes. Instead, focus on mastering two or three passes that fit your body type and style.

• Pressure Passing: (e.g., Over-Under, Double-Under) Focuses on pinning your opponent’s hips and slowly grinding your way past their legs.

• Dynamic Passing: (e.g., Torreando, Knee Cut) Uses speed, timing, and agility to get around your opponent’s legs.

Drill your chosen passes relentlessly. A blue belt with a formidable top game is a nightmare for everyone else on the mat.

4. Understanding Positional Hierarchy

Jiu-Jitsu is often called “physical chess” for a reason. Every move should have a purpose. As a blue belt, you need to internalize the positional hierarchy and make it the basis of your strategy. The goal is not just to find a submission; it is to advance your position to a more dominant one.

The hierarchy is simple: Back Mount > Mount > Knee on Belly > Side Control > Half Guard > Guard.

Always ask yourself, “Is this move improving my position?” Chasing a low-percentage submission from the bottom of side control is a white belt mistake. A blue belt understands that the priority is to escape, get to a neutral position (like the guard), and then work to pass and climb the hierarchy.

5. Solidifying Your “A-Game”

While you should be well-rounded, the blue belt years are the perfect time to start developing your “A-Game.” This is your specialty—a position where you are most dangerous and a set of high-percentage submissions you can hit from there.

Whether it is playing spider guard, dominating from side control, or attacking from the back, pick an area and strive to become an expert in it. Refine the details of your go-to submissions. Learn the common counters and the recounters. Having a reliable A-Game gives you a home base to return to during tough rolls and a powerful weapon to rely on in competition.