Best BJJ Drills for Beginners to Build Strong Fundamentals

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is built on repetition. While flashy techniques often grab attention, it’s the fundamentals that create lasting skill. Beginners who consistently focus on drilling core movements lay a solid foundation for success, both in training and competition. Without strong fundamentals, even advanced submissions or sweeps lose their effectiveness.

For those just starting, knowing what drills to focus on can feel overwhelming. With so many techniques to learn, where should you begin? The truth is, the best BJJ drills for beginners are not about memorizing dozens of moves but about building muscle memory for essential movements. These basics are what make every guard pass, escape, and submission possible.

At RollBliss, we emphasize training with intention. Pairing the right drills with the right mindset helps new practitioners gain confidence, conserve energy, and develop a deeper understanding of the art. Let’s explore the key drills that every beginner should prioritize to create a strong base in their Jiu-Jitsu journey.

Key Takeaways

• Fundamentals are the cornerstone of BJJ, and drilling builds lasting skill.
• Shrimping, bridging, and technical stand-up are the most essential beginner drills.
• Quality of repetition matters more than speed or quantity.
• Balancing drilling with rolling helps connect practice to live application.

Why Drills Matter in the Early Stages

Rolling (sparring) is exciting, but without drilling, you’ll struggle to apply techniques effectively. Drilling allows you to slow movements down, build precision, and strengthen the pathways in your brain and body. It’s how small adjustments—like hip angle, grip placement, or timing—become second nature.

Think of drills as the scaffolding that supports the larger structure of your Jiu-Jitsu game. Without them, everything else collapses under pressure.

Essential BJJ Drills for Beginners

1. Shrimping (Hip Escapes)

Shrimping is one of the most important movements in BJJ. It teaches how to create space when stuck under an opponent. Beginners should practice shrimping up and down the mat, focusing on pushing off the ground with one foot while sliding the hips back. This movement translates directly to guard retention and escapes.

2. Bridging (Upa)

Another essential escape drill, bridging builds explosive power in the hips. Whether escaping mount or reversing positions, the upa is crucial. Beginners should practice bridging high, using their legs and hips rather than just their back. Combined with shrimping, it’s the foundation of escaping bad spots.

3. Technical Stand-Up

Learning to get back on your feet safely is essential. The technical stand-up teaches balance, distance management, and defensive posture. Practicing this drill helps beginners understand how to move with control, rather than scrambling recklessly.

4. Guard Retention Movements

Basic movements like side-to-side hip switches, knee shields, and recovery shrimps teach guard survival. These drills emphasize that the guard is not static—it’s dynamic, requiring constant movement to stay safe.

5. Passing Drills (Toreando and Knee Cut Movement)

Even if beginners don’t yet master advanced passes, drilling simple movements like the torreando footwork or knee cut entry develops agility and balance. Learning to move around the legs fluidly prepares grapplers for controlling guard exchanges.

6. Partner Drills: Guard Recovery and Escape Chains

Working with a partner allows beginners to drill guard recovery or mount escapes repeatedly. For example, starting in mount and practicing bridging into shrimping creates flow between movements, building instinctive chains of defense.

7. Flow Rolling Basics

Flow rolling encourages light, continuous movement without resistance. Beginners can practice transitioning between positions smoothly, focusing on rhythm instead of power. This builds awareness of movement and helps connect the dots between individual techniques.

Building Strong Habits with Drills

Drilling isn’t just about reps—it’s about mindful reps. Beginners should focus on quality, not speed. Ten deliberate shrimping reps with attention to detail are more valuable than thirty rushed ones.

At RollBliss, we always remind new practitioners that consistency beats intensity. A few minutes of drilling each class builds more progress over time than occasional bursts of effort. Just as a gi should fit comfortably and support training, drills should become part of your routine, helping to support the growth of your game.

Balancing Drilling and Rolling

Beginners sometimes get caught in the trap of wanting to roll every class. While sparring is enjoyable, too much of it without proper drilling can slow progress. The best approach is a balance: spend the first part of training drilling fundamentals, then apply them in live rolls. This way, the movements you’ve practiced get tested under pressure and refined through experience.

Mental Benefits of Drilling

Beyond physical repetition, drilling builds confidence. When a beginner knows they’ve practiced escapes and guard recoveries hundreds of times, they enter rolls with less anxiety. Drilling also teaches patience—the understanding that progress comes from small, steady improvements.

This discipline mirrors life lessons outside the gym. Just as repetition builds skill on the mat, consistency in daily habits builds success in other areas of life.

How RollBliss Encourages Beginners to Drill

At RollBliss, we see drilling as the foundation of the BJJ journey. Our goal is to equip practitioners with gear that supports long sessions of repetition—gear designed for comfort, durability, and freedom of movement. When you’re drilling the same motion hundreds of times, the last thing you want is to feel restricted by your uniform.

We encourage our community to embrace drilling as the pathway to mastery. Flashy techniques may come later, but fundamentals never cease to be relevant. With the right mindset, supported by the right training environment and equipment, drilling becomes not just practice but progress.

Conclusion

For beginners, BJJ can be overwhelming due to its extensive techniques and strategies. But focusing on fundamental drills provides clarity. Movements like shrimping, bridging, and technical stand-up are the building blocks of survival and success. By committing to consistent, mindful practice, new grapplers create a foundation that supports all future learning.

At RollBliss, drilling is where real progress happens. It’s not about rushing toward advanced moves but about strengthening the basics so they hold up under pressure. When beginners embrace this mindset, supported by reliable gear and consistent effort, they set themselves on a path not only to improvement but to mastery.

FAQs

What drills should I prioritize as a beginner in BJJ?

Focus on shrimping, bridging, technical stand-up, guard retention movements, and basic passing drills. These form the foundation of escapes, defense, and control.

How often should beginners drill fundamentals?

Ideally, beginners should drill every class, even if it’s just for 10–15 minutes. Consistency builds muscle memory, making techniques easier to apply during live rolling.

Is drilling more important than rolling for beginners?

Both are important, but drilling is critical in the beginning stages. Without repetition, it’s hard to apply techniques effectively during rolls. Rolling tests your skills; drilling builds them.