The 32 Principles of Jiu-Jitsu: A Guide to Mastery

thrivejiujitsu
Mar 28
3 min read

Jiu-Jitsu is often described as a physical chess match, requiring both technical skill and strategic thinking. While techniques are essential, the underlying principles of leverage, control, and efficiency truly separate great practitioners from the rest.

Saulo Ribeiro, a legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt, introduced "The 32 Principles of Jiu-Jitsu"—a framework that breaks down the core concepts behind effective grappling. These principles help practitioners understand why techniques work rather than just memorizing how to perform them.

In this post, we’ll explore these 32 principles and how they can elevate your Jiu-Jitsu game.

The 4 Categories of Jiu-Jitsu Principles

Saulo Ribeiro categorizes the 32 principles into four main groups:

Survival Principles – Staying safe in bad positions.
Escape Principles – Getting out of disadvantageous situations.
Guard Principles – Controlling and attacking from the bottom.
Top Game Principles – Dominating from passing and mount.

Let’s break them down.

1. Survival Principles (Staying Safe Under Pressure)

When you’re in a bad spot (e.g., mounted, side control, or back control), your first goal is to survive. These principles help you stay safe until you can escape or reverse the position.

Principle 1: The Frame – Use your limbs to create space and prevent pressure.
Principle 2: The Shield – Protect vital areas (neck, arms) from submissions.
Principle 3: The Base – Maintain balance to avoid being swept or submitted.
Principle 4: The Posture – Keep your spine aligned to resist attacks.
Principle 5: The Connection – Stay attached to your opponent to feel their movements.
Principle 6: The Alignment – Position your body to distribute weight effectively.
Principle 7: The Distribution – Spread pressure to avoid being crushed.
Principle 8: The Patience – Wait for the right moment to move, don’t panic.

2. Escape Principles (Getting Back to Safety)

Once you’ve stabilized, the next step is escaping to a better position.

Principle 9: The Bridge – Use hip movement to create space.
Principle 10: The Shrimp (Hip Escape) – Move your hips away to regain guard.
Principle 11: The Underhook – Control an arm to reverse positions.
Principle 12: The Overhook – Trap an arm to limit opponent’s options.
Principle 13: The Elbow-Knee Connection – Close space to prevent passes.
Principle 14: The Head Control – Manage distance by controlling the head.
Principle 15: The Grip Fighting – Break or establish grips to control the fight.
Principle 16: The Timing – Exploit moments of imbalance to escape.

3. Guard Principles (Controlling from the Bottom)

Guard play is essential for both defense and offense. These principles help you maintain, attack, and sweep from guard.

Principle 17: The Guard Retention – Prevent passes by recovering guard.
Principle 18: The Angle – Adjust your angle to off-balance opponents.
Principle 19: The Leverage – Use mechanics over strength.
Principle 20: The Distance Management – Keep opponents in your ideal range.
Principle 21: The Grips – Control sleeves, collars, and wrists to dominate.
Principle 22: The Hip Movement – Generate power from your hips.
Principle 23: The Off-Balancing (Kuzushi) – Disrupt posture to set up attacks.
Principle 24: The Transition – Flow between guards seamlessly.

4. Top Game Principles (Dominating from Passing & Mount)

When on top, these principles help you control, pass, and submit efficiently.

Principle 25: The Pressure – Use weight distribution to immobilize.
Principle 26: The Crossface – Control the head to limit movement.
Principle 27: The Wedge – Use body parts to isolate limbs.
Principle 28: The Floating – Stay mobile to avoid counters.
Principle 29: The Knee Slide – Pass guards by sliding the knee through.
Principle 30: The Smash Pass – Flatten opponents to pass guard.
Principle 31: The Submission Chains – Link attacks to force reactions.
Principle 32: The Transition Between Positions – Move fluidly from side control to mount, etc.

Why These Principles Matter

Memorizing techniques is helpful, but understanding why they work makes you adaptable. By internalizing these 32 principles, you’ll:

✅ Solve problems on the mat more efficiently

✅ Adapt to different opponents and styles

✅ Develop a deeper understanding of Jiu-Jitsu

✅ Progress faster by focusing on concepts over moves

Final Thoughts

Jiu-Jitsu isn’t just about moves—it’s about movement, leverage, and strategy. The 32 principles provide a mental framework to make your training more intentional.

Which principle do you find most useful in your game? Let us know in the comments!

Keep rolling, keep learning! 🥋

Want to dive deeper? Check out Saulo Ribeiro’s "Jiu-Jitsu University" for an in-depth breakdown of these concepts!

Would you like any modifications or additional details on specific principles? Let me know how I can improve this post!