Bushido's Comprehensive Jiu-Jitsu Guide for Parents

We design our Kids Jiu-Jitsu Program at Bushido BJJ to provide benefits beyond the mats. We believe Jiu-Jitsu can positively impact the next generation across both our Manchester and Hebron, CT academies.

Our primary objective is to help children become better versions of themselves through Jiu-Jitsu. We focus on character first and champions second. "Are they good people? And can they handle themselves?" In that order.

Jiu-Jitsu is an unrivaled tool for self-defense and personal development. Our students learn to work well with others, focusing on effort, respect, and discipline while developing invaluable self-defense skills. Jiu-Jitsu helps build character, resilience, physical fitness, and emotional intelligence, fostering better overall wellness and growth.

Thank you for allowing us to play a small role in your child's development. We receive this responsibility gratefully and sincerely. We look forward to helping your kids learn and grow at Bushido BJJ.

Excellence

We set and surpass the highest standards through constant improvement.

Trust

We authentically earn and grant trust.

Compassion

We honor the dignity of all.

Stewardship

We empower others.

Adaptability

We adapt to change quickly and positively, without victimhood.

• No Video Recording During Kids' Martial Arts Classes.
  To protect the privacy and safety of our students, video recording and photography are not permitted during our kids' martial arts classes at either our Manchester or Hebron academy.
  
  The only exceptions are:
  1. Technique Instruction — It is permitted to video the instructor's teaching techniques.
  
  2. Student Promotions — Parents are welcome to record/photograph their own child during stripe and belt promotion ceremonies or end of class photos.
• No coaching from the sidelines.
  Whether you train or not, coaching from the sidelines is prohibited during our kids' classes. It is distracting and encourages them to focus on parental approval rather than listen to our coaches and the task.
• You represent Bushido.
  Even if you may not be a Bushido student. We ask that our students and parents conduct themselves in a positive manner that represents Bushido's values at both our Manchester and Hebron locations.
• Stewardship is our core value.
  Our words and actions must build your child's confidence rather than diminish it.
• Parents and coaches can work together.
  By modeling the lessons we want our students to learn.
• Respect the coaches.
  We always encourage parents to talk with coaches to get on the same page about a student's progress.
• Let the coaches do their job.
  Students need parents to be parents and coaches to be coaches.
• Avoid showing negative emotions.
  We seek to cultivate a growth mindset where mistakes are lessons to be learned and grown from.

We aim to use Jiu-Jitsu to give your child the tools to succeed. The more sincerely they practice the art, the greater the benefit they will receive.

That is why we ask the following from our young students — our four principles: F.R.E.D.

Focus

The ability to control one's attention is a foundation for a successful life. Stay standing or seated and maintain eye contact during instruction.

Respect

We can only improve our skills with our training partners and in our training space. The mats do not care about our perceived differences.

Energy

The more sincerely our students seek to understand Jiu-Jitsu, the greater the transference of benefits to their daily lives.

Discipline

Discipline can be simply expressed as doing what you must do even when you don't want to.

Positional Hierarchy

The positions in Jiu-Jitsu follow a hierarchy, which goes from the least amount of control to the maximum amount of control.

From worst to best:

• Your opponent has your back.
• Your opponent has the mount.
• Your opponent has side control.
• You are on the bottom of the guard.
• You are on top of the guard.
• You are on top and side control.
• You are on top of the mount.
• You have your partner's back.

All of Jiu-Jitsu is an effort to ascend this hierarchy, increasing our ability to end the fight safely as we do so.

We practice Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu in the Bushido Jiu-Jitsu Program at both our Manchester and Hebron locations.

GI

In our Gi classes, we wear traditional kimonos. We ask that you train in a traditional white, blue or black gi.

• Gi Top or Jacket
• Gi Pants
• Belt

No-Gi

In our No-Gi classes, we wear shorts and rashguard.

• Rashguard
• Board shorts
• Belt for bowing in and closing out class

Personal Hygiene & Washing Your Uniforms

The uniform shrinks slightly after the first wash or two. We recommend washing it in cold water with regular detergent and letting it air dry.

Uniforms MUST BE WASHED after each class. Before class make sure fingernails are trimmed to avoid scratching your partner.

How to Clean Your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu GI

• Wash your gi immediately after practice.
• Have a backup gi.
• Don't use hot water.
• Wash on a gentle setting.
• Do not use fabric softener or bleach.
• Wash your belt.
• Don't machine dry your gi.

How to Tie Your Belt

1. Hold both ends of the belt to ensure it is even, and place the middle of the belt at your navel.

2. Wrap the belt around your back, switching hands behind, and bring the belt back in front, making an "X."

3. The top of the "X" is wrapped under both belt layers — pull out the slack.

4. Flip the lower belt end over and place the higher belt end on top to make one more "X."

5. Reach through the hole and pull the top end through and to the side. You have now tied your belt!

Ages 5–7 — Little Samurai

Little Samurais are our youngest age group, and it is a great time to start your child on their Jiu-Jitsu journey.

Little Samurais to Junior Samurai Transition

When our students move to Junior Samurais from Little Samurais, it is a big step up and a different experience.

• Month 1: Start training in the standing portion of class with no submissions.
• Month 2: Add in learning techniques at that level.
• Month 3: Add the drilling portion of the class.
• Then, the whole class.

Ages 8–13 — Junior Samurais

The Samurai program aims to establish a solid technical foundation in Jiu-Jitsu to serve our students for the rest of their journey.

Fundamentals — White Belts

Fundamentals is the introductory level for this age group.

Intermediate — Grey/White Belt +

Our intermediate students are familiar with the core techniques and sparring.

Ages 9+ — Advanced Samurais

Grey Belt to Green Belt. This age group marks an essential transition to the adult program.

Class Structure

• Warm Up
• Instruction
• Drilling
• Training
• Mat Chat

The Belt System

We follow the IBJJF belt guidelines to ensure uniformity and that the kids always have a goal to aspire toward.

Our Philosophy

We are a school that values the growth benefits of competition over winning. Competition is a powerful vehicle for personal growth.

We emphasize the lessons competition teaches about success in life. Win or lose, we remain humble and grateful.

Competition Class

Competition Class requires coach approval. This is a high-intensity class focused on training young students to perform in competitions.

Competition Team Patch

Students can join our competition team anytime and earn their patches by participating in two divisions across tournaments.

Seasonal Program

Our Seasonal Program features at least two local seasons per year, each featuring designated tournaments.

Travel Season

Bushido BJJ makes an annual pilgrimage to the toughest and highest-level competitions for kids each summer.

Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling-based martial art. Using takedowns, the Jiu-Jitsu player brings the fight to the ground.

What Jiu-Jitsu is Not

Jiu-Jitsu is not MMA. In Jiu-Jitsu, we do not strike. The absence of striking allows for the safe practice of the art.

Jiu-Jitsu Can Be Described Simply As

• Avoiding strikes on the feet, we secure a takedown.
• On the ground, we advance to a dominant position.
• Once in that dominant position, we use a submission to end the fight.

Our Lineage

Kano Jigoro and the Kodokan School

Between 1882 and 1889, Kano Jigoro established the Kodokan school in Tokyo, Japan.

Spread to Brazil

Mitsuyo Maeda played a crucial role in the spread of Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Development & Expansion of Jiu-Jitsu

Carlos Gracie and his brothers, particularly Hélio Gracie, refined and adapted the techniques they learned.

Rob Magao — Bushido BJJ Academy

Rob Magao is the founder, owner, and head instructor of Bushido BJJ. He is a 4th Degree Black Belt under Master Pedro Sauer.

There are two types of takedowns and four positions on the ground. For our purposes, that's it!

Takedowns

The goal of the Jiu-Jitsu player is to bring the fight to the ground. There are two major types of takedowns: wrestling and judo.

The Four Fundamental Positions

• Guard
• Side Control
• Mount
• Back

The Guard

A guard is any position where we can control our partner using our legs.

Side Control

Side control is the first dominant position after the guard in the positional hierarchy.

Mount

The mount is the next position along the positional hierarchy.

Back

The most dominant position in Jiu-Jitsu — all that is left to do once you have someone's back is to submit them.

Positional Hierarchy — From Worst to Best

• Your opponent has your back.
• Your opponent has the mount.
• Your opponent has side control.
• You are on the bottom of the guard.
• You are on top of the guard.
• You are on top in side control.
• You are on top of the mount.
• You have your partner's back.

We are excited to serve your child through Jiu-Jitsu at both our Manchester and Hebron academies.

We ask that you communicate openly as you are comfortable about your child's progress in school and at home.

We hope to use Jiu-Jitsu as a foundation to improve the rest of your child's life.

We look forward to years of growth and camaraderie together!

See you on the mats!

Rob Magao
Founder & Head Instructor — Bushido Jiu-Jitsu Academy
Manchester & Hebron, CT