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Learn More →BRAZILIAN JIUJITSU · EPIC BJJ AT CMA&F
BJJ Classes in Canberra
Brazilian JiuJitsu – the ground game of leverage, technique, and problem-solving. A friendly, technical mat culture where beginners are welcome.
WHAT IS BJJ?
The gentle art.
Brazilian JiuJitsu is a grappling art built on leverage and technique rather than size or strength. You'll learn positional control, escapes, and submissions – a complete ground game. It rewards problem-solving and patience, and our mat culture is famously friendly. Roll with people who want you to get better.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your first class at CMA&F
👟
Wear loose clothes
A gi is needed once you continue; borrow one to start.
🤝
Class size 12–18
Personal attention from instructors.
🎯
Beginners welcomed
Drills paired with experienced students.
🥋
Belt progression
IBJJF belt path from white to black.
YOUR JOURNEY
Epic Brazilian JiuJitsu
4
belts to black
2–3×
gradings a year
10–14 yrs
to black belt
Brazilian JiuJitsu asks for patience and dedication. It is not simple to master – and it is a lot of fun along the way.
You start here – White Belt
Every belt from White to Brown carries up to four stripes, awarded along the way.
Before your first class
- A T-shirt and tracksuit pants. We train barefoot on rubber mats.
- Adult classes are for students aged 14 and up, with some allowances made for younger students who are ready.
What to Expect as a Beginner
- Focus on Fundamentals – you'll spend your early months learning basic positional escapes, survival, and foundational movements rather than complex flying submissions.
- The Pace of Thinking – expect physical exhaustion paired with mental puzzle-solving; coaches emphasise slowing down your reaction speed so you can think under pressure.
- Discomfort and Safety – you'll experience being pinned and controlled, but a good academy instils safety first: check your ego and tap early to avoid injuries.
Core Philosophy of the Lineage
- More Than a Sport – the Will-Machado network stresses traditional values (respect, discipline, humility, patience and perseverance), treating jiu-jitsu as a lifelong path rather than a quick trophy hunt.
- Concept Over Memorisation – rather than rote memorisation of single moves, teaching breaks techniques down into logical structural components, like leverage, framing and timing.
- Community Events – members share unique group milestones, such as regional seminars and annual community tournaments like the Will-Machado "Gathering".
Milestones Along the Journey
- Earning Your Belts – progression from white to blue, purple, brown and black takes years of compounding gains and mat time; it reflects internal personal change, not just physical capability.
- Becoming a Good Partner – you'll learn that your own growth relies on being the kind of safe, cooperative training partner everyone wants on their mat.
Belt & Rank System
White Belt
Fundamentals of falling, escaping, framing and surviving.
No Stripes
1 Stripe
2 Stripes
3 Stripes
4 StripesBlue Belt
2–4 years from white. The fundamentals become yours.
No Stripes
1 Stripe
2 Stripes
3 Stripes
4 StripesPurple Belt
2–4 years from blue. Your own game starts to take shape.
No Stripes
1 Stripe
2 Stripes
3 Stripes
4 StripesBrown Belt
2–4 years from purple. Refinement, and teaching others.
No Stripes
1 Stripe
2 Stripes
3 Stripes
4 StripesEvery belt from White to Brown carries up to four stripes – recognising your progress before the next belt. Roughly 20 steps between white and black.
Black belt is where it really begins
2–4 years from brown. The training wheels come off. You understand the system, so now you start learning it properly. Beyond black, the edged red bar marks an Instructor/Professor.
Black Belt
Instructor/Professor