September 21, 2026
Week 4 moves us to two of the most dominant positions in jiu-jitsu: Mount and Knee on Belly. This week’s talking point is “The GB Brotherhood,” and it pairs with our word of the week: Confidence.
Confidence gets misunderstood on the mats. It is not swagger, and it is not the absence of nerves before a hard round. Real confidence is what shows up after you have tapped a hundred times and kept coming back anyway. It is the byproduct of reps, not a feeling you can talk yourself into. The Brotherhood side of this week ties in directly. Nobody builds that kind of confidence alone. It gets built by training partners who put you in bad spots on purpose so you learn how to survive them, then help you back up when the round is over.
What Everyone’s Working On
This week’s position focus is Mount and Knee on Belly, two positions that share a common thread: control from the top with almost every option in front of you. Mount is the most dominant position in the sport. Knee on Belly is the uncomfortable, transitional cousin, harder to hold but faster to threaten from. Both demand the same thing from the person on top: pressure without wasting energy, and awareness of where the escape is coming from before it happens.
GB1 (Adults): The Details
For our adult Fundamentals and All Levels students, Week 4 is about earning and keeping these positions rather than just landing in them for a second before losing them. That means proper hip and knee placement to stay heavy without gassing out, reading the opponent’s hands and hips to see a bridge or a frame coming, and converting the position into a real threat instead of just parking there. Holding mount is a skill by itself, separate from getting there in the first place, and this week is where that skill gets built.
Kids Programs: Age by Age
- Tiny Champions and Little Champions: Mount shows up this week as a balance game, staying seated and stable on top of a partner while they try to shake you off, which builds the same base control our adults are working on.
- Juniors and Teens: Older kids get technical detail on holding mount and transitioning to Knee on Belly, plus a conversation tied to this week’s word: what confidence actually looks like when you are losing a round and choose to keep working the position instead of giving up on it.
GB2 and GB3: Trust the Process
For our more advanced students, this week builds on the same Mount and Knee on Belly theme, with the specifics left to your professor’s discretion based on what your group needs. If you are training in GB2 or GB3, bring the mindset this week’s word is asking for. Confidence is not something you wait to feel before you show up. You build it by showing up first.
What’s Coming Up
A few things worth putting on your calendar over the next few weeks:
- Sunday, Sept 27 — GB Community Event: Manitou Incline. Get off the mats and get outside with the team for one of Colorado’s toughest hikes.
- Saturday, Oct 3 — Pedro Marinho Seminar.
- Saturdays, Oct 10 through Nov 1 — Kids Competition Class.
- Oct 12 through 16 — Fall Camp, for kids over fall break.
- Friday, Oct 24 — Family & Friends Class: Boo Bash (Halloween).
Looking further out, November brings COMPNET Colorado’s Autumn Championship (Nov 7) at Parker Fieldhouse.
See you on the mats this week. Hold your position, trust your training partners, and let the confidence come from the work.
