September 28, 2026
Four weeks ago we opened this cycle on Guard Bottom. This week we are right back there, and that is not an accident. It is the whole idea behind this week’s talking point, “The GB Method,” and it pairs with our word of the week: Responsibility.
The Method Gives You the Map. You Walk It.
The GB Method is the reason a white belt in Centennial and a white belt in Rio are learning the same positions in the same order. The curriculum runs in a 16 week cycle, and the positions come back around on purpose. Guard Bottom in Week 1 was an introduction. Guard Bottom in Week 5 is a second pass, and every pass after this one goes a little deeper. Nobody learns jiu-jitsu in one lap. You learn it by returning to the same problems with more experience each time.
That is where responsibility comes in. The method gives you structure, a safe environment, and instructors who know exactly what you need next. What it cannot do is show up for you. It cannot drill the rep you skipped, ask the question you were too proud to ask, or take care of your training partner when you are the one with the advantage. The school is responsible for the system. You are responsible for what you do with it.
What Everyone’s Working On
This week’s position focus is Guard Bottom, the position every student will spend more time in than they would like. Being on your back is not losing. With a good guard it is one of the most dangerous places you can be. Without one it is a long, heavy afternoon. This week is about owning the position instead of surviving it.
GB1 (Adults): The Details
For our adult Fundamentals and All Levels students, Week 5 builds directly on what you saw in Week 1. The focus shifts from simply holding guard to actually working from it. That means keeping your knees and elbows connected so your opponent cannot flatten you out, using your hips and frames to recover space before a pass gets started, and building grips that give you real options to sweep or attack. If Week 1 felt like survival, Week 5 is where the position starts to feel like yours.
Kids Programs: Age by Age
- Tiny Champions and Little Champions: Guard Bottom shows up this week through movement games that teach kids to keep their feet and legs between themselves and a partner, the same idea our adults are drilling, built into play.
- Juniors and Teens: Older kids get technical detail on keeping and recovering guard, plus a conversation tied to this week’s word: what responsibility looks like on the mats and off them. Showing up on time. Taking care of your gear and your partner. Doing the homework before anyone has to ask.
GB2 and GB3: Trust the Process
For our more advanced students, this week builds on the same Guard Bottom theme, with the specifics left to your professor’s discretion based on what your group needs. If you are training in GB2 or GB3, you already know this position better than most. Take responsibility for the details you have been letting slide. The advanced student who still sharpens the basics is the one everyone else wants to train with.
What’s Coming Up
A few things worth putting on your calendar over the next few weeks:
- Saturday, Oct 3: Pedro Marinho Seminar. This one is this week, so lock in your spot now.
- 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. The method is already built. Your job is to show up and do your part.
