Group BJJ Drills for a new instructor

[Ottman]

Hey everyone, I was just asked to teach a couple BJJ classes per week at my MA school, and I was wondering if anyone knew some good group drills to do in class. My training was almost exclusively 1 on 1 with my instructor, or in a small group of about 4 people. Now I have to teach classes consiting of up to 12 people and I'm not sure how I'm gonna keep everyone involved, while still having time to give each student some individual attention. I'd like to hear about drills focusing on technique, as I won't have a problem with sparring and conditioning drills, but any advice will be a big help.

Thanks.

[BJJ is 1]

We always go over new or old techniques, then drill them, then roll and try to use them

[Squawman]

When I teach I try to find a few techniques that you can put into a circuit. The most basic is one person starts in side control then goes to mount then the person on the bottom rolls him off. This puts the person who was on the bottom into guard. Then pass the guard and go right back into side control starting the circuit over. Sweeps are great to do this way also.

[marie curie]

To warm up we do some very quick reps of standing techniques

We work on a technique, then a counter for it, then a counter for the counter

or

We work on a technique, an extension of that technique, and a counter for that

We do standing work the first part of class, then groundwork, using one of the above schemes (or something similar) then we roll/fight for the end of class

[Ottman]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

[AndrewGreen]

Basics, lots of basics.

You can work continous drills, these tend to keep everyone going and let them think about what they are doing. (ex. Mounted - Bridge and roll, pass guard, get mount, repeat)

Or you can isolate techniques and spar them. (ex. One person mounted, other person try to escape.) after they go a while add something in depending on which side is having the easier time. (Ok, now the top person should hook there feet under, hands and head on the floor...) Alternate around giving tips to both halfs of the drill.

Depending on your class consider how you get them into it. A lot of people don't respond well to working guard sweeps on day one. There is no sense of purpose to it, no context.

Might be better to work take downs on someone that is hitting you, as well as defending a takedown and hitting someone. Start most things on the feet for a few weeks, then once they got the hang of takedowns and pins bring some ground positioning stuff and submissions in. As well as defending ground and pound.

Unless of course it is sport JJ you are there to teach, in which case same idea, no strikes