Pick by goal
- Better escapesShrimping and bridgingThe base of every escape.
- Safer fallsBreakfalls and rollsUseful on and off the mat.
- Two siblingsPositional gamesSlow, gentle, with a clear goal.
- Never at homeSubmissionsLeave them for supervised class.
On this page
BJJ is a partner art, but many of its building blocks are solo movements that children can practise in the living room. A few minutes of drilling at home makes those movements automatic, which helps a child keep up in class and roll with more confidence.
Set up a safe space
Clear a space at least two body lengths long, away from furniture and corners. A carpet, thick rug or foam puzzle mats are fine for solo drills; avoid hard floors for rolls and falls. Practise in comfortable clothes or a rash guard, barefoot.
Solo drills
Shrimping, or the hip escape, is the most important movement in BJJ. Lying on their back, the child pushes off one foot and moves their hips away, then turns to the other side and repeats, travelling down the mat. Bridging means lifting the hips high off the floor from the back, pushing through the feet, then rolling over one shoulder.
The technical stand-up teaches a child to get up safely: from sitting, post one hand behind and the opposite foot in front, lift the hips and swing the other leg back to stand. Sit-outs and hip switches train turning from all fours. Breakfalls, slapping the mat as you fall back or sideways, and forward and backward rolls build safe falling; our guide to the first BJJ class explains why coaches teach them early.
A 10-minute routine
Start with a minute of jogging and jumping to warm up. Then do two lengths of shrimping, ten bridges, five technical stand-ups each side, ten sit-outs, a few breakfalls and a few forward rolls. Finish with stretches for the hips, neck and back. Three or four times a week is plenty.
Gentle partner games
With a sibling or parent, keep partner work slow and simple, with a clear goal. In “stay on top”, one partner holds side control or mount and the other tries to escape using shrimps and bridges; switch every 30 seconds. In “sweep the guard”, one partner sits in the other’s guard and tries to stand while the bottom partner tries to sweep. Go slowly, match partners as well as you can, and stop at once if anyone says stop. Our guide to BJJ words explains the positions.
Never at home
Do not practise chokes, joint locks, takedowns, slams or hard rolling at home. These need a coach, proper mats and partners who know how to tap and release. Children should understand this rule clearly before any partner games start.
Keep it fun
Use a timer, let your child pick the drills sometimes, and join in yourself; shrimping is harder than it looks. If drills become a chore, take a break. For more on how children progress, see BJJ belts for kids.
Questions parents and students ask
Can kids practise BJJ at home?
Yes, with solo movement drills and gentle partner games on a soft surface. Leave submissions, takedowns and hard rolling for class, where a coach can supervise.
What is shrimping in jiu-jitsu?
Shrimping, or a hip escape, is a movement on your back where you push off one foot and move your hips away to make space. It is the basis of most escapes, and children practise it up and down the mat in warm-ups.
Do I need mats to practise BJJ at home?
A carpet, a thick rug or a few foam puzzle mats are enough for solo drills. Avoid hard floors for rolls and breakfalls.
