Earn your points! | E17BJJ Weekly Newsletter 10/11/25

Hey team,

We’re just three weeks away from our end-of-year grading — it’s coming up fast! Now’s the time to put in those extra rounds, ask questions, and polish the details. It’s been great seeing the mats full again lately — the energy, consistency, and teamwork have been awesome. Let’s keep that momentum rolling all the way to grading. Monday 1st, December, mark it in your calendars!

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This Week’s Focus

Gi Fundamentals: This week we’ll be focusing on the BJJ points system — understanding how matches are scored, what earns advantages, and how to use that knowledge to shape your strategy. Whether you compete or not, learning the points structure helps you make smarter decisions when passing, sweeping, or escaping. It’s about recognising when to secure control, when to transition, and how to build a more tactical game overall.

No-Gi Fundamentals: Following on from last week’s side control work, we’re now focusing on escapes and framing. You’ll learn how to use your frames to create space, recover guard, and stay safe under pressure. We’ll also look at timing — when to move and when to stay still — so you can turn bad positions into opportunities. This is the kind of technical detail that massively improves your survival and confidence in No-Gi.

Judo: We’re continuing with the Ippon Seoi Nage (one-arm shoulder throw). This week’s emphasis will be on footwork and entry timing, breaking down how to move your opponent’s balance and set up clean entries. We’ll also look at linking it with grip work to make your throw feel effortless. These refinements make a big difference when trying to land throws smoothly and safely in live situations.

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Schedule Note

This Wednesday, there will be no classes at St Mary’s Church.

Instead, all classes will take place at 17&Central (Walthamstow Mall) — in The Gallery, located in the upstairs food court, just past the ramp to the bathrooms on the right.

This is the same spot where we usually run our No-Gi classes, and all lessons will move there for this day only while St Mary’s is being used by a film crew.

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Merch Update

E17 BJJ Jumpers are finally back in stock! I’ll be fulfilling all back orders this week. If you haven't yet requested one and want one, please let me know :)

We’ve also got our new short-sleeve E17 BJJ rashguards now available — perfect for No-Gi training or wearing under your Gi. They’re high-quality, cleanly designed, and a great deal at £26 each.

Grab one before they go!

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🌊 Next Week

I’ll be away next week to run the Rip & Roll BJJ & Surf Camp, but don’t worry — we’ve got some awesome guest instructors lined up for you. It’ll be a great chance to learn from different styles and perspectives while keeping the energy high on the mats.

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Tip of the Week - Don’t be afraid to reset.

If you lose a position or mess up a drill, pause, reset, and try again. The goal isn’t to win every exchange in training — it’s to understand why something did or didn’t work, and adjust to try and get it the following time. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

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See you on the mats!

— Mouncif,

E17 BJJ