Warmer Weather, Warmer Mats - E17 BJJ Weekly Newsletter 23/02/26
- e17bjj
- Feb 23
- 3 min read
Hey team,
The weather is finally warming up a little, and even better, the new home of E17 BJJ is far less fridge-like than those first few sessions. It’s starting to feel properly lived in now.
Over the coming weeks and months there will be some steady changes to the schedule as we gradually add more classes and build out the timetable properly. We’re doing this in stages so it grows the right way.
Gym refurb continues this week, should have some more mat space, and maybe even wall mats installed by the end of the week!
Schedule Update From This Week
Judo with Justin
Now takes place on:
Monday 19:15 to 20:30
Wednesday 19:15 to 20:30
Friday 19:00 to 20:30 — Open Mat
Friday evenings are now open mat. Come train Gi, No Gi, Judo, drill, roll, experiment, or just talk Jiu Jitsu. The mat is yours. Open mats are some of the best opportunities to refine your own game without structure.
This Week’s Focus
Gi Fundamentals with Mouncif and Juan - Monday and Wednesday we’ll be working on taking the back and attacking. We’ll focus on clean entries, stabilising the position properly, and linking attacks once you secure dominant control. The back is one of the strongest positions in Jiu Jitsu, and learning to slow things down there is key.
Friday, Stacey is due to be in after being ill last week and will be taking the class - would be great to have a big turn out for it :
No Gi Fundamentals with Chris - we will go back to working on bottom half guard, and work on how we can transition from there into X guard. This is about understanding how positions connect. Instead of seeing half guard as a defensive stop, you’ll start seeing it as a pathway to more attacking options.
This will also be Chris’s final week teaching these No Gi fundamentals classes with us. He lives over an hour and a half away, which has made it tough to consistently make the journey. We’re genuinely grateful for everything he has brought to E17 BJJ.
We’ve got some new instructors stepping in soon, and I’m excited for you to learn from them.
Judo with Justin - we will be focusing on Ko Soto Gari. We’ll look at timing the reap, controlling posture through grips, and understanding how small adjustments in balance make a big difference. It’s a technique that rewards patience and good positioning over strength.
Wrestling for BJJ with Mehmet - We’ll be covering exactly what was planned for last week, as Mehmet was unfortunately ill on Saturday. You will continue working on front headlocks, including entries into the darce and guillotine.
Tip of the Week - Who is in the better position?
Before you rush to move, ask yourself one simple question: who is actually under pressure here? If you’re in mount, if you’ve secured side control, if you’ve taken the back, you are not the one who needs to panic. The responsibility is on your partner to escape.
Too often we get fidgety, chase submissions too quickly, or give up strong positions because we feel like we should be “doing something.” But control is doing something. Pressure is doing something. Patience is doing something.
Slow it down. Make them carry your weight. Let them burn energy trying to solve the problem. When they move, that’s when your opportunities appear. Strong Jiu Jitsu isn’t always about more movement. Sometimes it’s about less.
If you have friends or family who have been talking about starting something new, now is a great time to bring them down. The gym is growing, the timetable is expanding, and the room is building nicely.
See you on the mats.
-Mouncif
E17 BJJ
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