The Complete Guide to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
What it really costs, what you'll actually do on the mats, and how to decide if BJJ is worth your time and money before you sign up
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Everything a beginner needs to know about BJJ — real costs, real gear, real classes, and whether it's actually for you.
About this book
You've seen the highlight reels — flying submissions, slick sweeps, people tapping each other into pretzels. But what's it actually like to walk into a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym as a total beginner? What does a Tuesday night class really cost, feel like, and demand from you? And is it something you'll stick with, or just an expensive way to get sore for a month?
This guide answers those questions with plain language, concrete numbers, and zero hype. You'll get realistic cost breakdowns from starter to serious, gear lists that separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves, a blow-by-blow look at a typical class, and a self-assessment checklist to tell you honestly if BJJ is a good fit for your life right now. No vague inspiration, no sales pitches — just the real deal from the perspective of someone who wants you to succeed at something genuinely worth doing.
By the time you finish, you'll know exactly what to expect on day one, what to spend and what to skip, and how to decide if this hobby is worth the mat burn.
Reader Reviews
Laura Allen
★★★★★I was honestly expecting more detailed technique breakdowns, which is probably on me since this is for beginners. That said, the cost breakdown was spot on for what I was quoted at three different gyms near me. The chapter about what a typical class looks like made me feel way less nervous about walking in for the first time. It's a decent starting point, but I wish it had gone a little deeper on what to look for in a coach.
Laura Moore
★★★★★This is the book I wish I'd had before I started Googling 'how to start BJJ' and getting buried in YouTube videos from people selling gis. I appreciated that it didn't try to hype me up — it just told me what to expect, what it would cost, and how to not waste money on gear I don't need yet. The first chapter genuinely made me feel like I knew what I was walking into, and I brought the checklist to my first class. A solid, honest read.
Steven Martin
★★★★★I'm a 42-year-old desk worker who thought BJJ was for college athletes only. The chapter on whether it's right for you hit me hard in a good way — it asked the real questions about time, money, and body willingness, not just 'do you want to get fit?'. The cost tables were realistic too, and I appreciated that the author didn't push the most expensive gi as a necessity. I've now done my first two classes, and this book prepared me better than any YouTube video I watched.
Joshua Taylor
★★★★★I found it a bit too conversational for my taste — some sections could have been tighter. But the chapter on what a typical session looks like was worth the price alone. It captures the weird mix of frustration and quiet satisfaction that I didn't expect. The gear list stopped me from buying a bunch of junk I don't need. I gave it three stars because I wanted more on how to handle feeling overwhelmed in your first few weeks, but for a total beginner, it's a fair starting guide.
Paul Torres
★★★★★I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who's even mildly curious about BJJ but is terrified of looking stupid. The chapter on what a class actually feels like was so accurate it made me laugh. The author gets the soreness, the awkwardness of rolling with a stranger, and the weird confidence boost you get after surviving your first session. The costs were accurate, the gear advice saved me money, and I finally felt like I had permission to start. Five stars, no doubt.