Grappling Training Plan, Beginner
12-Week Grappling Training Plan for Beginners
Twelve weeks built around positional control first, submissions second. You will drill the shrimp, the bridge, and the technical stand up until they feel automatic. Live rolling is introduced as positional starts in week 6, never as a free for all.
Duration
12 weeks
Sessions / week
4
Per session
75 min
Level
Beginner
Professor Leo
Grappling coach, guard systems, passing, submissions
Before You Start
- Medical clearance if you are over 35 or have shoulder or neck history
- Able to sit on the floor with legs crossed for 5 minutes without discomfort
- Able to hold a plank for 45 seconds
- Clean, short nails and no jewelry on the mat
Week by Week Structure
Weeks 1-2: Movement and Frames
Learn to move on the mat. Shrimp, bridge, technical stand up, and guard recovery shapes.
Monday: Movement
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Hip circles, neck rotations, cat cow
Solo drills (35 min)
- Shrimp movement down the mat, 5 sets of 2 lengths
- Bridge, 3 sets of 20 reps
- Technical stand up, 3 sets of 10 reps per side
- Granby roll, 3 sets of 8 reps
Frame drill (15 min)
- Knee and elbow frame vs partner side control pressure, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (10 min)
- Hip mobility flow
Wednesday: Closed Guard Basics
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Closed guard (40 min)
- Closed guard posture control, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
- Cross collar to underhook grip break, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Hip bump sweep, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Strength and Stability
60 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Strength (40 min)
- Goblet squat, 4 x 10
- Push up, 4 x 10
- Inverted row, 4 x 8
- Dead bug, 3 x 10 per side
- Bird dog, 3 x 10 per side
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Positional Drilling
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Side control (40 min)
- Side control top pressure, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
- Bottom side control frame and recover guard, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility, breath work
Weeks 3-5: Guard and Pass
Introduce half guard, knee shield, and the torreando pass. Drill partner swaps only.
Monday: Half Guard
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Shrimps, bridges
Half guard (40 min)
- Knee shield setup, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Underhook half guard sweep, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Knee shield recover to closed guard, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Wednesday: Guard Passing
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Passing (40 min)
- Torreando pass, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Knee cut pass, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Maintain top position after pass, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Strength
65 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Strength (45 min)
- Goblet squat, 4 x 10
- Trap bar deadlift, 4 x 5 at 65 percent 1RM
- Pull up or band assisted pull up, 4 x 6
- Push up, 4 x 12
- Farmer carry, 3 x 30 meters
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Mount and Back
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Top positions (40 min)
- Mount maintenance vs bridging partner, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Back mount seat belt and hooks, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Mount to back transition, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Weeks 6-9: First Submissions and Positional Rolls
Introduce the rear naked choke, the triangle, and the armbar. Begin positional rolling starting from predefined positions.
Monday: Rear Naked Choke and Back Control
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Back and RNC (40 min)
- Seat belt grip control, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Arm under to RNC grip, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- RNC finish mechanics, 3 rounds of 2 minutes with controlled tap
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Wednesday: Positional Rolls from Guard
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Shrimps
Positional (40 min)
- Start in closed guard bottom, 5 rounds of 3 minutes, reset on sweep or pass
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Strength
65 minWarm up (10 min)
- Dynamic
Strength (45 min)
- Back squat, 4 x 6
- Bench press, 4 x 6
- Pull up, 4 x 6
- Deadlift, 3 x 5 at 70 percent 1RM
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Triangle and Armbar
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Submissions (40 min)
- Triangle setup from closed guard, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Armbar setup from closed guard, 4 rounds of 2 minutes
- Isolate one arm grip break, 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Cool down (20 min)
- Mobility
Weeks 10-12: Light Rolling
Begin open rolling with a cooperative focus. Rolls end at a sweep, pass, or submission setup, not on a hard finish.
Monday: Drill Plus Live
80 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Drill (25 min)
- Previous positions review, 3 rounds of 2 minutes per position
Live (30 min)
- 5 rounds of 4 minutes open rolling at 60 percent intensity
Cool down (10 min)
- Mobility
Wednesday: Positional Starts
75 minWarm up (15 min)
- Shrimps
Positional (45 min)
- Start in side control bottom, 4 rounds of 3 minutes
- Start in back mount, 3 rounds of 3 minutes
- Start standing with outside grip, 3 rounds of 3 minutes
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility
Friday: Strength
65 minStrength (50 min)
- Back squat, 3 x 5 at 75 percent 1RM
- Bench press, 3 x 5
- Row, 3 x 6
- Trap bar deadlift, 3 x 5
- Farmer carry, 3 x 40 meters
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility
Saturday: Open Roll
80 minWarm up (15 min)
- Solo drills
Rolling (50 min)
- 6 rounds of 5 minutes open rolling, rotating partners
- Keep intensity to 60 percent, tap early, no explosive movements
Cool down (15 min)
- Mobility, hydration
Key Techniques
Shrimp
The core movement of guard retention. Hip escape to one side by posting a foot, pressing off the mat, and sliding the hip away from the opponent. Without a clean shrimp, no guard game holds.
Technical stand up
Standing from bottom while keeping a base hand in the mat and a lead leg up. Critical for avoiding scrambles and being taken down again.
Closed guard posture control
Breaking the opponent posture by pulling on the head and collar while squeezing with the legs. Without posture control, no sweep or submission works.
Knee cut pass
A half guard pass that slices the trapped leg through the gap by driving the top knee across, while pinning the far shoulder and kicking the bottom leg free.
Rear naked choke
Back control submission with one arm across the neck, the other behind the head, finishing by squeezing and lifting the chest. No force on the windpipe. Blood choke only.
Fueling and Recovery
Grappling is a high skin exposure sport. Nutrition and hygiene combine. Protein target is 1.6 to 2.0 grams per kilogram, carbohydrate 3 to 5 grams per kilogram, fat 0.8 to 1.2 grams per kilogram. Eat a full meal at least 90 minutes before training, not right before, because pressure on the belly in guard is miserable on a full stomach. Hydrate 500 to 750 milliliters in the two hours before training. Reach for a carbohydrate protein recovery snack within 45 minutes after rolling. Skin health depends on showering immediately after class with an antimicrobial soap, cleaning the rashguard after every session, and using a dedicated pair of sandals from the mat to the shower. Staph and ringworm are the most common training disruptors for new grapplers.
Equipment Checklist
- No gi rashguard and grappling shorts without pockets
- Mouthguard if you have jaw sensitivity or braces
- Mat sandals or flip flops for walking off the mat
- Clean towel for each session
- Antimicrobial body wash
- Hair tie for long hair
Progress Milestones
Week 2
Shrimps flow down the mat without hands helping.
Week 5
Closed guard holds against a passing partner without losing posture.
Week 9
First rear naked choke finished in positional drilling with a controlled tap.
Week 12
5 rounds of open rolling at 60 percent without panic or gassing out.
Cross Train With
Track this plan in Grappling AI
Log every session, get AI video feedback on your technique, and follow Professor Leo as a personal coach inside the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy a gi or train no gi first?+
If the gym offers both, start no gi. Rashguards are cheaper, recovery between sessions is faster, and you avoid building reliance on gi grips that will not exist in MMA or no gi competition. If the gym is gi only, start with the gym style.
How often should I tap?+
Often. Every day. Tapping in training is not losing. Tapping protects joints and neck from injuries that take months to heal. If you only tap to finishes, you are already tapping late.
What about heel hooks?+
No heel hooks in the first 12 weeks. Leg entanglements and heel hooks cause the most grappling injuries for beginners. Learn the fundamentals first. Advanced leg locks come after a full year of training.
Is 4 days a week enough?+
For the first 12 weeks, yes. More than 4 is where new grapplers pick up skin infections, overuse injuries, and burn out. Four quality sessions with recovery beat six rushed sessions.
Why no sparring in week 1?+
Live rolling before you know how to move produces panic, bad habits, and joint injuries. The plan pushes positional rolling to week 6 because the base movement must come first.