BJJ Training Journal: What to Write After Every Class

Why Keep a BJJ Journal?

BJJ is one of the most information-dense martial arts. A single class might cover a sweep, two passes, a submission, and a counter. Plus whatever came up during rolling. Without writing it down, you're relying on memory alone. And memory is unreliable.

But the biggest reason to journal isn't about reading your notes later. It's about the act of writing itself. When you sit down after class and try to describe what you learned, you're forced to explain the technique to yourself. You have to mentally replay the move, figure out the sequence, and put it into your own words. That process alone locks things into memory in a way that just “being there” doesn't.

It also exposes gaps in your understanding. You might think you understood a sweep during drilling, but when you try to write down how it works, you realize you're not sure where your hips were supposed to go. That's valuable. Now you have a specific question to bring to your coach next class instead of a vague feeling that something wasn't clicking.

Beyond retention, a journal helps you:

Spot patterns in your game over time
Identify positions you avoid or struggle with
Track your consistency and build momentum
Process emotions after tough rolls or frustrating plateaus
Have something concrete to review before open mat or competition

As one experienced practitioner put it: “I barely review my journal. The process of writing it down makes me remember things way better.” Even if you never open it again, the writing itself does the work.

What to Write After Every Class

You don't need to write an essay. A few focused notes right after class are all it takes. Here's a simple framework:

1. The Basics

Start with the simple facts. This makes it easy to search your journal later.

Date and time of the class
Duration: how long was the session?
Type: Gi or No-Gi?
Class format: drilling, positional sparring, live rolling, or competition class?

This metadata might seem boring, but it adds up. After a few months you can look back and see exactly how often you trained, whether you lean too heavily toward Gi or No-Gi, and how your consistency shifts over time. It's hard to ignore when you can see in black and white that you only trained once last week.

2. Techniques Covered

Write down the specific techniques your coach taught. Be as specific as you can:

Name of the technique (e.g., “scissor sweep from closed guard”)
Key details like grips, hip positioning, and timing cues
Any variations or follow-ups shown
Common mistakes your coach pointed out

Don't worry about writing a perfect step-by-step breakdown. Even a one-liner like “collar drag to back take; need to keep elbow tight” is enough to jog your memory later. The goal is to describe it in your own words, not to write a textbook. If you can't explain the key details, that tells you something important about what you actually absorbed.

3. Positions Trained

Note which positions came up during class and rolling. Over time this shows you where you spend your time and where the gaps are.

Closed guard, half guard, mount, side control, back, turtle, etc.
Were you mostly on top or bottom?
Any positions you got stuck in repeatedly?

This is one of the most underrated things to track. Most people discover they have huge blind spots; maybe you never end up in turtle, or you always pull guard and rarely work on top. Seeing it written down makes it impossible to ignore.

4. Rolling Notes

This is where the real learning happens. After live rolling, jot down:

What worked: submissions you hit, sweeps that landed, escapes you pulled off
What didn't work: where you got stuck, what you couldn't finish
Recurring problems, like “kept getting passed from half guard”
Questions for your coach; things you want to ask next class

Some people like a simple “good, bad, ugly” format: one thing that went well, one thing that went wrong, and one moment that was just rough. It keeps things honest without overthinking it.

5. How It Felt

A quick note on how you felt, both physically and mentally. This is more useful than you'd think:

Energy level: were you sharp or sluggish?
Any minor injuries or soreness to watch
Overall mood: frustrated, confident, motivated?

Tracking this over weeks helps you notice patterns. Maybe you always feel flat on Mondays, or you roll better after morning classes. BJJ is emotional; you'll have days where you feel unstoppable and days where nothing works. Writing through the bad sessions helps you process them instead of carrying that frustration into the next class.

6. Goals and Intentions

One habit that separates casual note-takers from people who actually improve: set intentions for your next session based on what you noticed today.

What do you want to work on next class?
Is there a specific position or technique to focus on during rolling?
Any questions to bring to your coach?

This turns your journal from a passive log into an active training tool. Instead of walking into class with no plan, you arrive with a specific focus. Over time, this compounds into real, measurable progress.

Example Journal Entry

Tuesday, March 18 · Evening class (Gi) · 1.5 hours

Technique: Scissor sweep from closed guard. Key detail: need to get on my side first, not just chop the leg. Coach showed a variation where you go to triangle if they post.

Positions: Closed guard (bottom), mount (top), half guard (bottom)

Rolling: 4 rounds. Hit the scissor sweep once on a blue belt; felt great. Got stuck under side control twice, couldn't recover guard. Need to work on frames and hip escapes from bottom side control.

Feel: Good energy. Left knee a little sore from a stack pass. 7/10 session.

Next class: Focus on framing from bottom side control. Ask coach about recovering guard when they have a crossface.

Tips for Staying Consistent

The number one failure mode with BJJ journals is starting strong and then stopping after a few weeks. Here's how to avoid that:

Write immediately after class. Even 2 minutes in the parking lot is better than trying to remember the next day. Your recall drops fast.
Keep it short. A few bullet points beat a long entry you never write. Perfection is the enemy of consistency. Three sentences are better than zero paragraphs.
Use your phone. A notes app or a dedicated training app is faster than a notebook for most people. You always have your phone with you; you don't always have a notebook.
Review weekly. Skim your entries on Sunday. You'll start noticing patterns you missed in the moment, and you can set intentions for the week ahead.
Don't judge yourself. The journal is for learning, not grading. Bad sessions are some of the most valuable entries because they reveal exactly where you need to focus.
Lower the bar. If a full entry feels like too much, just write the technique name and one thing you noticed. Something is always better than nothing.

Digital vs. Paper Journal

Both work, and it comes down to personal preference. Paper journals are great if you like writing by hand and want to sketch diagrams (Bruce Lee famously filled notebooks with illustrated technique breakdowns). But they're hard to search and easy to lose.

A digital journal, whether it's a notes app, a spreadsheet, or a purpose-built training tracker, makes it easy to log sessions quickly, search your history, and spot trends over time. Some people use video clips from YouTube as supplementary references alongside their written notes.

The best journal is the one you'll actually use. Pick a format, keep it simple, and stick with it.

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