How to Survive Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Most jiu jitsu books teach you techniques.

This one teaches you how to last.

Drawing on more than three decades on the mat — through judo, Japanese jujutsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — multi-degree black belt Roy Dean offers a field guide to the unglamorous, durable choices that keep a practitioner in the art for a lifetime.

How often to train. How to roll without redlining. How to choose a training partner who will actually change your game. What "position before submission" really means once you start studying it. Why an injury is an opportunity. How to fall.

You won’t find technique recipes here. You’ll find the things underneath the techniques: how to think, how to show up, how to listen, how to protect the body that carries you to class, and how to walk a road that’s worth a lifetime.

"This book is essential reading for all Jiu Jitsu students, coaches, and instructors."

— Garry Kewish, 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt

Who It’s For

For white belts who want to start well and avoid the early mistakes that send people away from the art.

For blue and purple belts who want to keep improving without burning out — and finally understand why their training needs to change as they advance.

For brown and black belts ready to look honestly at the path ahead, and at what they’ve been hiding from on the mat.

What’s Inside

Twenty-four essays. Five sections. One field guide.

I. WALKING IN — Orientation & First Steps

Jiu Jitsu as a Language · How to Choose an Academy · How to Be a Good Student · Be Clean · Training Frequency

II. SETTLING IN — Habits, Partners & Method

Leave Your Ego at the Door · A Good Training Partner · Making the Most of Class Time · The Biggest Secret in Jiu Jitsu · How to Attend a Seminar

III. ON THE MAT — Rolling & Control

How to Roll · The Art of the Tap · Position Before Submission · Overlapping Pressures · How to Roll with Bigger People

IV. GOING DEEPER — Concept & Meaning

Engineering Your Game · Different Lenses · Jiu Jitsu vs. Jujutsu · The Long Road

V. THE LONG GAME — Body · Recovery · Longevity

Yoga, The Complement · Learning to Fall Is Important · An Injury Is an Opportunity · Allies in Recovery · Decades of Discovery

 

What You’ll Get

• Twenty-four original essays from a 4th degree BJJ black belt
• Two PDF formats included — a Letter-sized desktop edition designed for reading on screen or printing, and an iPhone edition reflowed for comfortable mobile reading
• Premium book design — photographic section dividers, drop caps, gold pull-quotes, hand-drawn diagrams
• Instant digital download — delivered to your inbox the moment you check out
• Lifetime access — re-download anytime; future revisions included

 

What Black Belts Are Saying

"Each of the 24 chapters are concise, deeply insightful, and eloquently written. Such a pleasure to read. This book is dense with wisdom for practitioners in every phase of their jiu jitsu journey."

— Burton Richardson · 4th Degree BJJ Black Belt · Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame

"Roy has a gift for taking lessons that experienced practitioners know in their bones and putting them into words. Whether you’re a brand-new white belt or a seasoned black belt, there is wisdom here worth revisiting."

— Kent Maichle · Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Appleton, Black Belt & Owner

"Professor Roy Dean presents a thoughtful, step-by-step guide from white belt to black belt, helping practitioners navigate a lifetime of growth and refinement. This is a valuable resource for students of all levels, and one I wish I had when I first started training."

— Bruce Bookman · 7th Dan Shihan of Aikido · Gracie Barra BJJ Black Belt

"Had this book existed when I began my journey, I would have connected the dots much faster and saved precious time. This book is a ‘cheat code’ for the serious practitioner."

— Joshua Matanane · 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt

"More than just a book about Jiu Jitsu — it is a guide to approaching the art with intelligence, balance, and purpose. For anyone who wants to train with meaning, maturity, and a lifelong perspective."

— Sergio de Freitas · BJJ Black Belt

"The perfect guide for a student intimidated by the customs, language, and techniques of jiu-jitsu. Let Roy Dean show you everything you need to get started."

— Will Weisser · Author of Scientific Jiu-Jitsu: A Unified Theory of Grappling

About the Author

Roy Dean is a 4th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, with additional black belts in Judo, Aikido, and Japanese Jujutsu. He earned his BJJ black belt under the progressive teacher Roy Harris and has spent decades treating the gentle art as something to be understood and lived as a budo, or warrior’s way.

Through his acclaimed instructional work and writings — including the widely recognized Purple Belt Requirements series — he gives readers a clear path to technical understanding and personal empowerment in the art of jiu jitsu.

Discover who you are.

Format & Delivery

This is a digital product. After checkout, you’ll receive an instant email with download links for both PDFs:

• Letter (8.5 × 11) — desktop / iPad / print-friendly edition with full design
• iPhone — reflowed for comfortable reading on a phone, with shorter paragraph splits for screen reading

No shipping, no waiting, no devices required. The PDF opens on every operating system and every reader, including Kindle (transfer via email).

FAQ

Will this teach me techniques? No — this book is the philosophical and practical framework behind the techniques. It teaches you how to think about your training, choose your partners, manage your body, and last in the art. If you want technique drills, watch Roy’s instructional videos at roydean.tv.

What belt level is this for? Every belt. White belts will use it to start well. Blue and purple belts will use it to keep going through plateaus. Brown and black belts will return to it for the long-view perspective. Each section is designed to land differently at each stage.

Is this a real book or just a PDF? It’s a complete book — 24 essays, five sections, professionally designed with photographic section dividers, drop caps, pull-quotes, and original diagrams. Delivered as a PDF so you get it instantly and can read it on any device.

Can I print it? Yes. The Letter edition is print-ready at 8.5 × 11.

Can I share my copy? Please keep your copy for personal use. If you want to give it as a gift, purchase a second copy and we’ll send the download link to your recipient.

Refund policy? If the book doesn’t deliver what was promised, email contact@roydean.tv within 14 days and we’ll refund your purchase. We can’t recall a digital file, so refunds are at our discretion — but we stand behind the work.