Blackbelt Business Podcast
Jiu Jitsu Curriculum and Class Structure - Alex Huddleston (E62)
In this episode of the Black Belt Business Podcast, Eliot Marshall sits down with Alex Huddleston to break down Easton's approach to building Jiu Jitsu curricula that helps students understand the art as a complete system instead of a disconnected collection of moves. The conversation covers why beginners often struggle in unstructured classes, how curriculum improves retention, and why students need different levels of instruction as they progress. From fundamentals, intermediate, and advanced class structures, this episode explains why a strong fundamentals program focuses heavily on self-defense and positional understanding, when live training should be introduced, and how intermediate students begin learning the broader game of sport Jiu Jitsu. Eliot and Alex also explain why teaching students to move instead of simply memorizing moves creates a deeper understanding of Jiu Jitsu, how all-levels-only schedules can fail both beginners and advanced students, and why advanced instructors need enough freedom to help students develop their own games rather than simply creating copies of themselves. Most importantly, they discuss why a curriculum should never become a dead document. Jiu Jitsu continues to evolve through competition, experimentation, and new ideas, which means instructors and curriculum must continue evolving with it. If you want to improve student retention, create more consistent classes, develop better instructors, and give students a clearer path from their first day through advanced Jiu Jitsu, this episode breaks down the systems that make it possible. Watch or listen to the full podcast on our blog: https://www.easton.online/blog/ Visit https://www.easton.online to sign up for our mailing list!
