Purple Belt Curriculum

A purple belt should have technical proficiency that is listed in the blue belt curriculum. However, they will also need to have a certain “savvy.” What is savvy? A purple belt should have the knowledge, training and experience to know when one technique is not working, that the more efficient course of action would be to change to a more “appropriate” technique – rather than to just try the same technique a second and third time with more force.

Additionally, purple belts should have a rudimentary knowledge and skill level for using momentum to their advantage. Momentum represents a students ability to simultaneously (A) remain “aware” of what they are doing, (B) remain aware of what their training partner is doing, and (C) be able to follow the energy/pressure provided by their training partner. Purple belts should also be able to respond “more appropriately” to a given pressure – because of their knowledge, training and experience.

The purple belt curriculum focuses on two areas:

1.  The use of combinations
2. The use of momentum

Below is a list of combinations you should train extensively before you take your purple belt evaluation. Here’s what you should be focusing on while practicing these combinations:

1. Fluidity throughout the entire combination. No jerky movements.
2. Smoothness throughout the transitions. No explosive movements.
3. A semi-relaxed trunk, limbs and mindset.

bottom of the mount position

• Bridge and roll escape to guard pass under leg
• Bridge and roll escape to guard pass over leg, near leg
• Bridge and roll escape to guard pass over leg, far leg
• Bridge and roll escape to guard pass over around the leg
• Bridge and roll escape to straight foot lock
• Bridge and roll escape to heel hook
• Bridge and roll escape to knee bar
• Elbow / Knee escape to elevator sweep
• Elbow / Knee escape to scissor sweep
• Elbow / Knee escape to scissor sweep with knee push
• Elbow / Knee escape to knee sweep
• Elbow / Knee escape to Kimura
• Elbow / Knee escape to guillotine choke
• Elbow / Knee escape to triangle choke with legs
• Elbow / Knee escape to triangle choke with arms
• Elbow / Knee escape to back take

bottom of the guard position

• Elevator sweep to mount control #1
• Elevator sweep to mount control #2
• Elevator sweep to side mount hold down #2
• Elevator sweep to scarf hold #2
• Elevator sweep to scarf hold #3
• Elevator sweep to reverse elevator sweep
• Hip bump to mount control #1
• Hip bump to mount control #2
• Hip bump to Kimura
• Hip bump to telephone arm lock
• Hip bump to guillotine choke
• Scissor sweep to knee sweep
• Scissor sweep to Americana
• Scissor sweep to straight arm lock against belly
• Scissor sweep to Kimura
• Kimura to hip bump
• Kimura to guillotine choke
• Kimura to triangle choke with legs
• Kimura to spinning arm lock
• Triangle choke with legs to kimura
• Triangle choke with legs to spinning arm lock
• Triangle choke with legs to sweep
• Spinning arm lock to triangle
• Spinning arm lock to kimura
• Spinning arm lock to omo plata

top of the guard position

• Guard pass under the leg to hold down #2
• Guard pass under the leg to scarf hold #2
• Guard pass under the leg to scarf hold #3
• Guard pass under the leg to reverse scarf hold #1
• Guard pass under the leg to north / south hold #1
• Guard pass under the leg to north / south hold #2
• Guard pass under the leg to kimura
• Guard pass under the leg to americana
• Guard pass over the leg to hold down #2
• Guard pass over the leg to scarf hold #2
• Guard pass over the leg to scarf hold #3
• Guard pass over the leg to reverse scarf hold #1
• Guard pass over the leg to north / south hold #1
• Guard pass over the leg to north / south hold #2
• Guard pass over the leg to Kimura
• Guard pass over the leg to Americana
• Guard pass over the leg to knee bar
• Guard pass around the leg to hold down #2
• Guard pass around the leg to scarf hold #2
• Guard pass around the leg to scarf hold #3
• Guard pass around the leg to reverse scarf hold #1
• Guard pass around the leg to north / south hold #1
• Guard pass around the leg to north / south hold #2
• Guard pass around the leg to Kimura
• Guard pass around the leg to Americana

bottom of side mount position

• Replace guard escape to scissor sweep
• Replace guard escape to scissor sweep with knee push
• Replace guard escape to knee sweep
• Replace guard escape to reverse knee sweep
• Replace guard escape to elevator sweep
• Replace guard escape to reverse elevator sweep
• Replace guard escape to heel grab sweep
• Replace guard escape to kimura
• Replace guard escape to guillotine choke
• Replace guard escape to hip bump
• Replace guard escape to back take
• Go to the knees escape to double leg take down left
• Go to the knees escape to double leg take down right
• Go to the knees escape to elevator sweep
• Go to the knees escape to reverse elevator sweep
• Go to the knees escape to back take
• Bridge and roll escape to mount
• Bridge and roll escape to triangle choke with arms
• Bridge and roll escape to kimura
• Bridge and roll escape to americana

bottom of north / south position

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open guard positions

 Basic knowledge of passing/sweeping from multiple open guard positions to a “dominate” position or to a submission.

• From top of spider guard position
• From top of lasso guard position
• From top of worm guard position
• From top of De La Riva position
• From top of reverse De La Riva position
• From bottom of spider guard position
• From bottom of lasso guard position
• From bottom of worm guard position
• From bottom of De La Riva position
• From bottom of reverse De La Riva position

ESCAPES

Ability to perform 3 escapes proficiently and fluidly from:

1. Knee on Belly
2. North / South
3. Modified Kesa Gatame / Scarf hold
4. Reverse Kesa Gatame / Scarf hold
5. S Mount