Curriculum
Ability-based paths. Not belts.
Adapted from InGrappling, Curriculum. System Games did not invent this curriculum.
Foundations curriculumThe sequenced learning path for grapplers in their first 6–12 months — ordered by invariant precedence, defence before offence, position before submission.Developing curriculumThe developing learning path (6–24 months) — building a connected game, primary systems, and plugging the gaps in the foundations.Proficient and aboveCurriculum notes for proficient, advanced, and elite practitioners — specialisation, competition preparation, and the open-ended development process.Developing — Back Attack SystemThe back attack system — the RNC plus bow-and-arrow, arm triangle from the back, rear naked variants, and the dilemma that makes the back such a…Developing — Half Guard SystemHalf guard as a system — the underhook fight, primary sweeps, back takes, submissions, and the half-guard dilemma between sweep and back take.Developing-level Heel Hook GuideThe heel hook study guide — the three gates, inside vs outside mechanics, why the tap signal is late, and how a coach delivers this content without…Developing — Kimura SystemThe kimura as a submission system — one grip, many positions, three outcomes. How to develop the kimura from a single submission into a positional…Developing — Leg Entanglement SystemThe leg entanglement system at developing level — positional expansion, entries, transitions, and the submissions available from each position. Gated on…Developing — Standing GameThe standing game at developing level — grip fighting, takedown chains, upper-body throws, sprawl-and-reshoot, and strategic guard pulling.Developing — Triangle SystemThe triangle choke as a system — configurations, positions, dilemmas, and the finish mechanics that separate a reliable triangle from a failed one.Developing — X Guard and Single-Leg X GuardX guard and single-leg X guard — the open-guard attack systems that unlock sweeps, elevations, and leg-entanglement transitions at developing level.Drilling MethodologyThe cooperative → specific resistance → live drilling model used throughout the curriculum. How to structure drilling sessions, match phase to skill…Practitioner FAQCommon questions about the InGrappling curriculum — how long foundations takes, when to learn heel hooks, what to do if your gym doesn't use this…Foundations Stage 1 — Tapping Culture Study GuideThe tapping culture stage — why it comes first, the three tap modalities, and the social contract that makes submission grappling possible.Foundations Stage 10 — Leg Entanglement Expansion Study GuideLeg entanglement expansion — ashi-garami variations, inside sankaku, cross-ashi. Why heel hooks remain gated, how grip chains set up entanglements, and…Foundations Stage 2 — Invariants Introduction Study GuideThe invariants introduction stage — why mechanical principles precede technique, the seven universal invariants covered, and how this stage unlocks all…Foundations Stage 3 — Guard Bottom Study GuideGuard bottom fundamentals — why the student starts here, the three foundation guards (seated, butterfly, half), retention before attack, and the…Foundations Stage 4 — Guard Passing Study GuideGuard passing fundamentals — why passing comes after retention, the four foundation passes, the invariants that drive passing mechanics, and the…Foundations Stage 5 — Back Position Study GuideThe back position study guide — why defence is taught before attack, the seatbelt and body triangle control systems, the rear naked choke, and the common…Foundations Stage 6 — Top Positions Study GuideTop positions fundamentals — the pin hierarchy, how weight distribution drives control, the americana as the first joint lock, and the invariants that…Foundations Stage 7 — Front Headlock and Turtle Study GuideFront headlock and turtle fundamentals — sprawl, ground control, the guillotine submission, and the turtle survival position.Foundations Stage 8 — Standing and Takedowns Study GuideThe standing game at foundations level — the single-leg and double-leg takedowns, the single collar tie as a control position, and why guard-pulling is…Foundations Stage 9 — Leg Locks Introduction Study GuideThe leg lock introduction study guide — why only the straight ankle lock is taught at foundations, why leg-entanglement invariants come first, and the…How InGrappling WorksThe three-layer model — invariants, technique, and concepts — wrapped by the curriculum sequencing layer. How to use the site and why it's structured…Proficient — Building Your A-GameA framework for choosing a primary system and developing it into a competition-ready A-game. The selection problem, the three-layer structure, and the…Proficient — Competition PreparationRuleset-specific preparation for no-gi submission grappling competition — IBJJF no-gi, ADCC, EBI overtime, sub-only formats, and the preparation cycle…Developing Focus BlocksSystem-by-system focus blocks for delivering the developing curriculum — each block is 4–8 weeks, with session templates, drill prescriptions, and…Foundations 12-Week ProgrammeA session-by-session schedule for delivering the foundations curriculum — 2–3 sessions per week, mapped to all ten stages with drill prescriptions and…
