Survive BJJ
A Field Guide to the Long Road

Most jiu jitsu books teach you techniques. This one teaches you how to last.

A field guide to the long road — from multi-degree black belt Roy Dean.

$19 Instant PDF download · both formats included
Get the field guide — $19 What's Inside
“This book is essential reading for all Jiu Jitsu students, coaches, and instructors.”
— Garry Kewish, 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt
Survive BJJ book cover by Roy Dean
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★★★★★Endorsed by Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame member Burton Richardson, 7th Dan Aikido Shihan Bruce Bookman, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy owners, and black belts across the world.

01 — The Book

A book about staying in the game long enough for the game to change you.

Drawing on more than three decades on the mat — through judo, Japanese jujutsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — 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.

02 — Who It's For

Wherever you are on the path.

01
White Belts

Who want to start well and avoid the early mistakes that send people away from the art.

02
Blue & Purple Belts

Who want to keep improving without burning out — and finally understand why their training needs to change as they advance.

03
Brown & Black Belts

Ready to look honestly at the path ahead, and at what they've been hiding from on the mat.

03 — Contents

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
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04 — Praise

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. I have been training in the art since 1994 and I benefited greatly from reading Professor Roy's work. Highly recommended.
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. It's a thoughtful reflection on humility, responsibility, longevity, and what the art can teach us about ourselves if we stay on the path long enough. 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
More than just a book about Jiu Jitsu — it is a guide to approaching the art with intelligence, balance, and purpose. This is a book for anyone who wants to train with meaning, maturity, and a lifelong perspective.
Sergio de Freitas 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 who wants to be both efficient and effective in their jiu-jitsu journey. Enjoy the process — your future self will thank you for it.
Joshua Matanane 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt
One of the more thoughtful books I've read on the art. The chapter comparing Jiu-Jitsu to a language was particularly insightful — one of the best explanations of belt progression I've encountered. If you want a deeper understanding of Jiu-Jitsu as an art, a philosophy, and a lifelong practice, I highly recommend it.
Ed Pereira BJJ Black Belt
I started reading it this afternoon and couldn't stop. I think it should be required reading for all those that train. It captures the essence of what jiu jitsu is about, and golden nuggets of advice are everywhere. I've been on the mats 23 years next month, and this encapsulates the lifestyle perfectly.
Daniel Pollacia BJJ Black Belt
A glimpse into the mind of a true martial artist sharing his best cheat codes for longevity in a rough craft. Comprehensive, detailed, yet clear, concise, and inspiring. No matter your BJJ rank, soak in the words on these pages.
Tim Sledd 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, drawing from his journey through the arts and his long experience helping others on the same path.
Will Weisser Author of Scientific Jiu-Jitsu: A Unified Theory of Grappling
Roy Dean, 4th degree BJJ Black Belt
05 — The Author

Roy Dean

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.

06 — Where to Get It

Instant digital download.

One product, one price. The full field guide — 24 essays, both formats — delivered as a PDF you can read on your phone or your desktop.

  • Letter / desktop PDF — designed for reading on a screen or printing for the bookshelf
  • iPhone PDF — reflowed for comfortable mobile reading
  • Both included — one purchase, instant download, lifetime access
$19 One price · both formats
Get the PDF — $19
The Long Road

This is the road.
Walk it well.

Twenty-four essays. Three decades of practice. One field guide to keep on your phone and return to at every belt.

$19 Instant PDF download · both formats included
Get the field guide — $19

Both formats · instant download · lifetime access

Get the PDF — $19