What Is Open Mat in BJJ?

What Happens During Open Mat

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, open mat refers to a scheduled time when the academy opens its doors for free training. Unlike a regular class with warm-ups, technique instruction, and structured rolling, open mat is completely self-directed. You walk in, warm up on your own, find a training partner, and get to work.

Most open mat sessions last 1 to 2 hours. During that time, you can do whatever benefits your training most. Some students use the time purely for live rolling, cycling through as many partners as possible. Others spend the entire session drilling specific techniques or working through problem positions with a partner. Many do a mix of both.

Open mat sessions are typically held on weekends or as additional sessions during the week, separate from the regular class schedule. They are included with membership at most academies, including Current Jiu Jitsu.

Who Should Attend Open Mat

Open mat benefits practitioners at every belt level, but it serves different purposes depending on your experience:

• Beginners (white belts) - Open mat is a chance to get extra rolling time in a low-pressure environment. Since there is no formal class structure, you can take your time, ask upper belts questions, and focus on the basics without feeling rushed. Many white belts find that their biggest breakthroughs come from open mat sessions where they can experiment freely.
• Intermediate students (blue and purple belts) - This is where open mat becomes a game-development tool. You can focus on specific areas of your game, work on transitions you have been struggling with, or deliberately put yourself in bad positions to practice your escapes. Drilling sweeps, submissions, and guard passes with repetition is easier when you are not following a class curriculum.
• Advanced students (brown and black belts) - Advanced practitioners use open mat to refine their systems, test new techniques, and help develop lower belts. It is also valuable preparation time before competitions, allowing focused rounds with specific training partners.

Open Mat Etiquette

While open mat is informal, the same respect and etiquette that applies to regular classes still applies:

• Ask before rolling - Always ask a potential partner if they want to roll. A fist bump or handshake invitation is standard. Never grab someone and start without agreement.
• Respect the space - Be aware of other pairs on the mat. If you roll into someone else's area, pause, reposition, and restart.
• Match intensity - Read your partner's energy. If they are going light, match that intensity. Open mat is training, not a competition.
• Clean up after yourself - Wipe down the mats if you are the last to leave. Bring a clean gi or rashguard, and maintain the same hygiene standards as regular class.
• Be inclusive - If you see someone sitting alone without a partner, invite them to roll or drill. Everyone is there to train, and newer students especially appreciate the invitation.

How to Get the Most Out of Open Mat

Walking into open mat without a plan is a missed opportunity. Here are strategies to make your open mat time productive:

• Come with a focus - Pick one or two things to work on before you arrive. Maybe you want to practice your guard retention, or you want to drill armbars from mount. Having a focus prevents aimless rolling where you never make targeted progress.
• Roll with different body types - Seek out partners who are bigger than you, smaller than you, faster than you, and stronger than you. Each body type forces you to adapt your technique differently.
• Mix drilling and rolling - Spend the first portion drilling your focus techniques, then use live rolling to test them. This drill-then-apply cycle accelerates learning.
• Ask questions - Open mat is the best time to approach upper belts with specific questions. "How do I escape when you catch me in side control?" or "Can you show me how you set up that triangle?" Most experienced practitioners love sharing knowledge.
• Do not skip warm-up - Since there is no led warm-up, it is your responsibility to warm up before rolling. Five to ten minutes of hip escapes, bridges, and light movement prevents injuries and prepares your body for training.

Open Mat vs. Regular Class

Open mat does not replace structured classes. It complements them. Regular classes give you new techniques, concepts, and guided instruction from your professor. Open mat gives you the unstructured time to internalize those techniques through repetition and live application. The students who progress fastest in Jiu-Jitsu typically attend both regular classes and open mat sessions consistently.

At Current Jiu Jitsu, open mat sessions are available on the weekly schedule and are open to all members. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned competitor, open mat time is one of the best investments you can make in your no-gi and gi development.