HJJ Woolloomooloo
PCYC City of Sydney
Cnr Cathedral & Riley St
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Mon – Fri: 6:30am – 9pm
Saturday: 9am – 2pm
Sunday: 10am – 12pm
HJJ Woolloomooloo
PCYC City of Sydney
Cnr Cathedral & Riley St
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
Mon – Fri: 6:30am – 9pm
Saturday: 9am – 2pm
Sunday: 10am – 12pm
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Find Your Mat: How to Choose the Right BJJ School for You
/by John SmalliosIf you know, you know. Somewhere out there is a mat you’ll love walking onto. A teacher who gets you. A community that feels like yours. The kind of place where you stop watching the clock, where you drive home buzzing, where you’d honestly be there every day if life allowed. That place exists. And […]
Boring is the Battlefield
/by John SmalliosStaying on course and focusing on the foundations to get to freedom. Hi, I’m John. This year I will be 38 years old. For 19 years now I have been training jiu jitsu. For over 12 years I have run an academy. For well over 28 years I have been lifting weights doing my best […]
10 Reasons Jiu-Jitsu Is Better Than Karate
/by John SmalliosMartial arts used to mean karate. Then taekwondo. Now the world is waking up to jiu-jitsu. Here is why this shift is not just a trend. Jiu-jitsu has all the hype these days. But it used to be karate. It used to be taekwondo. What changed? And more importantly, what is the actual difference? Here […]
8 Luxuries of Training Jiu Jitsu
/by John SmalliosMost people think about jiu jitsu in terms of what you learn – the sweeps, the submissions, the strategies. And yeah, all of that’s real. But the longer you’re on the mats, the more you notice the other stuff. The quiet upgrades to your life that nobody puts on the curriculum. The things you only really […]
Our School Isn’t for Everyone
/by John SmalliosHigher Jiu Jitsu has been at this for over 12 years. That’s a long time to notice patterns. When we started, we were young, passionate, and completely naive. Big or small, young or old, friendly or not – everyone was welcome. We thought jiu jitsu was for everyone, so we treated it that way. For […]
Successful Men Get Soft. Luke Decided Not To.
/by John SmalliosLuke Didn’t Need Another Win. He Needed Something Worth Surviving For Luke is not who most people picture when they think of a man walking into a jiu jitsu gym for the first time. He’s established. Financially secure. Professionally respected. A father. A husband. A homeowner. He’s done the hard things already. On paper, his […]
Seek to Understand Jiu Jitsu
/by John SmalliosJiu-Jitsu is more than just a collection of techniques—it’s an evolving journey of understanding, adaptation, and refinement. If you want to develop a deeper, more intuitive grasp of Jiu-Jitsu, here are some essential aspects to focus on: 1. Master the Fundamentals The fundamentals form the foundation of everything in Jiu-Jitsu. Learning the basic principles, positions, […]
#042 Master Pedro Sauer – On the Philosophy of Self Defence
/by John SmalliosMaster Pedro Sauer was in Sydney for a couple days and we were fortunate enough to record a podcast. I had a bunch of questions prepared, and got to none of them! Instead, it was a fantastic conversation centered around the philosophy and lifestyle of self defence. Self defence isn’t just a bunch of moves […]
Hello Arthritis!
/by John Smallios13 years ago I tore my shoulder right off the arm. It was hanging for days until I went in for surgery. They put it back together but gave me back my cartilage in pieces in a container. Its the thick, milky layer of tissue that covers your joints from eachother. The pieces together was […]
3 Surprising Ways Jiu Jitsu Will Transform Your Life (Beyond the Belts and Armbars)
/by John SmalliosJiu jitsu. The art of folding people in pyjamas. The complete science of self-defence. And arguably the most fun, life-changing lifestyle martial art known to humanity. It is also the cause of an overwhelming amount of washing and a passion that quietly, then completely, takes over your life and turns you into a full-blown grappling […]
Build Quality of Life = Minimise Injuries!
/by John SmalliosInjuries can significantly hinder your Jiu Jitsu journey, disrupting progress and diminishing the joy of training. To maintain momentum and continue improving, it’s essential to adopt strategies that minimize the risk of injury. Here are three key principles to keep you rolling safely: Trust Your Training PartnersSelect training partners who respect your body and prioritize […]
Why the Gi vs No-Gi Debate is a Stupid Argument (And Why You Should Train Both)
/by John SmalliosAt Higher Jiu Jitsu, we get asked about the Gi vs No-Gi debate all the time. And while it’s natural to have preferences, we believe the debate itself is overrated. Instead of focusing on which is “better,” let’s talk about why both are vital parts of a well-rounded Jiu Jitsu journey—and why you should train […]
Flourish On the Mats – The Benefits of Private Lessons
/by John SmalliosUnlock Your Full Potential with Private Classes at Higher Jiu Jitsu Everyone has the ability to get better, and flourish on the mats with jiu jitsu. While group classes are essential for building a solid foundation and learning in a dynamic environment, private lessons offer a unique opportunity to supercharge your Jiu Jitsu journey. Whether […]
Training Partners, Not Opponents – The Higher Way
/by John SmalliosOver the weekend, I had an interesting conversation with a physio. When I mentioned that I run Higher Jiu-Jitsu, she replied with a chuckle, “Oh, BJJ! I love that sport—it keeps me in business!” It was a lighthearted comment, but it hit in a way that stayed with me. The fact is, as much as […]
Earn the Right to Battle
/by John SmalliosJiu Jitsu is a martial art that is synonymous with the UFC. Our practice involves learning how to strike, throw, strangle people unconscious, and manipulate joints that have dire consequences on life. Every night we come to class, and we learn the art of combat and how to do it effectively and efficiently. Within the […]
How to Approach Leg Locks
/by John SmalliosWe’ve been delving into the dark arts of breaking legs and popping lower leg joints lately at Higher Jiu Jitsu. There’s a rich history of technique, and also thoughts and opinions about leg locks and their effectiveness. While other martial arts have practiced breaking legs for years in the likes of Japan, Russia, and the […]
How Did We Get Here? The Higher Jiu Jitsu Difference
/by John SmalliosIf you’re anything like me, you hesitate when people ask you what you do. I run a jiu jitsu academy. True. I teach people how to grapple. Also true. But the benefits of the Higher Jiu Jitsu Experience extend far beyond this. You see, it all started on a beautiful, sunny day on the 12th […]
BJJ in Sydney
/by John SmalliosThere’s something special brewing just outside of the Sydney CBD. It’s been almost 10 years of solid work to get us here. And we’re now firing on all cylinders. Higher Jiu Jitsu is not a stone throw from St Mary’s Cathedral. Legit, throw a rock from the top of the Cathedral and you’ll hit us […]
Better Comes from Boring
/by John SmalliosI stumbled across this saying recently and here I reflect on it’s meanings in jiu jitsu. Like in all areas of life, Shiny Object Syndrome is definitley a thing in jiu jitsu. The prevalence of the internet has afforded us the ability to access millions of hours of footage, from thousands of different instructors, on […]
A Sensible Approach to Dealing with Injuries
/by John SmalliosGuest post by HJJ student AJ Bhardwaj. — 3 weeks ago, I hurt my ribs. Quite badly. A grade 2 cartilage tear. Yesterday, however, I was back to rolling albeit at sub maximal intensity in the advanced classes fairly pain free. Let me show you how. What Happened: We have been lucky to […]
HJJSydenham: It Is What It Is
/by John SmalliosIt’s with great sadness that I post today to let you know that we’re not continuing with HJJSydenham beyond 2022. How We Got Here It was Oscar that let me know in early 2022 that Barbanera Smash Repairs level 2 was vacant, and prime real estate for a Higher Jiu Jitsu in the Inner West. […]