The NEW GB2 with Professor Ana Laura Cordeiro

GB Online is excited to announce the NEW GB2 with Professor Ana Laura Cordeiro. Professor Ana is the first woman instructor to teach the GB2 Curriculum, and she shares some fresh techniques and concepts for all GB Instructors and students.

You will remember Professor Ana from her other instructionals on GB Online: Keeping the Pressure Off: Spider & Lasso Guard , (this author´s favorite GB Online instructional series!) - 12 Ways to Help You Win with Single Leg X-Guard, and the GBF Curriculum.

GB Online recently talked with Professor Laura, and she shared some of the philosophy that went into the design and filming of the new GB2.

Some of the topics she talks about what students can expect from the new GB2 curriculum, her preparation in designing the program, the importance of simplicity, concepts, and techniques, and tips on how students should approach the curriculum.

You will have to read to the end to learn what is Professor Ana´s favorite part of the NEW GB2 curriculum.

The focus of the GB2 curriculum 
GB Online asked Professor Ana what do you want people to learn from your curriculum?What's the biggest thing you want them to learn?

Professor Ana says that she believes the main goal is to help not only students but also GB instructors learn techniques and concepts to teach in their GB2 classes. GB Instructors can learn both from the specific technique and concept, and they can use the techniques to get their own ideas for classes as well.

Techniques vs Concepts
The new GB2 has 96 techniques. That is a lot of new material for Jiu-Jitsu students, but Professor Ana urges us to look beyond only the mechanics of any one specific technique. She teaches the concepts behind the technique that you can apply to other techniques in your game in addition to the particular technique that Professor Ana Laura shows in any single class.

"They can create other techniques using the concepts that we are going to work on, that we're going to review in the curriculum, and try to make everything simple," says Professor Ana.

Simplicity 
Part of her philosophy of teaching Jiu-Jitsu is that Professor Ana believes that the techniques—even the more complex techniques—can be broken up so that anyone can learn them, even white belts who are moving up from the GB1.

Professor Ana says, "I think simplicity is always the most sophisticated way to make people learn." A focus on the underlying concepts helps students understand more advanced moves more easily.

What are the most important lessons that you want students to take away from your GB two curriculum?

Professor Ana recommends taking a patient, analytical approach to getting the most out of the curriculum, especially in this modern age of 15-second clips on social media.

"Yeah, I think nowadays where everything is so fast," says Professor Ana, "Everything is a touch away (on devices) and I put myself in this situation."

Professor Ana urges students to look at "Everything. Don't just look at the first part or second part. Try to see the whole explanation. I think that helps a lot."

Professor Ana acknowledges that most Jiu-Jitsu students are very busy, but slowing down is key to absorbing and understanding the techniques at a deeper level.

"I know everybody's super busy, but take time to study, take some notes, and write down some tips."

Professor Ana advises watching the whole thing, really studying, and taking notes—the same as a student taking a college course.

Professor Ana sees slowing down as the best way to approach the GB2 Curriculum.

"It's funny because we don't get as much of a holistic view of things anymore because we're on social media, and it's like now if the video is longer than 10 seconds, we're like, oh, next video."

Professor Ana admits that she even finds herself doing that when she is looking at curriculums.

"Oh, that's, yeah, that's what I was short attention span," she laughs.

What to watch for in the new GB2
The GB2 covers all of the ground positions, but Professor Ana is especially proud of the back position and attacks.

"Seems like for me it's a big challenge for GB1 students when they migrate to GB2, that they have a really basic understanding on how to take the back, but they just know how to take the back from a third of the positions," says Professor Ana.

In the new GB2, Professor Ana teaches a greater number of techniques and strategies to enter into the Back Mount position. "In this curriculum, I'm approaching other ways to take the back."

"I think that might be the biggest takeaway or the biggest insight of the curriculum."

The major theme behind the new GB2 is Professor Ana's simple Jiu-Jitsu philosophy:

"It's like making complex position into more simple position, but it's still being very effective."

Click here to learn more about Prof. Ana Laura's New GB2 Curriculum that begins July 7th, and get an early viewing to Week 15 training. 

Ana Laura Cordeiro - First Woman Instructor For The GB2

GB Online is proud to introduce the NEW GB2 with Professor Ana Laura Cordeiro. Professor Ana is the first woman instructor to teach the GB2 Curriculum, and she shares some of her decades of experience both competing at the world level and teaching in the GB2.

You will remember Professor Ana from her other instructionals on GB Online: Keeping the Pressure Off: Spider & Lasso Guard, (this author´s favorite GB Online instructional series!) - 12 Ways to Help You Win with Single Leg X-Guard, and the GBF Curriculum.

GB Online recently caught up with Professor Ana Laura to talk about the new GB2.

Some of the topics Professor Ana Laura discusses are her preparation in designing the program, the significance of being the first woman GB2 instructor, the motivation that comes with upholding the legacy of great GB instructors, and the culture of women´s classes in GB.

Studying Jiu-Jitsu to create the GB2
Professor Ana Laura confesses that even though she is a World Jiu-Jitsu champion and has been teaching for many years, that she felt motivated to study and refresh her inventory of techniques to make this the best possible version of the GB2.

"I studied a lot, I made a lot of research, watched many, many hours of videos so I can get my ideas all together," says Professor Ana.

Continuing the legacy of excellence

"It's just a very selective group of people (GB Instructors) that have taught the curriculum," says Professor Ana, "If I'm not wrong, I'm the eighth person to teach."

Professor Ana recognizes the significance of following the previous GB Instructors and breaking new ground as the first female GB2 instructor, "And on top of that, I'm the first woman contributing to the curriculum of Gracie Barra."

This sense of continuing the history and standard of excellence of instruction in the GB curriculum fueled a strong motivation to share her very best in designing the curriculum contents.

"I think the bar is super high," says Professor Ana of the first two GB2 curriculums. "Professor Victor is teaching; Professor Pimpolo taught in Portuguese. This is a big responsibility, to meet the criteria."

The first woman to create a curriculum for GB2
Professor Ana derives inspiration from the honor of being chosen to teach the GB2 curriculum. This is a significant milestone in women´s Jiu-jitsu. However, she doesn't feel extra pressure because she is the first female GB2 instructor.

"It's not a pressure. I never feel it as pressure, but we know, as a woman, we always have the proof that we can do that; we can do things.

And for me, being the first one, it put for me the pressure that, hey, I have to make the best that I can. So other women have the same chance that I had," says Professor Ana Laura.

GB Online asked Professor Ana: How do you feel being the first female to be creating a curriculum for GB online?

"I think at the same time that it's an honor; it brings a lot of responsibility because I know I'm the first one, but for sure, I'm not going to be the last one," says Professor Ana. 

"There is going to be many other women after me and, I'm paving the way for them." With more than 20 years of teaching Jiu-Jitsu, Professor Ana says, "I feel like I've been paving the way for a long time for other women. When I started doing Jiu-Jitsu, there was only me on the mat. Now we look on the mats and there are many other women taking classes and teaching classes."

Professor Ana has many women instructors teaching in her schools.

Professor Ana says, "So people can see that women can teach complex techniques, and it will be paving the way for other women to come after me."

Who is the curriculum designed for?
While GB2 typically caters to more advanced students, are there any elements or sections that could benefit beginners or intermediate practitioners as well?

"I've been teaching specifically the GB true curriculum for the last 14 years," says Professor Ana, "So I have a lot of experience, and I'm still teaching. So, after teaching for so many years.  I am still teaching on a daily basis, I teach for competition classes."

While designing the new GB2, Professor Ana was aware that a lot of the time, people, are migrating from GB1 to GB2

"So the techniques cannot be super complex where the student won't understand anything," says Professor Ana.

Jiu-Jitsu philosophy - Making the complex simple
"But there is a way where you can show complex techniques and the way that I broke down the techniques, in a way that anybody can learn the techniques." 

Click HERE to hear more from Professor Ana Laura.

Explore Our New GB2 Curriculum with Professor Ana Laura Cordeiro

Hi GB Community,

We're excited to share two special video sessions featuring Professor Ana Laura Cordeiro, where she unveils key aspects of her new GB2 curriculum. These sessions are designed to enhance your understanding and skills in Jiu-Jitsu through in-depth exploration of advanced techniques.

Available Sessions:

• The Foundations of GB2 Curriculum: Join Professor Ana Laura as she introduces the transformative techniques that are foundational to our new training series. This session covers the essentials that every practitioner needs to evolve their skills and takes your through Week 15, Class A.

• Deepening Your Jiu-Jitsu Practice: The second session takes you through Week 15, Class B, where Professor Ana Laura answers important community questions and demonstrates techniques that refine your strategic execution on the mat.

Why Watch?

• Early Access to Exclusive Techniques: Get a sneak peek into the curriculum's advanced techniques before the new GB2 Curriculum is released on July 7th.

• Learn from the best: Benefit from the insights of a fourth-degree black belt and world champion.

• Engage and Grow: Share your views and discuss how these techniques can elevate your practice.

Watch Now: Explore the Sessions

These sessions are more than just training; they are an opportunity to engage deeply with the art of Jiu-Jitsu and apply these learnings to enhance your performance and understanding. We're eager to hear your thoughts and to foster a vibrant discussion here in our community.

See you in the comments!

Best, The GB Online Team