The Ecological Approach is Dead for Blue Belts and Beyond.

The Ecological Approach (ECO) has taken the Jiu Jitsu world by storm over the last few years. It’s been praised as the future of coaching: a way to help students learn through play, discover movement organically, and connect techniques to live scenarios instead of repetition on a non resisting body.

But like most revolutions in training, the pendulum can swing too far. After years of experimenting with ECO principles, I’ve come to a conclusion that might ruffle some feathers:

The Ecological Approach is dead for blue belts and above.

That doesn’t mean it failed, it has helped us evolve. ECO served its purpose, helped us break free from the robotic drilling era, and gave us better ways to introduce beginners to the chaos of live Jiu Jitsu. But at the advanced level, it starts to fall apart.

Let’s unpack why.

Incongruence: The ECO Paradox

The first reason ECO is dying for experienced practitioners is its own inconsistency.

Many in the “ECO only” camp insist it’s the only valid way to learn, yet still watch instructionals, attend seminars, or take notes from world-class teachers. We all crave structure, reference points, and shared understanding so I get it, but those techniques from instructionals are not emerging from movement. 

Ironically, some ECO classes actually feature more talking than traditional instruction, as coaches spend time setting up complex games and constraints. The supposed “freedom” turns into a maze of explanations about what not to do.

Lastly? ECO “no-teaching” camps, where people learn how not to teach. It’s a contradiction that highlights a bigger truth: we still need teachers and coaches. Guidance and communication are not the enemies of learning, they’re accelerators.

The Game Structure Problem

The second reason ECO hits a ceiling is the nature of the games themselves.

Once two skilled players understand the game, they naturally revert to what works best. Their ego, and their desire to win, override the exploration phase. You can’t blame them. Competition is at the heart of a game. 

The more experience you have, the more pattern recognition you build. Experienced grapplers don’t need to rediscover the same mechanics through games. At that point, ECO stops being a learning tool and becomes a warm-up drill disguised as discovery.

Athleticism & False Positives

The third issue is athleticism.

Constraint-led games can create false positives making students believe they’ve “figured something out” when in reality, they’re relying on a physical advantage. Size, strength, speed, flexibility can mask technical gaps.

In a randomized game, a powerful athlete might dominate despite poor mechanics, and both players walk away having learned the wrong lesson. At some point, technique and precision require deliberate focus. That’s where instruction, detail, and correction come back into play.

The Power of Shared Knowledge

Finally, the most human reason ECO has limits: it’s easier, and better, to share ideas.

I recently attended a Jay Pages ankle lock seminar, and in just a few hours, I wrote down four details I’d never seen in 21 years on the mats. That’s not something a constraint-based game would have revealed through trial and error. It came from another human mind that had explored, tested, refined, and decided to share the information.

Innovation in Jiu Jitsu doesn’t just come from playing; it comes from communicating what we discover. The best part of this art is that it’s collective. Every generation adds its own layer to the puzzle. ECO thrives on experimentation but instruction keeps the art moving forward.

So… Is ECO Useless?

Far from it.

ECO is a phenomenal tool for white and beginner-level classes. It gives new students permission to move, to feel pressure, to make mistakes. It replaced the old “drill on a dead body” mentality with something dynamic and engaging.

In my academy, we use ECO-based games extensively for wrestling and positional development. For example, It’s taken our team from clumsy to competent in wrestling in record time. We move more. We react faster. We understand balance and space in ways old-school drilling never taught.

ECO changed the game, it just isn’t the whole game. 

Final Thoughts: Evolution Over Dogma

The Ecological Approach was a necessary rebellion against stale, mechanical training. A rebellion from an egotistical know it all instructor talking for 50min in an hour. It reminded us that Jiu Jitsu is alive, adaptive, and chaotic. But no method should become a religion.

For beginners, ECO offers freedom and flow. For advanced students, guidance, clarity, and shared innovation matter more. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle.

ECO isn’t dead.

 It just found its place.

 And that’s progress.

PS. Zooming out, before any claim can be made about what is best for a Jiu Jitsu practitioner the truly good coach would ask what they the student is looking for. It isn’t just about being the best grappler. The student could love the social aspect, weight loss, or the 1,000 other reasons to do jiu jitsu. Find the way, culture, and coach that fits you best.