The position within the position.
Look past the name of a technique. Find the base, the connection, the weight distribution—and the variable that changes the problem.
● A field notebook by Tim Burrill
The physics
of flow.
Grappling. Geometry. The art of learning.
A living collection of ideas, tools, and experiments from a lifetime on the mat.
PANDA OS / THE PHYSICS OF FLOWEST. ON THE MAT
01 / The system
Understand what makes it work.
Panda OS is a physics-first way of thinking about grappling. Across Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and Judo, the grips and rules change. Gravity, balance, connection, and motion remain.
Gravity is always in the room.
Leverage, pressure, and rotation are relationships. Study how two bodies share space, constrain movement, and take away each other’s options.
Learn to solve the next problem.
Use principles to make decisions as conditions change. A technique becomes an expression of understanding, rather than a sequence to remember.
02 / The collection
A few things in the menagerie.
01 / PANDA ANALYZERIn development
Two bodies. One changing system.
An exploration of video tracking and relative geometry: following two grapplers through movement, connection, and occlusion.
Inside the experiment +
The research follows a deliberate order: reality → tracking → geometry → interpretation. Identity stays separate from location. When a body cannot be resolved reliably, unknown is better than wrong.
This entry describes the project; a working analyzer is not embedded here.
02 / THE SPHINX CONTINUUMConcept study
Balance is a moving question.
A lens for exploring base, commitment, and recovery. How far can you move into an action while keeping a way back?
Explore the idea +
Look at the relationship between your center of mass, your support, and your available connections. The useful question is how those conditions change as you act—and when recovery stops being available.
03 / 100 KILOS · 360 KILOSTeaching concepts
Pressure has a direction.
A collection of questions about weight, connection, and applying pressure as the relationship between bodies changes.
A question for the mat +
When pressure stops working, what changed: the amount of effort, the direction of force, the connection, or the support underneath it?
04 / THE LEARNING LOOPTeaching framework
From doing to understanding.
Curriculum and learning experiments built around observation, problem-solving, and returning to the mat with a better question.
The teaching intention +
Help students develop their own judgment. Connect what they feel to what they can observe, then give them room to test an idea under changing conditions.
03 / The person behind the panda
Tim Burrill.
Instructor · School owner · Perpetual studentI’m a Carlos Machado black belt based in Rhode Island. I’ve spent more than three decades practicing and teaching Jiu-Jitsu, alongside wrestling and Judo. Panda OS is where I’m bringing the questions, observations, and experiments together.
The aim is to help people see what’s happening, understand why it works, and develop the judgment to find their own answers.
BACK TO THE IDEAS ↑04 / Voices from the mat
The work, through other eyes.
Long before Panda OS had a name, the ideas were being tested in class. These words from fellow practitioners and students are part of that history.
“Tim’s instructions are both fundamental and conceptual in nature, getting to the root of what is happening and why.”
Carlos Machado / Coral Belt Instructor +
“That Tim Burrill impressed me with his kind personality and amazing Jiu Jitsu skills is common knowledge. What really amazed me even more was his ability as a coach. The level of his students is unsurpassed, and I, myself, like to take notes when I go to visit him! Tim, you are truly a gift to our Jiu Jitsu legacy!”
Jorge Rivera / TBBJJ Black Belt | UFC Fighter +
“TBBJJ has made all the difference in my BJJ. It’s not just Tim’s knowledge but also the manner in which he articulates it. My love & passion for BJJ has grown 10 fold since training with Tim and I highly recommend TBBJJ to everyone looking to be on the cutting edge of this dynamic art.”
Tom Lawlor / TBBJJ Black Belt | UFC Fighter +
“Tim has done everything but fail me as an instructor. I’d rather be a no stripe purple belt under him than a brown belt under almost anyone else.”
Paulo Canabarro / TBBJJ Black Belt | TBJJ Instructor +
“I have been training with Tim since 2010 and I couldn’t ask for a better instructor. Tim’s approach to jiu jitsu is very unique and the way he breaks down the techniques makes it really easy to understand. Tim definitely changed the way I look at jiu jitsu and still helps me get better every day.”
Gabriel Pearlman / TBBJJ Black Belt | TBJJ Instructor +
“In my experience, the best teachers in this world don’t teach you what to think, they teach you how to think. In this way Tim has been a mentor to me for both jiu-jitsu and life, giving me a PhD’s worth of education as well as imparting onto me his admirable work ethic. Tim’s instructions are both fundamental and conceptual in nature, getting to the root of what is happening and why. As a result, you come away with an understanding of what the goals are, rather than just a rote memorization of some context-specific move. It’s really the best way to learn everything. Thanks to Tim for showing me that as well.”
Tommy Teixeira / TBBJJ Brown Belt | Regiment Training Center Instructor +
“Tim has a way of explaining Jiu-jitsu that makes it seem obvious. While many instructors focus on showing “moves”, Tim focuses on showing you the ingredients that make those moves work. These little details are what is really important in Jiu-Jitsu and what sets TBJJ apart from other gyms. His focus on body mechanics, weight distribution and angles can be applied to any skill level and any grappling style you may have, or may be trying to develop. Whether you’ve never grappled a day in your life or if you’re a seasoned competitor, you’d be foolish to not give Burrill BJJ a try. You won’t regret it.”
Nick Palmisciano / CEO of Ranger Up +
“Tim Burrill jiujitsu is absolutely the best jits you will find anywhere in New England. While his jiujitsu credentials are exceptional, the real magic of the place is that Tim loves teaching more than he loves competing and is present for almost all classes. There are two things I have found universally consistent every time I visit: 1) Every person in the gym is helpful and humble, whether you’re rolling with an Abu Dhabi champ, a UFC fighter, or a cop who trains on the side. 2) The place pisses excellence. The white belts are blue belts. The blue belts are purple belts. The purple belts are practically black belts. The brown belts are ninjas – actual ninjas. And his black belts are a lesson in emasculation. If you want to learn the best possible jiujitsu, whether you prefer gi, nogi, or jits for MMA, there is no better gym.”
Pete Jeffrey / TBBJJ Black Belt - Triforce MMA Instructor +
“I have been training under Tim Burrill since 2007. There are many “teachers” in this world. Then there is the 1%. That coach or teacher that not only makes you better at what you are striving to do but also makes you a better person at the same time. A teacher that has the type of knowledge and command that can make any person not only be a champion but believe they are a champion! We train this sport as a team but we fight alone. An individual fighter is nothing without a good team and leadership. Tim Burrill has been that guidance for me for the past 10 years and I’m honored to call him my coach and most importantly my friend!”
Historical testimonials recovered from Tim Burrill Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, October 28, 2026. Ranks, roles, and time references reflect the original page. These comments concern Tim’s teaching and school. Tommy Teixeira’s testimonial excerpt omits an introductory quotation attributed to Albert Einstein on the original page.
A lifetime on the mat.
Still asking better questions.