Jiu Jitsu discussion / complete beginner!
Discussion
I've signed up for my first comp again (last one was cancelled) the brackets last time were under 76kg, under 82kg or under 87kg.
This time round they are under 82kg or under 93kg.. I'm currently 87, So I'm going into the under 82kg one would rather be at the top end of the scales than in middle or lower end.
November.
This time round they are under 82kg or under 93kg.. I'm currently 87, So I'm going into the under 82kg one would rather be at the top end of the scales than in middle or lower end.
November.
I’ve joined a local club and have had 3 sessions so far. I’m unable to attend the beginner sessions at the beginning of the evening so am going to the later class which is made up of blue, purple and brown belts.
They seem a decent bunch of lads and offer encouragement but I feel completely out of my depth without a clue of what to do!
I’ve been reading/watching things on the net and am gaining an understanding and am thinking that I just need to concentrate on learning to defend and escape.
I’m 41 and unfit and kind of feel I’ve started too late in life, but I can’t change that.
Reading your journeys from white belt to blue gives me some hope 🤣.
Paul
They seem a decent bunch of lads and offer encouragement but I feel completely out of my depth without a clue of what to do!
I’ve been reading/watching things on the net and am gaining an understanding and am thinking that I just need to concentrate on learning to defend and escape.
I’m 41 and unfit and kind of feel I’ve started too late in life, but I can’t change that.
Reading your journeys from white belt to blue gives me some hope 🤣.
Paul
PArbor1 said:
I’ve joined a local club and have had 3 sessions so far. I’m unable to attend the beginner sessions at the beginning of the evening so am going to the later class which is made up of blue, purple and brown belts.
They seem a decent bunch of lads and offer encouragement but I feel completely out of my depth without a clue of what to do!
I’ve been reading/watching things on the net and am gaining an understanding and am thinking that I just need to concentrate on learning to defend and escape.
I’m 41 and unfit and kind of feel I’ve started too late in life, but I can’t change that.
Reading your journeys from white belt to blue gives me some hope ??.
Paul
Welcome aboard! They seem a decent bunch of lads and offer encouragement but I feel completely out of my depth without a clue of what to do!
I’ve been reading/watching things on the net and am gaining an understanding and am thinking that I just need to concentrate on learning to defend and escape.
I’m 41 and unfit and kind of feel I’ve started too late in life, but I can’t change that.
Reading your journeys from white belt to blue gives me some hope ??.
Paul
Tough intro to the sport that, respect due. I'm 42 and started late 30's so I know the feeling about wishing I'd started years ago but at least you've found it now. I think by and large BBJ lads are all sound, the environment doesn't lend itself to d
heads, they wouldn't last very long at all I don't think. Hi Tony,
Thanks!
They seem a good bunch, when I’ve rolled with them. I’ve felt like I’ve been waisting their time and that they would be better off with another partner. They have all said no, just do this and just do that so that I get something out of it and have said make sure your at the next session.
I do really enjoy it and whilst there I forget about different issues that hang in your head.
I’m 5”11 and 17st which is way too heavy, I’ve joined the gym and am starting with a PT on Monday and am writing out healthy meals.
Onwards and upwards!
Thanks!
They seem a good bunch, when I’ve rolled with them. I’ve felt like I’ve been waisting their time and that they would be better off with another partner. They have all said no, just do this and just do that so that I get something out of it and have said make sure your at the next session.
I do really enjoy it and whilst there I forget about different issues that hang in your head.
I’m 5”11 and 17st which is way too heavy, I’ve joined the gym and am starting with a PT on Monday and am writing out healthy meals.
Onwards and upwards!
PArbor1 said:
I do really enjoy it and whilst there I forget about different issues that hang in your head.
Exactly this, I find it great for mental health too. It's such a positive environment to spend time in and also impossible to worry or stress about anything else when somebody is trying to either break your arm or squeeze your neck. You'll probably get to a point soon that you run the class/technique/drill/round you just had when training over and over and over again in your head, I certainly did and still do and then in time little things will start to click and another newbie will start and you'll appreciate how much progress you've made when you roll with them (you probably won't think you're making progress as everybody else in the class will be improving as well).
Do you know if the BJJ building blocks is worth buying?
https://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/products/bjj-b...
https://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/products/bjj-b...
Edited by PArbor1 on Sunday 5th September 13:11
Edited by PArbor1 on Sunday 5th September 13:12
PArbor1 said:
Do you know if the BJJ building blocks is worth buying?
https://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/products/bjj-b...
Perhaps, I wouldn't spend my cash though. Search for 'Matt Serra BJJ Basics' on YouTube and there's 4 videos totaling about 3 hours to get stuck into for starters.https://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/products/bjj-b...
Edited by PArbor1 on Sunday 5th September 13:11
Edited by PArbor1 on Sunday 5th September 13:12
Get friendly with the lads in your gym, somebody will probably have (Pirate) copies of various instructionals and either sell them very cheaply or let you have them.
First point - It's never too late, just accept you probably won't be a world champion (unless you work really hard and enter a masters division), but enjoy that you're doing something different, out of your comfort zone and investing in your own skills and well being.
Second point - You're not wasting anyone's time. If you stick it out long enough to earn your blue belt you'll realise that as a higher belt, sparring with lower belts can be incredibly rewarding in terms of giving us chance to practice new techniques, put ourselves in bad positions and generally take a more relaxed and measured approach that we typically can't against equals or higher belts (unless we want to get smushed).
Third and final point - Weight loss will come, a typical 1 hour BJJ session with sparring is easily over 500 / 600 calories, 1000 is not uncommon for 90 minutes (using an optical heart rate sensor). I'm 6ft and somewhere around 17st, granted I have a little bit of muscle, I'm regularly complimented on using my weight...well, atleast I take it as a compliment
.
Welcome to the art, which club are you training at?
As for buying DVDs etc, I'd wait. There is a massive amount of free stuff on Youtube and as Tony has pointed out, one of the lads will probably have a secret stash. Look up the following guys:
Chewjitsu
Keenan Online
Stephan Kesting
Roger Gracie
When you get further in you'll find practitioners who more closely match your style, but John Danahar is wildely regarded as one of the modern day greats (if a little philosophical at times).
Second point - You're not wasting anyone's time. If you stick it out long enough to earn your blue belt you'll realise that as a higher belt, sparring with lower belts can be incredibly rewarding in terms of giving us chance to practice new techniques, put ourselves in bad positions and generally take a more relaxed and measured approach that we typically can't against equals or higher belts (unless we want to get smushed).
Third and final point - Weight loss will come, a typical 1 hour BJJ session with sparring is easily over 500 / 600 calories, 1000 is not uncommon for 90 minutes (using an optical heart rate sensor). I'm 6ft and somewhere around 17st, granted I have a little bit of muscle, I'm regularly complimented on using my weight...well, atleast I take it as a compliment
. Welcome to the art, which club are you training at?
As for buying DVDs etc, I'd wait. There is a massive amount of free stuff on Youtube and as Tony has pointed out, one of the lads will probably have a secret stash. Look up the following guys:
Chewjitsu
Keenan Online
Stephan Kesting
Roger Gracie
When you get further in you'll find practitioners who more closely match your style, but John Danahar is wildely regarded as one of the modern day greats (if a little philosophical at times).
Edited by Pete102 on Monday 6th September 10:24
Congratulations! Hard to explain to others how a short strip of 1/4" tape can mean so much an explaining to people how you're still a whitebelt after years of training can be tricky too, 'Oh, you're a white belt, the same belt as I would be if I started learning tonight?'.
Me and my lad are still plugging away at our new academy, under a very good Combat Base black belt. Really enjoying it, struggled recently with the warm weather as the new gym is upstairs and dark walls/mats so holds the heat. My son is getting more and more of a handful so I reckon I've only got about another 6-12 months of having the upper hand on him which could make things interesting at home!
Me and my lad are still plugging away at our new academy, under a very good Combat Base black belt. Really enjoying it, struggled recently with the warm weather as the new gym is upstairs and dark walls/mats so holds the heat. My son is getting more and more of a handful so I reckon I've only got about another 6-12 months of having the upper hand on him which could make things interesting at home!
MC Bodge said:
Tony Angelino said:
My son is getting more and more of a handful so I reckon I've only got about another 6-12 months of having the upper hand on him which could make things interesting at home!
You'll just need to fight dirty. Pulled my back again last week so missed the 2x training sessions, also missing 2x sessions this week as on nights.
First competition Saturday, 80.1kg today, gi and belt is 1.8kg so I'm on track. 4 people in my weight class including me. Its a local one run by the gym I used to train at, not sure there is medals for each weight class as its a "king of the white belts" comp so suspect you have to beat people at other weights to get anything. This is my first comp and I'm starting to brick it haha.
Following Sunday 27th I'm at the London open, I signed up to this first before I knew about the local one, 25+ in my weight class. certainly not expecting to get far in this one.
Looking forward to a beer at the end, not had one since September, gone from 90kg at end of lockdown to 80kg. On "Sober October" till 27th.
First competition Saturday, 80.1kg today, gi and belt is 1.8kg so I'm on track. 4 people in my weight class including me. Its a local one run by the gym I used to train at, not sure there is medals for each weight class as its a "king of the white belts" comp so suspect you have to beat people at other weights to get anything. This is my first comp and I'm starting to brick it haha.
Following Sunday 27th I'm at the London open, I signed up to this first before I knew about the local one, 25+ in my weight class. certainly not expecting to get far in this one.
Looking forward to a beer at the end, not had one since September, gone from 90kg at end of lockdown to 80kg. On "Sober October" till 27th.
For anybody who has competed, how soon after weigh in do you get on the mats? I've been fluctuating between 80.0 and 80.2 this week with Gi on that will be either 81.8 or 82.0. I'm in the under 82.3
Competition is at 1200 Saturday, cant really turn up at 1130 having not eaten anything / drunk to make weight then go on the mat straight away. I'm taking some sports drinks (not energy drinks) and bag of jelly babies with me for sugar.
Fear if I eat Saturday morning i'll be over 82.3
Anyway off for another 30 minute swim, see if I can shift some extra weight before Sat.
Competition is at 1200 Saturday, cant really turn up at 1130 having not eaten anything / drunk to make weight then go on the mat straight away. I'm taking some sports drinks (not energy drinks) and bag of jelly babies with me for sugar.
Fear if I eat Saturday morning i'll be over 82.3
Anyway off for another 30 minute swim, see if I can shift some extra weight before Sat.
Comp 1 done. very nervous on the day, made weight easily in the end.
Match 1, bloke was about 6ft 4 (I'm 5ft 8), straight into a darce choke, his arms so long and thin, choke wasn't 100% in but neck was cranking as well so I tapped, about 30 seconds in, gutted.
Match 2, bloke more my size, not entirely sure what happend (need to watch video back) but we both ended up with 7 points, I got an advantage and took the win.
Match 3, wasn't looking forward to this one, the guy looked very explosive, in the end it was a 0-0 with me picking up an advantage in the last 20 seconds and took the win.
So came 3rd in the end for Bronze (because it was a small comp only winners got medals, not silver and bronze), both wins by advantage so no ideal. Back in cardio mode for the London open this weekend, confirmed white belts on Saturday and coloured on Sunday, which is annoying as originally Masters 1+ were Sunday. Just means 2 of us going Sat and 4 going Sunday.
I'm hoping to get blue belt before the end of the year, be a nice birthday present for the 30th Dec.
Match 1, bloke was about 6ft 4 (I'm 5ft 8), straight into a darce choke, his arms so long and thin, choke wasn't 100% in but neck was cranking as well so I tapped, about 30 seconds in, gutted.
Match 2, bloke more my size, not entirely sure what happend (need to watch video back) but we both ended up with 7 points, I got an advantage and took the win.
Match 3, wasn't looking forward to this one, the guy looked very explosive, in the end it was a 0-0 with me picking up an advantage in the last 20 seconds and took the win.
So came 3rd in the end for Bronze (because it was a small comp only winners got medals, not silver and bronze), both wins by advantage so no ideal. Back in cardio mode for the London open this weekend, confirmed white belts on Saturday and coloured on Sunday, which is annoying as originally Masters 1+ were Sunday. Just means 2 of us going Sat and 4 going Sunday.
I'm hoping to get blue belt before the end of the year, be a nice birthday present for the 30th Dec.
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