Jiu Jitsu discussion / complete beginner!
Discussion
Still plugging away here, enjoying it and making a bit of progress without cracking any pots. Been doing a bit of 'brawl and sprawl' sparring lately, punches, kicks and knees make you think! I've been working my way through the interminable John Danaher instructionals, almost bareable if you watch them on x4 speed.
We do a bit of BJJ type stuff every now and then. But mostly we do kickboxing, judo and other stuff.
‘Passing guard’ seems to be a big thing and I was pretty rubbish so I Googled for some tips. Next BJJ session I deployed one of my YouTube-derived techniques, one that hadn’t been taught in class. Basically you get one arm under the opponents neck, then lean on your forearm into his throat. My opponent’s strangled scream as I crushed his trachea brought the instructor running over in horror and I felt like a very naughty boy. Passed guard alright though.
‘Passing guard’ seems to be a big thing and I was pretty rubbish so I Googled for some tips. Next BJJ session I deployed one of my YouTube-derived techniques, one that hadn’t been taught in class. Basically you get one arm under the opponents neck, then lean on your forearm into his throat. My opponent’s strangled scream as I crushed his trachea brought the instructor running over in horror and I felt like a very naughty boy. Passed guard alright though.
Ayahuasca said:
We do a bit of BJJ type stuff every now and then. But mostly we do kickboxing, judo and other stuff.
‘Passing guard’ seems to be a big thing and I was pretty rubbish so I Googled for some tips. Next BJJ session I deployed one of my YouTube-derived techniques, one that hadn’t been taught in class. Basically you get one arm under the opponents neck, then lean on your forearm into his throat. My opponent’s strangled scream as I crushed his trachea brought the instructor running over in horror and I felt like a very naughty boy. Passed guard alright though.
See if you can find 'Josh Barnett - Attacking the Guard' for more of the same! Coincidently, he's a catch wrestler. ‘Passing guard’ seems to be a big thing and I was pretty rubbish so I Googled for some tips. Next BJJ session I deployed one of my YouTube-derived techniques, one that hadn’t been taught in class. Basically you get one arm under the opponents neck, then lean on your forearm into his throat. My opponent’s strangled scream as I crushed his trachea brought the instructor running over in horror and I felt like a very naughty boy. Passed guard alright though.
AJB88 said:
Only one lesson this week as Instructor/s are at a wedding, defending side control back into guard. 3rd stripe came at the end of class!
Great news, well done.I was thinking of this thread this morning when I spotted this on Insta. I wondered how everyone was getting on.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzan7J3lhtm/
Coming up on 3 years 7 months now since i started. To give any new readers a sense of time scales, I'm currently a blue belt with two stripes (so half way through my second adult belt), it took roughly 18 months to earn my blue belt. I'd estimate another year or so before I get my purple, thats based on average training of 6 to 8 hours per week. Purple is generally 2 - 3 years, brown 2 years, then finally black - approx 10 years in total.
In April this year I took a job working away which was initially ok for BJJ since I was based permanently in Manchester, however, my most recent project has seen me work in Europe for one week, then one week at home. It's been a real effort to hunt out and attend clubs while I'm away but I'm pleased to say I've mostly managed this and kept up my training - the downside is a lack of consistency at any one club which can mean you fall behind in the grading a little (for example, a couple of lads I know have just been given a couple more stripes than me, even through I received my blue belt before them). Its important to stress here that I'm totally ok with that, we shouldn't be focussed on belts anyway.
Just to keep track I decided to list the clubs I've trained at and all I can say is that if you get chance to go elsewhere, do it. Any club that says you must stay with them would lead to me walking away and finding another, more open club. BJJ is truely a martial art that has / is undergoing development by a wide range of practitioners, each of which have a little bit to add - experience as much as you can:
Doncaster Martial Arts Centre
Stockport - Factory BJJ
Oldham - Stealth BJJ
Aberdeen - Carlson Gracie
Basildon - Lamude BJJ
Grimsby - Fight Ministry
Grimsby - Combat Base
Grimsby - Grant Combat Academy
Lubljana - Gracie Barra
Basel - Team Basel BJJ
Affoltern - Carlson Gracie
Zurich - BJJ Lab
Hull - Invictus
Suzhou - Trinity Martial Arts
Pesaro - De La Riva
Goole - Combat Base
Klagenfurt - 4 day BJJ camp
Maspalomas - Werdum
In terms of my 'game' at the moment, as a big gug (but athletic) guy, there is often an assumption that I like to play a top, smash type game. As a result,. i've been making a real effort over the past 6 months to play off my back alot more, closed guard, open guard etc. This is morphed into a game thats very focused around a lapel / worm guard, little bit of X guard, some single leg X and some leg locks thrown in. I still have a couple of bad habits, like playing too much half guard when its not called for (I'm known as that guy who electric chair's everybody!).
Working away also plays havoc with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I've put a little bit of weight on that I'm now trying to shift. Currently trialling a Whoop band for performance and heart rate monitoring and as an aid to getting this weight off.
Anyway, thats enough from me - hows everyone getting on?
In April this year I took a job working away which was initially ok for BJJ since I was based permanently in Manchester, however, my most recent project has seen me work in Europe for one week, then one week at home. It's been a real effort to hunt out and attend clubs while I'm away but I'm pleased to say I've mostly managed this and kept up my training - the downside is a lack of consistency at any one club which can mean you fall behind in the grading a little (for example, a couple of lads I know have just been given a couple more stripes than me, even through I received my blue belt before them). Its important to stress here that I'm totally ok with that, we shouldn't be focussed on belts anyway.
Just to keep track I decided to list the clubs I've trained at and all I can say is that if you get chance to go elsewhere, do it. Any club that says you must stay with them would lead to me walking away and finding another, more open club. BJJ is truely a martial art that has / is undergoing development by a wide range of practitioners, each of which have a little bit to add - experience as much as you can:
Doncaster Martial Arts Centre
Stockport - Factory BJJ
Oldham - Stealth BJJ
Aberdeen - Carlson Gracie
Basildon - Lamude BJJ
Grimsby - Fight Ministry
Grimsby - Combat Base
Grimsby - Grant Combat Academy
Lubljana - Gracie Barra
Basel - Team Basel BJJ
Affoltern - Carlson Gracie
Zurich - BJJ Lab
Hull - Invictus
Suzhou - Trinity Martial Arts
Pesaro - De La Riva
Goole - Combat Base
Klagenfurt - 4 day BJJ camp
Maspalomas - Werdum
In terms of my 'game' at the moment, as a big gug (but athletic) guy, there is often an assumption that I like to play a top, smash type game. As a result,. i've been making a real effort over the past 6 months to play off my back alot more, closed guard, open guard etc. This is morphed into a game thats very focused around a lapel / worm guard, little bit of X guard, some single leg X and some leg locks thrown in. I still have a couple of bad habits, like playing too much half guard when its not called for (I'm known as that guy who electric chair's everybody!).
Working away also plays havoc with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I've put a little bit of weight on that I'm now trying to shift. Currently trialling a Whoop band for performance and heart rate monitoring and as an aid to getting this weight off.
Anyway, thats enough from me - hows everyone getting on?
Thanks for sharing Pete, it must have been a really good experience getting to train at so many places and I'm sure will be beneficial to your overall game, even if not your immediate grading
I'm only training 3 times a week at the minute (1 MMA, 1 Gi & 1 No-Gi) competed on Grapplefest again as a last minute thing and lost, i was up a weight class and was generally just quite rubbish and got carried away when i had a mounted guillotine, lost position and got subbed. The last week I had another sub only match against a really good MMA fighter, went the full 15 minutes and got declared a draw, was a really fun match. I think my competing days will have to stop for now though, I can't compete at anywhere near the level I'm capable of with my current training regime, however I'm not prepared to make the work / personal sacrifices to train more
Got to train out in Slovakia whilst away with work, very much old school BJJ which i much prefer to the modern sport interpretation
still a Purple, 1 stripe. with my current rate of training it will be a good few years before i achieve my brown, that's absolutely fine with me though
I'm only training 3 times a week at the minute (1 MMA, 1 Gi & 1 No-Gi) competed on Grapplefest again as a last minute thing and lost, i was up a weight class and was generally just quite rubbish and got carried away when i had a mounted guillotine, lost position and got subbed. The last week I had another sub only match against a really good MMA fighter, went the full 15 minutes and got declared a draw, was a really fun match. I think my competing days will have to stop for now though, I can't compete at anywhere near the level I'm capable of with my current training regime, however I'm not prepared to make the work / personal sacrifices to train more
Got to train out in Slovakia whilst away with work, very much old school BJJ which i much prefer to the modern sport interpretation
still a Purple, 1 stripe. with my current rate of training it will be a good few years before i achieve my brown, that's absolutely fine with me though
Pete102 said:
Coming up on 3 years 7 months now since i started. To give any new readers a sense of time scales, I'm currently a blue belt with two stripes (so half way through my second adult belt)....
... Anyway, thats enough from me - hows everyone getting on?
Good stuff. And good dedication. ... Anyway, thats enough from me - hows everyone getting on?
My re-entry into the world of grappling arts at 41, old style judo with an eye to BJJ as I enjoyed the newaza most, sadly, didn't last long... 5 months.
I could just about cope with a seemingly endless stream of minor injury (and a separated shoulder) , but it was the ongoing issue with my finger joints (due to naturally loose ligaments) that was only going to get worse that ended it.
The intent was there, as was the mentality and the enthusaism to learn a fascinating skill, but sometimes you need to accept that the body can't always take it.
Ho-hum.
I'm still plugging away and enjoying my training. My weekly routine consists of:
2hrs BJJ (no gi)
1hr 'MMA' (wrestling and striking class)
1.5hr generic 'submission grappling'
The odd 'catch wrestling' session thrown in now and again.
There is a big leaning towards wrestling and takedowns at my club with probably 20-30% of each session dedicated to this aspect and I really enjoy that - it's good for the cardio too. We're fairly unstructured so the lessons can be a bit random but generally speaking we've been concentrating on open guard lately a bit of single leg x into leg locks although with my (lack of) mobility this isn't easy at all for me and I'm about to give it up as a bad job although on the plus side I seem to be one of the few that don't feel leg locks.....
No grading or belt progression for me as I am always no gi now, feel like I might be approaching genuine blue belt level (despite being awarded one last year in the gi at my previous academy, more as a result of the number of sessions I had attended rather than a actual indication of my ability if I am being honest with myself). I'm approaching 3 years of 'proper' jiu-jitsu/BJJ after feeling a little like I wasted 3-4 years on Karate and traditional Japanese ju-jitsu.
2hrs BJJ (no gi)
1hr 'MMA' (wrestling and striking class)
1.5hr generic 'submission grappling'
The odd 'catch wrestling' session thrown in now and again.
There is a big leaning towards wrestling and takedowns at my club with probably 20-30% of each session dedicated to this aspect and I really enjoy that - it's good for the cardio too. We're fairly unstructured so the lessons can be a bit random but generally speaking we've been concentrating on open guard lately a bit of single leg x into leg locks although with my (lack of) mobility this isn't easy at all for me and I'm about to give it up as a bad job although on the plus side I seem to be one of the few that don't feel leg locks.....
No grading or belt progression for me as I am always no gi now, feel like I might be approaching genuine blue belt level (despite being awarded one last year in the gi at my previous academy, more as a result of the number of sessions I had attended rather than a actual indication of my ability if I am being honest with myself). I'm approaching 3 years of 'proper' jiu-jitsu/BJJ after feeling a little like I wasted 3-4 years on Karate and traditional Japanese ju-jitsu.
MC Bodge said:
Good stuff. And good dedication.
My re-entry into the world of grappling arts at 41, old style judo with an eye to BJJ as I enjoyed the newaza most, sadly, didn't last long... 5 months.
I could just about cope with a seemingly endless stream of minor injury (and a separated shoulder) , but it was the ongoing issue with my finger joints (due to naturally loose ligaments) that was only going to get worse that ended it.
The intent was there, as was the mentality and the enthusaism to learn a fascinating skill, but sometimes you need to accept that the body can't always take it.
Ho-hum.
I'm 40, 6' and was about 17.5st (now down to around 14st 10) when I got into it 3 years ago. I have an ongoing muscoskeletal arthritic condition and generally 'feel' injuries. BJJ/no gi grappling has been brilliant for me, would this sort of thing not be better for the fingers than a more traditional art in a gi? My re-entry into the world of grappling arts at 41, old style judo with an eye to BJJ as I enjoyed the newaza most, sadly, didn't last long... 5 months.
I could just about cope with a seemingly endless stream of minor injury (and a separated shoulder) , but it was the ongoing issue with my finger joints (due to naturally loose ligaments) that was only going to get worse that ended it.
The intent was there, as was the mentality and the enthusaism to learn a fascinating skill, but sometimes you need to accept that the body can't always take it.
Ho-hum.
The culture that seems to go hand in hand with all BJJ academies would almost certainly mean that you would be welcomed ailments and all and the other students there would happily adjust their approach to help you when drilling/rolling. Easy for me to say I appreciate but don't give up on it, try a BJJ academy - the people really are wonderful generally speaking and make you feel welcome and they are very, very good places to hang out regardless of your level.
I'm plugging away still mostly 2 nights a week apart from when I'm on my night shifts, got my 3rd stripe on white belt finally after about 3 years out.
Had a grading session with my old coach coming down, wasn't expecting anything but then my current coach said make sure you come down, so thought maybe it could be time even though I was only 3 stripes, Pal of mine who competes got promoted from 3 stripes that night, got my hopes up but then nothing so walked away that night quite disappointed.
Anyway back in the shark tank the Tuesday after and carry on.
Had a grading session with my old coach coming down, wasn't expecting anything but then my current coach said make sure you come down, so thought maybe it could be time even though I was only 3 stripes, Pal of mine who competes got promoted from 3 stripes that night, got my hopes up but then nothing so walked away that night quite disappointed.
Anyway back in the shark tank the Tuesday after and carry on.
New Year New Me!
Or not.
3 months since the last post so I thought it prudent to post a little bit of an update and keep the thread rolling. Towards the back end of last year keeping a consistent training schedule was a bit of a challenge to say the least, in the run up to Christmas I think I managed 5 sessions - not helped by a 2 week stint away with work and no local club!
Onwards and upwards as they say. Had a couple of great open mats in the Christmas / New Year break and ready to dive into this year of training with a renewed focus on competing and pushing for my purple belt towards the back end of the year. Finally got round to converting my garage into a mat space for home drilling and inpromptu sessions and I've been consistent at the gym for a few weeks. Thankfully we have a really solid group of lads at my local club who are all at a similar level so we push each other on.
Hows everyone getting on?
Or not.
3 months since the last post so I thought it prudent to post a little bit of an update and keep the thread rolling. Towards the back end of last year keeping a consistent training schedule was a bit of a challenge to say the least, in the run up to Christmas I think I managed 5 sessions - not helped by a 2 week stint away with work and no local club!
Onwards and upwards as they say. Had a couple of great open mats in the Christmas / New Year break and ready to dive into this year of training with a renewed focus on competing and pushing for my purple belt towards the back end of the year. Finally got round to converting my garage into a mat space for home drilling and inpromptu sessions and I've been consistent at the gym for a few weeks. Thankfully we have a really solid group of lads at my local club who are all at a similar level so we push each other on.
Hows everyone getting on?
Tony Angelino said:
I'm 40, 6' and was about 17.5st (now down to around 14st 10) when I got into it 3 years ago. I have an ongoing muscoskeletal arthritic condition and generally 'feel' injuries. BJJ/no gi grappling has been brilliant for me, would this sort of thing not be better for the fingers than a more traditional art in a gi?
The culture that seems to go hand in hand with all BJJ academies would almost certainly mean that you would be welcomed ailments and all and the other students there would happily adjust their approach to help you when drilling/rolling. Easy for me to say I appreciate but don't give up on it, try a BJJ academy - the people really are wonderful generally speaking and make you feel welcome and they are very, very good places to hang out regardless of your level.
Thanks. I'm hoping to resume with some no-gi or submission wrestling. The culture that seems to go hand in hand with all BJJ academies would almost certainly mean that you would be welcomed ailments and all and the other students there would happily adjust their approach to help you when drilling/rolling. Easy for me to say I appreciate but don't give up on it, try a BJJ academy - the people really are wonderful generally speaking and make you feel welcome and they are very, very good places to hang out regardless of your level.
Had a week off this week due to night shifts will be back on it Tuesday, still on the 3 stripes.
Going to sign up to my first comp in April never really been interested in competing but decided to use it as a goal to trim some excess weight, going into the under 76kg category currently sitting at about 80kg. Might also get me closer to Blue.
Going to sign up to my first comp in April never really been interested in competing but decided to use it as a goal to trim some excess weight, going into the under 76kg category currently sitting at about 80kg. Might also get me closer to Blue.
Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff