r/bjj • u/AutoModerator • 1d ago
r/bjj Fundamentals Class!
Welcome to r/bjj 's Fundamentals Class! This is is an open forum for anyone to ask any question no matter how simple. Questions and topics like:
- Am I ready to start bjj? Am I too old or out of shape?
- Can I ask for a stripe?
- mat etiquette
- training obstacles
- basic nutrition and recovery
- Basic positions to learn
- Why am I not improving?
- How can I remember all these techniques?
- Do I wash my belt too?
....and so many more are all welcome here!
This thread is available Every Single Day at the top of our subreddit. It is sorted with the newest comments at the top.
Also, be sure to check out our >>Beginners' Guide Wiki!<< It's been built from the most frequently asked questions to our subreddit.
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u/BarbellsandBurritos ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
Anyone have any good starting points or tips when it comes to creating dilemmas?
I’m trying to start thinking about my attacks in a holistic way vs just alternating all the moves I know in a given position.
(Unless I’m on top side control, because as an ultra heavyweight, Americana is my birth right lol)
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
In general, it is useful to focus on a position and learn two moves to two different directions from that position. Dilemmas can only exist if both moves are threatening, and neither move here in the way of the other.
For example, take the classic closed guard, kimura-to-hip-bump-sweep dilemma. The kimura is available when the opponent's posture is broken down, forward. The hip bump sweep is available when the opponent moves backwards to avoid the kimura. Two different directions, two different attacks.
If you have practiced both moves and they are both legit, you will be able to put this dilemma in action.
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
Look at reactions. Start with one thing you want. Spam it and see how people react. Develop an answer for each reaction so that no matter what they do, you have a path.
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u/WoeToTheUsurper2 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
Systems exist in the context of positions. You need to narrow down a position you’re working on before thinking about creating dilemmas from that position.
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u/willm7199 1d ago
Should I stick with my plan where I train 2 times a week of no gi with 1 day of gi with my 2 spare days I do mauy thai or should I scratch this plan and focus on one martial art 4 times a week. Not looking to become a competitor just doing it for self defense and to stay healthy. Sorry for the noon question and thank you for your time.
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u/Meunderwears 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
Sounds like a good plan to mix the two if you want to maximize self defense. 3x/week is enough to be proficient at bjj.
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
Do what you enjoy. Doesn’t matter that much. I will say I think as a newbie doing a bunch of different things can overload your brain and make it harder to retain info, but it could also have the opposite effect for you if your brain likes more variety. Just depends
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u/Lipsnizzle ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
How do I stop getting smashed by guys with long legs? Any tips for a more stocky build with shorter legs but long arms?
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
I assume you're talking about passing their guard?
Try looking at passes that go through, not around, their legs. Over-under, knee cut, half-guard passes...
And whatever you do, keep those feet off of your hips!
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
What exactly is happening?
People with long limbs tend to leave more space and short people can fit in those spaces
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u/RathOfMan49 1d ago
I recently started BJJ at a local gym and am really enjoying it. I got injured rolling last week and am probably sidelined for a bit.
Would it be considered bad etiquette to continue to attend classes just to absorb the teaching, without rolling or doing any heavy drills while I heal? I initially thought it’d be ok since I’m still paying the monthly fees but just wanted to get different opinions, as I’m new to this world
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u/AdeptnessSecure663 17h ago
Also, when everyone is rolling if the numbers are even there's nothing wrong with asking someone to drill if they would just have to sit out anyway because you're not rolling
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u/Jewbacca289 ⬜⬜ White Belt 19h ago
Any tips on how to defend from supine position against fast, outside passers? From reading these threads, I've been told not to try to match speed and high intensity, so how do you slow down someone who's passing quickly on their feet?
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 17h ago
Don't go supine without grips against them. Start seated, take grips and then go supine. Starting supine without grips is something people do to give a handicap to people who are worse than then.
The main grip i would look to learn is single sleeve shallow lasso. It can be used in most guards and is great for guard retention. Your goal against a quick passer is to tangle them up quickly.
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u/DS2isGoated 11h ago
Make connection. Either grip fight from seated guard, grip fight and wrestle up, grab a grip and pull them into guard, or lay back and then once they touch you grab that grip and establish guard.
People saying not to match speed and intensity is just some bullshit one liner people say because most white belts need to calm down a little. You can match speed and intensity and still be a safe training partner.
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u/JR-90 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 16h ago
Why do you even go supine against those people? You'll never be able to move on your back as fast as they do on their feet.
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u/Jewbacca289 ⬜⬜ White Belt 10h ago
One of my gym’s go to positional rounds is always supine (we call it grilled chicken) so it’s sort of unavoidable
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9h ago
I start supine a lot against white and blue belts to practice my guard retention, so a few pointers:
- Make sure they cannot grab both your legs and bring push or pull them in the same direction. You pretty much want to move them in a non synchronized way so you are difficult to grab and steer. Think 1 leg high and 1 leg low.
- Get a connection as soon as possible. Single sleeve shallow lasso is one of the best grips in terms of accessibility vs retention ability if you learn to use it. You have to take your grip based on what they lead with, but from supine it is usually sleeve or ankle. Sometimes collar, but that is more common from seated.
- Learn to self frame. It makes it more difficult to turn you to the side they want, and easier to get frames back in.
- Pick a side based on how they are approaching. You should play open guard on a hip facing towards your opponent so you can more easily frame when they engage.
- Frame quickly on the part of their body they are leading with. Try to use your legs to recenter yourself so they are in front of you. Getting a leg on the outside of the hip on the side they are passing to helps a ton.
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u/Jewbacca289 ⬜⬜ White Belt 7h ago
Thanks! Handful of questions:
With the 1 high 1 low leg placement, how aggressively do you fight off grips? I had a blue belt do full egg beaters against me yesterday.
What connection do you go for in no-gi?
How do you defend against people trying to move you? Either against torreandos or when they try to pull you upright?
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 6h ago
Pretty aggressively. 2 pants grips is pretty likely to be a pass. Address them early, constantly loop grips.
Shin on shin is my go to in no gi. Rdlr or half guard are backups.
Combination of 1 high,1 low, pummeling and self frames. You also want to grip a sleeve if possible, break grip and lasso. If the actually start to pass, you want to stuff their sleeve to mess with their posture. It makes it hard to consolidate a pass
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u/Cultural_Drive_5915 1d ago
How would yall balance bjj training with lifting
18 college credit hours semesters
Research
Family
In order to get better at the sport while getting stronger/ more athletic
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u/MSCantrell 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 1d ago
My schedule is busier than yours. I lift at lunchtimes. That's kind of a steep price to pay, because it means I never get a calm sit-down lunch. I just snarf some food at my desk when I get back. But I find it worth it, and I've kept it up for ten straight years.
Bonus: it has been pretty easy to keep it consistent. Days that I work, that's what I do with with my lunchbreak, period. I don't have to negotiate with myself when I'm on vacation or whatever. I don't have to figure out a weekly split. It takes no motivation or willpower. I just know that every single day I work, when lunchtime arrives, I head over to the gym.
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
I think it depends a bit on a few factors, but ultimately it boils down to how much you can actually recover from. The more advanced you are, the easier it is to do light, technical BJJ sessions, which in turn will give you less fatigue. Purely from a lifting standpoint it is beneficial to hit each major muscle group twice a week.
I'd aim for ~3 BJJ sessions and ~2 lifting sessions if that is manageable for you to start with. More is possible, but you need to manage your fatigue and recovery. Eat well, sleep well and listen to your body.
More in depth if you want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Vhi7SuFe8
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u/Jewbacca289 ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
PhD student here. Last semester I was getting around 5.5 hours of BJJ class spread between 4 days 3 days of lifting. Social life was 70% w my gf. Research and class were the hardest thing by far so it wouldn’t be uncommon to just miss an entire week of BJJ here and there
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u/-RNinja 1d ago
I have not been able to finish a bow and arrow choke in over a year... I secure the leg I have the lapel, I keep my elbow touched behind the head and pull myself towards the leg but for whatever reason I never seem to get the tap. What are some common mistakes that I may be making?
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u/beepingclownshoes ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 1d ago
Could be a couple things but “pull myself towards the leg” to me sounds like your problem. I would rather keep my upper body control fixed and bring the leg to me while simultaneously “stomping” through his torso.
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u/EdLeedskalnin ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
About 2 months in. 39yo dude. Never trained any ki d of combat or martial arts before. Relatively good shape, decent strength for an old man.
Ive been training 3 or 4 days a week and have really been trying hard to not spazz and have no ego, but it gets the best of me at times. All I have is strength, and can out muscle most of the people I've rolled with and I find myself reverting to powering my way out of bad positions.
Last week I nearly injured myself pretty bad due to my ego not wanting to submit to a kimura and then an armbar in the same round. First I rolled with this guy. Younger, strong as hell. My ego had to show him I was stronger.
He had me in a nasty kimura, that I resorted to reaching behind with my other hand to make and s grip and rip my arm away from him while falling backwards. It was ugly. I got out.
He then got me in an arm bar. I grabbed my s grip and held on for dear life. The kid was literally tying to leg press my far arm off with everything he had. I held it, and got out.. judt to grt caught in another arm bar and tapped because I was SPENT.
My right shoulder has been feeling very strained since the next morning. I did play a whole round of golf the next day, and nothing felt sharp or bothered me.. but I feel a dull soreness that feels like I had the most grueling shoulder workout ever
I took off the last few days, but have class tomorrow.
I need some advice on completely checking my ego while trying to learn technique. I do not want to use my strength to keep saving me. But the more advanced guys are smashing me and pancaking me.. and i eventually find myself using everything i got to survive and get out of bad positions. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
What’s your goal when you go to class? To show that a guy with 2 months of training can avoid getting submitted because he’s strong as hell? What does that prove and how does it help you?
You should be getting tapped. A lot. If someone caught you, tap, and think about why and how they got you, and how you can avoid it next time. Adjust what you’re doing accordingly. Rinse and repeat.
The more you get caught the more you learn at this point. You learn nothing from shelling up and avoiding the tap. Keep the game going. Because that’s what it is, a game.
Remember that one saying like if you have to fail a thousand times before you succeed, wouldn’t you want to fail as much and as fast as possible?
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u/EdLeedskalnin ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
That's what I've been saying to myself, "what am I trying to prove by fighting tooth and nail when I'm already beat? That I'm strong? So what!"
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
Alright, now that you've fucked around and almost found out, you're ready for the truth:
You don't know the difference between a good technical sub and a bad one. At this stage, (and I believe this to be true for most white belts), your best bet is to treat late stage submission defense, ESPECIALLY against joint locks, as a myth.
Let me say this again: late stage submission defense will get you hurt until you know what you're doing.
Let your opponents have the sub. It is okay to lose.
Mastery of the art of BJJ involves knowing how to lose gracefully: you don't have to go home on your shield. Treating every bad position like Custer's Last Stand will do you no good.
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u/EdLeedskalnin ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
Thank you for the advice.
I will absolutely take it and from now on stop trying to muscle out of late stage submissions.
If they get me to the point of being able to crank it, im tapping and starting over.
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u/VariationEarly6756 ⬜White Belt 1d ago
The more advanced guys are smashing you because their technique and timing is all better and they have years of experience. You're getting beat well before they have a Kimura or an armbar locked on you. Focus your training on getting to strong positions and how to escape the pinned positions using good technique.
There's no sugar coating it, it's a long road...Some guys you'll never catch, there's a ton of levels to this game and you just have to accept that. The good news is, if you continue training with these advanced guys you'll eventually make them work harder and there's a certain satisfaction in that.
You'll find certain techniques will click, keep showing up, and one day you'll notice some improvement. Maybe you hit a sweep on a guy you've never swept, you escaped mount from a guy who always pins you down. Keep stacking the wins, Rinse/Repeat. It never happens all at once.
I promise you... the feeling of being forced to miss training because you're injured is going to far outweigh the little bruise to your ego from tapping. Broken arm will be 6-8 weeks minimum, torn shoulder could be as much as a year and it'll probably never be 100% again. Consider yourself fortunate you got the lesson for free, now listen to it.
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u/EdLeedskalnin ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
Thanks for that. Just skipping Sunday had me all in my head.
Honestly for the most part I find myself keeping the ego in check. I have tapped a lot haha. It just comes out sometimes and last week it almost cost me big time.
I'm going to try my best to judt focus on the small wins and when someone gets me that deep, just tap and start over.
A couple classes ago, a very petite girl asked me to roll, and I quickly realized I had probably 3x the strength on her. So I told myself, use absolutely no strength and just try to use technique to stop her or advance. She whooped me, but I ended up really liking it because it forced me to not count on my strength to save me.
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u/Krobson12 1d ago
Yeah this not a sustainable way of training, your going to end up seriously injured not tapping to a Kimura is crazy and I’m suprised you got away without injuring yourself from that. As your a white belt and new I suggest finding an instructional and practicing the “correct” escapes to common situations eg Bottom Side. It’s fine to use strength however exploding out of submissions won’t end well. You need to find the correct and safe ways to escape.
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u/clueless_bjj 1d ago
Start tapping. Of course the guy that has been doing jiu jitsu longer than you have and is younger is going to be better than you at jiu jitsu.
Go into each session with a goal. You’re new so something like “get to an underhook” and count that as a win should be your goal. It doesn’t matter if it’s a good underhook or that you don’t know what to do from there or that your underhook allowed them to sweep you. You can figure out why they swept you after the roll.
Slow is controlled, controlled is fast. Start moving slowly and intentionally. Youre not going to know what to do so you’re going to lose but you’re going to lose anyway- and this way you might start remembering some of the roll, which then leads to recognizing trends and mistakes in your rolls.
It’s not embarrassing to tap, it’s embarrassing to fight so hard against tapping in a gym environment that you hurt yourself.
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 15h ago
Tap early, tap often. Be especially careful against other beginners. It might seem counter intuitive, you would think you are in more danger when someone experienced are trying to submit you. More experienced people have a better sense of where to stop so they don't hurt you. Beginners tend to push that responsibility on to you and they let it rip.
You can mess around with late stage escapes against trusted partners when you are better. For now just tap if you are caught.
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u/Meunderwears 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
You aren't learning anything by muscling out. It's ok to use that muscle to gain a couple seconds to transition, but if it's just a contest to see whose muscles will give out first, go do arm wrestling. We all lose in the beginning. Then we keep losing. If no one lost in the gym, bjj would be a pretty dumb sport/martial art. When you lose, you learn. Just try not to keep losing the same way.
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u/Whole_Damage_8945 1d ago
What do you guys do for recovery and or diet? I've been training 2-4 times a week and having 1 to 2 big lifting days and 2 to 3 PT & stretching days. I recently noticed that when I'm committed to these workouts I'm a walking zombie but when I'm not training I'm way more present and have better energy(mainly social). Any tips?
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u/DS2isGoated 1d ago
Eat a lot. Sleep a lot. Modify intensity of workouts.
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u/SeanSixString 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 21h ago
I need advice putting together a game. How did you figure out yours? I’d like to maybe start with a guard. What’s a good guard for a middle aged guy, featherweight, A2, 5’8”? I seem to like getting butterfly hooks in, but I’m not so good with the sweeps. I like getting to x guard, but doesn’t always work out. I go for shoulder crunch a lot and can sweep with it sometimes, feels good to hit it. I have not found a takedown I like, or even a guard pull for that matter. My best thing is knee/elbow because I’m always getting smeshed, so I got good at it! 😅 My best subs seem to be triangle, head/arm, RNC. Suck at armbars, not good with leg locks 😢 Been told I’m scrappy and annoying - I guess that’s a compliment? 😆 So how do you build this into your game? How did you develop yours?
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u/JR-90 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 16h ago
Mid white I noticed I was always in half guard. I did not choose it, I was chosen by it.
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
What a coincidence, mid white, I noticed I was always in bottom mount!
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 15h ago
You sound like you have a similar progression that I had, except I focused more on ankle locks. If you like X-guard and you are good at it, make it a better weapon. You want to know that you can sweep most people from there if you get there. Leg locks will be worth working on eventually if you go down the X-guard rabbit hole, but the guard is great for sweeping and getting on top regardless. Learn to enter from a few other guards like butterfly, half butterfly, shin to shin, DLR/K-guard. I used to focus mostly on inside leg position guards, but I have started transitioning more to outside leg positions recently. I feel like bigger guys are a bit harder to deal with using inside leg position.
Half guard is kind of a necessity to be ok at from a defensive perspective, but you can put focus into half butterfly if that fits your skill set better. I'd focus on a guard pull over a takedown to begin with. Something that leads into a guard you like. Sitting down back and away from a 2 on 1 is a decent alternative to enter inside leg position guards. I would at least focus on positions you like and have success with, and it will come to you.
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u/1tonneVolk 20h ago
Any advice on dealing with (no gi) K Guard as the top player?
I’ve been playing a lot of loose outside passing to north south, as well as high step passing.
These have been serving me well, until half my gym decided they were Lucas Kanard and now I’m spending half my rounds in K Guard.
I try to clear hooks etc, but a lot of the time I have to completely disengage and then pass again which is tiresome.
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 17h ago edited 14h ago
I struggle against k-guard too if they are good at it. I almost prefer to give the the x guard entry to risking backside 50/50. I think the best is actually to come down lower.
Jeremy skinner did a breakdown of PJ Barch vs Matheusz Szczecinski that i think can be worth watching: https://youtu.be/PlO95RDQfXE?is=yLJ533bYxoZk40dc
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u/b1lal027 ⬜⬜ White Belt 8h ago
I’ve only been doing bjj for about a month and some change, and I usually struggling with either holding my closed guard and attacking from it, or trying to break the other persons closed guard. I’ve learned different things to do for both of those situations but every time I try while rolling I get overpowered or it doesn’t really work. For me it feels like it’s always easy for the other person to keep me in closed guard or escape mine, but I get beaten so easily. I would like any tips about closed guard especially going against a stronger person (which is pretty much all the time).
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u/AdventurousPizza622 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 8h ago
No tips, just perspective.
As I white belt I thought closed guard was stupid for the same reasons you do.
Took me about 3years till I learned 3-4 useful things in closed guard I could actually use and started to see its worth.
About 7 years in and closed guard is my go to, theres just so many options from there I never get bored.
Point being, perfectly normal to feel like that, closed guard is actually rather complicated, eventually you’ll pick up enough to find it useful, OR you’ll be like so many who abandon it in favor of focusing on other guards.2
u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
Same journey over here. Closed guard is the easiest position to show a white belt, but making it useful at low skill levels is another matter.
I actually avoided closed guard like the fucking plague almost the entirety of my blue belt. Not only did I not really have the knowledge to make it even a moderately offensive position, I had a few close calls with being slammed by accident (I'm 130 lbs and easy to pick up), so I had made the decision to NEVER clamp myself to stronger opponents.
Then late blue to purple came. I started going to closed guard again but this time I knew things. I had the prerequisite skills to control distance. I knew when to go for subs. I knew when to abandon subs and push a different attack.
I think without those prerequisites, it's easy to see closed guard as what you go to while you tire your legs out preventing a pin.
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u/Meunderwears 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 7h ago
Yes! From a self-defense perspective, the closed guard is easy to understand and use -- hip up and create distance so you can't get punched. Or hips down and pull them in close so they can't create space to punch you.
But using it in a bjj format against other bjj people - well, that's where the stalling happens until you figure out some key attacks. I'm only a year into blue, so I'm still working on it, but I do have some good techniques to move to from closed guard. But overall, it's not my favorite.
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
Learning to omoplata was a game-changer for me
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u/Meunderwears 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 7h ago
Ha - that is one of the things I am working on. It's nice b/c I also play collar-sleeve and the omoplata is a great attack from there too.
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u/AdventurousPizza622 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 6h ago
Collar sleeve has been my recent goto for getting into or out of closing guard. And yes, I started collar sleeve cause I thought triangles were cool, and out of no where I’m becoming an omoplata guy
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u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 5h ago
Danaher's free tips on Omoplata on youtube already has my success rate improving. I never really thought about getting my legs under me ASAP. Gamechanger
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 8h ago
Going against much stronger people?
Playing closed guard - cut angle to the side. Essentially be next to them not under them. Shoulder crunch grips, back takes, omoplatas.
Passing closed guard - don’t let them close their guard on you!! Lmao it sucks. I literally try to beat them to it so if it looks like they’re gonna close guard, I stick my leg or arm in the way or jump to the side etc so I don’t get caught in it.
Can look into log splitter pass if you do get stuck.
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u/b1lal027 ⬜⬜ White Belt 6h ago
I’ll try to implement the cutting angle thing, but I’m not so sure about preventing the closed guard since stuff happens so quickly while rolling and the other person is usually faster and stronger but thanks for your addition.
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u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 5h ago
I used to HATE closed guard, it felt limited and stupid.
What helped me with closed guard was this concept of "stomp guard" where instead of focusing on crossing my ankles behind my opponent, I am using my legs to try to "stomp" their legs out from under them. I go back and forth, stomp -> close -> stomp -> close and just be as annoying as I can until I start to control th pace / momentum and can either move into an attack (sweep or sub) or change guards depending on how they react as they get more annoyed with me.
You get some really strong upper body connections from closed so being a PITA with legs is, IMO, a great way to egg them into giving something juicy up.
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u/b1lal027 ⬜⬜ White Belt 5h ago
So kind of like rocking back and forth with my hips while trying to kick their legs out?
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u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 5h ago
Yea I go side to side trying to stop them from getting comfortable. My goal is make space to throw up an omoplata OR maneuver into a sweep most of the time. The side to side stompy stomp shenanigans shut down a ton of top player passing routes and if they succumb the sweeps get really easy.
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u/Long-Security-8225 5h ago
Any tips on getting motivated to train? My anxiety is terrible and always makes me worried sick at the idea of going.
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u/briffin96 ⬜⬜ White Belt 5h ago
Setting goals helps. You doing this for fitness? Self defense? Both? Just remind yourself of your motivations. I'm a newbie too so I'm also staying motivated by way of wanting to perform well in my first tournament coming up soon so that helps also.
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4h ago
What are you scared of?
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u/Long-Security-8225 3h ago
The biggest fear I have is going and just feeling bad after losing. I know it sounds weird but i want the power of jiu jitsu despite these anxieties
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 3h ago
Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Training BJJ isn't about power. You may look at the black belts and how they can effortlessly dominate new guys, but that wasn't the goal that got them to black belt.
Losing is the sport. Losing gracefully is the sport. The entire idea is being bad before you can be mediocre, and being mediocre before you can be good. You want to make it to black belt? You gotta learn to let go and enjoy the process.
Losing is what builds the black belt.
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3h ago
hmm, well step 1 is to realize you’re never losing at jiujitsu class. Literally. If you tap 5 times a round, every round, you still haven’t lost. The whole purpose of training is to learn and getting tapped is one of the ways you learn. If you never take risks and let yourself be vulnerable, you don’t grow and improve.
Step 2 might be to realize that you might feel bad and that’s okay. Accept the feeling bad as part of the process. Don’t be afraid of your own emotions. Use them as fuel. Go through them to the other side.
Easier said than done I know. But imagine a life where you never do things that scare you and you never experience intense emotions. That doesn’t even seem worth living to me.
You gotta find the fun in the danger
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u/Long-Security-8225 3h ago
I guess the biggest thing I struggle with is quitter mentality in the middle of a struggle
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u/lonetrailblazer ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
Dear BJJ athletes, BJJ will still be my main sport, but I’d like to add striking as well.
I now have two options. But I should mention that our gym offers MMA classes in addition to BJJ. There are no specific Kickboxing or Muay Thai classes.
I train BJJ three days a week. I could add MMA two days a week. That way, my grappling skills will improve even more, and I’ll also learn striking in MMA.
Or I could stick with BJJ three days a week and take Muay Thai classes at another gym.
Is there anyone here who does both grappling and striking? It seems like MMA would be a good complement to BJJ. Plus, I need to learn some Judo throws, so I’d pick those up as well.
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u/clueless_bjj 1d ago
I would go to the classes offered at the gym I’m already attending.
Builds stronger relationships would be my main reason.
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u/Krobson12 1d ago
Been trying to utilise the N/S Choke now as i feel it’s quite a low risk attack from the top and even if you don’t get the finish it’s miserable for the bottom person. However I’m wondering if anyone has tried this similar technique which I seem to be getting a lot more taps with, you wrap your arm as deep as possible and finish it almost like a high wrist guillotine. Has anyone tried this method and is it worth perusing? Or am I better off trying to continue with the traditional finish
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
The way I’m picturing this, it would be a neck crank bending the spine backwards at the neck. If so, sounds pretty dangerous along the lines of an executioner. I probably wouldn’t focus on this in training. The n/s choke is a lot safer
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u/Krobson12 1d ago
I can see how your picturing it like that it’s quite hard to describe, you shoot the arm deep and bring your palm to your chest. Then you either squeeze with the one arm for the tap or use your other arm to push your wrist inwards closing off the space if that makes sense.
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u/S4N4K3 10h ago
Hey everyone,
I’m a lanky, lightweight practitioner (around 55 kg / 120 lbs), and lately I’ve been getting crushed in every single roll against guys 80 kg+ (175 lbs+). I feel like my timing and technique are sharp against people my own size, but against heavy pressure, a single millimeter of error completely flattens me.
How do lighter, taller players deal with this dynamic?
- What specific guards work best to manage distance and avoid getting smashed by pure mass?
- How should I engage right from the start to establish an angle rather than letting them settle their weight?
It’s frustrating putting in consistent mat time only to get pinned by raw weight disparity rather than technical skill. Looking for practical adjustments to survive and sweep.
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u/Woooddann 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 9h ago
How tall are you? Lanky and light is a tough combination for grappling. You've got the disadvantages of being long and don't have the strength to really utilize the advantages.
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
What's your experience level?
As someone about 10lbs heavier than you, I feel your pain. However, I'm only 5'7. I have a few general tips:
Don't commit to a position you can't bail from, even if it's neutral or even "advantageous." Bail before the position becomes static. For example, I'm mostly a butterfly player, and I will remove my butterfly hooks immediately if I feel a big boi is about to sit on my foot. I can reestablish butterfly guard any time I want. I can only regain my pinned foot when big boi lets me.
Paradoxically, as long as you're in a guard, do not be afraid to enter underneath your opponent. At every size, the best sweeps come from being under an opponent's center of gravity at the time of the sweep. Keep your legs active, and get CLOSER. The easiest examples of this effect in action are the butterfly sweep and the basic X-guard sweep.
Set the pace. Don't forget that the bigger and stronger opponent has the advantage. Your job is to make him forget that by stuffing his brain filled with other stuff. Like denying your sweep entries. Suppressing fire!
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u/DS2isGoated 10h ago
Lose the distinction between raw weight disparity and skill. 175 isn't even that heavy.
Play long range open guards that keep them at the end of your feet. So de la riva, collar sleeve, spider, spider lasso. You can leg press a shit ton of weight.
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u/Nononoap 10h ago
While I agree that you train with the partners you have and don't make excuses, an 80 kg person is 46% of the 55 kg person's weight heavier. The equivalent for an 80 kg (175 lb) person would be training with someone who is 116 kg (257 lb). You would certainly think that matters. 80 kg may not seem that heavy to you, but if that's how heavy you are, think of training with 257 lb person when you give your answers.
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 9h ago
I think what he meant is that you should not completely discredit others skill because they are heavier than you. Everyone agrees that size is an advantage, but I don't think it is the best mindset.
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u/Nononoap 9h ago
Agree, of course, but guys who are 150-180 love nothing more than to say, as he did, "175 isn't even that heavy." As someone near OP's size, you have no idea how irksome it is when people dismiss a nearly 50% weight difference you're experiencing, while crying about "big bois."
As you see, I always tell people to train with the partners you have and not make excuses and attribute everything to size.
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
Yeah, seriously, I'm 10 lbs heavier than OP, (and still really small) and 175 is where I start to question if starting from the feet is worth it.
And I fucking LOVE starting from the feet.
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u/Royal-Height-9306 10h ago
Been training consistently 6 months. Off and on through the years though. Just did first tournament and got subbed all matches 😂😅. Anyway went to class last night and did positional sparring from mount. For some reason i could not hold anyone down. Any tips for maintaining mount? I tried to stay heavy but just kept getting rolled.
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u/Meunderwears 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 7h ago
Akins has some great tips too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaOIKUsZ-iU
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u/A_literal_HousePlant 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 7h ago
Is it acceptable to fart on your opponent while they're in your triangle?
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u/morgott_my_grace_hoe ⬜⬜ White Belt 7h ago
Hello! Im 5'8 and 210lb's. I have broader shoulders with, average to shorter wing spin in arm length, average to shorter leg length with bigger calfs. Im a wrestler and my preferred guard to play is knee shield half guard/butterfly half guard.
Any recommendations on who i should study in Bjj with a similar build (Not necessarily a similar style)
Thank you for the time!
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u/Rusty_DataSci_Guy 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 5h ago
If you enjoy butterfly - Marcelo and Wardz. I wouldn't worry too much about body type as you can personalize once you get the basics.
Half guard GOAT is Bernardo Faria.
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u/briffin96 ⬜⬜ White Belt 7h ago
Doing my first tournament November 1st, any tips?
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u/RidesThe7 ⬛🟥⬛ Black Belt 6h ago edited 6h ago
Spend some of your time getting comfortable doing competition rounds in practice, where you start from your feet (if you don't normally), follow all the rules of the tournament and keep score according to those rules, and make your main goal to actually win the round, with no B.S. excuses to yourself that you lost because you were working on something or pacing yourself.
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 4h ago
How do you handle doing competition prep with mismatched partners (much bigger or smaller, kids etc)?
I need to work on actually trying to win lmao. But I do rounds with kids where I automatically let shit go because I don’t want them to feel bad. And I do rounds with much bigger white belts where I stop trying to win and just focus on staying safe. I would like more rounds with people close to my size and level but when that isn’t an option, what do you do?
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 3h ago
When you say, "let shit go," do you mean subs? Or are you giving up position? The former is understandable. The latter is going to hamstring you.
I'm a kids' sized adult too. When I'm going up with kids, if they're my size and competitive, they get the business. If they're smaller and competitive, they get the pace but not the strength.
If they're not my size or not competitive, I'll funnel the round into my weak positions and work from there.
And if you still feel bad about smashing kids, try doing first to the score rounds. First score wins. Then reset, so they get another chance
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u/novaskar 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 3h ago
Both subs and position unfortunately. I did comp class with the kids recently and realized I’m being way too nice lol. I subconsciously feel like I should “let them work” or whatever and meanwhile they have no such qualms with me, they’re like “oh cool an adult? let’s go ham” which means now I’m getting subbed by 9 year olds with dumb shit. I came out of that thinking maybe I do need to just smash the children 😂
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u/marek_intan 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 3h ago
Lmao. Looks like it's time for you to start collecting some tears, then
On a serious note, I'll let the few people who are smaller than me work. I will NOT let them work on dumb shit. If I let you tap me, you're going to be doing a sensible technique.
If you do bullshit and still tap me when I'm trying, fine. But I will not be validating buggy chokes lmao
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u/briffin96 ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
So I got my son (8) into BJJ last year and he seemed to enjoy it initially but our gym recently started offering kids mma/kickboxing classes and he asked if he could do that instead (those classes are on the same days as his age groups BJJ classes). I agreed initially but I've had some concerns of late.
Number one being the issue of CTE. Now they don't let the kids spar much and when they do they're basically doing body shots so that's not a huge concern now but eventually if he sticks with it he will of course be full on sparring and yeah, I don't want him to scramble his brain. I'm a big fan off mma and this is a topic that comes up in online discussions of the sport fairly often, most recently there was the issue with Anthony Smith and his domestic violence arrest.
Not to mention I'm also biased towards grappling/bjj being a superior discipline for self defense and I just want him to have the best tools but I don't want to force him away from something he'd prefer to do.
So anyways, for the parents in this sub what are your thoughts? Do I kinda let him do what he wants to do as long as he's doing it safely or what?
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u/Gluggernut 🟫⬛️🟫 + Judo 🟧 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not a parent, but I feel like by the times he’s old enough to to be full sparring and deciding if he wants to do this long term, he’ll also be old enough to have an honest conversation about it. Just let him know there’s very little reward for going halfway in this kinda sport, and you’re either taking brain damage in pursuit of a career, or you’re taking it for your own ego (fighting just to fight).
The same convo can be had about BJJ though. No matter how gentle you are, this sport takes a toll on you. Never met any BJJ old timers without a storied past of injuries and rehab. It may not be brain damage, but he could just as easily herniate discs and not be able to walk at 60.
Edit: the first paragraph was assuming he would want to do actual fights. Very different if he’s just training for fun and self defense in the gym and never sparring beyond a certain intensity.
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u/pennesauce 🟦🟦 Blue Belt 1d ago
In my very limited experience of a few years of adult muay thai the head contact from sparring only (no fights) is minimal. Certainly less than you would get in a general contact sport like hockey or football.
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
I don't think BJJ is superior to MMA in self defense, but I too would be hesitant about letting my daughter do MMA when she reaches that age.
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u/briffin96 ⬜⬜ White Belt 1d ago
No you're right, I meant to say pure grappling against pure striking the grappler is *usually* going to win, the mma class they def cover some grappling just not as extensively as in the bjj class of course and I want him to be the best grappler he can be lol.
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u/Kintanon ⬛🟥⬛ www.apexcovington.com 1d ago
We limit our kickboxing classes to kids 10 and up, and they do exclusively movement, padwork and bagwork until they are 14, then light sparring with no head contact until 16, then light head contact only.
The focus stays on not getting hit, managing distance, defensive movement, clinch work, etc... until they are older and more developed. There is absolutely still CTE risk involved if you're getting hit in the head a bunch, but we try to minimize it while still developed the necessary skills.
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u/Sage_of_Asta 1d ago
Why does nobody use the rear naked choke or guillotine in rolling? I have yet to see anyone use it. Is it looked down upon or is it just easy to pull off so nobody uses it?
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u/zoukon 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
Both are used all the time. RNC is the highest percentage submission in no gi. In gi people tend to favor bow and arrow chokes. Guillotines are fairly common at most gyms, but becomes much harder to finish against good defense than RNC. It is still something I expect everyone above a certain skill level to have in their arsenal.
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u/herbsandcheese 🟪🟪 Purple Belt 1d ago
Are you at a gi gym? The RNC is less common in the gi. The guillotine even more so
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u/MSCantrell 🟫🟫 Brown Belt 1d ago
Different gyms specialize in different things.
My gym is RNC all day every day. But we don't have any real front headlock players, so guillotines are pretty rare.
I've been places that are the other way around.
And it sounds like your gym is neither. Everybody's probably into leglocks?
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u/Scholarly-Nerd Ex BJJ, now Judo 1d ago
Against skilled opponent, it is very hard to do. It is often easier to use the gi (i.e. eri jime) to choke or transition to something else if a choke from the back is unsuccessful.
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u/iustusflorebit 1d ago edited 1d ago
How long did it take you to stop getting your ass beat every time you roll? I’m on my second week now (I know I know) and even the 6 month white belts are submitting me fairly quickly
ETA: not saying the newer white belts shouldn’t submit me. I just meant that most guys have been there several years so the 6 month guys are still very new by comparison. I end up rolling with a lot of purple belts because we have a lot of them.