Gym hoppers. Good or bad?

[SuperSuperRambo]

Do bowlers ask permission to bowl at other lanes for league. Are softball players stuck in one league for ever?

See, I think that's taking it too far to the other extreme. I don't view my training situation like that at all. We are a team, and like a family in many ways. Our head instructor is a role model for the kids and many of the adults as well, and someone that we aspire to be like in terms of professionalism, dedication to the art, and of course ability. So it's really not like going to a bowling alley at all. We're not just paying for the facility.

 

[Tiger Uppercut]

You are a tool, and abused the good will of your instructor. BJJ isnt some sort of convenient sex service you can pay for and pick and choose, if you change gyms it better be for a better reason than "Ultimately, where I train is my decision; it's a service for which I pay"

who the hell are you to tell anyone what their reasons should be?

You're an entire home depot warehouse.

 

[pittfrog]

You are a tool, and abused the good will of your instructor. BJJ isnt some sort of convenient sex service you can pay for and pick and choose, if you change gyms it better be for a better reason than "Ultimately, where I train is my decision; it's a service for which I pay"

I know people like you, and they suck.

I can't answer your "tool" accusation without dragging some interpersonal issues into the open; I choose not to do that out of the respect I hold for several people, and the time I spent with them. As I said in my post, I had *many* reasons to switch gyms; money wasn't one of them. Those who were involved know what happened, and understand.

I know people like you too: message board warriors with limited reading comprehension skills, and an even more limited ability to decipher from context what is implied rather than written outright. Do you have difficulty typing? Do the calluses from knuckle-dragging get in your way? Do you drool on the keyboard while you're mouth-breathing? I'd say that you suck, but that would afford you a level of respect and validation to which you're not entitled. You'd need a step ladder to climb up to the level of sucking.

Have a great day!

 

[cjlewis01]

See, I think that's taking it too far to the other extreme. I don't view my training situation like that at all. We are a team, and like a family in many ways. Our head instructor is a role model for the kids and many of the adults as well, and someone that we aspire to be like in terms of professionalism, dedication to the art, and of course ability. So it's really not like going to a bowling alley at all. We're not just paying for the facility.

Some people take bowling and softball seriously when it comes to leagues and not just playing for fun. They have 'their' teams. Your individual view on BJJ is more of a family, and I think most would feel that way, especially due to all the hard work put into this sport. But I have met some serious softball and bowling guys that might even echo the sentiments of crankthat. And I have met plenty of guys in BJJ that don't look at it as any more important than a funtime hobby.

So while I agree that BJJ is more familial, and a tighter nit community, I still think its a fair comparison.

 

[KGB313]

If it's because the school isn't good, well that's something you'd figure out pretty quickly, so you never would really be apart of their team to begin with.

Not necessarily. If your gym is bad, but it's all you've ever known, how would you know what a good gym is like? I would think a gym would have to be pretty terrible for someone that has never trained to say "this isn't a good gym" and walk out.

A few of my teammates came from another local gym, and while they don't consider it a bad gym, they have all commented that (for a variety of reasons) they wished they had started training with us much sooner. They had stayed where they were out of loyalty.

Not badmouthing any other gyms, just saying that a student can be loyal to a bad gym just as easily as a good one, especially if they don't know the difference.

 

[fredrik1982**]

The gym I trained at was opened by a guy who taught at a rival gym on the other side of the city 2 or 3 years before he opened the new place. When he opened it, he got such a great repuation that people started leaving all the other local places to train with us...I think they made a great decision for themselves, getting more attention and better quality instruction, and in turn, having a school made of ranked grapplers from 4 different systems means we all get the exposure of those systems, and it has turned our school into a competition powerhouse.

I totally agree with what Superrambo said, your home instructor should be treated with the respect you expect to be treated with, and if you aren't treated with that respect, you should find a place where your contribution to the club YOU PAY FOR is recognized and respected, and that means you deserve to be getting the best out of your instructors.

 

[TheBJJProfessor]

I think people should do what is best for their jiu jitsu and mind their own business.

^also awesome.

 

[ganssle]

"Do you have difficulty typing? Do the calluses from knuckle-dragging get in your way? Do you drool on the keyboard while you're mouth-breathing? I'd say that you suck, but that would afford you a level of respect and validation to which you're not entitled. You'd need a step ladder to climb up to the level of sucking"

I love LOLing at work

 

[beachgrappler]

"Do you have difficulty typing? Do the calluses from knuckle-dragging get in your way? Do you drool on the keyboard while you're mouth-breathing? I'd say that you suck, but that would afford you a level of respect and validation to which you're not entitled. You'd need a step ladder to climb up to the level of sucking"

I love LOLing at work

haha yeah that was pretty awesome, I smiled.

 

[lechien]

No, I think people should move team if they want to.

I understand their reasons for moving.

I am not there to make friends or money so I could not care less if they move on.

 

[crankthat**]

Im not a BJJ hippie like many on this board. I dont think that gym hopping to suit every tiny whim you have is cool, the only legit reasons for leaving a club are 1) the instructor is not teaching you properly 2) you have to relocate 3) The club is not competitive enough, or too competitive for you.

If you leave after you have been graded and made the decision to be at one gym then you need to honor that, if any of those three siutations apply, and you have spoken to your instructor, then its fine. Any other situation means you are being a renegade douchebag, and are being selfish. I know most of you are liberal minded and will say "Hey its not a team sport I can be selfish as I like", but in reality that is a douchebag mindset.

 

[wufabufa]

i'm probably going to be in this situation my self in the coming years. with my work i get to move every 3 months so i'm in a bit of a pickle if i want to progress and be promoted.

should i just call the first real gym i enjoy training at my "home base" and try to stop in every once in a while to let the instructor see how i'm progressing? i'm not sure how that's supposed to work.

 

[equus]

Im not a BJJ hippie like many on this board. I dont think that gym hopping to suit every tiny whim you have is cool, the only legit reasons for leaving a club are 1) the instructor is not teaching you properly 2) you have to relocate 3) The club is not competitive enough, or too competitive for you.

If you leave after you have been graded and made the decision to be at one gym then you need to honor that, if any of those three siutations apply, and you have spoken to your instructor, then its fine. Any other situation means you are being a renegade douchebag, and are being selfish. I know most of you are liberal minded and will say "Hey its not a team sport I can be selfish as I like", but in reality that is a douchebag mindset.

when does your "douchebaggery in jiu jitsu and how i handle gym hoppers" book come out?

 

[fourfif**]

Im not a BJJ hippie like many on this board. I dont think that gym hopping to suit every tiny whim you have is cool, the only legit reasons for leaving a club are 1) the instructor is not teaching you properly 2) you have to relocate 3) The club is not competitive enough, or too competitive for you.

If you leave after you have been graded and made the decision to be at one gym then you need to honor that, if any of those three siutations apply, and you have spoken to your instructor, then its fine. Any other situation means you are being a renegade douchebag, and are being selfish. I know most of you are liberal minded and will say "Hey its not a team sport I can be selfish as I like", but in reality that is a douchebag mindset.

I've been to a bunch of different gyms. The mentality I was brought up with in wrestling was: learn as much as you can, from as many different people as you can, and so forth. Also there was always a good reason (for me) to make the decision I did, and I've never regretted it. I am on good terms with every instructor I've ever had and give/get love whenever we run into each other. You just need to worry about yourself and not what other people are doing and why, as long as they aren't hurting you.

 

[lechien]

If you leave after you have been graded and made the decision to be at one gym then you need to honor that, if any of those three siutations apply, and you have spoken to your instructor, then its fine. Any other situation means you are being a renegade douchebag, and are being selfish. I know most of you are liberal minded and will say "Hey its not a team sport I can be selfish as I like", but in reality that is a douchebag mindset.

So I guess you believe that an instructor ownes you once he put a belt on your waist.

Seriously, some of you guys needs to grow up and have more experience in BJJ before passing judgement on others.

Team Loyalty = guaranteed emotional black mail = good cash retention.

People should stay because they are happy with their instructor.

The team is not there to make up if your instructor sucks.

Edit: My guess is most of the die hard instructor fan on this thread are white and blue belts.

 

[ganssle]

There are too many rules... Let the poor bastard be happy with where he trains. It's not anybody's fault if it takes a few times to find the right fit.

I know I'd be pissed if someone chastised me for wanting to be comfortable at the place i spend most of my limited free time and limited expendable income

 

[Space Cowboy]

So I guess you believe that an instructor ownes you once he put a belt on your waist.

Seriously, some of you guys needs to grow up and have more experience in BJJ before passing judgement on others.

Team Loyalty = guaranteed emotional black mail = good cash retention.

People should stay because they are happy with their instructor.

The team is not there to make up if your instructor sucks.

Edit: My guess is most of the die hard instructor fan on this thread are white and blue belts.

This is interesting and is brought up every now and again. What's more important for you guys? Your team or your instructor? This answer varies wildly depending on what level you're at but for the most part I always felt it was more important to have good training partners and a competent instructor. I'll that combination over a great instructor and shitty team every day of the week.

 

[ganssle]

This is interesting and is brought up every now and again. What's more important for you guys? Your team or your instructor? This answer varies wildly depending on what level you're at but for the most part I always felt it was more important to have good training partners and a competent instructor. I'll that combination over a great instructor and shitty team every day of the week.

I agree about level. White/blue it's important to have an instructor who can really convey the fundamentals. Purple/brown training partners are more important IMO, unless you have an instructor who is a.) still active enough to give you a good whooping b.) willing to roll with you a few times per week.

In my experience, those two characteristics of instructors are rare...

 

[Space Cowboy]

And what you do is your prerogative but the reason why so many people maintain this sense of loyalty is due to the role that your team plays in your training. IMO your instructor can only teach you so much. Your teammates are the ones that you practice with and discover holes. Hence another question that always comes up, privates vs. group classes.

 

[lechien]

This is interesting and is brought up every now and again. What's more important for you guys? Your team or your instructor? This answer varies wildly depending on what level you're at but for the most part I always felt it was more important to have good training partners and a competent instructor. I'll that combination over a great instructor and shitty team every day of the week.

It is the team that is most important and will play a major factor in your development.