Having serious 2nd thoughts about my BJJ gym

[Evenflow80]

I'm a 3 stripe white belt going on 7 months at my gym now, so forgive me if I sound ignorant

I love the people there. Love the instructor. Everyone is friendly and fun to roll with.

However I don't like the structure of the class.

It's Monday through Saturday. Daily class is about an hour:

15 minutes calthenics (sp?) - push-ups sit ups jumping Jack's and common bjj movies like hip escapes forward/back rolls etc.

30 minutes instructor showing 2 or 3 techniques, then you and partner doing it for 5 minutes each.

Finally, about 10 to 15 minutes live rolling, 5 minutes each. On average 2 rolls.

Im the most consistent student. Go on average 4 and mostly 5 classes a week (M-F) and take weekends off to rest.

However, reading how much people recommend rolling and how most classes offer open mat time outside of regular class hours, I'm starting to think this gym just doesn't let us roll enough or give us the chance to.

Another thing is we only have ONE no gi class, so essentially 10 minutes of no gi rolling a week. When I say that to my professor he gets really defensive, saying a lot of schools don't even HAVE no gi at all. He seems like a gi purist or doesn't want us to do too much no gi. Not sure why.

I'm a newbie so I'm sorry again if I sound ignorant. Is this class structure normal? Should I keep pushing for at least one open mat night a week ? ( ive been the most vocal about it despite being new)

OR should I just try another gym? There is so much I like about this gym including being close to my home.

What are your thoughts? Thank you

 

[Dogstarman]

Seriously, it's your money I would go try a different gym and see how it feels to you. You will see how your gym compares to other places.

 

[Deleted member 405583]

Location shouldn't be that high on priorities. Check out other places you should feel confident and comfortable wherever you train. I used drive 45 min one way 2-3 times a week to train and about an hour and a half 2 times a month

 

[Evenflow80]

Location shouldn't be that high on priorities. Check out other places you should feel confident and comfortable wherever you train. I used drive 45 min one way 2-3 times a week to train and about an hour and a half 2 times a month

How? It makes a HUGE difference how close it is. I have to leave work 4:45 pick up both kids from very difference schools miles apart and get home change clean up etc and even then HOPE my wife gets home by 5:50 in order to haul ass down the street to class at 6.

I can't even imagine how I'd go to a gym even a few miles further away.

 

[lechien]

7 months and you got 3 stripes.

Fook me. I only give 1 stripe per 6 months of training.

 

[Evenflow80]

7 months and you got 3 stripes.

Fook me. I only give 1 stripe per 6 months of training.

Not sure but I think last two stripes are like 8 months so it's like 1.5 years average to blue or something like that.

Its,a Gracie barra school. I thought they were legit??

 

[feelinCrisp]

As has been said your best bet is to try different schools. I can be hard to coordinate sometimes given personal life, work schedule etc. But that way you'll get the best idea of what other schools in your area offer and how this one holds up.

 

[Evenflow80]

Man.... tough tough choice.

Like I said i like this gym because it's close and allows me to pick up my kids from school etc and that it's a Gracie Barra (which I've been told is legit and not a McDojo), but in have to think long and hard.

10 minutes a day live rolling just doesn't seem enough at all and I'd like more no gi rolling too

 

[BCNASH]

have you tried talking to other students to see if you guys can together outside class hours and roll? Maybe see if your instructor will let you hold on to a key so you can have open mats outside normal hours? I have had to move a lot because of the military while I have been training, and I invested in mats for my garage for this specific reason at my least favorite school I was forced to train at; like yourself, the issue with that one was location. It was the only one within an hour and half of me and I worked anywhere between 11-17 hours a day at that point, so driving that far was not an option.

 

[HIMBOB]

Lack of open mats seems like an easy thing for a school to fix.

 

[Evenflow80]

have you tried talking to other students to see if you guys can together outside class hours and roll? Maybe see if your instructor will let you hold on to a key so you can have open mats outside normal hours? I have had to move a lot because of the military while I have been training, and I invested in mats for my garage for this specific reason at my least favorite school I was forced to train at; like yourself, the issue with that one was location. It was the only one within an hour and half of me and I worked anywhere between 11-17 hours a day at that point, so driving that far was not an option.

I thought about that. I know for a fact a couple of the students have keys. I was going to even suggest creating a mailing / texting group to announce open mat or send reminders for it.

 

[Draiman]

7 months and you got 3 stripes.

Fook me. I only give 1 stripe per 6 months of training.

This was my initial reaction actually. Unless he's the next BJ Penn...

Changing school is the option, since it's your money, unless you're tied to a bullshit contract...

 

[Daniel Fox]

I'm a 3 stripe white belt going on 7 months at my gym now, so forgive me if I sound ignorant

I love the people there. Love the instructor. Everyone is friendly and fun to roll with.

However I don't like the structure of the class.

It's Monday through Saturday. Daily class is about an hour:

15 minutes calthenics (sp?) - push-ups sit ups jumping Jack's and common bjj movies like hip escapes forward/back rolls etc.

30 minutes instructor showing 2 or 3 techniques, then you and partner doing it for 5 minutes each.

Finally, about 10 to 15 minutes live rolling, 5 minutes each. On average 2 rolls.

Im the most consistent student. Go on average 4 and mostly 5 classes a week (M-F) and take weekends off to rest.

However, reading how much people recommend rolling and how most classes offer open mat time outside of regular class hours, I'm starting to think this gym just doesn't let us roll enough or give us the chance to.

Another thing is we only have ONE no gi class, so essentially 10 minutes of no gi rolling a week. When I say that to my professor he gets really defensive, saying a lot of schools don't even HAVE no gi at all. He seems like a gi purist or doesn't want us to do too much no gi. Not sure why.

I'm a newbie so I'm sorry again if I sound ignorant. Is this class structure normal? Should I keep pushing for at least one open mat night a week ? ( ive been the most vocal about it despite being new)

OR should I just try another gym? There is so much I like about this gym including being close to my home.

What are your thoughts? Thank you

What are your other options training wise?

 

[bowened]

Location shouldn't be that high on priorities. Check out other places you should feel confident and comfortable wherever you train. I used drive 45 min one way 2-3 times a week to train and about an hour and a half 2 times a month

Without knowing his personal situation you can't say with any confidence how much of a priority location should be. Your story is irrelevant to his situation.

 

[Evenflow80]

This was my initial reaction actually. Unless he's the next BJ Penn...

Changing school is the option, since it's your money, unless you're tied to a bullshit contract...

It's about 1.5 years to get a blue... isn't that about average ?

I came on here and asked about gracie barra before joining and everyone said it was legit. You don't think they are? I don't want a McDojo....

 

[Evenflow80]

What are your other options training wise?

Thankfully I'm in San Diego so a ton options...but like I said my timing is really tight since I have to get off work and get kids get home and wait for my wife to get home and even then I BARELY make it to the gym down the street 2 miles away.

I'm going to call a few even if farther away and ask if they start classes even 6:30 or so. An extra 30 minutes might help.

But then that leaves the wife unhappy I'm coming home later and kids are in bed.

I wish I had a time machine and can go back and start this in my early 20s before wife and kids

 

[andrewm2211]

you may as well try another class for free somewhere else if you are having doubts.

You keep saying 'I don't want a McDojo it should be obvious if it is or not. So if you are on the fence, go somewhere else and see if you can hang with the other white belts or if you get destroyed by them.

3 strips after 7 months is pretty quick, a blue after 1.5 years is also pretty quick but neither are so fast I'd say they are red flags. Especially if you train 4-5 times a week. That's a lot of hours on the mat.

 

[Daniel Fox]

Thankfully I'm in San Diego so a ton options...but like I said my timing is really tight since I have to get off work and get kids get home and wait for my wife to get home and even then I BARELY make it to the gym down the street 2 miles away.

I'm going to call a few even if farther away and ask if they start classes even 6:30 or so. An extra 30 minutes might help.

But then that leaves the wife unhappy I'm coming home later and kids are in bed.

I wish I had a time machine and can go back and start this in my early 20s before wife and kids

If you like your instructor and the people at your gym stay there. There must be a place in San Diego that has an open mat that is open to all schools regardless of affiliation. They are usually on weekends, go to one less class a week and hit the open mat on the weekend.

 

[Evenflow80]

If you like your instructor and the people at your gym stay there. There must be a place in San Diego that has an open mat that is open to all schools regardless of affiliation. They are usually on weekends, go to one less class a week and hit the open mat on the weekend.

Wait, for free ? So an open mat at a gym I'm not a member at and I can just go to open mat there ?

 

[Daniel Fox]

They have it in Chicago, I would imagine they would have it in San Diego, but I could be wrong.