What am I supposed to do?

Practical Goat

Practical Goat

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NOOB question alert!! haha.

Just recently started BJJ classes (had my 5th today). Currently paying a little more to do 1 to 1 lessons before I actually go into the group setting (really shitty confidence).

Me and my instructor have just started rolling at the end of each lesson and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing. He has shown me techniques but I only remember the ones we did on the day, only vaguely the ones from the previous weeks. It just seems like a huge game of chess and I find myself just using my intuition and pushing him away etc.. Often putting me in worst positions like giving up my back. I understand it'll take time but I just wonder what sort of things I should be practising? Any beginner moves I need to nail? What I should be doing and how I should be acting at this level?
 
Private lessons already? Imo, you should save your money for now. Save the private classes for refining your moves later on. Learn and DRILL the fundamentals first like hip escapes, technical standup, framing, basic guard passes.

Group classes aren't bad. Leave your ego at the door like the rest of the students in the gym and do not be afraid to look like a noob.
 
Thanks Lifer, it's more my confidence. Rubbish excuse I know but I already feel more ready to go into a group setting. Thank you for the tips :)
 
Actually group classes are way better for beginner because you learn from everyone else including their mistake

One on one for beginner is actually not that great because you cannot really spar or learn anything from sparring
 
You shouldn't feel ashamed going to class. Most experienced guys in there were garbage or felt like they were garbage at jiu jitsu when they started too. You need to just get in and start grinding away. Remember it's a grind. You will not get good overnight.
 
Don't worry about confidence and go to the group classes. Nobody expects anything from a beginner and everyone was a beginner once as well. You are going to do everything wrong and it is fine. I also think group classes are better for beginners. You will be able to see things better when they are demonstrated by others. You will also be able to learn from questions others ask.
 
Cheers guys, I'm going to go to the midweek classes next week. Just feel like I'll be thrown in with the lions, so to speak lol. But yeah, it's true, I'm a beginner and I don't even have an ego to leave at the door so I suppose that's probably a good thing.
 
Going to my first class was one of the scariest things I've ever done, also one of the best. Don't worry about not knowing what to do. You're not supposed to. I remember a purple belt (he's now a black belt) grabbed me and put me in top side control. I laid on him for about 20 seconds when I sat up and said I have no idea what to do lol. Just keep going it will get easier and you will start remembering more and more every class. Also I'd recommend not wasting money on a private yet. Those are usually for improving a specific technique. It will literally be years before this is a real benefit for you.
 
Ask to do positional rolling instead. That way you can focus on the moves that you were just working on, and will have some opportunities to use them.
 
Man don't be afraid to go to group class. You'll get your ass kicked, sure, but that's part of the learning process, everybody need to pass there eventually and at the moment it's not like you are expected to do anything special. Trust me, you won't regret it
 
Practical Goat said:
Cheers guys, I'm going to go to the midweek classes next week. Just feel like I'll be thrown in with the lions, so to speak lol. But yeah, it's true, I'm a beginner and I don't even have an ego to leave at the door so I suppose that's probably a good thing.
Click to expand...
The thing is, that there are ZERO expectations on you. I mean, it's just training anyway (not competition) so it doesn't really matter anyway - but as a new BJJ guy going to a gym, none of it matters, it's like playing a video game with infinite lives - if you get tapped, fine, you go on. Swept, fine, you go on. None of it matters so there is no stress - no "standard" to live up to (even so, who cares, you are training for yourself, not others) and years from now you will be SOOOO wildly better than you are now - these early rolling gym matches are totally and completely irrelevant, other than in helping you learn things - and that is the whole point of rolling, to help you improve.

So don't sweat anything "performance" related. There is no "performance". Get in there and learn. In fact, adjust your outlook - your "performance" is not how the roll goes but rather how well you execute the techniques you have learned. Because focusing on executing the techniques you have learned will be far more beneficial to your progress than on trying to spaz your way through something you don't understand - that will just teach bad habits.
 
Went to the group class. Really enjoyed it. Doing techniques with a girl which I found weird at first. Taking the back from guard and I kept grabbing her tits which wasn't ideal. She seemed OK with it though. Rolled with her at the end and got absolutely destroyed but I was fun. Cheers guys.
 
sb413197 said:
The thing is, that there are ZERO expectations on you. I mean, it's just training anyway (not competition) so it doesn't really matter anyway - but as a new BJJ guy going to a gym, none of it matters, it's like playing a video game with infinite lives - if you get tapped, fine, you go on. Swept, fine, you go on. None of it matters so there is no stress - no "standard" to live up to (even so, who cares, you are training for yourself, not others) and years from now you will be SOOOO wildly better than you are now - these early rolling gym matches are totally and completely irrelevant, other than in helping you learn things - and that is the whole point of rolling, to help you improve.

So don't sweat anything "performance" related. There is no "performance". Get in there and learn. In fact, adjust your outlook - your "performance" is not how the roll goes but rather how well you execute the techniques you have learned. Because focusing on executing the techniques you have learned will be far more beneficial to your progress than on trying to spaz your way through something you don't understand - that will just teach bad habits.
Click to expand...
That's a great post!
What I can add from myself is also try to stay relaxed as much as possible when you roll (easier said than done) and look after your and your partners body (for example tap when necessary instead of doing some crazy, spazzy escapes when you're deep in submission). Have fun training and keep the positive attitude, remember this hobby should be your therapy , not the reason that you need one:)
 
Practical Goat said:
NOOB question alert!! haha.

Just recently started BJJ classes (had my 5th today). Currently paying a little more to do 1 to 1 lessons before I actually go into the group setting (really shitty confidence).

Me and my instructor have just started rolling at the end of each lesson and I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing. He has shown me techniques but I only remember the ones we did on the day, only vaguely the ones from the previous weeks. It just seems like a huge game of chess and I find myself just using my intuition and pushing him away etc.. Often putting me in worst positions like giving up my back. I understand it'll take time but I just wonder what sort of things I should be practising? Any beginner moves I need to nail? What I should be doing and how I should be acting at this level?
Click to expand...
What are you supposed to do?

LEARN.

No one was born with BJJ out of the womb (sigh... cue in the replies with <insert name here>). Did you learn how to speak English straight out of the womb? Is everyone born with the knowledge of all they need to survive in their lives? Think about what your situation young grasshopper. You are too young and inexperienced and so have much too much to meditate on.
 
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