1.5 months into BJJ and i feel useless

[Ghostdogg]

her is the best adivce somone gave me dont worry about belts or winning take lil steps and focus on one thing since your new start with survival work on trying to not get tapped as much and when u feel u have a good survival game maybe work on sweeps just disecte it and bam before you know it u will be thier!

 

[Fedorzilla]

Well, you have to understand that when you first start you're like hydrogen. Highly unpredictable because you're just going on instinct and everyone's grappling instincts are unique. After you have been training a few weeks/months, you can become very predictable, because you're using the introductory techniques that everyone has learned, expects, and knows how to defend. So, I actually have a lot easier time dealing with guys that have been training 1 to 3 months than guys who just start.

You are, however, making progress and you will notice that when you roll with new people, because you know those basics. More and more you will improve and be less predictable, but it takes time. Be patient and you'll get a lot out of it.

 

[ostapbjj]

If you became any good at BJJ after only 1.5 months then BJJ wouldn't be worth learning. Some advice:

1. After every roll (or even during), especially with higher belts, ask your training partner what you did wrong and if they have any tips for you. Every single time you touch the mat, you should be looking to improve, not just go through the motions.

2. If you show that you train hard and want to learn, then higher belts will be more willing to help you out and mentor you. You will learn a lot from your more experienced training partners.

3. Train as much as you can. Nothing beats time on the mat. The guys that get good the fastest are always the ones that train the most.

 

[Gregolian]

2. If you show that you train hard and want to learn, then higher belts will be more willing to help you out and mentor you. You will learn a lot from your more experienced training partners.

True for any martial art.


And I am 1.5 months in too, and don't know anything it feels like as the 15 year old kids keep managing to torque my arm (I am 21)

 

[dunerider]

Welcome to the life of bjj been doin it over a yr and still seem useless sometimes lol

 

[lightw8]

if youre dominating already at that point, you need to go find another gym. It's hard but accept the fact that it's gonna be a long road of paying your dues, and focus on improving little details here and there. Do your homework, put in your mat time, and watch the improvements come in. Don't be afraid to ask questions- something I never did, cause I didn't want to sound stupid (which is even more dumb).

 

[Jeff Goldblum]

Keep training and try to realize that a month and a half is almost the equivalent of zero in the grand scheme. It takes a lot of time to get good.

depends on the person. My cousin recently joined my school. He's never done BJJ before but is an up and comming rugby player.

He's been here for a bout a month and hasn't been tapped. (white, blue, purple belt class)
At first I was extremely frustrated because i've been trainning for about 10month and he was better than me in about a weekl... but I figured what would I gain by quitting?? Nothing..

and everyone learns at a different pace.. STICK WITH IT T/S !

 

[Ogami]

I was in the same situation when I started 4 years ago: I was 62 kilos (now I'm 68) and I was getting dominated almost everyroll. I sticked to it and now I'm a blue belt (hoping to get my purple soon). At the begining it was not very fun, but when you get to the point where things start to work and you can sub people, it becomes addictive. Now I'm so hooked I can

 

[Spoken]

for the big guys just muscling through shit, don't worry about them. Because in 6 months when you've worked technique and all they have is strength, you'll start raping them.

Keep your chin up and keep at it.

 

[curb1850]

1.5 months is nothing. Keep training.

 

[inevitability]

I've done a lot of things as hobbies, but BJJ is easily one of the hardest learning curves there is. I've been in it about a month seriously, and I can tell you the best things to bring to class besides a clean gi and body are an open mind and friendly attitude. People never want to work with the most hyper-competitive stubborn beginner but they always remember the fellow that puts his time in, works hard and has a smile on his face when he gets tapped. You'll make a lot more friends this way.

I've only submitted someone out once in that month and it felt pretty good. Most of the time I'm on the bottom in someone's mount or side control and I think that's the best place to be as a white belt. You have to work to survive and escape, that's just the reality of it. When you have mastered that, go on to newer things. But never neglect the basics.

At this point you always want to listen to what people have to say. It could be a lot of conflicting information but you can take some real gems out of it if you truly want to improve.

I would also recommend Jiu-Jitsu University. Excellent, excellent book. I've only really memorized a couple positions (survival from the back and mount) but everything I've learned from there has helped me. Saulo shows you what to do and just as importantly what not to do to improve.

Good luck and I hope you have a good time learning BJJ. It is the hardest workout I've done but the best workout I've done, and I already see some improvements from it in my own body. I'm not in perfect shape but working to get there.

 

[Steve3730]

training for 20.5 months and I still feel useless

 

[Sloth]

So yeah, started with bjj 1.5 months ago and ever since i started i've gotten basically crushed every time i roll with someone. Physically i'm about 62.5-63 kg with the gi and 173 cm. I'm not exactly gifted when it comes to my body but I feel like I should be able to last at least 1.5-3 mins but that's not the case.

People at my gym seem to weigh over 72kg+ and upwards, there's no one in my weight class except a purple belt but he crushes me although I feel like I have the most flow and fun when rolling with him. When I roll with 75+ kg guys they dont even need technique, even the most non-technical sweep works on me right now.

So basically I'd like some tips on the fundamentals I need to work on, what is it that I should work on as a little guy? Right now I don't really care about submissions, I just want to be able to last long.

I even got a stability ball at home which I don't use, i've heard that they're great for bjj, is this true? So yeah, i'm motivated to become good at this I just need a bit of direction on what drills to focus on when i'm not in class.

I'm hoping you guys can help out, i'm not looking to become the best of the best but I wanna at least become decent so I can enter a few comps and do somewhat well.
I know this post might seem whiny but please have patience, i'm getting a bit frustrated so i'm venting a bit as well.

Thank you.

Imo, it's a good idea to invest in improving your defense and learning how to stay calm under pressure. Keep your elbows close to your torso and always defend your neck.

 

[sfox]

I see this in my students, guys come in gung-ho the first 4-6 weeks and then disappear. When I talk to them, they say it's "harder" than they expected. They expect to be able to handle guys that have same amount or more training. This is one of my greatest frustrations as a teacher. Keep in mind that these days, BJJ has been made more user friendly - in the old days, the new guys would be thrown in with everyone and fend for themselves. What would make anyone think they can start getting people that have been training same/longer than them after 1 1/2 months? If BJJ was that easy EVERYONE would be doing it. My advice: suck it up, train consistently for 9-12 months and then see how you're doing.

 

[Rws177die]

I felt like things started clicking after six months of trainning at least three days a week...

 

[akharon]

I felt like things started clicking after six months of trainning at least three days a week...

It'll feel like that. Then a while later you'll feel like it's clicking. And then after that. Probably a couple times more. Aesopian put a good list of tips for white belts out. 10 Quick Tips for White Belts | Featured | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | Aesopian Read it and follow it. 1 & 2 especially, though they're all good.

 

[chaps]

Keep training my friend. Keep training.

One day, some new kids are gonna join the gym and will be looking up to you in admiration and ask for advice. If you persevere it will happen.

 

[JoLOveS]

Honestly I felt like that the first week of training mostly because I weighed a whopping 300lbs but now 2 months later and 20lbs lighter and a little bit better at defending myself and at knowing a few basics.

I attribute this to a few basic factors though:

1. My school has a very beginner friendly structure where we mostly roll until we get out of a bad position and then we switch positions, no submissions unless you are in the advanced class which requires a minimum of 40 classes.

2. Most people at my Gym are very friendly and open to helping newbies, if it is your first class the professor will pull you to the side and explain to you the basic positions and if you have any questions after class they will help you. Most students do not have a gun-ho attitude although some do but I just do not roll with them.

3. I went in there because I needed to lose weight, I had a medical condition that would eventually kill me unless I did and I knew I had to do it or die. I initially wanted to do karate which they offer at my school but I was advised by a friend that BJJ would be better for me I tried it and loved it.

In the beginning I thought 3 days a week would be enough, lately I try for 4 days because I love it so much. My advice is to keep doing it and try to get better by asking a lot of questions and stop rolling with the UFC wannabes. I get gassed after a few minutes of rolling but I just push it until I can't anymore. If a 30 year old 5'11" 280lb fat guy can do it so can you.

 

[johnkreese]

I'm just about 1 1/2 years into bjj and I still feel useless.

 

[Sloth]

I see this in my students, guys come in gung-ho the first 4-6 weeks and then disappear. When I talk to them, they say it's "harder" than they expected. They expect to be able to handle guys that have same amount or more training. This is one of my greatest frustrations as a teacher. Keep in mind that these days, BJJ has been made more user friendly - in the old days, the new guys would be thrown in with everyone and fend for themselves. What would make anyone think they can start getting people that have been training same/longer than them after 1 1/2 months? If BJJ was that easy EVERYONE would be doing it. My advice: suck it up, train consistently for 9-12 months and then see how you're doing.

Lol, true. When I started, I thought I would be able to handle most of the guys, or at least hold my own. Then I got smashed. Then I got frustrated that I was helpless against everyone. It doesn't make any sense, but I think it's one of those things that pretty much every reasonably athletic person goes through when starting Bjj.