1.5 months into BJJ and i feel useless

[gullis187]

Just read thru the thread, and I keep thinking I should get a new gym to work out at. Ive been doing mma for 5 weeks and I tap out guys that are bigger and more experienced than me each training. It should be mentioned that I live in Norway and the grappling skill and depth arent the same level as in bigger countries.

I'm 5'10 155 / 70 kg and havent done ANY form of training since kids soccer, and I came close to tapping my coach from a d'arce on friday, it was fearly tight but my arms gassed like crazy after 6+ seconds.

Im just thinking, could the level in my gym too low to be learning serious grappling ?

Cuz I ask the guys who have gone there for a couple of years technical questions about posisions/subs , (that ive seen on youtube/instrucsional) and they've accually known less then me about the topic! And get pissed when I suggest it could be done a different way.

 

[Sayian]

Just read thru the thread, and I keep thinking I should get a new gym to work out at. Ive been doing mma for 5 weeks and I tap out guys that are bigger and more experienced than me each training. It should be mentioned that I live in Norway and the grappling skill and depth arent the same level as in bigger countries.

I'm 5'10 155 / 70 kg and havent done ANY form of training since kids soccer, and I came close to tapping my coach from a d'arce on friday, it was fearly tight but my arms gassed like crazy after 6+ seconds.

Im just thinking, could the level in my gym too low to be learning serious grappling ?

Cuz I ask the guys who have gone there for a couple of years technical questions about posisions/subs , (that ive seen on youtube/instrucsional) and they've accually known less then me about the topic! And get pissed when I suggest it could be done a different way.

almost tapped your instructor? must be a shit instructor if youve only been doing it for 5 weeks lol
I probablY couldnt tap mine out if i have been dong it for 5 years, so yeah, your gym level is way to low to be seriously grappling

 

[dazed863]

this is why bjj has such a large washout rate. i wrestled a little in high school and thank god. i really commend you if you're walking in with zero grappling experience.

maybe i could suggest focus working on one part of your game A LOT. like keeping your opponents posture broken down while he is in your guard. you'll see yourself improve quickly doing this and it'll help boost your ego a little.

just take a step back and realize that those purple belts have been coming for YEARS and YEARS and still have trouble with the browns and blacks.

 

[Qbaniito**]

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.

Don't worry, 1.5 months in BJJ is nothing. Slowly but surely you'll get the hang of it.

 

[Lead]

1.5 months is not much. You can't expect to be to great with a couple of classes man. I have been doing it a year. I feel decent with my guard and the basics but I still have a lot to learn and there are a bunch of guys still better than me. You can't get unmotivated this early or you will be screwed.

 

[Breadcutter]

Give it another couple of weeks. I was starting to tap bluebelts pretty regularly at arou d the 3 month mark.

Really? I don't even know how to ask anything beyond that. Well, are they letting you tap them and you just think that you're earning the tap?

 

[bassmasterrap]

You will see impoevements little by little. I started by using my speed and power and it took me a while to learn how to slow down and learn technique. if your sparing partners are using speed and power intead of skills you will soon be ahead of them because they are not learning

 

[esum80]

keep at it, good attitude will help

besides, getting your ass kicked on the daily is the best way to learn.

 

[Shemhazai]

Just read thru the thread, and I keep thinking I should get a new gym to work out at. Ive been doing mma for 5 weeks and I tap out guys that are bigger and more experienced than me each training. It should be mentioned that I live in Norway and the grappling skill and depth arent the same level as in bigger countries.

If what you say is accurate, I take it you don't train at Frontline Academy. We have a total of seven resident black belts, two ADCC 2009 competitors (who won the European trials to qualify), a black belt Pan Ams champion (Teta, who used to teach at BTT in Rio) and a slew of other successful international competitors at various belt levels. Also, John Olav Einemo (who still drops by from time to time) won ADCC 2003 and beat Roger Gracie. Grappling isn't very big in Norway, but you can train with world class instructors and competitors right here in Oslo.

I'm 5'10 155 / 70 kg and havent done ANY form of training since kids soccer, and I came close to tapping my coach from a d'arce on friday, it was fearly tight but my arms gassed like crazy after 6+ seconds.

A few things:

1. Your instructor won't always go 100 % with you, which means that every now and then he might let you sink a submission deep enough that he won't be able to escape (it's always easier to defend early). Also, some instructors will let you tap them out on occasion to see if you're doing the techniques properly. I don't think either was the case here, though.
2. Most likely, your idea of coming 'close' to tapping out your instructor isn't entirely accurate. There's a lot of ways to block arm triangles like the D'Arce that you may not know about yet, so until you actually get a tap from your instructor, and he lets you know that he was actually trying, I suggest you refrain from boasting on the internet about 'almost' submitting your instructor. Talking about tapping people in training can make you pretty unpopular at the gym, too.

And again, if you're really tapping out the 'experienced' guys at your gym, chances are that you're training at the wrong gym.

 

[salpal]

wanna hear useless,

today i had a veteran blue belt in side control, he puts me in like a northsouth triangle, i am surviving not being choked, as he keeps trying to tighten it.... his butt cheek gets closer and closer to almost engulfing my damn face


first my mouth ( now im breathing out of my nose)

he keeps scooting... and my nose is covered by ass... i panic start goin crazy

i get a nostrol free he scoots and locks the triangle ( IM NOT BEING CHOKED)

i tap... due to pure smotherATION by buttcheek.

my nose and mouth covered by ass


bull shit
pissed me off lol

i taped and shouted as loud as i could in anger. minutes later... he kneebard the shit outta me

game set /match

30 minutes later i do the walk of shame back to my car


salvador blancas.... submitted by ass triangle

 

[Easykiel]

Just persevere through it and keep rolling, its only gonna make you better. After rolling find out what you did wrong and make it a priority to work on that. Just remember that you roll to work your game and that subbing or getting subbed doesnt really matter.

Like having a good sub hold on someone and not finishing is way better than nailing a poorly done submission.

Ive been doing BJJ now for almost 3 months and there are still guys who tool me.

 

[everzzz]

Well it's going better, i managed to do well against someone in my own weight, passed guard, successful escapes from side control etc. But one thing which really annoys me is when people who weigh from 10-12 kg and upward pass my guard without no problems at all. sometimes they don't even need to use technique, they just rip my legs apart when in closed guard, especially this one guy i had in close guard who weighed and 90kg and just ripped my legs off and passed without any problems.

How do I defend against the more bigger guys when I got them in closed guard, should I open up when we drill closed guard and try to go for a sweep instead?

 

[stile0]

Well it's going better, i managed to do well against someone in my own weight, passed guard, successful escapes from side control etc. But one thing which really annoys me is when people who weigh from 10-12 kg and upward pass my guard without no problems at all. sometimes they don't even need to use technique, they just rip my legs apart when in closed guard, especially this one guy i had in close guard who weighed and 90kg and just ripped my legs off and passed without any problems.

How do I defend against the more bigger guys when I got them in closed guard, should I open up when we drill closed guard and try to go for a sweep instead?

you just learn to deal with it. most of the guys at my school are at least 20 pounds heavier if not more. going against people you can't out muscle really helps to refine your technique. I know it's frustrating but when you roll with big people for a long time and then go against people your size you will be surprised at how well you do.

 

[blackers10]

I have had 10 lessons in total in BJJ
not being very sporty or fit (office job ARRG)
I have found the biggest thing that helps me is learning the bio mechanics of it all rather than the position it self
its always the smallest part that makes it not work or brings you undone.
ie that small twist of the hips or scooting your bum sideways helps to lock in the triangle rather than trying to muscle it in a straight line

learn how removing X limbs ability to support your opponent the easier it is to control them (grabbing sleeves or having your feet in their hips or hooks in their thighs etc)

I was shocked at how much I understood/knew compared to a completely green person who came in for a trial lesson the other night
we were doing some sweeps I had never done before

look forward to being able to move around/move the person around before being able to submit is my goal
as if I can't change position how am I going to sink in a triangle or arm bar?

 

[lethalazn]

Well 1.5 months into training...about anyone who hasn't wrestled before is going to be useless

Don't worry, you're just like anyone else, if you feel useless now it's not because you suck or anything. Fortunately about anyone who keeps on pushing will become errr...more useful? lol

 

[hughes fan]

If you're having fun then don't worry about it but I think you could benefit from putting on a couple Kilos I mean I'm only 17 and weigh like 78 kilos.

 

[HomerPlata]

Just over 3 years training - although I admit that I've sorta club-hopped a bit in that time - and I still feel useless. If I suddenly felt like I was the finished article, I'd have no motivation to improve, so it's all good :icon_chee

 

[cashdude]

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.

With 1.5 months training, you should be dominant now.

 

[Jinzumkei]

just quit. if you're not good at something after 45 days, you're never gonna be good.

 

[World Syndicate]

if you assume 2 or 3 months into BJJ isnt enough time to be good at it then youre giving yourself an excuse to fail...

i understand not everyone is bj penn and will get a BB in 3 years but automatically assuming it will take u 7+ years is kinda like saying its ok to learn nothing in your first couple months