At a croassroad...of sorts.

[spannered]

So here's my history:

I've had about 2 years of fragmented MMA training, with hiatuses of several months here and there due to travelling and work arrangements. I spent about 3 months going through beginner BJJ classes when I first started out and really enjoyed it. I branched out to striking and realised pretty quickly that it came naturally to me, so I predominantly trained stand up for the following 6 months.

After 6 months off due to travelling overseas, I returned and really tried to work on my BJJ. I was training 8 or so hours a week and 80% of that was BJJ. I kept this up for 4 months and about half way through this stint I realised that I had no real talent with BJJ. A guy who started training with me on my return was able to catch me in subs after about 3 months (dude trained every night and had a natural talent, mind you).

Long story short, I have moved again and started training religously at a new gym. My stand up is as good as it's ever been, and with my strong build my wrestling is improving rapidly as well. I'm hanging with most of the pros in general striking sparring.

My ground game, however, is absolutely fucking stagnant now--guys at the gym are even commenting on the difference in my abilities standing and on the ground-- and it's really starting to get to me. I don't seem to improve or apply new techniques when I'm rolling and I seem to go with the same passes, dominant top-control nonesense I always do without having too much submission offense. In striking, even if I get picked apart, I won't fall for the same combination twice and I'll always take something from it. With BJJ, I get caught with the same shit, round after round, night after night. I'm starting to develop a negative attitude about BJJ.

Anyway, I'm not sure what I'm even asking here. I got armbarred pretty heavily by a blue belt last night (a good one) and out of pure frustration I tried too hard to roll out of it, I didn't, and we both heard a pop in my arm. It's likely just a tendon strain according to the doctor, so I'll probably only be out for two weeks or so, but it's got me down.

Anyone else struggle with their BJJ game like this, and if so, how did you overcome the frustration, re-apply yourself and make steady improvements?

I don't know whether I should quit the gym, sign up to a pure BJJ school and work on my rolling for another 6 months. I want to fight by the end of the year and this is the only thing holding me back.

Regards,

The world's longest, most frustrated white belt.

 

[loyalyolayal]

do you even lift, bro?

 

[nyne]

Get on the mat and train jiu jitsu consistently. 2 months on 2 months off isn't going to do much for you. Get out there every day ( I don't mean 3 days a week) for a couple of years and then start worrying about crossroads. Mat time is everything.

 

[spannered]

do you even lift, bro?

Ever come up with an original, witty reply, bro?

This 'bro-lift' shit is overdone to the point of idiocy.

 

[Knock Out Ned]

You are a beginner, and you don't have that much BJJ experience. New guys are going to give you a hard time, because you are a newb, too. If you want to get better, train more BJJ. Don't get down. Go train.

 

[spannered]

You are a beginner, and you don't have that much BJJ experience. New guys are going to give you a hard time, because you are a newb, too. If you want to get better, train more BJJ. Don't get down. Go train.

I've trained 5+ hours a week in BJJ for about 12 months all up, intermittently I maight add, but I'd rate a beginner as someone with less than 6 months training. I know the staple is that a purple belt is at an intermediatte level, although for the average school, a blue belt should be able to hang with purples at least and I'd consider anyone close to a blue grading to be competent.

The fragmented training has probably hindered a lot of my progress though.

You are right but, I just need to put more mat time in. It would help if I dropped the reluctance (BJJ seems a chore to me) and adopted a more positive attitude.

 

[Knock Out Ned]

It would help if I dropped the reluctance (BJJ seems a chore to me) and adopted a more positive attitude.

This is a good idea.

With a year of on and off training, you are still a beginner.

 

[loyalyolayal]

Ever come up with an original, witty reply, bro?

This 'bro-lift' shit is overdone to the point of idiocy.

LOL!

i've had several BJJ hiatus. & the guys i've started with are now blue belts, another is a purple. but i can still hang with them & not getting dominated when i want it to. i am by no means a prodigy but i've seen people as dumb as rocks develop decent grappling skills in a couple of months.

also different people progress differently. you might be on the slow side of the spectrum. hard work is the only solution.

while striking is a different aspect of combat it is still instinctive for man to throw punches than grapple. muscle memory is the key.


also:

u mad bro?

 

[Einarr]

So, you're a newbie who trains inconsistently and expects to be good all the while making excuses for yourself with "I'm just not a natural". Guess what? Very few people are naturals at anything. Put the hours on the mat, spar, drill, improve, repeat.