Explaining your training to regular people

people around here generally know what i'm talking about
 
BJJ - It's similar to wrestling but with an emphasis on joint locks or chokes

Judo - Jacket wrestling, which is exactly what I view it as. (Blah blah to the mutual benefit maximum efficiency).
 
BrainBar said:
I just don't tell people about it anymore. Eventually, you get tired of explaining it.

But worse...far far far worse...are the idiots who say "Oh, that wouldn't work in a real fight" or "Oh, if you did that to me, I'd just stand up and punch you".


Of course, they could say "Oh, that wont work in UFC, you could take my back for 12 out of 15 minutes, and I could never pose any serious threat to you at all........and Dana Whites refs would still give me the win".........And they'd be right.
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The ufc statement is like the opposite of reality... if anything positional control is overvalued.
 
I usually say it's a mix of wrestling and Judo, seems to get the point across.
 
Lucky for me, most people I associate with generally know about bjj, muay thai, mma etc. But usually I just say kickboxing and wrestling and that gets across
 
i used to train MMA and when people asked me what i train i told them "we just beat eachother up a bit". now i say it's judo, or kinda like judo. i really hate getting into detail about my training, i feel as if i'm trying to pose as a toughass if i tell people i fight on the ground. it doesn't help much that i'm under 150lbs and don't look like a guy that could fight, so i often get the "so you think you could beat me up, hurr hurr?" line.

also, i often just say "i roll around on the ground with sweaty men". people usually don't ask further questions, it's great.
 
randomg1t said:
i used to train MMA and when people asked me what i train i told them "we just beat eachother up a bit". now i say it's judo, or kinda like judo. i really hate getting into detail about my training, i feel as if i'm trying to pose as a toughass if i tell people i fight on the ground. it doesn't help much that i'm under 150lbs and don't look like a guy that could fight, so i often get the "so you think you could beat me up, hurr hurr?" line.

also, i often just say "i roll around on the ground with sweaty men". people usually don't ask further questions, it's great.
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Those are my default responses and reactions.
 
"Wrestling"

If they press further about jiu jitsu, then it's "Like wrestling, only you choke them instead of pin them"

One time at the beach, I ended up meeting a wrestler who had just gotten back from competing in Romania at world trials or something. Girls were talking to me, and as soon as he heard wrestling mentioned, he perked up and came over. I had to correct myself for him.
 
randomg1t said:
i used to train MMA and when people asked me what i train i told them "we just beat eachother up a bit". now i say it's judo, or kinda like judo. i really hate getting into detail about my training, i feel as if i'm trying to pose as a toughass if i tell people i fight on the ground. it doesn't help much that i'm under 150lbs and don't look like a guy that could fight, so i often get the "so you think you could beat me up, hurr hurr?" line.

also, i often just say "i roll around on the ground with sweaty men". people usually don't ask further questions, it's great.
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I tell my friends it's "man hugging" class.

I don't think they even know it's BJJ anymore.
 
I usually just say "grappling" and if they ask further it's.."submission wrestling."
 
SuperAzn812 said:
I tell my friends it's "man hugging" class.

I don't think they even know it's BJJ anymore.
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yeah my friends tease me by saying "oh yeah, if that guy gave you shit, you'd just pin him and hug him until he begged for mercy" all the time. it's actually kinda funny.
 
randomg1t said:
yeah my friends tease me by saying "oh yeah, if that guy gave you shit, you'd just pin him and hug him until he begged for mercy" all the time. it's actually kinda funny.
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Just tell them "or break an arm or dislocate a shoulder. Your pick". :D
 
It's funny. I'm finally past the whole "DAMN WHY DOESN'T THE WHOLE WORLD UNDERSTAND MY OBSESSION" phase. Now I can genuinely laugh at jokes like that. I realize that, yeah I guess I would actually hug someone until they give up. That's not too far from the truth.

I think the problem most BJJ guys have with other people describing BJJ is due to them being a little bit too obsessive about it. Hell I'm sure that a career archer or Fencer get their fair share of robin hood jokes and musketeer jokes as well. "u liek playing with sticks?" etc.

I don't think people mean it to insult. I think it's just human nature to try and make jokes to relate, and it's hard to make jokes about stuff you know nothing about.


As for what I tell people when they ask? I usually just say it's like Judo. And if they don't know what Judo is, I'll explain that it's more like wrestling. I'll leave it at that. I'll tell them about submissions if they press the issue. 99% don't. (protip: they don't care)
 
What does an accountant do?
Bend over and I'll show you.

What is an IRS agent?
Bend over and I'll show you.

What is jiu-jitsu?
...
 
i usually just say i do mma, which is technically true, though 80% of the classes i go to at my school are the grappling ones
 
I usually don't even try, but if I do, I just show them an ADCC highlight or something.
 
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