Gym etiquette: Knee on chest

Quipling

Quipling

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So, I started interviewing for jobs since the current gig is about up, and I've made a point of trying out bjj in the area of the interview to get a sense of the town/city I might be moving to. Just had a very bizarre experience at a place maybe a couple steps above a garage gym where, among other things that struck me as unusual, the instructor went knee on chest in the first minute after suggesting that we could "go light." I've been to two schools previously for extended periods, and that would have been considered a bit shitty to do in a casual roll in either of them.

Got a really weird feeling from the whole thing (guy also cranked a few chokes and an armlock and had this habit of a running commentary of flattery), so I wondered if anybody else had thoughts (knee on chest ok?) or similar stories of bizarre behavior.
 
I wouldn't join a gym that does knee on chest or knee on belly to someone during their first class.

Was this an actual legit BJJ gym or just a grappling class in a MMA Bro gym?
 
Yeah I would say trust your gut feeling, if you felt the whole thing was weird.

But I don't know people talk about K.O.B being a jerk move, but I feel like it's a standard situation, and often on the way to get mount. I don't mind if someone gets me in it, it's part of the game. It's uncomfortable, but it doesn't risk injury, just like shoulder pressure when you're in side control...
You can be a jerk about it, and pull up on the pants and chest and spin around to keep it forever sure. Just like you can be ajerk while rolling with anything else.

Would I consider that going light? not really. I feel like K.O.B should be destigmatized as a bully move.

But if you thought the dude was weird and the place was weird... well it's probably weird.
 
if the instructor has to try THAT hard when rolling with you then he is not someone who could really teach you anything, about bjj nor about life.
 
Quipling said:
and had this habit of a running commentary
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Lol for a second I thought maybe you had rolled with me. I coach myself and praise myself out loud the whole time I'm parring. GOOOOD JOB KEN, NICE, WAY TO GO!
 
andrewm2211 said:
But I don't know people talk about K.O.B being a jerk move, but I feel like it's a standard situation, and often on the way to get mount. I don't mind if someone gets me in it, it's part of the game.
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It's important to learn KOB, how to relax when someone's doing it to you and how to counter it, because you will run into it. If not in class, you'll have someone do it in competition. But it's not something that should be done to someone during their first BJJ class.
 
andrewm2211 said:
Yeah I would say trust your gut feeling, if you felt the whole thing was weird.

But I don't know people talk about K.O.B being a jerk move, but I feel like it's a standard situation, and often on the way to get mount. I don't mind if someone gets me in it, it's part of the game. It's uncomfortable, but it doesn't risk injury, just like shoulder pressure when you're in side control...
You can be a jerk about it, and pull up on the pants and chest and spin around to keep it forever sure. Just like you can be ajerk while rolling with anything else.

Would I consider that going light? not really. I feel like K.O.B should be destigmatized as a bully move.

But if you thought the dude was weird and the place was weird... well it's probably weird.
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Agreed.

Although there is possibility for injury. I had a guy go knee on chest on me when I was a real noob and it gave me a reasonably bad rib injury. No break, but shit was swollen and sore for a good few weeks.

So, against a complete noob, it's not a great idea, especially if you say you're going light. But against anyone more experienced, it's fine. If you're going light, just don't rest all your weight on them.
 
nothing wrong with that imo. everybody gotta learn sometime. might as well be the first day. maybe he wanted to know what you're made of. of course, kob on a guy's first day might lose him a paying student, but maybe he's ok with that (or doesn't know any better).

in any case, that doesn't mean you need to stay there. it's your money, you go where they'll be easy on you if you don't like.
 
lts5025 said:
It's important to learn KOB, how to relax when someone's doing it to you and how to counter it, because you will run into it. If not in class, you'll have someone do it in competition. But it's not something that should be done to someone during their first BJJ class.
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From time to time, as part of diaphragm breathing exercises I'll do anyway, I like to get someone to go KOB on me and start applying moderate pressure so I can diaphragm breathe against that resistance. For myself, even from early on, it helped me be able to keep a little more relaxed when stuck underneath heavy pressure.

My .02 - ymmv.
 
lts5025 said:
I wouldn't join a gym that does knee on chest or knee on belly to someone during their first class.

Was this an actual legit BJJ gym or just a grappling class in a MMA Bro gym?
Click to expand...

I don't think it was his first class, maybe at that gym it was but it sounds like op has experience. Anyways I don't have a problem KOB a newer guy, I wouldn't go extra hard on taps and I wouldn't try to tap him with a KOB, but a little pressure isn't gonna hurt him. As long as he's about my size or bigger, I don't see the problem
 
i see absolutely nothing wrong with it unless you were specifically told to "go light", which is an issue because it is misleading. Knee on chest is fine.

my coach like to alternate between knee on belly, and when you push off his knee to hip escape he goes knee-on-chest with his other knee
 
WTF? Since when was KOB a dick move? Honestly, it hardly bothers me. I had a black belt do it on me, and look at me like I was supposed to move, but it just wasn't making me that uncomfortable. Maybe my abs are strong.

When I do KOB I look to secure a better hold, because I never think KOB pressure is enough. Not compared to other holds especially scarf hold.

Although I once passed to KOB as the guy was sitting up, so I gave him a flying knee to the chest. Now that was a dick move :)
 
It seems that there is some confusion.
Ts is talking about knee in the sternum.
It is not the same as knee on the belly.
Do knee on my sternum and try to get a tap. No problem.

By do not complain when I do knee on your ear after that.
 
KOB is not a dick move unless you make it a dick move. I know of guys that bounce up and down to make it hurt. I've heard of some guys who grab the gi and pull their knee into you. Sure, that can be dick-ish. But KOB itself is not a dick move. Knee on chest is just KOB on your chest.
 
lechien said:
It seems that there is some confusion.
Ts is talking about knee in the sternum.
It is not the same as knee on the belly.
Do knee on my sternum and try to get a tap. No problem.

By do not complain when I do knee on your ear after that.
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Yeah, it was knee on sternum as you put it. Not sure why everyone was talking about KoB - I'd have said KoB if I meant KoB.
 
dmwalking said:
KOB is not a dick move unless you make it a dick move. I know of guys that bounce up and down to make it hurt. I've heard of some guys who grab the gi and pull their knee into you. Sure, that can be dick-ish. But KOB itself is not a dick move. Knee on chest is just KOB on your chest.
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This, as one of the weaker guys at my gym I'm always KOBing when I pass as I have a tough time holding a standard side control. If I'm against a newer guy (and even if I'm against experienced people depending on the intensity of the roll) I don't really put much pressure into it.
 
kpoz12 said:
Lol for a second I thought maybe you had rolled with me. I coach myself and praise myself out loud the whole time I'm parring. GOOOOD JOB KEN, NICE, WAY TO GO!
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Do you coach yourself technique wise as well? (i.e. "TAKE HIS BACK KEN! KEN, SWEEP THE LEG!")
 
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