Apologies if this has already been posted a lot before, but I didn't find much using the search function for previous posts. I'm a 3 stripe blue-belt and over the past two months or so I've hit a wall where I feel like I can't do anything right. Techniques that once worked for me now no longer work and training partners that I usually would have an easy time rolling with, are now giving me fits. Even white- belts are giving me hell. It's really frustrating as I feel like I'm regressing and it's even gotten to the point where I don't even want to roll anymore. My question is how normal is it to feel like this with bjj training and how do you overcome it?
Normal but hard to diagnose what the issues are without rolling against you. You might want to talk to your coach. A lot of times blue belts get caught in a "success trap" where they obsess about beating the other guy, as opposed to working on developing a cohesive, powerful game from different positions. The comparatively boring posture, grip, detail, and drilling work.
For me, whenever I have hit this situation, it is because I've gone through a stretch where I haven't really expanded my game any (or refined it, etc.) and others have caught up. Anytime I feel this happening, I use it as an opportunity to find one thing that I'm having a problem with and I'll just work that every chance I get. It helps me to ignore more when I'm "defeated" by others. I'm working on something specific and the resistance is part of that.
I think everyone goes through it now and then. When it happens to me, I try to narrow my scope a little and start focusing on specific things when I roll rather than concerning myself with EVERYTHING! Maybe try reconnecting with some basic stuff. Maybe focus exclusively on guard retention and sweeps one night. I bet if you narrow your focus a little you'll find you're still pretty good at all those things you thought you had lost. Switch up the focus each night and within a week or two, you will have completed a little refresher course of sorts and brushed up on your roots. By then, you will probably start to see your complete game start to work again.
ive trained in jiu jitsu for two years now. not a long time but ive found that whats helped me along is that there seems to be no end to the amount of techniques or the number of different ways to play the game. when what youve described happens to me, i always like to try experimenting a bit, whether its a new guard, a new approach to the game, whatever sounds interesting at the time. perhaps its because im fairly new to the game or maybe i just enjoy it so much but i find it nearly impossible to get bored with my training right now. maybe a little stale occasionally but never completely bored. i guess really my advice is to just keep working.
YOu are suffering now because great times are comming. Hard training with stuff not working today = great train with stuff working tomorrow just be hard headed and keep on trying and doing it!
I've actually considered going back to the beginner class just to get a refresher on the basics. I definitely feel that it's a mental thing and I think going back to work the basics would do me some good. Thanks for mentioning this.
This is actually a great idea. I've been going to a beginners class for the last few months after our advanced class and before an "all ranks" class, just to get some extra reps in and to keep my workout going. It's been very valuable, just from a standpoint of review and refinement.
I'm going to start going to the beginner classes tonight. Hopefully this will give me some much needed confidence before the advanced classes and settle me a bit
I try and go 2 to 3 times a week, but it's tough to make it sometimes as I work fulltime and go to grad school at night part-time.
I try and go 2 to 3 times a week, but it's tough to make it sometimes as I work fulltime and go to grad school at night part-time.
