Is it ok as a student to rip into your classmates for their work ethic

[crochuck]

I just want to make a couple of points. You keep saying you are only talking about the people who compete not the hobbyists, however I'm sure if you were to ask most of the people competing they would say its just a hobby or something they do for fun. Nothing is really won or lost at competitions on the "team" level except at best bragging rights. Until your gym starts paying your teammates competition fees they have the right to prepare as they want. I think your best bet is to try and find people at your gym who approach it with the same intensity as you and work together to get better.

 

[bjjmedic]

How does the instructor feel about you taking over his team?

 

[iheartthemount]

i really don't have to because my instructor will do it for me. He will literally stand there and call so and so a pussy for now putting out hard enough during training. it's awesome.

 

[platfox]

How does the instructor feel about you taking over his team?

You guys are making this out to be way more than it is.

How is wanting the guys to get into better shape, me trying to take over the team?

I think your best bet is to try and find people at your gym who approach it with the same intensity as you and work together to get better.

Thanks, very good point. This is already what I do.

That is interesting. in MT or MMA training, you always hear guys screaming to their teamates to suck it up for another of couple of hard reps.

but in BJJ, nothing like that.

This is how my kickboxing, boxing, and mma classes were also. We pushed each other very hard, it wasn't uncommon for people to throw up by the end of class.

I asked if its ok if I press my classmates to work harder and all of a sudden I'm some kind of gym nazi.

 

[bjjmedic]

In BJJ the discipline is from yourself not from someone yelling at you. You are overstepping your authority. You are being called a gym Nazi because that is how you are acting. I know if someone, other than my instructor, told me that I had to attend strength and conditioning class I would tell them to shove it.

Maybe your instructor would rather have your teammates work on technique rather than strength.

If it bugs you that much, try leading by example.

 

[lechien]

This is how my kickboxing, boxing, and mma classes were also. We pushed each other very hard, it wasn't uncommon for people to throw up by the end of class.

I asked if its ok if I press my classmates to work harder and all of a sudden I'm some kind of gym nazi.

You should go and push your teamates that compete, they will appreciate it.

the others, well just leave them alone.

 

[Laddy]

It's not your deal how hard they are working, just focus on your own game and advancing yourself. They won't go far with a crappy work ethic.

 

[Team Sleep]

If you are in a BJJ class, everyone is paying good damn money to be learning and pushing the pace. Yea, you might be tired and shit. That doesn't matter much when you're in a match and have someone in your guard, are exhausted and need to sweep and mount or submit a guy in the next 30-45 seconds. After doing all that work all day, this is exactly the time to be trashing your muscles. Over time you'll be built like a brick shithouse and slaying fools on the mat.

As a teamate, competitive or not, your job is not only to get better for yourself-but also because your team gets better as a whole with quality training partners. Your job is to be the best you can be and improve so others can improve. Be an example, but also encourage your teamates to bust their ass with you. You just have to be careful about how you approach certain people.

Roll with those people and stall them out on top, make them work their ass off for a sweep and then let them get it after a good fight. Allow yourself to be put in a bad position, but make the earn the points so they get a sense of earned satisfaction. Help them get better and you will get better at the same time.

If you're talking about people who have no interest in competing though, I'd say just give basic pointers and roll with them to work on technique, save the real battles for people who are as invested as you are.

 

[curb1850]

You guys are making this out to be way more than it is.

How is wanting the guys to get into better shape, me trying to take over the team?



Thanks, very good point. This is already what I do.



This is how my kickboxing, boxing, and mma classes were also. We pushed each other very hard, it wasn't uncommon for people to throw up by the end of class.

I asked if its ok if I press my classmates to work harder and all of a sudden I'm some kind of gym nazi.

I actually think you mean really well... these kind of threads tend to get out of control. Sounds like you really care.

From what I have observed, and I could be completely off base, you need to be training with some of the real hardcore instructors to get what it appears you are looking for. Read Hillary's thread about her time at alliance, and countless others who have done some travel.

Regardless, good luck bro.

 

[Spoken]

Its good I don't go to your class then.

I agree with an earlier poster; lead by example and just let it roll off.

 

[SteelHammer]

you know, not everyone is there to spend hours and hours on strength training and conditioning. Many even feel it's a complete waste of class time, as they can do that elsewhere- at the gym, at home, etc, rather than paying to attend a class just to jump rope or whatever.

 

[CyberFreq]

Without reading the other posts because I am a lazy SOB right now, I will add this.

Ripping into someone because you perceive their 'work ethic' as you put it to be poor is not a good thing. Allow the instructors to rip into them (and if their ethic truly is terrible, they will get ripped into). However, if you simply feel that they could use a few small nudges to keep going, then by all means. Nudge away.

Just today we were live rolling and my partner just stopped because he was tired. I kept telling him to keep working, just work lighter (I was willing to work lighter with him) but he kept on shrugging me off. It made me mad, but I wasn't about to start getting visibly pissed at him.

Just take them aside after class (or during a break) and explain your opinion, then let them know it's just that - an opinion.

 

[tim18t]

We have a grizzled 60+ yr old guy at our gym that has been a white belt for about 10 years. He warms up hard, and follows protocol to a T. If people want to slack off when he's in class he will let em know what he thinks of it no question.

 

[Fedorzilla]

If they are just lazy as shit, don't be an asshole. you can rip into them for goofing off during class, but the other stuff isn't your place to comment on. If they are out of shape, dominate them in sparring using cardio.

 

[raines513]

I do cardio to be better at bjj but I don't really ever workout and I'm apart of a competition team, I'm not out of shape and I do really well in competitions so maybe s&c is something that helps you but everyone is different.

 

[Gerbiljiujitsu]

This is by far, one of my largest pet peeves. It might even piss me off more than people walking into the bathroom barefoot.

It irritates the hell out of me when people show up late to class. I understand if you're working, I totally understand if you got caught in traffic, what I CAN NOT stand is those lazy and disrepsectful people that will stand on the sidelines and outside the front door while we work out and then come into the class, put on their gi and expect to roll with me after I'm dripping sweat, tired as fuck and ready to collapse.

It is disrespectful on a number of levels. Openly being late and doing things half assed shows how much worth you apply to your instructors time, your instructors teaching and your classmates. If you want to have a social hour how about you take that 130 dollars a month that you spend in BJJ and go to the local sports bar and buy a couple of beers three or four times a week.

While I'm on this soap box, it pisses me off that I'm consistantly the only person above the rank of purple that show's up for the warm up and stretch, then I'm the only brown belt who does the shrimping drills, or during the technical portion of the class I'm the only person trying to rep things out more than 3 times.

The lazy SOB's that want to rep it out 6 times and stop are not only hurting themselves but they are hurting me. It's gotten so bad that I have to grab a fucking white or blue belt so that I can get my reps in, the browns and blacks just seriously dont give two shits.

Show some respect to your instructor, come to class on time (if allowable), and train with the energy that you have. If you want to go slow, go slow, but dont stand on the sidelines and talk with your other groupie friends during practice time...or heaven forbid, during actual instruction.

that's not my 2 cents...thats really only about half of a cent.

 

[Bebop]

not your place. talking to your instructor about it might be a way to go but it also might make you look like a little snitch.

imo, just train. people pay good money to be there, and most likely won't take to kindly to you being a busybody.

Nothing wrong with looking like a snitch, especially to people you don't have personal relationships with. You'll either be considered a snitch or a bully (or keep your mouth shut). I've been in both positions (not in BJJ, but just many times in school and in orgs), and I can say that when you're a snitch, you'll at least have some peers (the goodie two-shoes), but bullies merely have peons.

 

[Kid Sampson]

As stated before, its really none of your business, I myself think its a bit rude/disrespectful to show up late and slack off during warm-ups. That being said, I know that they are only hurting themselves, so thusly my mouth stays shut.

The people that do deserve a verbal beat down are those that talk while the instructor/sensei is trying to explain a technique

 

[redaxe]

This is by far, one of my largest pet peeves. It might even piss me off more than people walking into the bathroom barefoot.

It irritates the hell out of me when people show up late to class. I understand if you're working, I totally understand if you got caught in traffic, what I CAN NOT stand is those lazy and disrepsectful people that will stand on the sidelines and outside the front door while we work out and then come into the class, put on their gi and expect to roll with me after I'm dripping sweat, tired as fuck and ready to collapse.

It is disrespectful on a number of levels. Openly being late and doing things half assed shows how much worth you apply to your instructors time, your instructors teaching and your classmates. If you want to have a social hour how about you take that 130 dollars a month that you spend in BJJ and go to the local sports bar and buy a couple of beers three or four times a week.

While I'm on this soap box, it pisses me off that I'm consistantly the only person above the rank of purple that show's up for the warm up and stretch, then I'm the only brown belt who does the shrimping drills, or during the technical portion of the class I'm the only person trying to rep things out more than 3 times.

The lazy SOB's that want to rep it out 6 times and stop are not only hurting themselves but they are hurting me. It's gotten so bad that I have to grab a fucking white or blue belt so that I can get my reps in, the browns and blacks just seriously dont give two shits.

Show some respect to your instructor, come to class on time (if allowable), and train with the energy that you have. If you want to go slow, go slow, but dont stand on the sidelines and talk with your other groupie friends during practice time...or heaven forbid, during actual instruction.

that's not my 2 cents...thats really only about half of a cent.

Good point, I can see how that would be frustrating, and being that you're a brown belt you can probably do something about it.

But white and blue belt students really should not be playing drill sergeant in the gym. That's the instructor's job. If the instructor can't keep his students focused, disciplined and productive, that's a problem, and maybe it's time to find a better instructor.

Personally, I haven't had this kind of problem because the instructors I've trained under have all been able to keep their class disciplined--basically by telling everyone exactly what we're supposed to be doing, and then embarrassing the fuck out of people who slack off.

 

[Kalma]

I personally respond well to the drill sergant treatment when it comes from a higher rank, however if it was from someone my grade or below I'd be a bit WTF?! (I dont train BJJ either)

Different people respond to different approaches. As I stated the drill sergant thing works for me, however some made need to need to be taken outside (maybe out of the dojo) and just have a 'freindly' chat about it.

When I was looking for a new MA to take up I visited several places and was SHOCKED that the students were talking to each other prior to class and during warm up. When I'd trained a TMA you didnt speak unless spoken to and prior to class anyone below black had to clean the dojo.

Then ALL grades had to take part in the warm up, and I believe that's correct. The instructor is making the effort to take the class, the least you could do is take part.

off topic ...if you are below black in BJJ are they called kyu grades ?