Newbie Getting Exhausted

[Octavian27BC]

I am 40 years old, and just started BJJ. I used to wrestle in high school for 4 years, did Karate during that same time and even boxed for a year. But that was 20 years ago. For the past 15 years or so, I've let my body down. To make matters worse, my asthma has gotten worse, too.

I've been doing BJJ for 2 months and just earned second stripe on white belt. When I first started, I was annihilated with exhaustion in the middle of a normal class. Now I can make it to the very end of class while feeling a bit of a "runner's high" and while tired, not exhausted or panting. I've lost 15 pounds in 2 months.

I just started rolling with the class. I don't really remember any of the old wresting or karate moves, but sometimes things pop out from my unconscious and work--but its not a conscious thing. I submitted some guys that are my size and rank, but am getting annihilated by higher belt guys. I'm pretty strong and am actually able to put alot of them into side-control. The problem is that once I get them into side control (its basically like pinning a guy in high school wrestling) I find myself at a loss for what to do next. Furthermore, I find that I am so exhausted trying to muscle them into side control, that either (a) we just sort of sit there for a while struggling with him pinned, but me not able to land any submissions or (b) he has conserved his energy wisely and is able to flip me and/or put me in an arm-bar.

I find that my basic issues are that I am spending my energy too quickly to get to side-control. And I am trying to find out how to conserve the energy. Its hard, because I don't yet know many BJJ moves and all I can rely on is strength. And I realize this is tiring me out.

 

[DrBdan]

This is a question for the grappling forum but the obvious answer to me is to stop muscling them into positions. Use the moves that you know and if they aren't enough then oh well, you're still a beginner. You don't need to "win" when you are training, you need to get better. Constantly using your strength to make up for your lack of skill isn't helping you improve.

 

[ironwolf]

Of course your getting smoked you are an out of shape beginner with no gas tank and no technique.

It's normal.

 

[btwrestler119]

Yeah, it's to be expected that you'd be extremely exhausted. You say you are out of shape, even if you were in excellent shape it would still be normal to be totally gassed if you haven't grappled in a long time.

 

[deadshot138]

2 stripe white belt after 2 months? McDojo confirmed.

 

[ironwolf]

2 stripe white belt after 2 months? McDojo confirmed.

Or Gracie Barra which is sort of a Mc dojo. I went to One once and the strip/belt system was based on attendance. The computer would record when you swiped in and you were given stripes based on how many times you went lol.

They may have had tears for the belts, I don't know I haut trained there a few days while traveling.

 

[Marfa]

Keep training and learning.

 

[deadshot138]

Or Gracie Barra which is sort of a Mc dojo. I went to One once and the strip/belt system was based on attendance. The computer would record when you swiped in and you were given stripes based on how many times you went lol.

They may have had tears for the belts, I don't know I haut trained there a few days while traveling.

I live in Wisconsin where bjj promotions are notoriously slow. You're guaranteed to be a white belt for at LEAST 2 years.

 

[ironwolf]

I live in Wisconsin where bjj promotions are notoriously slow. You're guaranteed to be a white belt for at LEAST 2 years.

I think it's the school more than the state. I was a blue belt for like 7-8 years lol.

 

[BOWHUNTER]

I am 40 years old, and just started BJJ. I used to wrestle in high school for 4 years, did Karate during that same time and even boxed for a year. But that was 20 years ago. For the past 15 years or so, I've let my body down. To make matters worse, my asthma has gotten worse, too.

I've been doing BJJ for 2 months and just earned second stripe on white belt. When I first started, I was annihilated with exhaustion in the middle of a normal class. Now I can make it to the very end of class while feeling a bit of a "runner's high" and while tired, not exhausted or panting. I've lost 15 pounds in 2 months.

I just started rolling with the class. I don't really remember any of the old wresting or karate moves, but sometimes things pop out from my unconscious and work--but its not a conscious thing. I submitted some guys that are my size and rank, but am getting annihilated by higher belt guys. I'm pretty strong and am actually able to put alot of them into side-control. The problem is that once I get them into side control (its basically like pinning a guy in high school wrestling) I find myself at a loss for what to do next. Furthermore, I find that I am so exhausted trying to muscle them into side control, that either (a) we just sort of sit there for a while struggling with him pinned, but me not able to land any submissions or (b) he has conserved his energy wisely and is able to flip me and/or put me in an arm-bar.

I find that my basic issues are that I am spending my energy too quickly to get to side-control. And I am trying to find out how to conserve the energy. Its hard, because I don't yet know many BJJ moves and all I can rely on is strength. And I realize this is tiring me out.

You gained two stripes without rolling with the class?

Your trying to use strength instead of technique. getting beat up by higher belts allowed me to steamroll guys my level in tourneys. I rarely rolled with my belt color unless the instructor put me on it.

Learn to use your weight in side control, this would be better suited for the grappling fourm.

 

[BOWHUNTER]

2 stripe white belt after 2 months? McDojo confirmed.

I was two after 4 months at Salvosa BJJ, certainly not a McDojo. but yeah the 2 stripes for him seems suspect.

 

[T-Bone]

I am 40 years old, and just started BJJ. I used to wrestle in high school for 4 years, did Karate during that same time and even boxed for a year. But that was 20 years ago. For the past 15 years or so, I've let my body down. To make matters worse, my asthma has gotten worse, too.

I've been doing BJJ for 2 months and just earned second stripe on white belt. When I first started, I was annihilated with exhaustion in the middle of a normal class. Now I can make it to the very end of class while feeling a bit of a "runner's high" and while tired, not exhausted or panting. I've lost 15 pounds in 2 months.

I just started rolling with the class. I don't really remember any of the old wresting or karate moves, but sometimes things pop out from my unconscious and work--but its not a conscious thing. I submitted some guys that are my size and rank, but am getting annihilated by higher belt guys. I'm pretty strong and am actually able to put alot of them into side-control. The problem is that once I get them into side control (its basically like pinning a guy in high school wrestling) I find myself at a loss for what to do next. Furthermore, I find that I am so exhausted trying to muscle them into side control, that either (a) we just sort of sit there for a while struggling with him pinned, but me not able to land any submissions or (b) he has conserved his energy wisely and is able to flip me and/or put me in an arm-bar.

I find that my basic issues are that I am spending my energy too quickly to get to side-control. And I am trying to find out how to conserve the energy. Its hard, because I don't yet know many BJJ moves and all I can rely on is strength. And I realize this is tiring me out.

You're out of shape and muscling it. It's that simple. Your third issue, of not knowing what to do next when in side control is common. You're just starting out with your rolling. After a while you'll be able to tie the different moves together in a sequence. It's like playing chess for the first time. After awhile you get to think of moves ahead of time and you can always counter a move.

I just started rolling a couple of weeks ago. It is a culture shock compared to just learning technique. I'm getting better after four advanced classes where I roll 3x per class at the end if class. Been doing BJJ for about nine or ten weeks.

What I noticed is I try not to muscle it. And secondly, I find that my cardio for Rolling is really really good. So that surprised me. But that's because I've been taking muay Thai 2 times per week since I started BJJ.

Trying to improve your cardio with something high intensity like boxing or Muay Thai. I think is pretty much guaranteed to improve your rolling ability. At least preventing you from gassing it quickly.

-T