People that dissapear from the mat

[RAWilliams]

Just to clarify for my gym:

Everyone at my gym is generally well welcomed. We are pretty tight knit, but it takes equal time and effort from the new guy and the older members to all feel comfortable. For instance, team get togethers, open mat training sessions on early weekends. These are all bonding things that happen not at practice.

That, and traveling for competition. There's nothing quite like sharing a long drive or maybe a bit of adversity together, helping each other, and being helped in exchange. It's not that unusual for people to come along at their own expense and even pay admission fees just to support the team, even if they don't have a spouse, significant other, or relative on the mat.

 

[Mike Wilson Jr.]

^ Our team recently took 20 guys from LB to Phoenix to compete at the IBJJF Phoenix Open, and we are planning on bringing more to the US Open in San Jose.

 

[BiggusDickusJr]

I think you guys are over emphasising the demands of BJJ.

People quiting after a short time is something that occurs in every sport, maybe even any kind of hobby. People decide to try something out, give it a go for a few weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less) and then decide it isn't for them. Or, as others have said, life circumstances change and other things become more important.

Doesn't necessarily mean they found it too hard, or they are a wimp (although this can sometimes be the case). They may not have liked the activity for any number of reasons, probably chief amongst them that the reality didn't mesh with their expectations.

In my first year of university I joined a heap of clubs that I thought sounded interesting. Everything from martial arts, to politics and gaming. Went to a few events run by each club, but only ended up sticking with Judo because I enjoyed it the most. I hardly quit the other clubs because they were too physically demanding. Rather, I stopped going because I didn't really like the activities or the people, couldn't afford it, or it conflicted with my classes.

In any club, regardless of its purpose, you are always going to get a lot of new people that join up but don't stick around. Just the nature of the beast.

This sounds about right to me. People try out different things, see what works for them. Some things meet up to your expectations, some things even exceed your expectations. And others may be completely the opposite of what you thought they would be.

Obviously, there's always the local tough guy that wants to come in and kick some ass. And when they get said ass handed to them, they feel like grappling (be it judo, bjj, ...) is not a 'real' fighting art, because whatever. So they quietly vanish (sometimes even after just having bought a brand new expensive gi) into thin air.

Anyways, however fun it can be to play the guessing game as to why X and Y never came back, I'm basically just concerned with how much training/progression I can get myself.

 

[Fedorzilla]

Either

OR

 

[crochuck]

Yeah we all see it. It is weird when you see a blue belt or higher just quit though. About 6 months ago I remember rolling with this blue belt and he was like "oh man BJJ is my life I love this if I don't do it like 3 times a get all gittery". A month later he just disappears from class, which was even stranger because my gym has crossfit too and I always see him doing crossfit.