starting bjj

[unbreakable904]

im sure this has been posted before, so ill apologize in advance.

anyways, im starting bjj classes later this month and i just wanted to know if their were some tips or things i should know about or do.

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

At this point, just go and have fun.

Tap early and often.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or take notes.

Wash your gi after EVERY use.

Trim your nails, both fingers and toes.

Leave your ego at the door. You're going to suck at it for a while. That's to be expected.

Don't worry too much about belt progression. Just train.

Check the lineage and perhaps even ask here about it. There are a lot of shady people out there that can put up a very good front.

Remember that your training partners are on the same team as you. You can't "win" or "lose" in class. It's just training. If you want to win or lose, do a competition.

Don't crank submissions or do anything with any real conviction until you know what's going on.

Don't be that guy that resists during the time that you are supposed to be drilling a technique.

 

[bubkusjones]

^ Yeah, that was pretty much what I was going to type, but I'm slow.

 

[Junglist]

since you will be on close contact with other people, make sure you have good breath.

im not say chew a gum while rolling but brush your teeth or rinse out with some mouth wash.

and importantly, take a shower before and after.

 

[bnosam]

im sure this has been posted before, so ill apologize in advance.

anyways, im starting bjj classes later this month and i just wanted to know if their were some tips or things i should know about or do.

It's also tradition for the new guys to "check the oil" of everyone they're rolling with. Also, don't wear a cup, wear a tapout shirt. Tell them you watched "UFC" on tv and you're probably at least a 4 stripe purple which is basically a brown. Whenever someone taps you out yell "BULLSHIT". Trust me dude this is how it works.

 

[Prowler]

Breath mints or gum before class. Seriously. Even if you don't think your breath stinks, it's best to assume it'll stink to everyone else.

 

[Passenger]

Breath mints or gum before class. Seriously. Even if you don't think your breath stinks, it's best to assume it'll stink to everyone else.

Fucking aye, I completely agree. Brush your god damn teeth before class and if you cannot do that chew gum or a breath mint. Some guys breath smells so bad, Beyond me how they don't notice. You can tell who does and does not freshen their breath before class you can smell it from a mile away.

 

[bnosam]

Fucking aye, I completely agree. Brush your god damn teeth before class and if you cannot do that chew gum or a breath mint. Some guys breath smells so bad, Beyond me how they don't notice. You can tell who does and does not freshen their breath before class you can smell it from a mile away.

My dad always gives me shit for the two minute teeth brushing before I leave for BJJ. But stinky people are gross.

 

[Passenger]

My dad always gives me shit for the two minute teeth brushing before I leave for BJJ. But stinky people are gross.

I do exactly the same man I don't have time for a 10 minute brush but a quick brush makes a world of difference.

 

[bnosam]

I do exactly the same man I don't have time for a 10 minute brush but a quick brush makes a world of difference.

My dad says there's no point in smelling good since I'm just gonna be sweaty and gross when I come home anyway.

 

[Passenger]

My dad says there's no point in smelling good since I'm just gonna be sweaty and gross when I come home anyway.

Your dad has obviously never rolled with men and he obviously doesn't understand that dirt + sweat smells way worse than just sweat alone. We had one guy who never showered before he came down and hardly ever washed his gi and no one would roll him because of it.

 

[bnosam]

Your dad has obviously never rolled with men and he obviously doesn't understand that dirt + sweat smells way worse than just sweat alone. We had one guy who never showered before he came down and hardly ever washed his gi and no one would roll him because of it.

I lol'd at that just because of the gay connotations.

I got in a fight with my dad once and he swung at me and I pulled guard on him and triangled him until he chilled out. I didn't want to hit back because I didn't want to get kicked out or hurt him and he's older than I am. Takedowns are also a bad idea since he could hurt himself if I doubled him, so I had to pull guard as much as I hate it.

 

[method115]

im sure this has been posted before, so ill apologize in advance.

anyways, im starting bjj classes later this month and i just wanted to know if their were some tips or things i should know about or do.

Most people disagree with this but I would say start training cardio now. I'm not saying go on some 5 mile run but do something that will keep your heart rate @ 130-150 bpm for about 25-30 mins.

When I first started BJJ cardio was my biggest problem.

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

Most people disagree with this but I would say start training cardio now. I'm not saying go on some 5 mile run but do something that will keep your heart rate @ 130-150 bpm for about 25-30 mins.

When I first started BJJ cardio was my biggest problem.

I wouldn't disagree with that.

What I'd disagree with is people saying that you should delay starting BJJ until you get your cardio in check. When people ask if they should work on cardio before they start, meaning they'll wait to start, then no....they shouldn't.

But if they have a fixed date that they plan to start and what to work cardio before getting there, I think that's a great idea.

 

[Passenger]

I lol'd at that just because of the gay connotations.

I got in a fight with my dad once and he swung at me and I pulled guard on him and triangled him until he chilled out. I didn't want to hit back because I didn't want to get kicked out or hurt him and he's older than I am. Takedowns are also a bad idea since he could hurt himself if I doubled him, so I had to pull guard as much as I hate it.

Gay? We say way worse things at our gym. I didn't mean like that with your father I said rolled as in rolling, flowing not fighting. Sorry to hear you had a fight with your father. When it comes to rolling most white belts still fight not roll they don't understand the concept of rolling I know guys after 8-9 months who still fight rather than just roll.

to the OP I've listed some advice for new guys before but my main advice is to relax and I cannot say how important it is. The more you relax you more you'll enjoy BJJ I realize it's a contact sport but if you go there wanting to tear a guys head off he'll only clown your ass over and over again.

 

[fan22]

At this point, just go and have fun.

Tap early and often.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or take notes.

Wash your gi after EVERY use.

Trim your nails, both fingers and toes.

Leave your ego at the door. You're going to suck at it for a while. That's to be expected.

Don't worry too much about belt progression. Just train.

Check the lineage and perhaps even ask here about it. There are a lot of shady people out there that can put up a very good front.

Remember that your training partners are on the same team as you. You can't "win" or "lose" in class. It's just training. If you want to win or lose, do a competition.

Don't crank submissions or do anything with any real conviction until you know what's going on.

Don't be that guy that resists during the time that you are supposed to be drilling a technique.

I would even go as far as showering before class as well as taking care of your breath before rolling.

Being clean protects yourself and your future teammates.

And it will ensure people will actually want to train with you.

Stay active, but don't spaz...this will come with practice.

 

[bnosam]

Gay? We say way worse things at our gym. I didn't mean like that with your father I said rolled as in rolling, flowing not fighting. Sorry to hear you had a fight with your father. When it comes to rolling most white belts still fight not roll they don't understand the concept of rolling I know guys after 8-9 months who still fight rather than just roll.

to the OP I've listed some advice for new guys before but my main advice is to relax and I cannot say how important it is. The more you relax you more you'll enjoy BJJ I realize it's a contact sport but if you go there wanting to tear a guys head off he'll only clown your ass over and over again.

Same at my gym, I find it hilarious.

I honestly stay relaxed when I roll, I avoid muscling, I spend more time thinking than pressuring hard.

My dad still thinks jiujitsu is useless, he told me I should join something like Karate or TKD to learn some "real fighting like striking or kicks".

 

[method115]

But if they have a fixed date that they plan to start and what to work cardio before getting there, I think that's a great idea.

Yea this is what I meant. I wouldn't hold off on going to class just to work on cardio.

 

[Escape19]

I really wouldn't think to much into it. Just go and have fun! Now when you are training, you are not trying to break that persons arm! Crank slowly!

When you need to tap do it!

Leave your attitude at the door. Many people go into a gym and think they can out do everyone, that isn't what the sport is about.

When you're rolling be very calm! do not jerk, do not use all your strength! be very calm and go with the motions. I can't tell you how many newbies have punched me in the face because they were so nervous!

Listen and pay attention!

Ask as many questions as possible! =]

 

[ShowUsYaJits]

When you only get 1mpg, you need a gas tank bigger than your car. When I started BJJ, gross inefficiency was my biggest problem. It will be yours, too. You won't know what to do, everything will feel foreign, and you will learn some bad lessons at the start perhaps, like thinking you can bench press your opponent off you. This works for about 1-2 minutes, and then after that you will be a grappling dummy.

I personally wouldn't bother with cardio. Grapple, and the cardio will come. Laying on your back at the end of class for 10 minutes, willing yourself not to vomit is a rite of passage. Whatever you do, try not to gas and sit out the rolling. You will need to learn to not try so hard. Grappling is counterintuitive. The sooner you learn that your innate grappling reflexes are worthless, the sooner you will improve. If you have the cardio to spaz for 5 minutes straight, you might even beat some people but it will teach you bad lessons.

Your expectation of your first month or so should be that you will be lying under sweaty dudes for what seems like an eternity, struggling to breathe under side control, as they smother you and then move your limbs to where you don't want them to go. Don't think you are going to be tapping people out. Your absolute last priority should be learning submissions.

If you REALLY want to do some prep, I'd buy the Saulo Ribeiro (Jiu Jitsu University) book and study it at home. Especially study the survival and escape section. You can practice it yourself. This will give you something useful to try when someone is on top of you smothering you, instead of the WB bench press escape of epic fail.

Also ingrain "Position before Submission". Accept that you will learn the hierarchy of positions, and how to ascend this hierarchy before you worry about submissions. The basic positions are back control, mount, side control, knee-ride, closed guard. Google them. As you don't want to be smelling sweaty gi for long, I'd advise learning an escape from back control, mount, side control, knee ride, and a sweep (e.g. basic sweep) from closed guard. This will make things more enjoyable fast.

If you get the opportunity to roll with a purple or above who you outweigh by 30lbs or so, do it. Getting schooled by someone that small will teach you on a visceral level that technique is superior to muscle. You can go out and learn powerlifting and probably be stronger for 30 seconds than anyone in the gym, but it won't help you beat a guy with lots of technique.

Learn from everyone. 3 stripe whitebelts on up will have stuff they can teach you, and will love to teach you. Ask the good people how they became good. And write down bits you recall (technique, opponents, where you are getting caught, your successes and what you want to work on) at the end of every grappling session.

Good luck!