“Just keep showing up, bro”
This is what I keep hearing from everyone better than me or that thinks they are? What gives?
Look… The idea that if you keep showing up eventually you will get better makes sense. Are how classes formatted the most optimal for learning and growing as a bjj practitioner? Even better a competitor or mma fighter? Some schools I imagine have the formula for success but I feel like most schools do the same thing… Right?
Let's take a look at how things are normally done… In an hour of class, we start with 15 minutes of warm-ups (frog jumps, shrimps, rolls, etc.), 15 minutes learning the technique of the day, 15 minutes practicing the technique, and finally 15 minutes of rolling at the end of the class. Ok I warmed up now and we bow out and go home.
So the real question is can you become better at Jiu Jitsu with 10 to 15 minutes of free training and the bigger question is WHO USES OR APPLIES THE TECHNIQUE OF THE DAY IN FREE TRAINING THAT DAY? I know damn well, that I can barely shrimp during free training against upper belts, let alone repeat the 37 step "d’arce choke" setup that everyone just learned 15 minutes ago? Should classes be longer? Does the person who free trains become better? Am I really learning. I am definitely showing up. (bro)
Social experiment time !!! 2 guys start BJJ the same day. “JOHN AND JIM”
John free trains 6 days a week for 45 minutes a day and does maybe 2 regular classes a week.
Jim takes 6 classes a week and free trains for a total of 90 minutes a week!
1 year later John and Jim compete with one another at a tournament. Who wins?
Keep showing up bro? I damn well show up every day and so does everyone else who trains BJJ. We all just want to get better and learn faster.
Maybe Ill take privates for between $100.00 to as high as $500.00 an hour. Will that help? Add this to my $200.00 - $300.00 a month academy dues. If I take 1 private a week I've invested anywhere from $700.00 to $1500.00 a month. (privates + academy dues)
There has to be a better format or a better place for me to train… Please help...
Yours Truly,
Anonymous White Belt
Bjj is like learning an instrument, you have to learn the basics and you have to apply them rolling. Work through the new fancy techniques as they're presented but when you roll, focus on the basics. As a white belt you should be learning how to control, defend, escape. It's not just showing up but it's rolling with purpose. When you begin a round, think of one position you will get to and maintain. That's your only overactive, get there. If you can't, try to remember what you did and where things went down. On the second round try to do exactly what you did before but try to fix one thing and see if you get further. Once …