Thinking of starting BJJ

spongebob89

Seriously thinking of giving this a go.. I ust to train MMA for over a year and eventually got burnt out wasn't enjoying it anymore. Iv always been in an out of martial arts but find I struggle a bit with people im more the introvert type.

The ground aspect in MMA was fun when rolling with someone your own level by winnin some an losing some.. but what is full on bjj like? Would it be as tiresome after a session as an mma session giving the half hour of intense fitness training at the start of mma classes.. Dose bjj have that level of intensity and time dedicated to the fitness aspect? In a typical 1.5 hr bjj class how much time is usually fitness, instruction, sparring?

I heard on a YouTube video some bjj black belt was giving some talk and mentioned alot of guys quit after there blue belt.. Dose that happen alot around here? If so why would that be?

Mellor

spongebob89 wrote: »

Dose bjj have that level of intensity and time dedicated to the fitness aspect? In a typical 1.5 hr bjj class how much time is usually fitness, instruction, sparring?

There's no such thing as a typical BJJ class just like theres no such thing as a typical MMA class. Some gyms separate fitness into a separate class. But the warm up can have varying intensity, so maybe you would call that fitness.

Typically, we'd do 15mins warm up, 45 mins technique or drills, 30 mins rolling.
And we's also have classes that are all technique and others that are all sparring.

I heard on a YouTube video some bjj black belt was giving some talk and mentioned alot of guys quit after there blue belt.. Dose that happen alot around here? If so why would that be?

In my experience, most people leave before they get their blue belt.
White belts are usually the majority in any clubs I've been to.
Blues would be the nest, simply because purple belt is a significant level and takes years to get there. And thats with plenty of dedication.

Froshtbit

Jits is a great sport and you will find it tiring. Although,if you're used to MMA you should be fine. I've been at it a few months and dont get to train as often as I'd like. (12 hour days are not conducive to training.) It's hard to get competant at and even harder to get good at which is why a lot of people dont stick with it.

spongebob89

Froshtbit wrote: »

Jits is a great sport and you will find it tiring. Although,if you're used to MMA you should be fine. I've been at it a few months and dont get to train as often as I'd like. (12 hour days are not conducive to training.) It's hard to get competant at and even harder to get good at which is why a lot of people dont stick with it.

How often do you get to train? Would 2 sessions a week be good enough to learn an get good at it within a year? As two sessions is all id probably be able to commit to as iv other stuff going

Froshtbit

2 a week is more than I get to go! Ah no, it varies for me, sometimes 3 times a week sometimes Im luky to get one. If you an reliably get 2 classes in a week, you'll progress, especially ehen you already have a base in MMA. I assume You likely already know some basis like guard, half guard, full mount etc and so the learning curve shouldnt be as steep.

spongebob89

Froshtbit wrote: »

2 a week is more than I get to go! Ah no, it varies for me, sometimes 3 times a week sometimes Im luky to get one. If you an reliably get 2 classes in a week, you'll progress, especially ehen you already have a base in MMA. I assume You likely already know some basis like guard, half guard, full mount etc and so the learning curve shouldnt be as steep.

Yeah I remember them alright, js been 5yrs now but I do remember the kimora, armbar, guillotine.. Were the only submissions id ever get (sometimes) but I sucked at escapes an set ups..

For you to have to pay full wack for all classes an regularly only get 1 class must frustrate you. That's my main concern about it too that due to the popularity of the sport now ive noticed some local clubs charging € 70 - 80 a month, and id only be about to attend 2 classes a week really can't justify that as im a student with child responsibilitys so that is alot of money for me to pay for 2 classes a week.. The people doing bjj and mma an the whole lot certainly get their moneys worth

Froshtbit

I just pay by the lesson. I'm lucky like that.

The subs, at first anyway, arent as important as the rest of it. I rarely ever sub anyone because I'm still a relative noob. I just try to survive and learn what the guys who are better do in given positions. It's again, why people tend to quit. It can be frustrating to feel stalemating a roll is as good as you can hope for.

In saying that, the first time you pull off a a sweep or a reversal or even a takedown you feel like a king.

bubba185

Evolution mma Tullamore great lads to train with no one looks down on anyone bjj beginners classes,training is hard as it should be two sessions a week is ok no need to over train just practice with someone on your days off. Or you could try SBG Dublin

arybvtcw0eolkf

spongebob89 wrote: »

I heard on a YouTube video some bjj black belt was giving some talk and mentioned alot of guys quit after there blue belt.. Dose that happen alot around here? If so why would that be?

Happens in most style's of martial arts, hence the saying 'A black belt is a white belt who never gave up'.

Regards fitness training when you turn up for a BJJ class, or whatever style you're doing ~ this pisses me off big time.

My main style is Judo, and my take on it is when I'm on a Judo mat I want to do Judo and not 30 minutes of cardio as a warm up.

If someone isn't fit and they want to advance let them look after their own fitness, I simply couldn't give a toss.. I commute cycle over 20km a day, I do my gym work in the morning and I'm f*cked if I want to do circuits before Judo ~ when I'm on the mat I want to do Judo (or BJJ if I'm in a BJJ class).

I can run etc in a park or on the roads when, I can't throw people out there!.

/rant over

RoboRat

Stop thinking about giving it a go and just give it a go. I have a mate who has been telling me for well over 2 years that he would love to try bjj but every time, there is an excuse. Just try it, if its not for you then so be it but you sound a lot like me personally... I have done Kempo, Bushido, Judo, Muay Thai and boxing, its not that I didn't want to stay at them, just life got in the way and I was playing a lot of football so I was focussed on that.

I have been doing BJJ for about 3 years now (albeit being out for 1 year due to a bad knee injury). I love it and I love that its both technical and physical. There is a viewpoint that a lot of blue belts quit and I think thats down to the fact that it is a very difficult sport. You have to do it for a long time before you will start seeing results, especially in active rolling. You will spend a lot of time tapping and its a humbling experience. A lot of people do it for a year or so and then feel it would be a waste to quit as a white, so when they get their blue they feel they have accomplished something so that year or two wasn't wasted... thats just my viewpoint.

I am still a white and I am happy as I am still learning but I have definitely moved to the next level. I spent a lot of time relying on strength and being honest, that held me back for a long time. I have my own game which suits my build and I see opportunities that I never used to see. I feel comfortable rolling with higher belts and although I might not get the sub, its a win to not get tapped because like anything, you need a good foundation before you can build, and the good foundation in BJJ is your defence.

I have to say that BJJ people are easily the best people I have trained with for trying to help you develop. Higher belts have always taken the time to point out what I am doing wrong and right. Sometimes I may have done something that was almost right and they have shown the tweaks that are needed to get them right. I have also looked a lot of things up on youtube and asked the higher level lads to allow me to try them, if I am doing it wrong, or there is a better way for me to do it, they are extremely helpful and will help to figure it out.

Chris89

A blue belt in BJJ takes a long time to acheive, a lot of people set their targets on that blue belt for so long that when it comes, and they see how much effort is required for a purple belt, they quit.

Thats it in my experience really, people are happy to 'retire' with a blue belt rather than stick it out and go all the way!

Good luck with your training!

spongebob89

Chris89 wrote: »

A blue belt in BJJ takes a long time to acheive, a lot of people set their targets on that blue belt for so long that when it comes, and they see how much effort is required for a purple belt, they quit.

Thats it in my experience really, people are happy to 'retire' with a blue belt rather than stick it out and go all the way!

Good luck with your training!

Really? How long would it take to get a blue belt with 2 nights of training a week roughly? Is grading based on how long your training or are you giving a specific test? I think its all about enjoying the sport tho an not rushing to get a belt to retire! im tryna figure out if ill stick it for life because I gave up mma after a year, it became to much an I lost motivation. I know grappling is tough and tiring but maybe not as bad as the mma was!

Chris89

There are many factors involved, like the standard at your academy, your own personal rate of progression, athletic ability, age, size etc etc etc

I have seen blue belts after 1 year, most had some prior experience in sports or martial arts, some were just keen and trained every day.
The norm is around 1.5-2 years maybe, training a few times a week. Although i have seen longer (usually due to inconsistency)

Theres two types of guy with 'one year' training - one who trains 5x a week and one who trains 2x. So dont worry about the actual time, that will pass anyway. And youre right not to get caught up with the belts, its a fantastic martial art and im sure youll enjoy it regardless of grade!

Mellor

spongebob89 wrote: »

Really? How long would it take to get a blue belt with 2 nights of training a week roughly?

1-3 years based on training 2-5 times a week. Too many variables to be more precise than than.

RoboRat

Really? How long would it take to get a blue belt with 2 nights of training a week roughly? Is grading based on how long your training or are you giving a specific test?

Too many variables in regards to how long it will take. It depends on how much you train, how good your instructor is at teaching (some people are better at relaying information than others, regardless of their rank) how quickly you understand techniques, how quickly you can then tie them all together, your physical condition, your age (speaking as a 37 year old with 2 ACL replacements, training 5 times a week is not feasible, especially in cold weather!).

It is also about how good your training partners are and whether you push yourself and roll with better people or are happier to roll with your own level/ lower levels - I am not saying that the latter is wrong but if you push yourself and test yourself, you will progress quicker. Its also advisable to enter competitions as these are the real test of your ability.

Its also worth noting that some gyms give stripe promotions based on attendance whereas others promote based on ability, some do both. For me personally, I feel that if you can roll with and compete with a blue belt, then you are at that level and worthy of a promotion but the decision is in the hands or your instructor.

To paraphrase Royce Gracie 'A black belt only covers two inches of your ass. You have to cover the rest'. If belts are important then BJJ is not an ideal sport, I couldn't give a monkeys what colour my belt is, if I am getting better, fitter and having fun, thats all that matters. I gauge my progression on what I have learnt and how effective I am rolling. I have rolled with purple belts that have been very competitive rolls and I have tapped them a few times - thats what is important to me!

yourdeadwright

Probably obvious but If you train twice a week for 2 years and a guy trains 3 times a week for 2 years, He'll have trained a whole year more than you in mat time,

spongebob89

Iv narrowed it down to two gyms to train with, bjj revolutions morning classes really appeal to me but its 20 quid more expensive than this other BJJ club.. Team balance in drumcondra. Anyone know of the all round standards of this team balance club?

If anyone knows other gyms that have morning classes that I may have missed

Dave 101

spongebob89 wrote: »

Iv narrowed it down to two gym to train with, bjj revolutions morning classes really appeal to me but its 20 quid more expensive than this other BJJ club.. Team balance in drumcondra. Anyone know of the all round standards of this team balance club?

If anyone knows other gyms that have morning classes that I may have missed

bjj revolution would be worth the extra 20 imo

spongebob89

Dave 101 wrote: »

bjj revolution would be worth the extra 20 imo

Why is that do you know anything about the other gym?

How frequent are injuries in BJJ?

Chris89

how long is a piece of string?

injuries are common in bjj, but more accurately: injuries are common in people! look after your body and you will be fine.

If a fiver a week is influencing your choice of gym then youre already off to a bad start!

Just try em both if youre unsure.

Mouthalmighty

Dave 101 wrote: »

bjj revolution would be worth the extra 20 imo

Never heard of team balance but Bjj Revolution is (if I'm not mistaken) is Andy Ryan's gym. Trust us train there he's a pioneer of the sport of BJJ and MMA in Ireland, a black belt in Bjj and Judo and an excellent coach to boot. A serious dude to train with.

yourdeadwright

I done my first class in 5 years or more on Monday and i'm absolutely shattered since haha,
It was really enjoyable to get back into a class and get rolling,
I weight train 5 days a week and decided to do BJJ on my two rest days but i'll defiantly be changing that it took a hell of a lot out of me, Guess I'm not as young as I used to be

FTA69

I only did grappling for a few months but while I thought the cardio wasn't as demanding as boxing I did think it was a lot tougher on your body in general. "Gentle art" my b*llocks. I seemed to have a permanently strained neck or shoulder and ended up getting a massive cauliflour on my ear as well. It's all well and good saying "push through it" but when your broken ear cartilage is getting mashed into a mat by someone's body-weight, it isn't much fun at all. Similarly, the likes of judo and getting torn around and f*cked on your back for hours might look great but I imagine you'd bloody feel it afterward.

Dave 101

spongebob89 wrote: »

Why is that do you know anything about the other gym?

this is why

Mouthalmighty wrote: »

Andy Ryan's gym. Trust us train there he's a pioneer of the sport of BJJ and MMA in Ireland, a black belt in Bjj and Judo and an excellent coach to boot. A serious dude to train with.

yourdeadwright

FTA69 wrote: »

I only did grappling for a few months but while I thought the cardio wasn't as demanding as boxing I did think it was a lot tougher on your body in general. "Gentle art" my b*llocks. I seemed to have a permanently strained neck or shoulder and ended up getting a massive cauliflour on my ear as well. It's all well and good saying "push through it" but when your broken ear cartilage is getting mashed into a mat by someone's body-weight, it isn't much fun at all. Similarly, the likes of judo and getting torn around and f*cked on your back for hours might look great but I imagine you'd bloody feel it afterward.

I was shattered ,but u make it sound like hell , I quite enjoyed it all and it wasn't nearly as bad as you make it sound, it was just a good workout that felt me tired, I'd honestly say your more likely to injure yourself playing football

FTA69

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I was shattered ,but u make it sound like hell , I quite enjoyed it all and it wasn't nearly as bad as you make it sound, it was just a good workout that felt me tired, I'd honestly say your more likely to injure yourself playing football

I could be suffering from chronic Wussitis but I found the BJJ took a toll on me after a few weeks. As I said, I was only at it for a very brief period so only scratched the surface really. I agree with you on the soccer comment, worst injury I ever had was breaking my leg playing ball on a Sunday morning.

Chris89

FTA69 wrote: »

I could be suffering from chronic Wussitis but I found the BJJ took a toll on me after a few weeks. As I said, I was only at it for a very brief period so only scratched the surface really. I agree with you on the soccer comment, worst injury I ever had was breaking my leg playing ball on a Sunday morning.

How soon into your training did you begin to spar? First week?

MartyMcFly84

yourdeadwright wrote: »

I done my first class in 5 years or more on Monday and i'm absolutely shattered since haha,
It was really enjoyable to get back into a class and get rolling,
I weight train 5 days a week and decided to do BJJ on my two rest days but i'll defiantly be changing that it took a hell of a lot out of me, Guess I'm not as young as I used to be

I would say if you relax a bit more it wont take so much out of you. Often lifters "hulk out" and try and squeeze their way through the class or rolls. If you chill out and loosen up you will find you can train much more regularly.

But of course I am sure you moved loads of muscles in a way they have not been moved in 5 years , a sure case of the aches if I ever heard one

- Don't roll like your life depended on it , or its the finals of the black belt mundials and you will be fine. Worse that happens, the guy passes your guard and/or you tap out and start again.

FTA69

Chris89 wrote: »

How soon into your training did you begin to spar? First week?

Yeah, started rolling my first class and every class had a heavy emphasis on sparring. I think another factor was that some classes we didn't really warm up properly in a cold gym and that led to lots of pulls and strains.

Mellor

FTA69 wrote: »

I could be suffering from chronic Wussitis but I found the BJJ took a toll on me after a few weeks. As I said, I was only at it for a very brief period so only scratched the surface really.

If you were getting hurt a lot you're doing something wrong.
Not tapping often enough, or early enough. Trying to muscle through techniques, relying on brute force over movement. Etc

It's pretty common for guys starting out. You'll see guys, who are otherwise strong and fit, dripping sweat and wrecked after a 60min session and a few 5mins rolls.
But the guys who are rolling technically, are getting much more work done, and capable of doing so for 2-3 hours or more.

FTA69

Mellor wrote: »

If you were getting hurt a lot you're doing something wrong.
Not tapping often enough, or early enough. Trying to muscle through techniques, relying on brute force over movement. Etc

It's pretty common for guys starting out. You'll see guys, who are otherwise strong and fit, dripping sweat and wrecked after a 60min session and a few 5mins rolls.
But the guys who are rolling technically, are getting much more work done, and capable of doing so for 2-3 hours or more.

Errah of course like, I was at it less than three months and gave it up when I moved back to London. I was probably doing everything conceivable wrong and was with lots of other new fellas so we were probably spazzing out on each other every day.