Back to BJJ ...tomorrow

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quasar44

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It'd take a lot more than that to stir me ;)

update
The beg class is great ...it’s only offered twice a week for no-gi but I can do it once a week for now .
The coach told me to do the regular class once a week
 
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quasar44

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I wish I could make both nights

we spent the hour doing a basic guard pass that I was never taught !!!
 

Headhunter

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18 months of BJJ and my skill level is that of a guy with 6 m
Okay you're bad at it. What's your point? Some people just aren't naturals at certain things. Everyone learns at different paces don't go blaming anyone else for that
 

Tony Dismukes

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I have made zero improvement in BJJ in 9 months. The last coach was a total HARD AZZZ but he taught effective and practical stuff. The new Coach is too complex FOR ME. The other students are fine but for me its too complex. My brain is in knots. I am sorry to whine

am the type of guy who needs to see the same move often and not only once every 9 months. I just cannot learn like that.

I outlined in the other BJJ advice thread why I think the "drill a couple of random techniques then roll from the knees" is suboptimal instruction in general, but especially for the casual beginner. You are correct, if you drill a technique for 20 minutes, don't get in a position to apply it during rolling, and then don't see it again for 9 months, you will not maser it or get any functional use from it. You'll be lucky to even remember seeing it.

The good news is, even if you are stuck in a school that teaches this way there are things you can do to take charge of your own learning and improve much more quickly.

  1. Realize that you are not in class to learn techniques. There are too damn many techniques and more are being invented all the time. To add to the difficulty, different teachers will teach the "same" technique in ways which are subtly or blatantly different from each other. I've been training BJJ for 20 years and teaching for 10, but I still encounter new techniques and new variations almost every week. Forget about memorization, think about principles. There are thousands of techniques and variations, but only a small handful of fundamental concepts which drive them all. Whenever your teacher shows a move, think about what principles are in play and how they make the technique effective and why each of the details is the way it is. If you can't figure it out, ask. You'll soon notice that the techniques make much more sense and are easier to remember (or even improvise on the fly) when you see them as contextual application of common principles and not arbitrary lists of movements to memorize.
  2. After class, take notes while the lesson is still fresh in your mind. Record as many details as you can remember. Then try to analyze the purpose of the details as outlined above.
  3. Roll as much as you physically can. Experience of movement will stick with you more than conscious analytical memory.
  4. If your instructor doesn't start you in an appropriate position to try the moves you just learned, ask your partner if they would mind starting there. For example, if you learned a half-guard sweep ask your partner if they would mind starting in your half-guard.
  5. Whenever you are in position to try a technique you've recently learned, go for it. Even if your opponent is ready to counter it or if you can't remember all the details. The attempt can teach you things, even if you fail.
  6. If you don't understand the big picture context of a given technique or position, ask your instructor. For example if you find yourself in a class on x-guard and you don't understand the purpose of the position or when or why you might end up there or what your priorities should be if you do, ask. If your instructor won't answer, then this forum can be a good place to find answers.
Hope this helps.
 

Flying Crane

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I outlined in the other BJJ advice thread why I think the "drill a couple of random techniques then roll from the knees" is suboptimal instruction in general, but especially for the casual beginner. You are correct, if you drill a technique for 20 minutes, don't get in a position to apply it during rolling, and then don't see it again for 9 months, you will not maser it or get any functional use from it. You'll be lucky to even remember seeing it.

The good news is, even if you are stuck in a school that teaches this way there are things you can do to take charge of your own learning and improve much more quickly.

  1. Realize that you are not in class to learn techniques. There are too damn many techniques and more are being invented all the time. To add to the difficulty, different teachers will teach the "same" technique in ways which are subtly or blatantly different from each other. I've been training BJJ for 20 years and teaching for 10, but I still encounter new techniques and new variations almost every week. Forget about memorization, think about principles. There are thousands of techniques and variations, but only a small handful of fundamental concepts which drive them all. Whenever your teacher shows a move, think about what principles are in play and how they make the technique effective and why each of the details is the way it is. If you can't figure it out, ask. You'll soon notice that the techniques make much more sense and are easier to remember (or even improvise on the fly) when you see them as contextual application of common principles and not arbitrary lists of movements to memorize.
  2. After class, take notes while the lesson is still fresh in your mind. Record as many details as you can remember. Then try to analyze the purpose of the details as outlined above.
  3. Roll as much as you physically can. Experience of movement will stick with you more than conscious analytical memory.
  4. If your instructor doesn't start you in an appropriate position to try the moves you just learned, ask your partner if they would mind starting there. For example, if you learned a half-guard sweep ask your partner if they would mind starting in your half-guard.
  5. Whenever you are in position to try a technique you've recently learned, go for it. Even if your opponent is ready to counter it or if you can't remember all the details. The attempt can teach you things, even if you fail.
  6. If you don't understand the big picture context of a given technique or position, ask your instructor. For example if you find yourself in a class on x-guard and you don't understand the purpose of the position or when or why you might end up there or what your priorities should be if you do, ask. If your instructor won't answer, then this forum can be a good place to find answers.
Hope this helps.
You are a patient man, here in the forums.
 
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quasar44

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I have officially quit my current BJJ gym but will continue the beg MMA program which is heavy take downs !! I love mma wrestling and ground / pound
I have fired my private coach and my striking class is cancelled
I will try out a new mma BJJ gym in March and see if it’s a good fit ??? If not , then I will in summer try out one that I know will be perfect !!!
Firing my coach allows me to join 2 gyms and I have had enough of his BS
The BJJ coach has little interest in coaching and he is gone after 7 months
I will be paying the gym $150 a month for only 6-8 mma group classes a month but it’s worth it and I have $$!!
 
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quasar44

Brown Belt
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405
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I outlined in the other BJJ advice thread why I think the "drill a couple of random techniques then roll from the knees" is suboptimal instruction in general, but especially for the casual beginner. You are correct, if you drill a technique for 20 minutes, don't get in a position to apply it during rolling, and then don't see it again for 9 months, you will not maser it or get any functional use from it. You'll be lucky to even remember seeing it.

The good news is, even if you are stuck in a school that teaches this way there are things you can do to take charge of your own learning and improve much more quickly.

  1. Realize that you are not in class to learn techniques. There are too damn many techniques and more are being invented all the time. To add to the difficulty, different teachers will teach the "same" technique in ways which are subtly or blatantly different from each other. I've been training BJJ for 20 years and teaching for 10, but I still encounter new techniques and new variations almost every week. Forget about memorization, think about principles. There are thousands of techniques and variations, but only a small handful of fundamental concepts which drive them all. Whenever your teacher shows a move, think about what principles are in play and how they make the technique effective and why each of the details is the way it is. If you can't figure it out, ask. You'll soon notice that the techniques make much more sense and are easier to remember (or even improvise on the fly) when you see them as contextual application of common principles and not arbitrary lists of movements to memorize.
  2. After class, take notes while the lesson is still fresh in your mind. Record as many details as you can remember. Then try to analyze the purpose of the details as outlined above.
  3. Roll as much as you physically can. Experience of movement will stick with you more than conscious analytical memory.
  4. If your instructor doesn't start you in an appropriate position to try the moves you just learned, ask your partner if they would mind starting there. For example, if you learned a half-guard sweep ask your partner if they would mind starting in your half-guard.
  5. Whenever you are in position to try a technique you've recently learned, go for it. Even if your opponent is ready to counter it or if you can't remember all the details. The attempt can teach you things, even if you fail.
  6. If you don't understand the big picture context of a given technique or position, ask your instructor. For example if you find yourself in a class on x-guard and you don't understand the purpose of the position or when or why you might end up there or what your priorities should be if you do, ask. If your instructor won't answer, then this forum can be a good place to find answers.
Hope this helps.

in the last 20 months ...I have like 50 pages of typed notes ! It’s insane lol
 
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quasar44

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I try to read maybe 1/5th every week but it’s time consuming
 

Headhunter

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I have officially quit my current BJJ gym but will continue the beg MMA program which is heavy take downs !! I love mma wrestling and ground / pound
I have fired my private coach and my striking class is cancelled
I will try out a new mma BJJ gym in March and see if it’s a good fit ??? If not , then I will in summer try out one that I know will be perfect !!!
Firing my coach allows me to join 2 gyms and I have had enough of his BS
The BJJ coach has little interest in coaching and he is gone after 7 months
I will be paying the gym $150 a month for only 6-8 mma group classes a month but it’s worth it and I have $$!!
Good luck at the new one....until you blame the new coach for you not improving and quit there as well
 

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