Private Lesson Belts vs. the Regular Way

[tunafisher]

O.K. Gang, Here's another thread to respond to.....what do you think about those people who get their BJJ belts ONLY training and receiving instruction via private lessons with one instructor vs. those of us who get their belts the "regular" way, training in classes and rolling with all of the students in class? I'll put my opinion out there, I think those getting their belts by only having private lessons with their instructor are somewhat "lesser than" than those rolling with the general public.....I just respect it less, I dunno, it's just my opinion. The cool thing about training jiu jitsu is adapting your game to different opponents. They are all so different, and you never know who's going to be in class on any given night/day. Whattya think?

[little bad boy]

Originally Posted by tunafisher

O.K. Gang, Here's another thread to respond to.....what do you think about those people who get their BJJ belts ONLY training and receiving instruction via private lessons with one instructor vs. those of us who get their belts the "regular" way, training in classes and rolling with all of the students in class? I'll put my opinion out there, I think those getting their belts by only having private lessons with their instructor are somewhat "lesser than" than those rolling with the general public.....I just respect it less, I dunno, it's just my opinion. The cool thing about training jiu jitsu is adapting your game to different opponents. They are all so different, and you never know who's going to be in class on any given night/day. Whattya think?

hmmm... i think it all depends in the instructor. if he's a well rounded and experienced BJJ practitioner, he should know how different kinds of grapplers move and use it on his private student.

[vadrip]

Private lessons for those who can't make regular classes are something different than people who get private lessons in addition to attending regular classes.

To each his own, though, for me Private lessons seem to be the only way if you have no time otherwise to train because I think if you're doing it in addition to regular training you kinda wasting your money since there should no real need to do that. There should enough time where your instructor can coach on things you need to do or whatnot.

[DVSJ]

Originally Posted by little bad boy

hmmm... i think it all depends in the instructor. if he's a well rounded and experienced BJJ practitioner, he should know how different kinds of grapplers move and use it on his private student.

Wise choice of words...also, if I may add,private lessons are more focused on the individual(less distraction).

[tunafisher]

More thoughts on the subject, I guess what I was referring to was that the "regular way" of getting advanced a belt in BJJ was that you were either tapping a lot of people out in your belt level, and even some of the students in the next belt level, or, you did really good in a tournament in your weight/belt class. It was left pretty much up to the discretion of the instructor. For example, you're a blue belt and you're tapping out most of the blue belts, and even some purple belts, and then the instructor gives you the purple. Or, you tap out or win every match in your weight class at a tournament.

In the private lesson only environment, it's just the student rolling with the instructor lesson after lesson, and then when the instructor feels the student is at a certain level, he advances the student a belt level. An example of this is Chuck Norris, he got his black belt from Rigan Machado, correct me if I'm wrong, strictly on private lessons. Or Al Bundy(brown belt) with Rorion. I agree if your time available is tough, private lessons are the way to go. The learning curve is more intense that is for sure. A mix of regular classes or open mat time with an occasional private lesson is pretty cool too.

I guess I just prefer the variety of training partners the classes or open mat time provide...people are so different, and their personalities differ in the way they express jiu jitsu on the mat.

[DVSJ]

Originally Posted by tunafisher

More thoughts on the subject, I guess what I was referring to was that the "regular way" of getting advanced a belt in BJJ was that you were either tapping a lot of people out in your belt level, and even some of the students in the next belt level, or, you did really good in a tournament in your weight/belt class. It was left pretty much up to the discretion of the instructor. For example, you're a blue belt and you're tapping out most of the blue belts, and even some purple belts, and then the instructor gives you the purple. Or, you tap out or win every match in your weight class at a tournament.

In the private lesson only environment, it's just the student rolling with the instructor lesson after lesson, and then when the instructor feels the student is at a certain level, he advances the student a belt level. An example of this is Chuck Norris, he got his black belt from Rigan Machado, correct me if I'm wrong, strictly on private lessons. Or Al Bundy(brown belt) with Rorion. I agree if your time available is tough, private lessons are the way to go. The learning curve is more intense that is for sure. A mix of regular classes or open mat time with an occasional private lesson is pretty cool too.

I guess I just prefer the variety of training partners the classes or open mat time provide...people are so different, and their personalities differ in the way they express jiu jitsu on the mat.

Trully,I see the advantages with regular classes(your points are valid)...that's the only way I've ever been taught...only in my opinion,I believe that private lessons can get you up to speed in an art new to oneself...also,I assume,since you would have the instructors undivided attention,then perhaps (depending on teacher/student relation) the student may gain more out of it.I've never had one on one private lessons but I'm gonna try it out one day...

[pstevens]

In my experience, guys in private lessons don't do as well as guys in the group class. The problem with private lessons is that while you are rolling with the instructor, you don't get used to different body types, weight, aggressiveness, and grappling styles. For example, this one guy I knew took privates for about 8 months, before coming to the regular class. I remember he got tapped out for a while, by guys his same level, until he figured out how to use what he had learned.

[RYO9]

I think that the belts that they earn with 1 on 1 instruction are still valid. But they are really missing out on about 60% of the experience. more than half of the experience is getting out and rolling with people of different sizes and shapes so that you can handle anything.

Mullins

[wardancer]

Originally Posted by tunafisher

O.K. Gang, Here's another thread to respond to.....what do you think about those people who get their BJJ belts ONLY training and receiving instruction via private lessons with one instructor vs. those of us who get their belts the "regular" way, training in classes and rolling with all of the students in class? I'll put my opinion out there, I think those getting their belts by only having private lessons with their instructor are somewhat "lesser than" than those rolling with the general public.....I just respect it less, I dunno, it's just my opinion. The cool thing about training jiu jitsu is adapting your game to different opponents. They are all so different, and you never know who's going to be in class on any given night/day. Whattya think?

I am not a fan of private.
Belt grading is forged in the heat of the battle (e.g open tournament) the rest is just pratise.

[tunafisher]

Originally Posted by wardancer

I am not a fan of private.
Belt grading is forged in the heat of the battle (e.g open tournament) the rest is just pratise.

Wardancer, well said.......

[SamuraiGuy]

With a private lessons student.... I would just (and I am in no way a teacher of anything) say , if you want to get a higher belt or w/e, come to one of the regular classes, beat what 5 blue belts or something to get your purple belt... or just have him pair up with some of the other guys, maybe one person isnt a blue belt yet, but hes 250 pounds 6'6... dealing with that guy may be harder than dealing with a blue belt in teh same weight class.... so I would just say you have to mix it up... and look at how you do, maybey ou lose to the giant guy, doesnt mean your not good enough to get up to purple belt...

Im gonna stop rambling now.. thanks.

[Katsu]

A combination of the two is without a doubt the way to go. While it is of paramount importance to spend time in the regular class it's great to get private instruction as well, if for no other reason than because it's a chance to have your instructor work on the things you want to work on and to help you where you're weak. however, without the experience of rolling with other people your grappling will always be second rate. When you roll or spar with one person for a long enough time you will begain to anticipate eachothers moves and that is just not as constructive as when you have a good number of people to practice with. When training for a tournament my instructor gives me at least five training partners to work with so I constantly have to reinvent myself to apply the techniques I'm training to improve.

[LatinoHeat]

Well I think it depends on the Student. I think if the Student is serious & focuses totally with 1 to 1 instruction & the Instructor is extremely experienced then there is no beating one on one.
Remeber its training without the bs of other pupils.
But higly expensive way to get ones belts.
Imagine 1 to 1 training under any of the following Martial Artists:
Bas Rutten
Carlos Machado
Royce Gracie
Chuck Norris
Master Sken
Master Chai
Chuck Lidell
Randy Couture
Dan Inosanto
Larry Hartsell
Rob Kaman
Oleg Taktarove
Benny Urquidez
Bill Wallace
Joe Lewis
Steve Arniel
Willam Cheung
Simon Lau
Yip Chun
If you have any of these excellent teachers as your personal instructor then you are very very lucky.
And I rather train with them 100 percent than train with other lesser mortals but sadly Iam not rich.
Phillip
These are just a few of my Heroes there are several more.

[SamuraiGuy]

phew, just some of your heros,

musta been why I was left off that list.

[Tom Yum]

Originally Posted by pstevens

In my experience, guys in private lessons don't do as well as guys in the group class. The problem with private lessons is that while you are rolling with the instructor, you don't get used to different body types, weight, aggressiveness, and grappling styles. For example, this one guy I knew took privates for about 8 months, before coming to the regular class. I remember he got tapped out for a while, by guys his same level, until he figured out how to use what he had learned.

Bingo!!!!!!