I need help from you guys... Anybody with BJJ/MMA Knowledge/experience

[CitadelHooah]

Hey guys... I just found your forum last week, and after lurking for a week and running some searches, I am making my first post today.

I am 24 and in the Army, but currently on an educational delay from active duty attending law school out in the middle of nowhere. I had wanted to take BJJ since I was in college at The Citadel, and finally decided just to learn it on my own if I couldnt find schools close. I have never taken martial arts before, but have a LONG wrestling background.

I got the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu basics, Intermediate, and Advanced series, along with the Bas Rutten's superior free fight techniques series.
I watched each of the videos about a million times, taking copious notes and stopping the video to visualize and think through the moves, which I think really worked well for me to learn them. Rorian Gracie really is a good teacher (and Bas Rutten has some good stuff to incorporate).

Anyway, I found a training partner, who is an undergrad senior and the captain of the wrestling team (he has about 35 pounds on me at 215.) I have been teaching him a couple moves each day, which has helped me learn the moves better, and we have just been drilling them.

We have been training for 3 weeks now, and the last week we started to include some live go training each day (about 30 minutes worth.) So far it has all worked well, as since we have hit the mats 3 weeks ago, I have been able to excute the moves well and feel comfortable in the various positions. Despite my partners size and strenght advantage, I am fairly easily able to submit him with a variety of chokes, armbars, footlocks, keylocks, hammer locks, etc. He is also getting a lot better each day. I am looking to get better at BJJ, maybe learn some Judo, and generally just become a more proficient fighter.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and ask for input from you guys. If anybody has any suggestions, comments about these instructional series, other books or videos that are essential, good drills, arts or disciplines I should look at, or just any comments in general, I would love to hear from you. Lastly, do you think it is possible to effectively teach yourself BJJ with just he videos and a parnter, and without actually doing to a studio?

There is one about 40 minutes away that meets 3 times a week, but I dont really have the money at the moment for the gas it would take to drive back and forth 4 more hours a week. Finally, I would like to eventually compete in BJJ. I will post a link to the studio nearby once I find it. UNtil then, thanks for your input!

-CitadelHooah

[CitadelHooah]

I found a guy here in town who offered to come help us a day or two a week to make sure we arent making mistakes or doing things wrong. He was a marine corps hand to hand combat instructor who happens to have a blue belt in BJJ. Do you guys think that would be ok? I am really trying to avoid the extra expense and time requirement that 4 more hours worth of driving a week would be.

Thanks

[danfaggella]

sounds like you are getting into it in an effective logical way. wrestlers pick up BJJ in seconds, even though they hate being on thier backs at first, im sure your wrestler bud will teach you allot. also, those videos are all legit, although some deal with Gi's, but you can still learn allot and perfect technique. this army guy seems like he owuld know more than you or your buddy, if he is helping you for free then tae advantage, is he is a blue belt he knows a good deal, learn wherever you can, and spar constantly.

good luck, i am basically doing the same hting as you these days:} except im much younger.

[CitadelHooah]

Ok... The plass 40 minutes from here is called the Triangle Club... http://www.geocities.com/jiujitsujer...angleclub.html replace the dots with remy/tria

It is part of the Sualo Ribiero Jiu-Jitsu Association... http://www.srjja.com/

Anybody have any comments about these places or people?!?

[CitadelHooah]

Geeze, I was kind of hoping on a martial arts forum you guys would be able to be a little bit more helpful. Of the over 40 people who have viewed this thread so far, just one guy bothered to respond.

Can anybody help me out with some good advice? I really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

[covaliufan]

Here's some advice for you: unlearn the guardpass Rorian teaches in Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics, Volume 2, since you're working from those tapes. That's just an invitation to be triangled.

[JkD187]

Id go with bas rutten's dvds if i was you its 100000000000x beter then the gracie tapes,those tapes are so old and horrible its sick.Bas has a new 7 dvd set called Bas big dvd's of combat,get that and your good.

[CitadelHooah]

Haha, yeah I saw that triangle the minute he started teaching it... To pass, I have been doing the elbows into the femoral nerve pass. Any other good ones?

[CitadelHooah]

Its big bucks, but it looks really good! Do you have it? It doesnt just repeat the superior free fight techniques does it?

[covaliufan]

Yeah, if by "elbows into the femoral nerve pass" you mean driving your elbows into his thighs until he opens his legs, I'd recommend giving that one a rest. It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine. That "pass" will not work on people mildly tough or with any experience, and especially not on someone larger.

Ask your blue belt friend for some more technical things to try.

[JkD187]

it dose not really repeat the free fight tapes 2 much but its pretty much extreme pancrase with more in depth descriptions and more interviews and special guests like rampage and couture and fight footage,Its a great buy.

[CitadelHooah]

Thanks bro... I will probably bite the bullet and just buy it. If anybody knows any good source PM me. I will try to save as much loot as I can on that one! So far everywhere I have seen it has been pretty pricey.

[cam427]

CitadelHooah,

A group of guys from my town tried the same approach as you are using (learning from Videos) and had been doing this for about a year before they contacted me and asked me to teach them BJJ. After a whole years training they really sucked!! Now after training with a person who knows BJJ (I am only a relative beginner with 3 years experience) for 4 months they are really coming along. BJJ cannot be learnt from videos. I would advise you to try and get your friend with the blue belt to help you as much as possible and also to make the trip to the nearest club at least once a month (or as often as you can) so you can see how you are coming along and get some instruction from a senior person (explain your situation to the instructor and I am sure he will do everything he can to help). I try and do this as often as I can.

I also use the training methods used by the straight blast gym. I would advise you to look these up at www.straightblastgym.com as I truely believe that these methods are the reason the guys in my club have learnt so fast. I had an instructor and a couple of his students from another club out at my club on Friday and my guys did well against them so what I am doing must work.

As I said, it is very difficult to learn from videos alone but if you are going to use them in conjuction with your friends help (as we do in my club) then I would suggest you look at "Matt Thornton's functional JKD" series 1 and 2 as I have not seen anything that is even close to them for the amount of information they provide. Ignore the crazy 10 minute lead-in movie on the start of each tape but try and listen to the talking bits as they provide info into the really effective teaching methods used by the SBG.

Hope this helps
Cam

[Hermosa]

Dude, guys under Saulo are gonna be damn good. And if you care, you would definately be getting real BJJ.

Sounds good man.

[CitadelHooah]

Oh bro, I definately care! Here is the link of the club close to me, which is part of Saulo's association. Tell me what you think, and what questions I should ask when I call. Thanks bro! http://www.geocities.com/jiujitsujer...angleclub.html