My initial BJJ experience

[raytor]

I just recently started training in a local BJJ club.I jumped in the first night and started rolling with all levels ,I have been there for over two weeks and going to most of the classes which pretty much consist of an explantion of a move and the a drill of that move followed by an open rolling session.I am pretty much lost at the third or fourth session and begin asking questions that are answered in a brief explanation(not very clear and shocked i asked) again ...back to rolling and don't know what the hell I'm doing.I have no idea what a guard is or the mount or side mount,half mount etc.. means...it is all just a word with no meaning or utility.I have no wrestling or martial arts experience, so I feel like a rag doll in the hands of a purple belt or higher & get a pretty good twist from the blue belts as well.So out of frustration and embarassment I bought Pedro Carvalho's BJJ techniques videos and my eyes are open to what was actually going on when I was rolling with these experienced grapplers.(Not a plug for Pedro I'm sure most tapes are good for someone at my level) I have resigned myself to the fact that my instructor sucks all ass and if I want to really learn anyhting about BJJ ,I have to teach myself through video's and research and experience.This does'nt really change my attitude towards the sport or diminish my desire to become good at it, but I was just wondering if this is "normal" or my instructor is just a lazy ****er that could give a rats ass about anything but the almighty dolla bill.And if I want anything useful out of him I gotta pry it out of him.Should I have been given some sort of basic instruction or is everyone just "thrown to the wolves"?

[MrPoopy]

raytor, who is your instructor and what are his credentials? I think it's expected to be slow and confused at first, but you should be getting answers to your questions.

Are there any other beginners in your class or is it just blue and purple belts? What rank is your instructor?

[JaredExtreme]

Raytor, that sucks.

In my first BJJ class all I was taught was positions. Mount, side mount, scarf hold, guard, half-guard. I don't see how any credible instructor expects you to learn without knowing the basic positons.

[raytor]

My instructor is a brown belt .I don't wanna trash him so I won't give his name.we have plenty of white belts but they all seem as if they are struggling as well.My first night without knowing anyhthing but a few chokes that I know from fighting my older brother,I choked out most all of the white belts in the class a few times .This seemed a bit strange because when I asked them how long they were doing BJJ most said several mths.I am in very good physical condition and attributed my ability to choke them to this, but I still feel a bit disturbed about the lack of ability or desire of my instructor to teach and mentor his students.The sad thing is ....He is the only BJJ gig in town, unless I wanna go learn from a blue belt.Nope.Oh well time to watch my tapes again so I don't go leaving one arm in the purple belt's guard and get caught in a myriad of moves this produces (a subject which I was never even explained Although I asked the correct way to pass) .Am I an ahole for thinking that an instuctor should do more?Or should I persue him more aggressively and make him teach me and if he keeps on being such a dick ,I'll spam trash him on the internet to the whole BJJ community and out him for being a lame ass BJJ school' to......http://www.philelmore.com/profiling/...detotrolls.htm
The Agenda Troll. Agenda trolls are those participants who join a forum specifically to pursue an agenda of their own -- often a feud or grudge with another member, or perhaps a dispute with some party not participating in that forum. When a flame war erupts on another board, for example, Agenda Trolls will follow their opponents to other forums in order to continue the spat.

Some Agenda Trolls are subject-matter oriented. An Agenda Troll who thinks Self-Defense Instructor X is a fraud, or who feels he has been ripped off or otherwise dealt with unfairly by Instructor X, will visit forums devoted to self-defense and martial arts in order to spread his or her negative opinion of Instructor X.

[MrPoopy]

If you're paying for instruction, then you should be getting instruction. And not half assed either. How much do you have to pay?

It's not uncommon to come across crappy white belts. Some people just take a really long time to become a good grappler. Are they in the same physical condition as you? Do you have any previous wrestling experience? Wrestlers will usually do better in the beginning than someone with no wrestling experience.

Do you know who your instructor got his brown belt from?

[Szczepankiewicz]

Poopy,

I think you will have a long and prosperous career hunting down BJJ frauds, if you chose to pursue it...

[MrPoopy]

[Szczepankiewicz]

Somebody has to.....


What qualifies a blue belt to teach anywho?


Or a Brown Belt for that matter?

I'm not allowed to teach independently until I reach 3rd Black and get an endorsed Menkyo.

And unlike your traditional McDojo's I won't be paying for mine in cash. I'll be paying in sweat and many long hours of work.

I think I'll just buy Ashida Kim's book and get my automatic endorsement, complete with certificate.

All this stinky sweat is for chumps!

Beware Angry Ninja!!!!

Spanky

[raytor]

What qualifies a blue belt to teach anywho?


Or a Brown Belt for that matter?

I think it's called supply vs. demand spanky.thanks for your input guys.I just got back from the nights session and my attention to detail watching videos and matches helped immensely.I tapped out two blue belts and got the attention of my instuctor,i then dropped a few comments on my lack of instruction I was getting and he was all over me like a cheap gi. .So i guess I'll get what i payed for after all.I gotta see things from both sides I guess,since we are in the times of the MCdojo's people are coming in all the time to check him out and only a few have the desire and dicipline to be worth training not to mention the fact that he is also running a business at the same time.A bit of a conflict of interest in my opinion ,but hey somebody has to pay the bills or there is no Mcdojo and I gotta go to the local gym and try to find someone who is willing to learn with.I figure it's worth the hundred bucks a mth just to have a willing partner to spar with every evening and If I get instruction all the better.

[MrPoopy]

Maybe I read that wrong. Did you say you tapped a couple of blue belts?

That really shouldn't have happened. Maybe one guy in one night but two in one night? Unless you have some previous experience or your a hulk, this guy has mcdojo written all over his school.

Blue belts aren't just given away. It takes a good amount of skill to earn it. Unless your instructor will sell it to you.

Personally I wouldn't pay a blue belt to teach me squat. They surely know more than me but not enough for me to pay them. I think instructors in BJJ are usually atleast a purple belt. GRACIEAUSTIN could clarify if he reads this.

[MrPoopy]

About that Ashida Kim book you mentioned Spanky... Phil throws off on it a lot because it's photocopied. I don't think it's terrible to photocopy stuff. Especially if you're working on a real small budget. I think the Fighters Notebook is photocopied also. Atleast the copy I saw was photocopied. But it was put together well in a binder.

This Ashida Kim booklet is 20 bucks and it doesn't mention how many pages it is but I'm guessing not many. He's probly making 2000 percent profit.

Isn't it weird how people will buy crap even if they know it's crap? It's almost tempting to lay down 20 dollars to see just how shitty his book is.

[raytor]

From what Ive learned white belts and blue belts rely mostly on speed and strength.So lemme break it down ...I was much stronger than both of them ,I was much faster than them,I was tying their moves up with good hooks and gi holds,I tricked both of them the same way by faking another move to expose that neck and "wham" they got choked.A mistake that I saw and snatched when I did.I have no respect for the way most blue belts play...now when I get in there with a slow ,methodical, purple belt that keeps me plumb and positionally dominated ,I soon start tappin like a conga player.Dunno if it's a mcdojo or not yet ,regardless I like this stuff and if there is anyhthing to get from them I'll take it.The glass is half-full imo.

[MrPoopy]

If you can continue to tap blue belts, they'll probly make you a blue belt. Belts in BJJ show a certian amount of skill, not just a certian amount of knowledge. Of course you couldn't be a blue belt and not know the basics, but you get my drift.

[raytor]

I guess i must have a bit of promise to my instructor.He asked me to be in http://www.dalejrgrapplingclassic.com/divisions.htm I'll be in the welterweight division if I can get down to it by losing 6 lbs. He said just go in to dominate on position and rough em up as much as possible.Ive only been at this for two weeks should I take him up on the offer?Any of you guys ever done a tournement before?

[Szczepankiewicz]

Poopy,

Have you read any of Master Kim's work? If not I highly recommend you read it BEFORE you buy it. They are VERY entertaining, as we have one at the dojo library.


According to Phil's review, you get a Certificate that allows you to be a 'Black Belt 1st Degree Equivalency' simply by purchasing the book.

Call me a Nancy Boy if you will, but that's one hell of a book and it smacks of Mail Order Ninja.

Buy the book and do a counter review. I'm all of for differences of perspective. I respect your opinion enough to trust you'll be objective.

Also, check out Master Kim's site. Careful if you post in the forum. Master Kim gets hostile if you question his fallability.

Spanky the Banned