One thing that’s cool about BJJ is that whenever you travel anywhere, for the most part, there will be a BJJ academy to train at. It was my hope to be able to train while in California. California has a lot of academies throughout the whole state. So, I knew I would have no problem finding an academy to train at.
There was an academy just three miles down the road from me, and it was a reputable academy from knowing a little about the instructor. I went by and I wanted to train, but I decided I would just watch a class first.
The class was good and I could see myself getting some good training in. However, when I asked about their drop-in fee, I could not believe what their fee was. It was $35 bucks a class!
That ruined my plans to train. I can understand $20 dollars, which is what I have found to be the average going rate. I believe that their drop-in fee is so high to deter people from doing it.
So, I did some research and found two good academies that where an hour away from me. They both offered military discounts, which I thought was awesome! Way to Show Your Support!! Thank You!! They were Claudio Franca and Dave Camarillo.
Unfortunately, I did not make it to either. My schedule did not work out for a two hour drive, and with enough time to get back and get enough rest for the next day.
What do you think? Do you think they have such a pricey drop-in rate to deter people from doing?
Time for more Army training and I will be out of town for a month. Luckily, there is a BJJ academy three miles from where I will be stationed.
I have heard both good and bad things about people’s experiences who were out of town and wanted to train BJJ. The bad usually goes something like, “yeah, I was the one everyone wanted to get a piece of and I did not like they way their training was conducted”
However, I have read more good things then bad. The good would go something like, “I was welcomed into their BJJ academy and was treated very well.”
I know every single person who has ever stopped by the academy that I train at is very welcomed and respected. We welcome all people and will train with them and teach them just like everyone else.
My hope is that this BJJ academy will be at least respectful. I am not going there to learn their secrets or to find out what they focus on most, I am going there to learn and to train. I am grateful that there is even a place so close by to train. I plan on training at least twice a week while I am there for the month.
It was a year ago in October, I was sitting down at my computer and for some reason thoughts of my half brothers came to my mind. I knew I had half brothers since I was 11. I had never met them in person and after 20 years I decided to try and find them.
Funny thing, I was fortunate to find them on Myspace. After a few messages we sent back and forth to each other, we exchanged phone numbers and spoke on the phone.
Not long into our conversation did I ask him about sports and if he was at all interested in them, since me and my older brother were very much into sports growing up. Come to find out he trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
I could not believe it! He also was beginning to train in boxing, which both our grandfather and father were amateur boxers.
It was really cool to hear one of my half brothers is training in BJJ. What are the odds!? He is a lot like me in many ways. I am happy to say that I will be meeting them for the first time next month.
As I continue my journey in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I notice that I have not done a good job in updating my blog. I have found many good BJJ blogs by people who post each training class and have written them in detail. I am not sure I will ever get to that point, but I think it helps in remembering what was taught in class for some.
I see my blog more about the journey, the ups-and downs of training and what I go through in the years to follow that it will take to become a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt.
I have been training for two years now, and I see that I am improving, how slowly it may be. In the last tournament I competed in a 15 year old won first place in my division. Although I did not compete against him myself, it sure sucks to know someone half my age won both the gi and no-gi division. This has got to be one of the biggest disappointments. I put a lot of my time in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I love BJJ! Forget the ego, it has all to do with my skills, and my ability to kick some ass when needed.
So, here are a few ways I can look at this. One, this is just one prime example of how effective BJJ is. ex.; a 145 pound 15 year old kid can win a weight division that has someone twice his age competing in. Or/And, Two, I can appreciate the martial art for what it is and continue in my journey and enjoy everything I get out of BJJ. I also need to remember that this is a BJJ tournament, and not a real life or death situation. I am more than sure the outcome would be completely different if it was.
Man, it sucks just to write that down for the whole world to see. Note to those who are young: Compete early! It won’t be so bad to lose to someone a few years older or younger than you. And competition is one of the best things you can do to improve your skills in BJJ, as I have read over and over again.
So, as one teacher once told me, Press On! Keep moving forward… And, so I shall…
I have been teaching BJJ basics class for almost a year now. I love to teach the class. The class consists of white belts, and a few blue belts will attend occasionally. I cover the basic body positions, transitions, and submissions. I mostly stick with body positions and transitions. Since each transition there are submissions, I take the class through a series of transitions first then lead to a submission.
I think transitions are so important to start off with. You get a sense of body weight control and hip movement. Like every white belt, myself included when I started, is so tense and want to use so much muscle and energy. When you discover how you can throw you leg back, switch your hips, and eliminate space, and keep moving that way and not go for submission, but move around in different ways, it opens a whole new world of possibilities.
This last week I taught a transition going from knee on belly with your front leg, the leg that is towards the head, throw the other leg over the head and bring your knee next to your opponents head, making sure the arm closes to you is out, then grabbing the tricep and transition to an arm bar. It is a great transition and I always see my instructor doing this body movement in someway or another.
The first of this month marks two years that I have been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In the last two years I can think of many injuries I have sustained during my training.
Let’s see. The first year I got my elbow hyperextended. I am still not able to lock out my elbow without it beginning to hurt a little. I also popped my ankle. I am not sure what exactly happened to it, maybe just a sprain, but it took a while to heal. A toe nail that was pulled back to far it hurt like hell and bled. That was my fault my nail was a little long.
Right now, I have two toes that were smashed and pushed back to the top of my foot. This happened two weeks before a competition. I still competed, however, they are still bothering me and are not completely healed.
This does not included the many times I can home with my neck feeling like it was tossed in the spin cycle of a washing machine, mat burns on the tops of my feet that sting when I go to take a shower, and the sore shoulder, wrist, and fingers.
I know there are many people who have suffered more than I just after two years of training. I think I have taken good care of my body. Although, I do try to maintain a training schedule of 4-5 days, I have been able to rest and recover quickly.
I just finished reading an article that someone from the Philippines wrote about his training in BJJ. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu just keeps growing and growing worldwide.
It is nice to see how fast this sport is growing. To my surprise, I read that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was not all that well known until the mid-90’s. Even in Brazil the sport was not all that popular.
I figured it was a sport that many were eager to participate in Brazil. Where else is better to train? I think it is everyone’s goal who trains in BJJ to train at least once in Brazil. It is a goal of mine.
I can only imagine where I will read about next where BJJ in being taught and trained. I believe the more people who train the better. This sport is ever evolving. More techniques and improvements are being discovered all the time. Who knows what new type of Guard or technique will be developed in the future. All I know is that I will learning and training as long as I am able.
This past Saturday I competed at the Oregon Open in Hillsboro, OR. I won my first match by submission and then lost my second match by submission, a reverse triangle.
As the saying goes, you learn more from your loses than you do from your wins. I have gone over my lose over a hundred times in my head. The worst part is how I landed right into this triangle. I went into my second match feeling confidant, however, I made one huge mistake right before my match, a mental mistake. You see, one thing I notice was that everyone who was asked to put on this orange belt was losing their matches. The orange belt was for scoring purposes. In my second match the ref handed me the orange belt. In my head I said, “great! everyone who has worn this belt has lost so far”. Talk about mentally speaking something into existence. I basically lost the minute I said that. If you can see the video on my second match you would see how odd it was how my body just landed right into the triangle after escaping an attempted arm bar. I did not have a hold of a sleeve or leg or anything. It was weird. But, I learned how powerful my mind plays in this game that has a lot to do with mentally.
Their are currently 54 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belts that are contributing to the forums on the Grapplers Guide.
I have been a member of the Grapplers Guide for over a year now, and I have found it to be a very good resource for everything Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, MMA, Strenght & Conditioning, and nutrition, as well as, the valuable information the black belts contribute on the forums.
I have also find it to be a great place to ask questions. All the BJJ belts are represented and many compete. So, no matter what question I have, there is someone who has the experience and is willing to help out.
I especially like all the videos on competition, drills, and techniques for BJJ, AND all the questions that follow. The questions and answers provide much more in-depth detail and helps to understand and apply it to improve my game.
If you’re interested in improving your grappling skills, then check out the Grapplers Guide. There is a reason 54+ BJJ Black Belts contribute to this forum. Be a part of it.
How long does it take to go from a blue belt to a purple belt in BJJ? It really depends on a lot of things. How often and long someone trains makes all the difference. I was once told the blue belt is the thickest belt, meaning you spend more time as a blue belt than any other belt, 2-5 years. Obviously, black belt being the goal.
It really doesn’t matter how long it takes to go from one belt to the next. Yes, when you think of it, no matter what, it is going to take a long time to achieve a black belt in bjj. I have been training for almost two years now, and I train consistently 3-4 times a week, if not more. It’s difficult to imagine all the hard work I still have ahead of me. But, I like to think of what I am going to learn along the way.
I like to contemplate on what it’s going to be like when I am a purple belt and developed the skills that a purple belt should have; Combinations, body control, moving one way to get your opponent to move a different way to set up submissions, and having that eye for submissions way ahead of time. Understanding I have more than two hands. There are the front and back of your knees; two feet; two elbows; and even a head that can be used to control and move an opponent.
Just recently, the academy members purchased a gift for our instructor Roy Dean for his new dojo. It was a shadow box of all the belts in bjj. It is a nice gift. As I looked at it, it reminded me that I have a long ways to go from my blue belt. I was awarded my blue belt in May of 2007, and I figure I will be a blue belt for another 2 years. I have much to learn.
Entries (RSS)