Bjj whitebelt 2 years still suck

[jcandoitbig]

you need to train more. 5x a week if possible. more mat time is all that matters

 

[KikoJones]

Been training off and on for 2 years, I'm a white belt. My main issue is lack of aggression during rolls, and I gas quickly. I submit mostly from the guard or half guard and almost exclusively kimura. My guard gets passes fairly easily. I'm 200lbs 5"8 and look athletic. But I don't feel myself improving, and today I got heel hooked by a blue belt that was like 150lbs and 5'2. When I ask my coach what I need to improve on he always says cardio. Idk what to do

"Training off and on for 2 years"? So if we counted all your training days, would they add up to like 6 mos? Not enough information to make a solid recommendation.

If you're OFF more than ON then you need to train consistently. You're not going to learn by osmosis.

IMO, the average White Belt that trains consistently 3x a week under average coaching, should reach the level of Blue Belt in 18-24 mos.

 

[SummerStriker]

This is pretty shocking to me. I've only been to BJJ class a few times so I can't judge from experience. I spent less than a year in Judo before that (5 days / week) and Thursday was the ne-waza day. We would drill getting into positions, holds and possible submissions from there. Their complexity was adjusted based on the belts. Blackbelts would also help newbies and point out better ways of doing stuff. I learned a lot in that time, used it later on in sparring and still remember most of it.

Isn't that how it's supposed to be? In BJJ class is there no teaching? Do you just roll the entire class?

Judo is just different. When I took Judo in college, there would be days where we would warm up practicing the backstep on the wall, then load each other on our hips and carry each other across the floor, then we would do O Goshi entries for ten minutes without completing the throw. Then we would work the throw. I learned about a local gym that put a couple people on the Olympic Judo team. Evidently they put out a batch of students they didn't teach anything but breakfalls and O Goshi (I know people on Sherdog don't like O Goshi) for like six months and they were smashing people in tournaments with it.

Flip that back to BJJ - remember that class where we warmed up with guard submissions, then did two different triangle entries for 10 minutes, then got into the triangle stack position and worked out of it for a while, then practiced shoulder walking, then actually drilled triangles, then did positional sparing from triangle guard? Me either. Cause that shit isn't common in BJJ.

 

[RJ Green]

What do you recommend doing for cardio?
It's one of my biggest problems as well.

My cardio improves when I roll hard regularly, but it's never been anything I would consider "good".
When rolling with people around my level, I gas much faster than they do.

first order of business is eating better and staying hydrated.

second order of business is getting enough sleep, and i meant good-quality sleep that allows for rest and recovery.

third order of business is to train consistently. that doesn't mean EVERY DAY, but it also means training enough to continually improve your fitness. training sporadically will often mean you backslide a bit - your body isn't adjusting to the intensity so the next hard practice is a slog and you're more likely to hurt/injure yourself and take more time off. even if it's not grappling, just doing something (brisk walk/hike, lifting weights, pickup game of whateverball) is much better than being sedentary.

four order of business is refusing to be sedentary. we're hairless monkeys that used to chase down our food in packs until we figured out how to dig it out of the ground, and now we spend the majority of our time on our asses moving from box to box, screen to screen, meal to meal, and comfort to comfort. sitting on our asses and filling our bellies is killing us. at the very least, getting up for 5 minutes every hour and walking or climbing stairs is better than just sitting there. i also advocate something called the dice game - assign bodyweight exercises to the integers on a die, repetitions/sets on another (or re-roll). do that shit every hour: squats, lunges, burpees, pushups. people at your cubicle might think it's fuckin weird you're exercising, but you can tell them you think it's fuckin weird they aren't.

lastly, you can do supplemental workouts. the best cardio for grappling is more grappling. there's nothing else like it. intervals get close - wind sprints and swimming are fantastic. conditioning for 15 minutes at the end of practice is good too.

but like i said, often times gassing isn't a matter of aerobic/anaerobic capacity so much as it's a matter of lifestyle. if you spend your days sitting at a desk or standing at a counter, it's real hard to just flip the switch at night and do intense rolls with the younger dudes. it's also important to stay consistent, otherwise you're constantly trying to rebuild.

tldnr - less food, less sitting, more water, more sleep, more consistency

 

[Orion]

What do you recommend doing for cardio?
It's one of my biggest problems as well.

My cardio improves when I roll hard regularly, but it's never been anything I would consider "good".
When rolling with people around my level, I gas much faster than they do.

Roll more and improve your technique/decision making, but if you want to do something off the mats I recommend Joel Jamieson's methods at 8weeksout.com (specifically his emphasis on aerobic conditioning as a foundation).

 

[Thycidides]

Flip that back to BJJ - remember that class where we warmed up with guard submissions, then did two different triangle entries for 10 minutes, then got into the triangle stack position and worked out of it for a while, then practiced shoulder walking, then actually drilled triangles, then did positional sparing from triangle guard? Me either. Cause that shit isn't common in BJJ.

My current gym has classes kind of like that. The problem is they are mostly for upper belts. I would progress much faster and could probably be a blue belt in 2 years if I went to them. But I'm a white belt and so its gonna take me more like 3 years.

 

[Marfa]

Isn't that how it's supposed to be? In BJJ class is there no teaching? Do you just roll the entire class?

I believe the adaptation is kind of hard to find. I started BJJ with a small group: high level whites and high level blues; I didn't really advance until the class composition changed to mostly new whites, the high blues left and the high whites either left or became helpful blues; at this point my teacher changed the methodology to focus on more repetitions and less techniques, emphasizing sequences and strings of techniques. Anyhow, and as a teacher:

- Do you adapt the class when it's small, like 10 people with 1 purp, 3 blues and a bunch of different striped whites?
- How many white belts vs colored belts do you need to adapt the class?
- Can the students benefit if you adapt the class?
- Do you have the necessary help from a high belt to keep the classes separated?

Having a beginners class I believe is the most helpful when it comes to learning the techniques, but it may hamper the whites' development since they are not rolling with people that know what they are doing. The combination of beginners class + some rolls here and there with a seasoned white or blue (having higher belts roll with whites is probably a waste) is the best.

On the other hand I do have experienced whites learning in classes with more than half colored belts and they turn out horrible most of the time. They learn techniques too advanced for them, many times badly since they don't know what they are doing or how to properly transition to it. When it comes to rolling, they try to defend using brute force because they either don't know the technique or don't have confidence in it (because the color belts cut through their measly attempts). On the attack, they either panic and do it as fast as possible because they dont have confidence on being able to maintain the position, that the sub is properly sinked, or they just immoblize the other guy and do nothing. When dealing with this type you have to fill in the blanks, which takes months, and make them roll in a less clunky way. Once that is done they skyrocket for a while.

I personally teach (teens) by blocks, with the blocks becoming sequences, and then stringing sequences. The block I teach in class number 1 will eventually become a small part of a sequence repeated thoroughly, first as part of the main class and later on as part of the warm-up drills. I believe repetition under different circumstances is key to getting it, although a bit boring, and If I have to teach block 1 again because there are new people, the ones I have already taught before can add their grain of salt to speed up their peers learning process.

 

[Minnja]

"Training off and on for 2 years"? So if we counted all your training days, would they add up to like 6 mos? Not enough information to make a solid recommendation.

If you're OFF more than ON then you need to train consistently. You're not going to learn by osmosis.

IMO, the average White Belt that trains consistently 3x a week under average coaching, should reach the level of Blue Belt in 18-24 mos.

This. I trained "on and off" for like two years or so and ended up with 1 stripe. I would train twice a week for a couple months and then sometimes take 6+ months off (school, internships/work, lack of dedication). Then I joined my current gym and started going about 3-4 classes a week and the instruction was legit and I was dedicated and in probably 4 months I was far better than those previous 2 years. I ended up getting promoted after just under a year. I would guess if from the beginning i trained as consistently as I did when I started at my current gym I would have been promoted between 18-24 months. I am no phenom or anything like that.

A lot of it will boil down to consistency. If your school has good instruction and you train 3-4 classes a week I am fairly certain you will make good steady improvements.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Most BJJ instruction is useless. If you aren't gifted and in the first group of students that join the school, you'll never get anywhere without a high IQ, most places, most of the time. You have to take matters into your own hands.

The best way is to get a basic grappling guide online or make your own by figuring out what the list of most useful BJJ moves are. Whatever you put together will be wrong, but it will be on the right track. Buy some BJJ private lessons from a purple or brown belt that's hungry to teach but will let you drill on him. Master the complete list of basics. Maybe a solid 6 takedowns and 100 ground moves, with multiple entries for the take downs, but only the easiest ones you can get by winning a grip fight.

After you do all that, you'll know enough BJJ to teach yourself for a long time.

I trained for about that long and didn't know how to do anything. After 2 years the only way I knew how to get out of side mount was by feeding my leg under them to encourage them to mount, then feed them and armbar so I could come up to my knees. It was horrible and I was never corrected. I didn't get better until I took an interest in the art and learned to teach myself and force the correct information out of purple belts.

Remember that most of these people who are good are either very smart, or were in the first batch of people that got a lot of private attention, or they started very young. They will tell you that certain skills will come with time and rolling, when they probably will not. You have to learn specific things, like how to hold your body in each position, where the best place for your hands are in each position, and how to hand fight into those positions. They won't tell you how to do those things, most places most of the time, unless you make them. You have to educate yourself so that you know what questions to ask.

A couple years ago I was training at a gym. One of my partners had competed 5 or 6 times and had four stripes on his white belt. He didn't know how to upa or recover guard from side mount. I taught him. It sort of made me mad. They weren't teaching the guy shit.

you are partly right and partly wrong IMO.

yes, now days, you can take care of your own progress, theres absolutely no reason why not.

It is also true that if you are not learning jack shit at your school, then theres a big ass problem with your coach, and you should look for other gyms.

Just think about this, you think people at atos alliance and other top of the food gyms are not getting good instruction? theres is a reason why atos kids do great. Because they have a great coach.

It is also true that you will only learn to roll by rolling period you can watch and study a trillon techniques, nothing beats rolling ( you need techinque as well, this is obvious)

years ago I was training at a gym. One of my partners had competed 5 or 6 times and had four stripes on his white belt. He didn't know how to upa or recover guard from side mount. I taught him. It sort of made me mad. They weren't teaching the guy shit.

jesus fucking christ. Thats the definition of a sucky gym.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

This is pretty shocking to me. I've only been to BJJ class a few times so I can't judge from experience. I spent less than a year in Judo before that (5 days / week) and Thursday was the ne-waza day. We would drill getting into positions, holds and possible submissions from there. Their complexity was adjusted based on the belts. Blackbelts would also help newbies and point out better ways of doing stuff. I learned a lot in that time, used it later on in sparring and still remember most of it.

Isn't that how it's supposed to be? In BJJ class is there no teaching? Do you just roll the entire class?

no it isnt how it supposed to be. Of course there is teachning, the problem in bjj es the instruction. When you have a small class, you dont have enough members to do a beginners class and to do a advance class. So it gets messy, coach may not show fundamentals moves for quite a while so beginners have a hrd time learning stuff.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

What do you recommend doing for cardio?
It's one of my biggest problems as well.

My cardio improves when I roll hard regularly, but it's never been anything I would consider "good".
When rolling with people around my level, I gas much faster than they do.

the problem is not your cardio, the problem is your rolling, if you are gassing out when you roll with guys your level, that means you are using too much energy, its quite simple. You need to learn how to relax and not push all the time, no one unless its a pro athlete can balls out to the wall for 5 minutes.

 

[Cappy Goodtime]

2 years and still a whitebelt?
Either you suck horribly or your coach sucks.

Are you ranked?

 

[JonJonesLines]

This is pretty shocking to me. I've only been to BJJ class a few times so I can't judge from experience. I spent less than a year in Judo before that (5 days / week) and Thursday was the ne-waza day. We would drill getting into positions, holds and possible submissions from there. Their complexity was adjusted based on the belts. Blackbelts would also help newbies and point out better ways of doing stuff. I learned a lot in that time, used it later on in sparring and still remember most of it.

Isn't that how it's supposed to be? In BJJ class is there no teaching? Do you just roll the entire class?

That's how wrestling is. There is a curriculum and we drill certain, key positions every day. With our youth club, we have numerous experienced wrestlers walking around to correct technique and get the body positioning correct. I don't run an extraordinary program, simply a good one.

 

[Hotora86]

no it isnt how it supposed to be. Of course there is teachning, the problem in bjj es the instruction. When you have a small class, you dont have enough members to do a beginners class and to do a advance class. So it gets messy, coach may not show fundamentals moves for quite a while so beginners have a hrd time learning stuff.

We had mixed groups in both Karate and Judo which I attended and the coach would usually delegate a black/brown belt to take over the low belts after the drills were shown.

 

[Hotora86]

Are you ranked?

As posted later, I'm not ranked in BJJ, only in Karate and Judo, which explains why I don't get the BJJ way of doing stuff. Some posters explained the differences to me and the fact that it's normal to be a whitebelt for years. Different approach.

 

[cakemuncher]

You can do:

- train 3x week + do extras on the side (drilling with someone, online classes, privates) or
- train 5-6x week

Most classes are warmup+some technique+rolling. IMHO not enough technique and drilling, so it's easy to get stuck.

 

[FutureSergant]

Nowadays training only jiu jitsu its not enough to be good,you should work on your cardio(Jogging 4-5x per week),work on your mobility/Flexibility and of course your sthrenght.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Nowadays training only jiu jitsu its not enough to be good,you should work on your cardio(Jogging 4-5x per week),work on your mobility/Flexibility and of course your sthrenght.

and how is that going to help him get through the white belt process?

now days, to be a world champ, jiu jtsu isnt just enough, I agree... hes not trying to become roger gracie though.

 

[hutchdavidson]

and how is that going to help him get through the white belt process?

now days, to be a world champ, jiu jtsu isnt just enough, I agree... hes not trying to become roger gracie though.

I barely have enough energy for 4x week training but im 42 and white belt

 

[Papawash]

Most BJJ instruction is useless. If you aren't gifted and in the first group of students that join the school, you'll never get anywhere without a high IQ, most places, most of the time. You have to take matters into your own hands.

The best way is to get a basic grappling guide online or make your own by figuring out what the list of most useful BJJ moves are. Whatever you put together will be wrong, but it will be on the right track. Buy some BJJ private lessons from a purple or brown belt that's hungry to teach but will let you drill on him. Master the complete list of basics. Maybe a solid 6 takedowns and 100 ground moves, with multiple entries for the take downs, but only the easiest ones you can get by winning a grip fight.

After you do all that, you'll know enough BJJ to teach yourself for a long time.

I trained for about that long and didn't know how to do anything. After 2 years the only way I knew how to get out of side mount was by feeding my leg under them to encourage them to mount, then feed them and armbar so I could come up to my knees. It was horrible and I was never corrected. I didn't get better until I took an interest in the art and learned to teach myself and force the correct information out of purple belts.

Remember that most of these people who are good are either very smart, or were in the first batch of people that got a lot of private attention, or they started very young. They will tell you that certain skills will come with time and rolling, when they probably will not. You have to learn specific things, like how to hold your body in each position, where the best place for your hands are in each position, and how to hand fight into those positions. They won't tell you how to do those things, most places most of the time, unless you make them. You have to educate yourself so that you know what questions to ask.

A couple years ago I was training at a gym. One of my partners had competed 5 or 6 times and had four stripes on his white belt. He didn't know how to upa or recover guard from side mount. I taught him. It sort of made me mad. They weren't teaching the guy shit.

I agree with this. My coach, as much as I like him, just doesn't
give me enough feedback on what I do wrong during rolls. I still have a hard time recovering from certain pins and my transition game is lacking.

I had to learn using other means like joining online sites and rolling with other teams. I think I've improved a bit and I'm starting to find what works for me.