Considering switching BJJ gyms

[segfault]

Let me play devil's advocate and suggest you consider staying, despite the good advice otherwise.

Only one thing is required to get a blackbelt: not quitting. Mat time will take care of everything else. Therefore, the *most* important thing about a gym (as long as it has a legit instructor, which I assume yours does) is whether you feel like quitting when you train there.

Since you seem to like the gym and have progressed well, maybe the vibe of the instructor or the gym overall is one that is compatible with your personality. I've trained at a lot of gyms, some with awesome blackbelts, but just because the instructor is famous or a badass (as well as badass training partners) doesn't mean it is fun to train there.

If you are having fun and making legit progress, then you are moving towards your eventual goal. If you switch and end up not having as much fun, for whatever reason, and end up quitting, then the switch was not a good idea.

There are plenty of ways to challenge yourself with lower belts, including working on defense, just using one arm, trying new moves, etc. There are probably dozens of threads on that topic on this forum. Legends like Marcelo, Braulio, and Rickson all trained for extended periods with lesser partners but still stayed sharp and grew. It's all in how smart you train.

I used to feel a little like you, I was the only bluebelt with a bunch of whitebelts. Fast forward a few years, and now I'm an experienced purple and those whitebelts are on the verge of getting purples themselves -- and they are tough as can be. They all know my game and challenge me every roll. Plus, I feel I had a part to play in their development, which is nice. The most important thing is I have continued training and having fun.

You might want to visit the other gyms and see how you like them, but don't quit your gym without taking into account the vibe of the gyms.

To sum up, try not to forget the big picture just to advance more quickly in the short term.

 

[dingoplata]

You're all a bunch of Creont

 

[Balto]

Only one thing is required to get a blackbelt: not quitting. Mat time will take care of everything else. Therefore, the *most* important thing about a gym (as long as it has a legit instructor, which I assume yours does) is whether you feel like quitting when you train there.

I hear this a lot, but I think it's one of the biggest myths in BJJ.

Staying the course is certainly required to get a black belt in BJJ. It is completely impossible to get there by quitting. That being said, it is not the only thing that is required. It is entirely possible to train for 10 years or more and still suck. I have seen it before, and it is really depressing.

The thing that is required is training hard and constantly pushing yourself with good partners. Of course you can't do that if you quit. But just because you do not quit does not mean that you are doing that. I see so many guys showing up to the gym like zombies under the impression that just their body being there on the mat going through the motions is enough. It is not.

The point about top black belts improving with lesser partners is only valid because they are top black belts. There is no one else at that level who can do otherwise to challenge them. But it is not valid for people lower than that level.

Look at the black belt champions. Quite a few of them are probably the best ones on the mat on a daily basis. That is almost by definition why they are the champions. So they make due with what they can.

Now look at the blue, purple, and brown belt champions. How many of them are the best ones on the mat on a daily basis? I would say almost none. The vast majority train daily with partners of equal or greater skill.

You are putting yourself at a serious disadvantage by not having training partners to push you. In that environment, mat time alone is not enough to accomplish anything meaningful. Sure you may improve slightly over time, but not enough to catch up to where you should be.

If you live in the middle of nowhere, you have to make due. If you are a black belt champion, you have to make due. But do not make due if you don't have to. LA is not the place where a one year blue belt needs to make due. That is ridiculous.

I truly believe that if you are a one year blue belt in LA and you decide that now is the point to start training like Rickson by playing down to your partners rather than seeking out the thousands of other better partners surrounding you, you might as well just quit now.

 

[Balto]

Also just wanted to say that I'm not really hating on your post. It is more or less true stuff.

The issue I take with it is that it's only part of the truth, and too many people use it as a way of conveniently avoiding the rest of the truth.

Recommending that a one year blue belt go the Rickson/Marcelo route of training instead of taking advantage of the higher level training immediately available to him in his area is a pretty clear example of this sophistry. All the complex argumentation does is distract from the naked truth -- this guy is king of the noobs and just needs to go to one of the many better schools around him.

 

[nkkny1]

If you live in the middle of nowhere, you have to make due. If you are a black belt champion, you have to make due. But do not make due if you don't have to. LA is not the place where a one year blue belt needs to make due. That is ridiculous.

I agree with this. Don't settle. Eventually the school you're in now will grow. People will attend for different reasons - some for competition, some to just get fit and others just for the heck of it and some people will be satisfied with just that...new whites will come in and they'll be challenged by the new blues and it'll go up from there, but you're not obligated to stay for that growing phase if you're looking to grow and get better.

I went through something similar and had an injury to deal with in between. I ended up going to a much better school with a lot more high level training partners and have grown so much since I joined.

 

[deadlizard]

Just curious, what gym do you train at if you don't mind sharing.

Also, LA has a ton of gyms. If you don't feel comfortable switching right away, at least go to a couple of free trials just to see if you like it.

 

[yovan]

ust because you do not quit does not mean that you are doing that. I see so many guys showing up to the gym like zombies under the impression that just their body being there on the mat going through the motions is enough. It is not.

So. Damn. True.

You need to work hard in this sport to make it the entire way.

 

[asian-glow]

Yeah I get that it sucks to leave a gym. You make friends with the people there.

But if you're just not getting the challenge you need, you will regret it if you don't leave. It is really the only reasonable option.

You still believe this? Along with the other things you said in this thread?

 

[yetanother]

You still believe this? Along with the other things you said in this thread?

What thing he said don't you believe to be obviously true?[

 

[KikoJones]

WTF is the deal with all the Necro threads?? Have we run out of current topics to discuss??

 

[asian-glow]

WTF is the deal with all the Necro threads?? Have we run out of current topics to discuss??

I believe Balto is still an active member - just a black belt now. I think it can allow us to see how people's ideas evolve or at least change. This isn't really possible on reddit, at least as clearly. Plus I value his insight.

Even Marcelo used to not believe in S&C or arm in chokes. Now I believe he does both.

 

[yetanother]

Even Marcelo used to not believe in S&C or arm in chokes. Now I believe he does both.

Any source on Marcelo doing S&C nowadays?

 

[asian-glow]

What thing he said don't you believe to be obviously true?[

I just want to see if his opinions have changed since then.

 

[asian-glow]

Any source on Marcelo doing S&C nowadays?

None. I read he did Pilates. Maybe someone at MGA could shed some light.