Does anyone else feel like they are terrible at BJJ?

Lovesong

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Ok, so I've been training grappling since September. I've definately decided I'm not a natural grappler. I have a very hard time putting the moves I'm taught into practice during live positional drills and/or rolling. I'm a bit of a slow learner when it comes to techniques.

Others who have started the same time or even much later than me can dominate me on the mat. I am getting better relative to where I started out, but it seems everyone else gets better faster.

It also seems like many people in the internet community are very confident in thier ability.(Whether that's internet bragging or not is questionable)

With all that said, I'm not going to give up BJJ or anything stupid like that. Eventually hardwork is going to pay off. I'm a pretty dedicated person, so it would take a major life event to make me quit BJJ (Serious injury, job relocation, etc.).

The big question is, does anyone else feel the same way, yet continue to grapple anyway? If so, how do you deal with it? I get damn frustrated at times but I keep on showing up to class....

~LS~
 
Don't worry man....eventually it will all make sense. You might want to talk to your instructors and see if there is a basic element you are missing. Once everything clicks in your brain it should click on the mat. Best of luck and stick with it.
 
I am pretty much in the same situation as you. The people at my gym just keep telling me to stay with it, and one day it just seems to all click and come together. I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way out there, just dont post anything. Also it can change really quickly. Monday night I was feeling like crap after bjj and thinking about making a post similar to yours. Then last night at bjj I felt I did really good and felt awesome after.
 
well the people that started the same time as you, do you guys all come as often as one another? I mean are you going once a week and them 5 times a week? Even if that is not the case, i wouldn't worry about it much. if you like it, thats all that matters. Some people like playing golf but are horrible at it.
 
jota said:
well the people that started the same time as you, do you guys all come as often as one another? I mean are you going once a week and them 5 times a week? Even if that is not the case, i wouldn't worry about it much. if you like it, thats all that matters. Some people like playing golf but are horrible at it.

I go 3 times a week, which is about average. I just had a partiularly bad night last night (very smug newer guy schooled me) and figured I'd post.

I'm glad other people are in the same boat. It seems people who are good a BJJ are very vocal, but the people who are horrible, yet do it anyways are very quiet.
 
I understand what you are saying, in that BJJ def seems to click more naturally with some people. I teach at a small college club, and some of my students simply take forever to get a feel for grappling, where some others catch it right away. However, even the guys who I think are the most hopeless still surpise me after a year or so and finally start to get it and become smooth. Your friends/coaches are right. It takes time. Try not to make the focus of each of your matches winning. Instead really focus on applying the basics over and over. Also, if you roll with higher level guys who are nice and let you get sweeps and stuff so you learn, that is a great thing to do.
 
yes, I'm humbled all the time.........
 
There's good nights and bad nights. Sometimes I'm just really disappointed with my performance. Other nights I'll really feel like the things I'm working on are starting to improve.
 
Lovesong said:
I'm glad other people are in the same boat. It seems people who are good a BJJ are very vocal, but the people who are horrible, yet do it anyways are very quiet.
last time i checked, marcelo garcia was a very quiet and reserved guy. you have it wrong. assholes are loud, non-assholes have manners. if i were you, i would be patient, try to train 4 times a week and really concentrate on your motions. drill techniques.. then go back and school this kid.
 
there's good days and bad days. some days i feel on top of my game, and others i feel like i never picked anything up. persistence is key.
 
pay for some private lessons

you learn more in private 1 hour lessons than you would in 4 hours of classes
 
Ghost Dog said:
last time i checked, marcelo garcia was a very quiet and reserved guy. you have it wrong. assholes are loud, non-assholes have manners. if i were you, i would be patient, try to train 4 times a week and really concentrate on your motions. drill techniques.. then go back and school this kid.

the loudest drums are the most hollow
 
I havent been doing jj for that long but in high school i didnt know anyone that had wrestled all four years and sucked, everyone was good that had experience. Im sure its the same with bjj. Some people are more gifted, others have to work harder to get to the same place, just like in school and life. Keep at it, youll only get better.
 
Ghost Dog said:
last time i checked, marcelo garcia was a very quiet and reserved guy. you have it wrong. assholes are loud, non-assholes have manners. if i were you, i would be patient, try to train 4 times a week and really concentrate on your motions. drill techniques.. then go back and school this kid.

Sorry I didn't clarify with that quote. I was referring specifically to internet communities such as Sherdog. Where people will post to tell you how great they are, but not as many people post to say they are terrible.

Almost all of the advanced guys I know are very humble, the white/blue belts who are good (better than others at thier level) are the ones who tend to bark the loudest.
 
i got triangled by a blue belt twice last night. same set up. shit happens. believe me, i'm four years in and i was probably worse than you when i started
 
I know what the OP means. Sometimes I'll have a shitty week and just seem to not pick up on anything. I swallow my pride and admit that is all the more reason to go back to class and keep learning. Plus it helps to focus on the times where you did things right.
 
dont worry i used to do no gi and i felt like i was never improving till one day a new guy came in and i realized i had improved but other guyus at my club also improved and all had more experience but really i had improved quite a bit. dont worry man sure some people are good wrestlers or good judoka or sum are flexible or naturally fast. but some of us are out of shape, short, not strong, not flexible but keep up the good work man at least ur ging to class.

Alexander Karelin maybe the greatest geco roman wrestler of all time seems like a natural athelete be is big as hell strong as a bull and quickness reflexes of a puma and excellent technique. When Alexander was young he was big but was a lumbering uncooridinated guy with little or no strength. he was one fo the weakest guys he was just fairly tall. he had to train hard to improve his speed skill and his legendary strength but he became maybe the best of all time. there is no limit to what you can accomplish with hard work and the right frame of mind you could be great man. you will improve youve only been training for a while keep up the good work.
 
yeah you will gt better see if you can work the moves in that are going well with your style or somthing that your good at like getting up, lol.
 
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