If you knew then what you know now

[BJJ Nation]

If you could start training all over again what would you do differently? What would you tell new people just coming into the sport to do versus what you may have done?

 

[Uchi Mata]

I'd have learned how to lift weights correctly so weightlifting injuries didn't keep me off the mats for literally years. I'd also have structured my training in a more focused way. I didn't take ownership early enough, I didn't have the knowledge to do so. I'd have trained less intensely 100% of the time when I was younger, more of a mix of medium intensity training with the hard stuff would have left me with better technique and also fewer training interruptions due to injury.

 

[j123]

I would tell them how to weight cut and diet properly. A couple of us ended up doing starvation type diets before and it didn't go well for us (eating 1600-1800 calories)

I would know how to breathe better and not spazz like an idiot when I first started

 

[PapaFoxtrot]

Drill more often and really focus on what you're doing. Too often when I was just starting out I would just kinda go through the motions when it came to drill, as all I wanted to do was roll roll roll. It took a while for me to really focus on the techniques as I was drilling them and understand the importance of getting the technique down.

 

[Byrd]

I would have started back in the 90's when I had no responsibilities and saw my first UFC instead of running around with my partying buddies talking about wanting to do that...

 

[HtomSirveaux]

I would not be so stubborn and tap sooner, particularly to kimuras. That's about it

 

[Rev john]

Honestly the biggest thing I would do differently is not do so much inverted stuff. And I would train more with the gi. I also think I would have put as much effort into business training and coaching training as Jiu Jitsu and MMA training.

And one really specific regret, I should have kept lighter and trained more for speed and cardio for my fight with Dan Severn instead of trying to put on size

Rev

 

[BJJ_Rage]

focus way more on stand up.

 

[jr jr]

I would tell myself to have fun and remember this is a hobby for relaxing and enjoying life.

 

[1PBCE1]

I was pretty lazy for my first year training and progressed slowly. So I'd tell myself to train harder.

On a side note, how cool would it be to roll with yourself from a few years back.

 

[randomg1t]

That was always the dream, wasn't it? 'I wish I'd known then what I know now'? But when you got older you found out that you NOW wasn't YOU then. You then was a twerp. You then was what you had to be to start out on the rocky road of becoming you now, and one of the rocky patches on that road was being a twerp.

 

[EGDM]

I'd have learned how to lift weights correctly so weightlifting injuries didn't keep me off the mats for literally years. I'd also have structured my training in a more focused way. I didn't take ownership early enough, I didn't have the knowledge to do so. I'd have trained less intensely 100% of the time when I was younger, more of a mix of medium intensity training with the hard stuff would have left me with better technique and also fewer training interruptions due to injury.

^^

 

[Rico]

I wouldn't have let my friends sucker me into a drunken grappling match thus never blowing out my knee and most likely being a BB by now.

Dems the breaks, tho.

 

[Forceof1]

I would film some of our "rolling" sessions from 1997 when there was hardly any Bjj in Wisconsin, and my martial arts club in college would learn from my royler / renzo book. We did a seminar with a 3 stripe white belt as well.

 

[Was at Pride GP 2000]

I would have lifted weights better. I would have kept a journal for every class.
I would have not showed up to the school in Boulder CO for one class where I got cauliflower ear for the first time after 15 years of training. (But is was an awesome school)

 

[Zankou]

Train at a more technical and competition focused school. Instead of a classic Brazilian style school.

 

[DrJitsu]

start yoga from the beginning
stay away from sherdog

 

[selfcritical]

Committed to standup immediately, and used 100 percent of my open mat time to do situational/positional sparring.

 

[T-Bone]

Well geez, it was only about 4 months ago

But when I signed up for Taekwondo when I just graduated high school, I'll go back and tell myself to stick with it. I signed the contract and decided not to attend and broke the contract two days after signing... and joined the gym instead.

So I would tell myself you can always lift weights. You cannot always have the expertise of a martial artist. Lessons Learned.

-T

 

[Badger67]

Focus less on subbing everyone. I was good at it, then as time went on i wasnt as good at positions. This is why my rank has stalled vs others. I relied too much on takedowns and quick judo style subs. They work great until someone stifles you, then you need to figure out positions and how to stop or perform sweeps.