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.
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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.
My Instructor just placed this video on his blog, and I thought it was an inspiring video. This old man will have no idea how many people he will inspire and the many people who will change their beliefs about what is possible with age.
It has been a month since I have been training Jiu Jitsu. I went on a week vacation and I had my Annual Training for the Army National Guard.
Now I’m back and ready to get put some time on the mat. The academy that I train at has recently moved to a new location. Last weekend we spent time painting the place and setting the mats down. The new academy looks nice and has some nice mat space. I am not sure on the exact size, but it is big enough for 6-7 pair of groups sparring.
This week the academy has a group of visitors from the UK. They are a very nice group of people and all are fairly new to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Most of them have extensive experience in other martial arts. They have all come with open minds and a strong desire to learn as much as possible. Each night after class they take time to take notes on everything that was taught in class once they return to the place they are staying. They are here for two weeks and I think by time they leave they will have enough material to add to their curriculum.
It’s great to be back. I have trained the last two days and I can tell my conditioning is not as good as it was when I left. I knew this would happen and I was not looking forward to the out-of-shape feeling I would have to face. The schedule for the academy has changed and now there is a specific blue belt class. I am really excited about this class. There are about 8 blue belts at the academy right now.
I just returned from vacation in Mexico, and last night I went to class for the first time in a week. I really don’t like being away from training for any amount of time, but I do need a rest once in a while and I also had a great time in Mexico.
Training in BJJ can be weird sometimes. I have been training for well over a year now, and there are times I feel like I just got on the mat for the very first time. I guess this happens to a lot of people, even the ones I train with.
Why does this happen?
I am not sure exactly why, but I like to think that, in all things, there are good days and bad days, and we all get them. Maybe the person you were sparring with was a little faster, are better prepared mentally to spar that night. Or, maybe the person you sparred with is getting better and you just weren’t ready for it.
No matter what the reason is brazilian jiu jitsu takes time to learn. That is why it takes around 8 to 10 years to get a black belt, and that is with consistent training, so I have read.
I love training in BJJ. I do have my bad days where I don’t even feel like sparring, and I do have my good days where I feel I got in some new submissions, defended well, and got a few taps.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to train for 3 1/2 weeks because I will be away doing my Annual Training, but you can be sure I will be doing some conditioning exercises to keep me fit and maybe a little visualization to keep what I know active. Got to keep firing those neurons somehow.
When I return I will be turning up the heat and putting in some serious mat time. I can’t wait.
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