Strapping up the gi after a decade off. Wish me luck.

[W1LLW]

Wrestled all through highschool. A little in college, but mainly joined this tiiiiiny ass mma gym that consisted of 8 guys blasting on each other multiple times a week. This was back when Matt Hughes was the baddest mofo in the ufc.

Got back into boxing like 2 years ago, and actively doing sessions on that but for whatever reason i just felt like i wanted the "rough n tumble" of bjj/judo/wrestling back in my life. Called a bunch of gyms in my area and the only one to get back to me with space open (covid times and all) was a gracie jiu jitsu gym. Going in as a humble rawdog white belt.

Looking forward to the awkward frustration of having a solid wrestling/fighting base but still getting wrecked by 150lb twinks for the next 3 months. Will report back with resalts.

[MJAffliction]

Good job, man. Gotta start somewhere. There's no shame in your story. You've adopted a good mindset now and will definitely benefit from training regularly again. And getting beat up by smaller guys is a rite of passage, so no need to put yourself down if and when it does happen.

[Kay4Kool]

Good luck

I find it more fun the older you get

[W1LLW]

Brief checkin. I've done 2 classes and I dig it. Did Monday, Tuesday, Taking today off, and will return Thursday, and Friday. I'm currently keeping a false sense of confidence in check from wrecking other white belts.

It appears most of the students are newish since its a new location and covid restrictions are slowly letting up, but most of these people just seem completely clueless what to do with their body if they're not standing on their feet. It's really eye opening into how absurdly FuKeD the average person would be in a fight should it go to the ground.

Anyways, I know this confidence will be wiped away the instant i'm able to spar with even a blue belt. It seems that sparse recollection of my wrestling from highschool and college allows me to sprinkle in heel picks, arm locks, and a few sidemount sweeps to a level that negates virtually every attack fellow white belts are attempt. It also doesn't help that i'm built like a tank compared to the majority of dadbods in the gym. Oh well, gonna stay humble and keep attending classes and watching videos until covid allows the gym to operate at full capacity and i can spar with people that'll fuk me up.

[LeakyQuesadilla]

Brief checkin. I've done 2 classes and I dig it. Did Monday, Tuesday, Taking today off, and will return Thursday, and Friday. I'm currently keeping a false sense of confidence in check from wrecking other white belts.

It appears most of the students are newish since its a new location and covid restrictions are slowly letting up, but most of these people just seem completely clueless what to do with their body if they're not standing on their feet. It's really eye opening into how absurdly FuKeD the average person would be in a fight should it go to the ground.

Anyways, I know this confidence will be wiped away the instant i'm able to spar with even a blue belt. It seems that sparse recollection of my wrestling from highschool and college allows me to sprinkle in heel picks, arm locks, and a few sidemount sweeps to a level that negates virtually every attack fellow white belts are attempt. It also doesn't help that i'm built like a tank compared to the majority of dadbods in the gym. Oh well, gonna stay humble and keep attending classes and watching videos until covid allows the gym to operate at full capacity and i can spar with people that'll fuk me up.

How long has been it since you wrestled?

I always find it funny when D1 wrestlers start off BJJ as a white belt.

Gregor Gillespie was a white belt for almost a decade.

[W1LLW]

11 years since I wrestled.

Didn’t know who that guy was so I googled him. Why was he a white belt for a decade if he was a collegiate wrestler?

I’m assuming he just “trained mma” which I think is like the gym in my op. 70% standup, 30% halfass judo and bjj instruction. I don’t know anything about anything in bjj yet but there’s no way i feel an established wrestler could stay a white belt for more than 2 years if they’re at a dedicated bjj gym. Correct me if I’m wrong.

[MJAffliction]

That's odd that they let you roll right off the bat. It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

Yeah, most people are hobbyists and you'll beat them on conditioning and stamina alone. Plus, as you said, your background obviously separates you from others. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Glad you liked the first couple of classes.

[EidFnatic]

It also doesn't help that i'm built like a tank compared to the majority of dadbods in the gym..

You should come train with me sometime.

[EidFnatic]

It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

[zhengterry]

11 years since I wrestled.

Didn’t know who that guy was so I googled him. Why was he a white belt for a decade if he was a collegiate wrestler?

I’m assuming he just “trained mma” which I think is like the gym in my op. 70% standup, 30% halfass judo and bjj instruction. I don’t know anything about anything in bjj yet but there’s no way i feel an established wrestler could stay a white belt for more than 2 years if they’re at a dedicated bjj gym. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Most bjj gyms don't give out belts for no gi which is probably what that guy did.

Good job signing up op and have fun! I don't think your confidence will get rekt tbh tho, a lot can be attributed to fitness assuming you're as strong as you say you are. My first time back in no gi this purple belt kept taking me down and was going for an arm triangle from half guard/sidemount-- I defended it a couple times but he eventually tapped me out. Was a great experience. Besides open matt, my favourite is probably drilling guard passes, can't describe how it feels to get completely controlled from the bottom and tap to a triangle each time but it's a lot of fun!

Das it man, keep us updated.

[GordonXXX]

how much are classes and how often per week? how long are classes - an hour? i'm a little concerned about staph, impetigo, and CV19 because it's so up close and personal but part of me wants to do it. maybe boxing is better?

my goals would be to improve self defense skills in a street fight and also to add/mix up my workout routine. also, to have some fun and meet some cool people.

[W1LLW]

That's odd that they let you roll right off the bat. It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

I’m 5’8” 198lbs.


To be fair, I don’t think I would call it open mat rolling. They taught us a defensive sweep from the guard. Each guy would practice it 5 to 10 times without resistance until he got it. Then we took turns in 2 minute rounds going “live” trying to execute the sweep we were taught.

Since both white belts don’t know chit about anything it’s mainly just body weight trickery, while you look to swing the person off balance to perform the sweep. It inevitably gets a little messy and that’s when I would be like okay fuk it, and throw in some wrestling fundamentals in terms of how I manage body pressure or trapping limbs.

how much are classes and how often per week? how long are classes - an hour? i'm a little concerned about staph, impetigo, and CV19 because it's so up close and personal but part of me wants to do it. maybe boxing is better?

my goals would be to improve self defense skills in a street fight and also to add/mix up my workout routine. also, to have some fun and meet some cool people.

Didn’t pay per class, pay $200/month and you can go 5 days a week if you want. Works out to $16 per class if you go three times a week.

If you’re worried about self defense though I’d probably point you to boxing. A little easier to get good coaching in while not having super close contact. That’s what I have been doing the last 2 years and it’s very rewarding, and builds confidence. I’d hate to be a whatever belt in jiu jitsu, get in a street altercation and have my first thought be “ how do I take this to the ground?” Fuk all that, I’ve got good footwork and a good judgement of distance so if I have to stand up and throw hands I’m more than confident

[GordonXXX]

I’m 5’8” 198lbs.


To be fair, I don’t think I would call it open mat rolling. They taught us a defensive sweep from the guard. Each guy would practice it 5 to 10 times without resistance until he got it. Then we took turns in 2 minute rounds going “live” trying to execute the sweep we were taught.

Since both white belts don’t know chit about anything it’s mainly just body weight trickery, while you look to swing the person off balance to perform the sweep. It inevitably gets a little messy and that’s when I would be like okay fuk it, and throw in some wrestling fundamentals in terms of how I manage body pressure or trapping limbs.







Didn’t pay per class, pay $200/month and you can go 5 days a week if you want. Works out to $16 per class if you go three times a week.

If you’re worried about self defense though I’d probably point you to boxing. A little easier to get good coaching in while not having super close contact. That’s what I have been doing the last 2 years and it’s very rewarding, and builds confidence. I’d hate to be a whatever belt in jiu jitsu, get in a street altercation and have my first thought be “ how do I take this to the ground?” Fuk all that, I’ve got good footwork and a good judgement of distance so if I have to stand up and throw hands I’m more than confident

cool. sounds like you have both covered which is nice. thanks.

[akmerle]

Great job getting in. With your years of previous mat experience, you should have no problem with most every other white belt with no grappling background.

I had a 20 year previous wrestling background coming in, and was surprised at how natural it still came back. Lol, only problem was positions that normally would be default safe defensive positions for wrestling were comically bad positions for bjj.

Being a Gracie school, there should be a decent bit of self defense / real life work on how to engage and close the distance with a standing opponent looking to strike.

Keep up the good work, stay humble, just keep showing up, tap early / often, and embrace the journey ma’dude.

[DKM89]

gj m8. im waiting on getting work done on my knee before i hop back in. I remember I started going again a few years ago after like a 8-9 year hiatus... the skills were still there, like I knew what to do, but my timing and most importantly my conditioning was so off. I took for granted the ability to roll round after round... after such a long break, i was gassed so quickly. Fight cardio is a different beast. good luck and keep goin

[W1LLW]

Great job getting in. With your years of previous mat experience, you should have no problem with most every other white belt with no grappling background.

I had a 20 year previous wrestling background coming in, and was surprised at how natural it still came back. Lol, only problem was positions that normally would be default safe defensive positions for wrestling were comically bad positions for bjj..

Besides the obvious "base" where we're on hands and knees with wide knees and hands of course. Giving up the back and begging to get strangled.

One position that I just know is gonna get me wrecked by blue/purple belt is sprawling with wide legs. When I'm in other white belts guard and they're working to get ahold of an arm, i just drive my head into their chest, get on my toes with my legs spread and just drain all their energy while they try to wiggle around under all my weight. I see the instructors walking around and one of them was smirking just shaking his head, I'm certain there's at least a dozen ways I can get destroyed with my head down and legs spread like that but we white belts now. we don't know what the fuk to do with these open opportunities lol.

gj m8. im waiting on getting work done on my knee before i hop back in. I remember I started going again a few years ago after like a 8-9 year hiatus... the skills were still there, like I knew what to do, but my timing and most importantly my conditioning was so off. I took for granted the ability to roll round after round... after such a long break, i was gassed so quickly. Fight cardio is a different beast. good luck and keep goin

cheers m8

[Duckliver]

Besides the obvious "base" where we're on hands and knees with wide knees and hands of course. Giving up the back and begging to get strangled.

One position that I just know is gonna get me wrecked by blue/purple belt is sprawling with wide legs. When I'm in other white belts guard and they're working to get ahold of an arm, i just drive my head into their chest, get on my toes with my legs spread and just drain all their energy while they try to wiggle around under all my weight. I see the instructors walking around and one of them was smirking just shaking his head, I'm certain there's at least a dozen ways I can get destroyed with my head down and legs spread like that but we white belts now. we don't know what the fuk to do with these open opportunities lol.



cheers m8

I’ve been having some fun with turtle lately, use elbows to stop people from getting hooks and defending my neck, when I get an arm trapped with them on the other side I roll into the arm and end up in side control.

Also with what your describing with legs out and spread I imagine you just have to much of your weight going into them so they could feet on your hips and sweep you over them. Think about having more balanced weight distribution when somone has you in a guard still. Save smashing for knee on belly/side control/mount. I see a lot of success with keeping the feet way back with my hands on their shins and use my feet out and wide to move around their legs quickly instead of getting in close and pushing all my weight on them in that position.

If that’s what your doing.

Then again I’m just a white belt too.

[akmerle]

I’ve been having some fun with turtle lately, use elbows to stop people from getting hooks and defending my neck, when I get an arm trapped with them on the other side I roll into the arm and end up in side control.

Also with what your describing with legs out and spread I imagine you just have to much of your weight going into them so they could feet on your hips and sweep you over them. Think about having more balanced weight distribution when somone has you in a guard still. Save smashing for knee on belly/side control/mount. I see a lot of success with keeping the feet way back with my hands on their shins and use my feet out and wide to move around their legs quickly instead of getting in close and pushing all my weight on them in that position.

If that’s what your doing.

Then again I’m just a white belt too.

Good cross face works well on guys who like to chill in turtle.

When guys are a bit high and driving into your chest and posting their legs out while in your closed guard, it’s then time for butterfly and then they are going for a ride.

If they are lower and driving more your stomach then it makes my guard higher and easier. So then would be looking at triangles or rubber guard.

[chino3]

That's odd that they let you roll right off the bat. It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

Yeah, most people are hobbyists and you'll beat them on conditioning and stamina alone. Plus, as you said, your background obviously separates you from others. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Glad you liked the first couple of classes.

From my personal experience, most gyms let you roll in open mat right away. But, all the coaches pick who they will roll with. So like a blue and up, so they can control if the newbie spazzes, and help them work through positions.

The only place I’ve found slightly different is at 10th planet HQ, after lesson/drilling time, they do positional sparring. They have separate classes specifically for open mat, which sucks.

Anyways, Mirin op. Gyms have either closed again down here, or are extremely limited in capacity but zero checks and balance of whether or not people are cross training at not so strict gyms which defeats the purpose....

[W1LLW]

Anyways, Mirin op. Gyms have either closed again down here, or are extremely limited in capacity but zero checks and balance of whether or not people are cross training at not so strict gyms which defeats the purpose....

They have two options. Literally shut down all businesses and turn the country into a ghost town for the rest of the summer, or enforce a traceable trusted vaccine.

Neither of these options are available so no fuks given as far as i'm concerned. If I was old, obese, or a combination of the two i'd just stay my ass at home. I really have no clue why the world has made this covid process so god damn convoluted, but i'll leave that discussion for the Religion and Politics section.

[W1LLW]

Been getting mildly frustrated with limited class times. Due to Covid they're enforcing only rolling with one training partner, but on days he can't make it i'm just fuked. Classes are also limited to 40 minutes. So that's basically instruction on 1 new move, a few drills, and then 4 rounds of live. Legit leaving practices with 40% gas in the tank. I'm used to 2.5 hour wrestling practices where you basically had to crawl to your car and you could inhale a bottle of gatorade before you made it out the parking lot.

i've been going into my garage and knocking out 15minutes of jump rope after class to tax the rest of my system. I also ended up purchasing the lifetime membership to grapplers guide (at the reduced rate). Absolutely love it so far. Great fundamentals sections for me to rep before going to class and then practice the various grip guards and defenses while in class.

[newbuck]

That's odd that they let you roll right off the bat. It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

Yeah, most people are hobbyists and you'll beat them on conditioning and stamina alone. Plus, as you said, your background obviously separates you from others. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Glad you liked the first couple of classes.

this. I used to wrestle and wanted to box around december but the boxing gyms around me are all jokes, so I tried bjj. Instructor said it'd be a good 2 months before we could start live sparring so i said fuk that. I used to wrestle for a bit and want to be able to be thrown to the wolves. Thinking about trying bjj again somewhere else in september.

[W1LLW]

It sick. It piss. Tempted.

The academy gi I was given is way too big (A3) they just assumed because i'm a broader dude, an A2 would be too small. Already purchased a basic Fuji elemental A2 gi. Wanted something that was fitted with absolutely minimal patching/flash. Then i stumbled on this thing. Fuking buriful. Eventhough i'm still smashing white belts in my gym, i'm gonna at least wait to get some stripes before i pick it up. I refuse to be the white belt with the fuking louis vuitton gi in the gym.

[Polaris]

I tried getting back into it fairly recently after a LONG, over a decade as well, layoff (since you brought up Matt Hughes, fun fact: I used to train at Miletich's back in the day), but after going to a couple classes I realized that the desire just isn't quite there enough for me to show up - which was sort of disappointing.

this. I used to wrestle and wanted to box around december but the boxing gyms around me are all jokes, so I tried bjj. Instructor said it'd be a good 2 months before we could start live sparring so i said fuk that. I used to wrestle for a bit and want to be able to be thrown to the wolves. Thinking about trying bjj again somewhere else in september.

Yeah, there's one school I checked out here where you have to show up to 60 classes and/or be at least a 3 stripe white belt (I have prior training, but no belt rank) before they let you actually start "rolling". I thought that was lame as hell and never went back. The teacher there is a Top BJJ competitor though, so for someone who wanted to do it very seriously - sucking it up and going through the 60 classes might be worth it.






Also OP for gis- I would recommend checking out - https://yourjiujitsugear.com/

[W1LLW]

I tried getting back into it fairly recently after a LONG, over a decade as well, layoff (since you brought up Matt Hughes, fun fact: I used to train at Miletich's back in the day), but after going to a couple classes I realized that the desire just isn't quite there enough for me to show up - which was sort of disappointing.

Training at THE miletech? lol that's an epic flex in 2008.

As for the bolded. I imagine boxing gyms see an influx of newbies after a Mayweather or Anthony Joshua fight. For bjj, i'm assuming it's the same thing whenever there's a large UFC matchup. None of this stuff is what prompted me into combat sports. It was a funny story actually, Dear Diary:


Though cursed with manlet height, i've almost always been the imposing muscular guy in my social circle. Not just off physique alone but I was a wrestler and rugby player in highschool/college. I was used to roughing it with people and I was afraid of no one under 240lbs.

FastForward 360 twelve years. No competitive sports at all, i'm still in the gym but they're halfass maintenance pump workouts. I'm a corporate america desk jocky with an amazing salary and travel the world regularly. So in 99% of scenarios, i'm around civilzed corporate america folk and i'm "the jacked guy" around these people so no one tests me. One day i'm hanging out with an old friend who got back from military deployment, we're hanging out with his friends shooting the chit. One guy made some joke about me, i chirped back at him and we all laughed then he said "alright then lets scrap right now" ... ... ...

He said it jokingly, but dude was 6'1 about 235 or so and for the first time in like a decade, in the back of my head i was like "i definitely don't want smoke with this guy" and defused the situation. He didn't know it, but I mentally backed out of it. I was legit infuriated with myself. I was like "you pussy ass bitch". I had realized i had not been pushed physically to exhaustion or scraped with another human in a long time. Corporate America had softened me up and made me too civilized. I grew up with a beast of a father so i've always rejected weakness. I've been glued to boxing training, and recently bjj ever since.

The thought of being a simple, civil, corporate twink that has to run to cops/lawyers is the epitome of what i hate. So i've thrown myself in the deep-end to restore my confidence and physical capabilities to their former glory. Not to be a dick and bully people. But you know "better to be a warrior in a garden..."

[MJAffliction]

Interesting story there. I can relate in a sense. I was in a similar, menacing situation and realized I didn't know dick about anything as far as self-defense or fighting goes, which motivated me to go out and train. I have learned so much since that point.

I will caution you and say that you made the smart choice at the time by diffusing the situation and averting the fight. I don't really understand your mindset or bravado about never backing down from a fight and think that is a silly mindset to have, but to each their own. I know I didn't grow up the same way as others, have the same circumstances, logic, etc,. I have friends that are like that, too. Nobody can keep them from starting a fight at a bar. They're always looking at the world that way. If someone bumps into them while trying to walk past them in a crowded space, hands are being thrown. It is almost never worth the energy to get involved in a confrontation like that.

[W1LLW]

I will caution you and say that you made the smart choice at the time by diffusing the situation and averting the fight. I don't really understand your mindset or bravado about never backing down from a fight and think that is a silly mindset to have, but to each their own.

I guess I didn't express myself clearly enough. I could have a dozen amateur boxing fights, and be a bjj purple belt. I'm still defusing that same situation because as you stated a fight isn't necessary. We were just shooting the chit so the threat of a fight was never there anyway, but it was that internal realization that IF a fight had broken out with that guy, I would have been worried/flustered/unconfident, and I just became disgusted with myself at having to admit that.

[sword_]

Good stuff homie!!

[Schnitzl]

Interesting story there. I can relate in a sense. I was in a similar, menacing situation and realized I didn't know dick about anything as far as self-defense or fighting goes, which motivated me to go out and train. I have learned so much since that point.

I will caution you and say that you made the smart choice at the time by diffusing the situation and averting the fight. I don't really understand your mindset or bravado about never backing down from a fight and think that is a silly mindset to have, but to each their own. I know I didn't grow up the same way as others, have the same circumstances, logic, etc,. I have friends that are like that, too. Nobody can keep them from starting a fight at a bar. They're always looking at the world that way. If someone bumps into them while trying to walk past them in a crowded space, hands are being thrown. It is almost never worth the energy to get involved in a confrontation like that.

Damn son, you need some new friends.

[savageoldman]

That's odd that they let you roll right off the bat. It took me 6 months of going to fundamentals classes before I was allowed to engage in open mat rolls.

Yeah, most people are hobbyists and you'll beat them on conditioning and stamina alone. Plus, as you said, your background obviously separates you from others. How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Glad you liked the first couple of classes.

its not odd at at all you just got played