# BJJ - What they don't tell you



## TMA17 (Jun 7, 2018)

A great art, one I think about often because it's so effective.  It's just something I don't think I will like.


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## Deafdude#5 (Jun 7, 2018)

Hygienic practices...showering and washing your gear. You be surprised how people think an aired dried GI is clean enough. Yuck!


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## drop bear (Jun 7, 2018)

BJJ is hard. And doing hard stuff sucks until you get results.

Sorry nobody can change that. They can only change your ability to deal with it.


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## Martial D (Jun 8, 2018)

TMA17 said:


> A great art, one I think about often because it's so effective.  It's just something I don't think I will like.


I absolutely love bjj. So much so that even though I'm sitting here with broken ribs gotten doing bjj, I really can't wait to get back to it.


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## TMA17 (Jun 8, 2018)

I'm glad you like it.  It's a great and very effective art!


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## TMA17 (Jun 8, 2018)

drop bear said:


> BJJ is hard. And doing hard stuff sucks until you get results.
> 
> Sorry nobody can change that. They can only change your ability to deal with it.



For me it has nothing to do with being hard.  It's the idea of rolling around on the ground with sweaty strangers.  I know it's ridicoulous but that's how i feel about it.


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## PiedmontChun (Jun 8, 2018)

Yeah, it gets uncomfortable sometimes. Some of it you have to get over (most of it), and some of it can be minimized.
- You learn to avoid people who don't seem to have the best hygiene (I'll drill with you or roll if coach partners us up, but I will not seek you out to work with if I have a choice. Ever.)
- Big guys who sweat a lot should wear rashguards under their gi. I do. And wipe your face between rounds so you don't drip sweat onto a person who is under you more than what is avoidable.

The legit uncomfortable parts for me were getting used to heavy pressure from being on the bottom of dominant positions like knee on belly, mount, a strong side control. I had a 265 pound training partner sitting into my ribcage yesterday (during rolling, not a friendly drill); it was hard to still breathe and for a moment made me worry about my ribs (I've never actually injured one but definitely have bruised them at times). We had a brand new white belt start the other day and you could tell he freaked out / panicked a bit being in someone's mount, and I remember what that felt like at first.


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## Buka (Jun 9, 2018)

Things change over time. I know what they didn't tell you thirty years ago, at least in our experience.

They didn't tell you how good it was.


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## Headhunter (Jun 9, 2018)

I get what outsiders think of bjj. Basically it looks like sex...bluntly that's what uneducated people would think of it and yes let's be honest a lot of positions you get in do seem a bit like it. But when your in class to me there's no uncomfortable feelings at all with anyone. I've rolled with men and women and no one felt any awkwardness simply that's the sport and everyone who trains understands it. Plus it's hard to feel awkward or uncomftoable when the other persons trying to put your arm in a position for it to break or put you in a choke that'll put you unconscious if you don't get out or tap early


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## JR 137 (Jun 9, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> I get what outsiders think of bjj. Basically it looks like sex...bluntly that's what uneducated people would think of it and yes let's be honest a lot of positions you get in do seem a bit like it. But when your in class to me there's no uncomfortable feelings at all with anyone. I've rolled with men and women and no one felt any awkwardness simply that's the sport and everyone who trains understands it. Plus it's hard to feel awkward or uncomftoable when the other persons trying to put your arm in a position for it to break or put you in a choke that'll put you unconscious if you don't get out or tap early


I’ve never done BJJ, but I wrestled and coached it for a long time.  It’s the same thing you mention.

People say things like they don’t want to roll around on the mat with guys and similar and worse stuff.  Add while wearing tights in wrestling.  Truth is, most often it’s an excuse because they know they couldn’t handle the physical difficulty.  They know they’d get their butt kicked.  Thing is, everyone gets their butt kicked at first.  And for a long time.  Wrestling, and I’m assuming BJJ and Judo take a long time to become competitive in.  I’m assuming BJJ and Judo don’t have as many outright mismatches at first due to belt ranks in competition.  In wrestling the only thing separating competitors is weight class. You could easily have a 2 time state champion wrestling against a guy who’s wrestling his first match ever.

But back to the original intent of the thread...

The harder something is, the more the excuses for not doing it flow.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jun 9, 2018)

Watched the full video. To me the remarkable thing is, despite the issues hes planning on continuing training. Clearly, theres something about bjj thats good enough to withstand the burns and sweaty partners.


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## TMA17 (Jun 10, 2018)

I've never actually done any BJJ, so I can't say for sure whether I'd like it or not.  One of the Muay Thai coaches I know didn't like it for the same reasons the guy in the video mentioned.  I think if you want to learn it bad enough, and realize the effectivness of it, you're likely to get over those hurdles.


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## Deafdude#5 (Jun 10, 2018)

Training for grappling arts is a gradual process. You have to condition yourself both mentally & physically. That’s what the training is for.

Most people are conditioned by society to maintain a certain distance from others. You have to unlearn this conditioning in order to be effective in grappling/BJJ/etc.


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## Headhunter (Jun 10, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> I’ve never done BJJ, but I wrestled and coached it for a long time.  It’s the same thing you mention.
> 
> People say things like they don’t want to roll around on the mat with guys and similar and worse stuff.  Add while wearing tights in wrestling.  Truth is, most often it’s an excuse because they know they couldn’t handle the physical difficulty.  They know they’d get their butt kicked.  Thing is, everyone gets their butt kicked at first.  And for a long time.  Wrestling, and I’m assuming BJJ and Judo take a long time to become competitive in.  I’m assuming BJJ and Judo don’t have as many outright mismatches at first due to belt ranks in competition.  In wrestling the only thing separating competitors is weight class. You could easily have a 2 time state champion wrestling against a guy who’s wrestling his first match ever.
> 
> ...


Yeah in comps they go by belt ranks but in classes you stil, roll with everyone. Every class I go to the open mat the hour before class starts and normally I'm the only white belt who turns up so I'm rolling with blues and purples and Browns an hour before class


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## Headhunter (Jun 10, 2018)

TMA17 said:


> I've never actually done any BJJ, so I can't say for sure whether I'd like it or not.  One of the Muay Thai coaches I know didn't like it for the same reasons the guy in the video mentioned.  I think if you want to learn it bad enough, and realize the effectivness of it, you're likely to get over those hurdles.


Well yeah of course a Muay Thai isn't going to say he likes bjj because well he's trying to sell Muay Thai to people he's not going to say hey go check out bjj it's really good as that'll hurt his business lol


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## TMA17 (Jun 10, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> Well yeah of course a Muay Thai isn't going to say he likes bjj because well he's trying to sell Muay Thai to people he's not going to say hey go check out bjj it's really good as that'll hurt his business lol


 LOL true but he does have a BJJ class at his school it’s just taught by another instructor.


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## Tony Dismukes (Jun 10, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> Well yeah of course a Muay Thai isn't going to say he likes bjj because well he's trying to sell Muay Thai to people he's not going to say hey go check out bjj it's really good as that'll hurt his business lol


Plenty of Muay Thai instructors like BJJ. Plenty of BJJ instructors like Muay Thai. Some of us train and/or teach both. It’s not like the early days of BJJ where it was about proving one art at the expense of others.


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## Jaeimseu (Jun 10, 2018)

TMA17 said:


> For me it has nothing to do with being hard.  It's the idea of rolling around on the ground with sweaty strangers.  I know it's ridicoulous but that's how i feel about it.



This is a thing for lots of people. My original instructor started a BJJ program at his Taekwondo school, and he hears that excuse/reason from a good number of people when he encourages students to try it out. 

The sweaty people thing has never bothered me, but I agree with the other poster who mentioned pressure from the top. As a beginning white belt, something as simple as being on the bottom of side mount felt like the end of the world. You can’t breathe, you panic, you spaz, and the only solution is to put yourself in that position again and again until you feel comfortable. I’d bet lots of people who quit early quit for that reason. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Gerry Seymour (Jun 10, 2018)

TMA17 said:


> For me it has nothing to do with being hard.  It's the idea of rolling around on the ground with sweaty strangers.  I know it's ridicoulous but that's how i feel about it.


They don't stay strangers long.

And getting close to sweaty people is not unique to BJJ. I've done that in Judo, NGA, FMA, and seminars (where they really were strangers) in a few other arts. It's hard to get good at anything that involves grappling - or even a clinch - without getting close to sweaty people. Come to think of it, quite a few non-martial sports also involve that.


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## TMA17 (Jun 10, 2018)

I agree with what everyone has said.  I'm sure you get over it quickly.  I've always been one of those people that likes a good deal of personal space, even when talking to people. I do want to become somewhat proficient at basic ground defense/grappling/kicking so at some point I will engage in it.  Please don't mistake what I'm saying as a negative for grappling arts.


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## Gerry Seymour (Jun 10, 2018)

TMA17 said:


> I agree with what everyone has said.  I'm sure you get over it quickly.  I've always been one of those people that likes a good deal of personal space, even when talking to people. I do want to become somewhat proficient at basic ground defense/grappling/kicking so at some point I will engage in it.  Please don't mistake what I'm saying as a negative for grappling arts.


I was also one of those people. I will point out that we (until we get some time working really close) are naturally easier to pressure backwards, because we instinctively tend to want that space back. It'd be worth getting into some close and tight grappling even for just a few months to reduce that natural tendency.


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## CrazedChris (Jun 11, 2018)

I don't do BJJ, but I have to agree there are some uncomfortable positions to get used to in training.  Yeah, I don't like to be pinned down, not sure if being a woman is more awkward than for a man, but I don't like it.  But I will continue to do it so that I can learn how not to be in that position long.  
The mat rash thing was a surprise to me.  First floor grappling class I went to, I think it was my 2nd class ever, I went home bloody, having torn up the top of my feet and my elbows.   That was rough, wearing shoes to work the next week sucked.  The sensei then told us in a halfway joking manner, if you don't get bruises or scrapes, you aren't doing it right..lol.

These sports are definitely addicting.


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## Deafdude#5 (Jun 15, 2018)

Like I said, it’s a gradual process. You slowly build your strength, confidence and techniques through constant practice.
Before you know it, it becomes a part of you that is almost instinctive.


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## swivel63 (Jul 20, 2018)

getting dizzy after back rolls.  that NEVER goes away.


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## swivel63 (Jul 20, 2018)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Plenty of Muay Thai instructors like BJJ. Plenty of BJJ instructors like Muay Thai. Some of us train and/or teach both. It’s not like the early days of BJJ where it was about proving one art at the expense of others.



yea, i train both.  love jits, like thai.  love the clinch.


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## pdg (Jul 21, 2018)

So, the sweaty thing...

It's not that I particularly like it, but I can cope - if it's fresh. I sweat, other guys I train with sweat, the women sweat, it's just part of physical activity. Suck it up (not literally, that's nasty ) and get on.

But, how do you deal with someone who has no comprehension of the term 'personal hygiene'?

The other night I got paired with someone during padwork (so not grappling, but follow along) and honestly, it felt like I was holding my breath for an hour and I was at like 2 arm lengths... Couple that with toenails that almost reach the ground where they've grown around the toe tips. I think that's descriptive enough.

He kept bringing up stuff about doing wrestling - really? Surely any coach would at least have a quiet word?

So, what would you grappling people do? Mention it or shun?


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## TMA17 (Jul 21, 2018)

I've decided for myself that the local Israeli Krav Maga school or Phillly Self Defense school will be the best fit.  I don't want to be a dedicated BJJ practitioner.  Krav combines wrestling/combat/Japanese Jiu Jitsu and the Philly Self Defense school offers BJJ and Catch-Can wrestling, which I'm really interested in.  I emailed PSD today to see about their catch wrestling program.  Only issue with that place is it's a good 30 minutes away.

Instructors

Philadelphia JKD Grappling and Catch Wresting


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## TSDTexan (Aug 1, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> I get what outsiders think of bjj. Basically it looks like sex...bluntly that's what uneducated people would think of it and yes let's be honest a lot of positions you get in do seem a bit like it. But when your in class to me there's no uncomfortable feelings at all with anyone. I've rolled with men and women and no one felt any awkwardness simply that's the sport and everyone who trains understands it. Plus it's hard to feel awkward or uncomftoable when the other persons trying to put your arm in a position for it to break or put you in a choke that'll put you unconscious if you don't get out or tap early



 It's not awkward unless you look each other in the eyes.

.


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## Deafdude#5 (Aug 2, 2018)

If you think BJJ or grappling looks like sex....might I suggest therapy? Or just get your mind out of the gutter.


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