Anybody here practice Brazilian/Gracie Jiu-Jitsu?

[Tweedr01]

My knee is usually good to go but get some pain during cold weather. I play flag football, basketball and softball pretty regularly and was able to do workouts like P90x without any issues.

But one thing I'm worried about is I also have some sort of shoulder problem. Like a rotator cuff injury or something. I guess I should get that checked out first.

Man definitely get the shoulder checked out, I lift 4 days a week to go along with BJJ and I can tell you when I hurt my shoulder I had issues in class. Just trying to shuck someone hurt like no other, but there are a few submissions that will have you hurting. Most of the guys have had shoulder issues before and you may just have to work through them. Before class used a 10 pound weight and just did forward and backward wide circles with my bad shoulder.

[Tweedr01]

Red Belts in BJJ are almost unheard of. I thought Red Belts were grand master level? Like Grandpa Gracie who just passed was a Red Belt.

Yeah, they exist but no one really has one, so realistically just the 5 apply.

[Tweedr01]

There's a Gracie gym in Alexandria.

What should I know if I wanted to get into it? I've got a slightly bum knee due to a partially torn meniscus. I do have some greco skills from high school.

Should I be in pretty good shape first?

Knee shouldn't be too bad, ankle I think would be worse because you have to be able to hold a strong closed guard.

[Die Hard]

No Gi is the way to go

Disagree. I've found Gi to be much better.... there is SO many more submissions and variance with Gi.... and you can have a lot more control (grabbing sleeves, lapels, etc) with the Gi.

No Gi is more limited... you don't have nearly as many submissions, chokes, etc.... you have to have superior control to implement a submission... and sweat (lubrication) comes into play.

Everyone I've spoken to, to a man, has said that starting with Gi, will make you a better no gi fighter in the long run.

For now, I won't be attending any no gi classes. I've just found it too much with the both of them.... 2 different styles of fighting. And 3 of the 4 nights.... it's gi anyways. So I may as well master the way I practice the most

[Die Hard]

DH, I took BJJ for about 2 years during college, both in school and then at an actual place. Maybe I'm misreading what you typed, but how are you already a blue belt after only a month? Where I went, I was told that generally takes an average of 3 years to progress in rank. Since there are only 5 ranks till Black Belt (I think karate has something like 12) getting to blue is actually a pretty solid achievement.

You misread.

I purchased their combative series.... which is a series of 36 lessons (submissions, sweeps, passes, clinches, takedowns, escapes, etc). When you've got them down in your sleep... you can test by video or attending a Gracie club.

They estimate that it will take 6-12 months - at a minimum, training regularly -- to attain their blue belt. Also, understand, that their criteria for a blue belt will be much different than other clubs.

Their videos/lessons.. are more for self-defense than tournament (ie. more grappling) kind of skills.

Still, it's going to take a lot of practice.

And it's hard to mix both what I'm learning through Gracie -- which are BASIC INTRO techniques/defenes, etc -- and the clubs... which seem to jump right into blue/purple belt techniques.... with no introductions to posture, defense techniques, opening moves, etc.

It's a hard balance... and it can be overwhelming.

Which is why at 245lbs... I like to grapple with guys in the 190-210 range... guys who are more technique and slower in their technique (25-50% of speed, 100% strength).... so I can learn slowly and figure out what the hell I'm doing... and use my strength to oversome *some* moves due from a lack of knowledge.

When I grapple against guys my own size who know what they're doing..... I'm getting submitted 15 seconds every time. And I'm not learning anything because it's all happening to fast.

[Die Hard]

Awesome DH! Sounds like you have found a great mis of entertainment/recreation/ and fitness!

I trained in BJJ and JJJ for a few years too. It changed my life a bunch.

Oh, I'm in this for the long haul. Good warmups.... strengthening of my core... learning a few techniques.... grappling around to get my heart rate up.... and a few submissions (for the ego)... and good peeps.

THAT'S FUN!

Beats the hell out of riding on a stationary bike and looking at a clock for 60 minutes.

[Die Hard]

I always thought Capoeira was pretty cool...

Honestly never heard of it.

If anything.... another art I will eventually try is Krav Maga? Isreali self-defense. Seems like it's practical

But no boxing or Miuy Tai. Screw that crap.

[Die Hard]

Anyway, definitely work on your conditioning, especially your legs. The school I went to required you to do 100 squats at the beginning of class (in addition to other conditioning) before you could start training/grappling. And the Gi you wear in BJJ gets really freaking heavy after you've been sweating for awhile.

I checked a few clubs out.... one was simply too intensive. In a 90-minute class.... 60 minutes were spent on strengthening and conditioning. 15 minutes on technique and 15 minutes on sparring. They are training competitive fighters.

I declined. I didn't last more than 15 minutes of their conditioning program -- I'm 245 pounds... solidly built.... but still outta shape

The club I'm at now.... we warm-up for about 30 minutes. Jogging around the gym, situps, pushups, up-downs, jumping jacks (all reasonable numbers)... and practical drills like shrimping, get-ups, etc.... then about 40 minutes of learning/applying technique... then about 20 minutes of sparring. Much slower pace... less competitive. Right up my alley

I purchased an Omni Plata Reevo Gi (blue). A good heavy gi.... which everyone complements.... but for the wrong reasons Apparently, the lapels is a great one to grab and choke with, haha Ah well, live and learn.

[Die Hard]

Eventually, we'd (the white belts) get through our limited repetoire of moves, they'd (blue belts) decide to stop humoring us, and they'd pull something on us.

That made me LOL. So true.

They give you resistance.... but they're also giving you some opportunities that you wouldn't normally get

So frankly, when I'm truly sparring with a blue belt.... basically the only things I have available to me are to pass a guard..... or delay a submission as long as possible LMAO.

[Die Hard]

Diehard are you gaining any more interest in UFC fights and the like now that you understand the ground game a lot more? I've found that understanding the ground game is the biggest barrier for fans. Anyone can understand the stand up if they've seen a boxing match or a fist fight... the ground and the clinch is where the real technical aspect come into play IMO.

BTW - Congrats on finding something you can really get into. BJJ is a great sport. I'd do more of it but my lower back doesn't like it. I'm working on improving my flexibility and overall core strength before I join a gym. I like you have done a bunch of workouts with people that understood it.

Yes, I'm begrudgingly getting into UFC... as I've started to youtube videos of famous fights and particular moves. I have absolutely no intention of EVER fighting in a competition or tournament.... so my interest in UFC will be limited.

But there are so many UFC fights... and in speaking with friends -- most of whom watch every one -- I don't get a lot of positive feedback on the quality of fights. And I've just never been down with PPV.

As I've been told by most instructors.... the introduction to BJJ starts on the ground. Takedowns (ie. clinches) are usually practiced by those who are competitive... and have an upcoming tournaments. Mostly because that's where people generally get hurt.

The Gracie series has quite a few takedowns... and stand-up defenses and submissions. I haven't gotten around to them yet.... because people generally aren't interested.

But I could definitely see the value in Judo once I have the ground game down. But no hurry I'm a family man with young kids... I only leave the house to get groceries, go to work, or take my kids to school or BJJ class. I don't get in confrontations

[Sebowski]

I tooks some classes a few years ago. I was really getting into it. It was a gym that had bjj, muy thai, mma..... I was rolling with the mma instructor and he put me in a wrist lock. I didn't even have time to tap. That was my last class. Couldn't even bowl for over a year. Still not 100%, but I do want to get back into it. I'm being lazy about picking a gym. There are too many around here.