Category Archives: BjjBrick Q&A

BjjBrick Q&A Q17 Help with lacking a BJJ curriculum

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Here is the question:

I started BBJ 3 weeks ago and love it. The only thing is there isn’t a curriculum, starting course, or even drills…. I just go, learn some moves and roll. As a white belt, I’m trying to breath, be safe, and learn the fundamentals… but I am not taught them exactly so I have started using youtube Gracie videos… I want to keep showing up and putting in work to show my coach how motivated I am to learn this art… but I’m not sure if I should bring up my problems now or later…

BjjBrick Q&A Q8 Changing Schools & BJJ For Self Defense

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Question”Hey Byron ,you and Gary are great, love the podcast, it has helped me through these 11 months in my BJJ journey so far, I recently got promoted to blue belt and was so excited when I did but now I’m questioning whether I’m in the right school since They mainly focus on sport. I’ve always felt that sport JJ would be enough to defend myself in a street fight, takedown, control (mount, side control) submit if need to. My question is since I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about the effectiveness of BJJ is lacking due to sport oriented academies, is Sport BJJ enough for self defense or should I consider changing schools? which would be hard since I’ve made many friends there and wouldn’t want to leave. Thanks for your time”

BjjBrick Q&A Q7 Uncooperative Teammates

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Here is the question from an email.

Hi! After almost two and a half years of training regularly I’ve just gotten my blue belt yesterday. I train in a small school in a small town in Croatia, our instructors are purple belts and every now again we get visited by our affiliate leader or other black belts from out affiliation, We have a group of about 15 guys so training partners are scarce and we can’t pick and choose our partners like in bigger schools and my problem is that some of my training partners show some kind of unwillingness for cooperation while rolling or drilling techniques. For example, if we agree on a light roll I’ll go light and let my partner finish his techniques and try out new stuff, but when I try to do so it turns into a deatmatch. I’ve tried talking to them, giving them hints and out right telling them but nothing has changed. This happens when learning new techniques too.  I feel this is a very big obstacle for my progress as I miss training only when I’m sick or have serious injury. We’re the only school in town and others are too far away for every day training. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

BjjBrick Q&A Q6 Building Your Confidence As A New Student

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Here is the question submitted via email.

I am fairly new to BJJ but not to martial arts in general. BJJ has always enticed me because of the fluid flow of the art plus the confidence and humility of its practitioners. I have mainly trained in striking arts and I have to say the brotherhood that I see between the students in Jiu-jitsu is so different. With that being said there is a lot of intimidation. I have never been one to have the most self confidence and I hope that BJJ will change that, which I believe it will. My question is getting over the fear, for lack of a better word, of rolling with folks. It’s not that I am “afraid” to do it but it’s very defeating sometimes when almost instantly you feel weak and beaten as soon as you start. I enjoy drilling and working technique but when we roll at the end of class it kind of gets to me. Is that to be expected? I know talking with other students they have basically said it kind of sucks when you first start but just to keep doing it and it will get better. I know that with continued work it will get better but how do I address the apprehension now? I do know giving up is not an option for me because I have given up in the past on things. Not because it was tough but because I think my self esteem gets the better of me. I know I have to keep pushing because I really want to develop my self not only physically but mentally too.

Thanks for your time. Keep up the great work.

Regards,
Jason