Ideas on Getting Better as a New BJJ White Belt 

So what your saying is that there is hope for me.

I needed to read this! Very motivational thank you! Keep it going bud.

Started a little over a month ago at 49...going 3-5x per week. My 5 year old goes 4x a week. The best advice given to me was, "forget about submission holds, spend the first year learning how to survive." It really stuck with me while rolling with white, blue, brown belts and I've found I'm better at not panicking, improving efficiency of movement, and making it harder for the other guys to submit me. I still gassed out very quickly being so out of shape but I am learning, it's the fun part.

​ @Jim Park & @Flowing Chi.......Oh man....this is encouraging stuff. I'm 55, reasonably fit (for my age) and just getting started in BJJ. I don't think I've ever been more aerobically challenged and I did a LOT of endurance sports through my 20's through my mid 40's (road bike racing. marathon & triathlon). Like many, Corona changed my routine and I lost a step...or two....or three. LOL. Time to get the Covid 19 off my midsection!! I was blown away by how inefficient I am and how crazy fit everyone else seems to be. I feel weak as a kitten (mostly because I basically I am at present) and though you could hardly say I'm doing anything meaningful other than simply trying to implement some of the basics I've been shown, the level of cardio needed just to keep trying just feels crazy....not because the more experienced folks in my gym are being too hard on me but because I pretty much suck. They must be smiling and relaxing as I spaz out and burn all my matches whole books at a time. I'm not a spring chicken compared many but I do believe I'm capable of bringing my knowledge and conditioning WAY up....with time & patience.......but man the mountain looks pretty steep and high from here. I'm liking it, but there is that voice in my head saying "Maybe 55 is too late....maybe this is just gonna be a thing that's no longer open to you". I'm trying to ignore that voice and right now my goal is simply to eat right, condition up as best I can, and maybe at some point not completely suck as a training partner for the folks who are being so patient with me at the expense of their own training.

@@jimpark9253 proud of you Jim W dad !

Finally a true professional

@@adamspera190 Finally a true spellar

@@JablesMullet Speller*

@@adamspera190 * wizard

@@adamspera190 🤦

You've got this bro, I'm 21 and have just joined a gym two months ago and it is absolutely one of the best things I have ever done, took me around a year to finally join a gym and wish I just went for it straight away

Best of luck, and it is very true. The beginning of BJJ is tough, it's a lot of losing, ie learning.

@@Knight10p thanks bro im really excited i contacted a gym and will be trying it tomorrow!

@@toughfff712 thank you cant wait to see what its like and to keep up with it

@Greg Lurik i wont i promise

How did it go?

How’s it going? Hopefully you’re still crushing it

"Being bad at something is the first step to being good at something." I found it very helpful for me to focus on who I was when I first stepped on the mat. I'm a 2-stripe white belt, but when I look back, I've come to realize I would absolutely destroy the version of myself when I first started. You've come so much further than you know.

Well said

🥳

Hey congrats man! I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do!

Let's Go DEVILS!

Good life advice too.

Lets go Pens

💪💪💪

I have the same attitude, best roll so far was with a brown belt :D I just laughed on how helpless I was

keep showing up

A coach at my gym just got his black belt. He's 67 started around 55. Never too late.

@@zach6367 awesome!

9 months later (4/8/2022), how is it going?

Americana tip, keep their elbow close to their body

And turn their wrist

For me I roll in class to learn and work on moves, vs to win. This mentality allows you to not fear being tapped, or giving up positions. Of course there are times, when I go harder, to win. Also, your pretty new, but you want to try and go with guys that are newer then you, to try out the moves and set up positions. Best of luck

Remember to pull the sleeve grip as far back as possible and load your partner on you before you try the sweep. You should not feel like you are using your legs solely to "muscle" them over. If it helps, kick out the knee on the side you are sweeping to.

I think that’s normal. There is few moves I am trying to focus on. But it’s hard for me to be in that situation to use it. Learning set up is another part I really enjoy. Feels like hunter setting up long term traps

Thank you! Maybe one day you'll be here.

That's outstanding that you can find those forms of improvement and appreciate them when you achieve them. Given how complex jiujitsu is, you'll have lots of opportunities to do that, agin and again.

Keep showing up! At times you will hit a wall and not want to go to class but those days you don’t really want to go could be your best day at training.

Let’s roll. Get your mind off negativity. Learn something new. Surrounded by like minded guys. Good choice bro!

@@sanderossi8013 thanks bro. I'll try my best will be my new modo

If they are defending that well, sounds like it's time to move on to a different attack. Even if it is to distract them to open the neck. IE: grab the arm and work towards an Americana, then switch back to the Zek.

@@toughfff712 but I love my Ezekiel! I can do them in Gi no problem but No gi I cannot.

@@genises200 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FVqeYvDvcTk.html

@@genises200 check out that link. There are some good tips in it

If it’s painful to the point you can’t put your shoes on, I would take some time off. Yeah it blows considering the fact you just started, but it’s part of the game

That’s my mentality. I just started but I don’t really care about anything except doing it for the sake of doing it. I know I’ll get better because i get better at everything i keep doing. Tonight’s goal = don’t get crushed as bad as last time,

@@chuckthecontractor maybe it's kinda of fun because everytime you go you think you learn something new and we havent hit any plateaus yet. It does combine what I really enjoy meeting people and learning something together. I hope you continue to enjoy👍

@@tomsheppard378 Last night was 2nd BJJ class. Already huge improvements! I feel like I got hit by a truck this morning. Haha

@@chuckthecontractor ur get fitter, I train 6 times per week now. During a roll someone put a guillotine choke on too strong for me and my throat hurt. I have weight training and boxing tomorrow morning, then wrestling and BJJ in the evening. I'm getting older now so always take time to stretch at the end of class

@@tomsheppard378 you’re an animal! Good call on the stretching. I should do that. My neck is almost back to normal after getting choked on day 1. I learned quickly to not let that happen.

I'm 42 and getting ready to head to my second class. Just stay within your limits and get after it. If you're to old I'm really screwed. 🤣

@@danquirke443 Tnx for answering me, I hope for both of us that we aren't too late. I will give my best to make progress ... :)

Thank you so much for the answer, I will do that... :)

How you doing now bro?

Try and lint brush, roller might work, but I find the brush to be better removing gi fuzz and stuff

@@toughfff712 thanks brother I’ll try the lint brush hopefully it’ll be better than the lint roller I was using

How long have you been out?

@@MrCrumb34 I've out over 4yrs now...

That's up to your coach

NO! You've earned those stripes, you may need to sharpen your tools and get back in the groove but you've worked hard for those 3 stripes. My advice would be to not give up your rank, the belts/stripes don't mean everything but at the same time, they mean something to you as an individual as a sense of accomplishment. Don't beat yourself up buddy, you will continue to improve and continue to sharpen your tools. It's inevitable on one condition, just show up and everything will fall into place and work out, it always does!

The stripes are yours. Think about this, if you complete a college course in 2005 and return to school in 2021, you still have those credits. Same goes with your stripes. You may not move as well or remember much today, but you are not new.

The hardest part is showing up at the beginning, and then the hardest part becomes staying consistent. Give it a try, screw fear. Do you really wanna look back and say "dammit I should've just did it". I guarantee later on in life, you wish you would've started.

Go and watch a few lessons. BJJ practitioners are nice guys in general. I started with a fundamentals course which gives me at least some basic understanding. Just do it bro you will not regret it.

ok fine, steroids+mat time