Tag: Training

Returning back to BJJ in 2021

Last week on Thursday (14/01/2021) I went back to my local MMA school that I was going to for a around 2 years; if you are in the area and are interested in going to a great MMA school with fantastic training partners and knowledgable teachers then check out Reflex Mixed Martial Arts Center. I highly recommend them not only for BJJ but MMA, boxing and just conditioning/fitness in general. The facility is extremely high quality and so is the experience too.

Originally I had not wanted to leave the school and continue training in BJJ but getting a new job in Sydney and commuting to and from work I would not be able to commit to training BJJ to the fullest. It is my belief that you should commit 100% when doing anything and not half ass it. So it would be a complete disservice to the teachers there and my training partners as I would not be able to commit 100% mental and physical effort. Plus I would be doing a disservice to myself.

With the COVID pandemic sweeping the world my current employer allowed us to work from home and this looks to be far more permanent than it being a temporary policy too. And with the COVID situation being far more under control here in Australia and appropriate safety measures and protocols in place by the NSW state government and school I felt it safe to return to continue my training. I am taking a risk going and training several times a week, but it is a calculated risk where there are little to no community transmissions in the area and there are little to no active COVID cases locally; the odds of me catching it while I train are very small and is just as likely if I was to go out and grab a coffee or shopping. I am not going to let COVID control my life in this way.

What I can say after returning back for my first training session of the year and after around 1.5 years away is that my body is still slightly sore and I was extremely rusty. The good news is that I did not forget or lose the muscle memory I had learnt with basic sweeps, escapes and moves like shrimping; but when it came time to rolling I was severly outmatched. I was out of shape and gassed very quickly and made some fundamental mistakes causing me to get locked in an armbar, triangle and rear naked choke across multiple opponents. I did not get a single submission and I tapped more than once. But submissions is not my ultimate goal so being submitted several times is not a major concern for me.

Was I happy with my performance? Absolutely not because I know I am better than what I had shown on the mats on my first day back; plus I was so exhausted after several roles I could not finish the last roll. I know I need time to get back into shape and get to where I was before with the hope of getting my blue belt in late 2021. Taking everything one step at a time and trying to get my conditioning right first which will then help me in certain situations and then back to making sure my fundamentals are right before I go back to submitting people like crazy. I am super happy to be training BJJ again 🙂

BJJ White Belt 1st Stripe Incoming

I love Mondays. I know plenty of people that dread Sunday nights because of Mondays. However I am the complete opposite. Sure I have to go to work but I generally enjoy what I do at work, if I didn’t then I’d probably not be there. But what really makes me love Mondays (and Wednesdays) is going to my BJJ class at night. To make it even better and to ensure that I actually go is that I attend the school with a college. So there is no way for me to dodge a class (not that I would as I am enjoying it), but there is some accountability there 😉

As the hours tick by during the day I get more and more excited. I have been going to this school for a short period of time and I am nearly ready to attempt my first test and get my first stripe on my white belt (so excited). Everyone who I roll with is super friendly and being several stripes or belts higher destroy me but are always willing to give me tips so that I can get better during my rolls. Do I get steamrolled sometimes when we roll? Definitely, and it is not sometimes, its most of the time. Do I get super confident when I don’t get submitted and can prevent people passing my guard? Absolutely, it means I am doing something right.

I still have so much to improve on though from my guard pass protection to my triangle choke from closed guard. However by constantly training and going into the school and attending class at least twice a week and giving it my best I know I am going to get better. By not being carried away, not having a massive ego and knowing that I am still very raw at BJJ who will get submitted and passed I can learn better. Patience, practise, and perseverance will always prevail. Here is hoping my next BJJ post I’ll have my white belt with one stripe (if so then I’ll end up posting a picture).

For the people that train and practise BJJ, how are you finding it? What do you find most challenging? And what do you feel is the most important idea or concept that someone like me should take going into each class?

All the best people and good night.

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