The FB BJJ / MA Thread

Fuengi

grungebob said:

Well in a very surreal turn of events I was promoted to purple belt tonight. 

I don’t feel worthy but it was nice of all the other purples to tell me I belong. 

That’s made my year that has. 

Amazing, congratulations that's quite an achievement. Did you have to make a little speech? 

I think of purple belt as the equivalent of a university degree in Jiu Jitsu, it shows serious dedication and achievement. Well done. 

grungebob

Thanks guys.  No speech but had to roll with the coach in front of everyone and not get submitted. it was good to see other people get levelled up too. 

I’m 45 in January and I don’t know if it’s possible but I’d love to make black by the time I’m 50. 

stimpsonslostson

grungebob said:

Thanks guys.  No speech but had to roll with the coach in front of everyone and not get submitted. it was good to see other people get levelled up too. 

I’m 45 in January and I don’t know if it’s possible but I’d love to make black by the time I’m 50. 

That's my plan too!  I'm a 42 year old blue belt- got two stripes. 
I'm lucky in that we have an "old farts club" at my gym- a group who are all 40+, if we're feeling our age we can roll together & not have to be with some 20 year old. 
I generally try to go hard a couple of times per week though- got to let the young pups know that they can't take liberties. 

What I'm really enjoying is that I help teach classes & it's really helping my technique. 

Congrats again.  

grungebob

stimpsonslostson said:

grungebob said:

Thanks guys.  No speech but had to roll with the coach in front of everyone and not get submitted. it was good to see other people get levelled up too. 

I’m 45 in January and I don’t know if it’s possible but I’d love to make black by the time I’m 50. 

That's my plan too!  I'm a 42 year old blue belt- got two stripes. 
I'm lucky in that we have an "old farts club" at my gym- a group who are all 40+, if we're feeling our age we can roll together & not have to be with some 20 year old. 
I generally try to go hard a couple of times per week though- got to let the young pups know that they can't take liberties. 

What I'm really enjoying is that I help teach classes & it's really helping my technique. 

Congrats again.  

If we stick at it, train smart it’s entirely possible. 

AK99

grungebob said:

Well in a very surreal turn of events I was promoted to purple belt tonight. 

I don’t feel worthy but it was nice of all the other purples to tell me I belong. 

That’s made my year that has. 

That's excellent.

Good for you GB. Good clubs don't give out belts for nothing - you've earned it, so take pride in getting there, and enjoy it. 

Fuengi

stimpsonslostson said:

grungebob said:

Thanks guys.  No speech but had to roll with the coach in front of everyone and not get submitted. it was good to see other people get levelled up too. 

I’m 45 in January and I don’t know if it’s possible but I’d love to make black by the time I’m 50. 

That's my plan too!  I'm a 42 year old blue belt- got two stripes. 
I'm lucky in that we have an "old farts club" at my gym- a group who are all 40+, if we're feeling our age we can roll together & not have to be with some 20 year old. 
I generally try to go hard a couple of times per week though- got to let the young pups know that they can't take liberties. 

What I'm really enjoying is that I help teach classes & it's really helping my technique. 

Congrats again.  

I started two weeks before my 48th birthday and my aim was to get to blue belt before my 50th birthday. Covid put paid to that ambition, although I later found out that my instructor has actually bought my belt (with name embroidered) just before lockdown.

Belt promotions were due before Christmas, but our Prof has unexpectedly had to take a month out so looks like February. In the meantime I'm teaching a beginners class which I have really enjoyed. 

Currently rocking four stripes on my blue belt.. 

Fuengi

I got my Purple Belt on Saturday.

...then immediately got tapped out by a blue and crushed in closed guard by a white belt, knackering my back in the process. I feel a complete fraud. 

Everyone has been incredibly complementary and pleased for me. I intend to roll as much as possible with as many different people as I can and forget about belt colour. 

grungebob

@Fuengi nice one buddy. Congratulations! Welcome to team skip the warm up,lol. 

Don’t focus on the taps they mean nothing other than a learning opportunity. 

The day after one of our brown belts got his brown I tapped him to a kimura because he was playing with the white belt. Didn’t mean I was better than him, he continues to kick my arse. 

stimpsonslostson

@Fuengi ;
Congrats! Your coach obviously believes you're worth it. 

Don't worry about getting tapped. I have days when I feel great and can tap all the higher belts & bigger guys, but I also have days where I feel like want my white belt back!
I've been working on my defense for the past couple of months, which basically has meant getting the sh!t kicked out of me over and over again as I work on delaying the inevitable. I get tapped so often that I've stopped even thinking about it other than to work out where I went wrong- it's ALWAYS that I let them get a hook. 

JonnyBgoode

I see this is mainly a BJJ thread, but MA=other martial arts too? 

Was awarded my Brown belt in Filipino Martial Arts just before Christmas. We do a little grappling, called 'Dumog'.

It was a target of mine to get Brown in 3 years which I managed, so pretty chuffed with that, at 56 I'm the oldest there barring our head instructor, who's a Grand Master.

Two more stages/stripes of Brown to complete over the next year or so...

grungebob

JonnyBgoode said:

I see this is mainly a BJJ thread, but MA=other martial arts too? 

Was awarded my Brown belt in Filipino Martial Arts just before Christmas. We do a little grappling, called 'Dumog'.

It was a target of mine to get Brown in 3 years which I managed, so pretty chuffed with that, at 56 I'm the oldest there barring our head instructor, who's a Grand Master.

Two more stages/stripes of Brown to complete over the next year or so...

Nice one mate. Welcome to the thread lol. 

Fuengi

Thanks for the kind words chaps, looking forward to resuming my rolling next week as a purple - the Mrs is skiing this week and I'm on Jr duties!

Interesting what you say there @stimpsonslostson the hook is the key to being able to finish so many things. 

I've been working on keeping my knees close to my chest when paying off my back, it helps to protect that vulnerable space between armpits and knees, but also makes your opponent get closer which open up ankles and sleeves for grips. Enjoying it so far.

I'm planning on travelling around a bit and getting to other clubs where I can. It's exciting looking ahead! 

stimpsonslostson

@Fuengi ;;
Yeah, the hooks thing is something I've been working on for some time. Basically when rolling I don't let anyone touch anywhere between my hips and armpits. It's completely changed the way I think about BJJ. 

I went down a rabbit hole of Priit Mihkelson and Chris Paines instructionals and have concentrated on it for a year. Chris's BJJFanatics video is excellent & covers it all in a superbly clear way. 
Priit teaches the guard retention system in the same way you describe, he calls it "Grilled chicken" 

I started with back defence, then side control and half-guard I'm now letting my opponents get mount and working on escapes from there. 
I have to leave my ego at the door as progress is incremental, but I'm MUCH harder to tap now. It's had a funny side effect that I can be more aggressive as I'm not bothered about anyone getting my back etc, I'm confident I'll get away or frustrate them enough that they'll do something else. 

@JonnyBgoode welcome to the thread- I'd love to hear more about what you learn.
I've always wanted to try Kali or Eskrima (I used to play a lot of Lacrosse, so stick fighting holds a special attraction to me) but I've never got around to it. Especially as I caught the BJJ bug 

JonnyBgoode

stimpsonslostson said:

@JonnyBgoode welcome to the thread- I'd love to hear more about what you learn.
I've always wanted to try Kali or Eskrima (I used to play a lot of Lacrosse, so stick fighting holds a special attraction to me) but I've never got around to it. Especially as I caught the BJJ bug 

Thanks @stimpsonslostson Yeah Kali/Eskrima/Arnis is pretty much the same thing, different terminology used in different parts of the Philippines. Its primarily a weapon based martial art, mainly sticks (single or double) plus bladed weapons. We also have an empty hand element comprising striking (boxing based + some kicks), take downs and locks etc

So its a massive syllabus but the cool thing is the way it integrates and blends together- the weapons techniques translate directly to empty hand eg we might learn a flow with sticks that blocks and locks up your partner then drop the weapons and drill the same technique without. We have sparring and competition (I fought last September at the British open in Luton).

For examples of Filipino empty hand see the Bourne films or The Equaliser, for the sticks see the latter part of Enter the Dragon, the Arrow TV show has quite a bit of FMA in it too.

I love it :-)

stimpsonslostson

JonnyBgoode said:

stimpsonslostson said:

@JonnyBgoode welcome to the thread- I'd love to hear more about what you learn.
I've always wanted to try Kali or Eskrima (I used to play a lot of Lacrosse, so stick fighting holds a special attraction to me) but I've never got around to it. Especially as I caught the BJJ bug 

Thanks @stimpsonslostson Yeah Kali/Eskrima/Arnis is pretty much the same thing, different terminology used in different parts of the Philippines. Its primarily a weapon based martial art, mainly sticks (single or double) plus bladed weapons. We also have an empty hand element comprising striking (boxing based + some kicks), take downs and locks etc

So its a massive syllabus but the cool thing is the way it integrates and blends together- the weapons techniques translate directly to empty hand eg we might learn a flow with sticks that blocks and locks up your partner then drop the weapons and drill the same technique without. We have sparring and competition (I fought last September at the British open in Luton).

For examples of Filipino empty hand see the Bourne films or The Equaliser, for the sticks see the latter part of Enter the Dragon, the Arrow TV show has quite a bit of FMA in it too.

I love it :-)

That sounds awesome, have you seen "The Raid" they do silat in that I believe. It's one of my favourite martial arts movies. 
beware- this is the "red band" trailer and not for the faint hearted!

JonnyBgoode

That sounds awesome, have you seen "The Raid" they do silat in that I believe. It's one of my favourite martial arts movies. 

beware- this is the "red band" trailer and not for the faint hearted!

Oh yes it *is* my favourite martial arts movie, I have them both on DVD, almost worn them out :-)   Superb stuff. I'm a huge John Wick fan too (surely those movies have come up in this thread, tons of flashy BJJ) and two of the cast are in Parabellum as you might know.

Yes The Raid is mostly Silat, lots of overlap in the South/East Asian martial arts though. On Fridays I train in a system that is a blend of Silat and kali.

Fuengi

stimpsonslostson said:

@Fuengi ;;
Yeah, the hooks thing is something I've been working on for some time. Basically when rolling I don't let anyone touch anywhere between my hips and armpits. It's completely changed the way I think about BJJ. 

I went down a rabbit hole of Priit Mihkelson and Chris Paines instructionals and have concentrated on it for a year. Chris's BJJFanatics video is excellent & covers it all in a superbly clear way. 
Priit teaches the guard retention system in the same way you describe, he calls it "Grilled chicken" 

I started with back defence, then side control and half-guard I'm now letting my opponents get mount and working on escapes from there. 
I have to leave my ego at the door as progress is incremental, but I'm MUCH harder to tap now. It's had a funny side effect that I can be more aggressive as I'm not bothered about anyone getting my back etc, I'm confident I'll get away or frustrate them enough that they'll do something else. 

Yes! I looked at his Running Man seminar for Globetrotters that I think you posted earlier? 

I've found the principles of that have been incredibly useful. 

Fighting with stick sounds fun @JonnyBgoode how does that work out with the fingers and playing guitar? 

JonnyBgoode

Fuengi said:

Fighting with stick sounds fun @JonnyBgoode how does that work out with the fingers and playing guitar? 

Aha yes, it is common to come home from training with bruised and swollen knuckles from a stick whack, usually from  training with novices who don't have sufficient control - training is mainly working through drills with a partner. If I was gigging this would be very precarious, but most injuries are bruises and heal quickly. For full contact sparring and competition we wear body armour similar to Kendo and the hands are protected by fencing gloves or ice hockey gloves.

Whats worse is tennis elbow (or Eskrima elbow as we call it), which I have at the moment :-(       Doesn't affect guitar, but its a nuisance...  What injuries are common in BJJ?

Fuengi

JonnyBgoode said:

Fuengi said:

Fighting with stick sounds fun @JonnyBgoode how does that work out with the fingers and playing guitar? 

Aha yes, it is common to come home from training with bruised and swollen knuckles from a stick whack, usually from  training with novices who don't have sufficient control - training is mainly working through drills with a partner. If I was gigging this would be very precarious, but most injuries are bruises and heal quickly. For full contact sparring and competition we wear body armour similar to Kendo and the hands are protected by fencing gloves or ice hockey gloves.

Whats worse is tennis elbow (or Eskrima elbow as we call it), which I have at the moment :-(       Doesn't affect guitar, but its a nuisance...  What injuries are common in BJJ?

I'd say the shoulders, ribs and lower back take most of the hammer. But there is a protection that comes with better technique, I tend only to pick up injuries with the white belts. 

I think I ruptured a disk last year which meant every time I learnt on my right arm my left arm went dead. That was fun.

stimpsonslostson

Fuengi said:

JonnyBgoode said:

Fuengi said:

Fighting with stick sounds fun @JonnyBgoode how does that work out with the fingers and playing guitar? 

Aha yes, it is common to come home from training with bruised and swollen knuckles from a stick whack, usually from  training with novices who don't have sufficient control - training is mainly working through drills with a partner. If I was gigging this would be very precarious, but most injuries are bruises and heal quickly. For full contact sparring and competition we wear body armour similar to Kendo and the hands are protected by fencing gloves or ice hockey gloves.

Whats worse is tennis elbow (or Eskrima elbow as we call it), which I have at the moment :-(       Doesn't affect guitar, but its a nuisance...  What injuries are common in BJJ?

I'd say the shoulders, ribs and lower back take most of the hammer. But there is a protection that comes with better technique, I tend only to pick up injuries with the white belts. 

I think I ruptured a disk last year which meant every time I learnt on my right arm my left arm went dead. That was fun.

I was going to say "all of them".