Beginners: STFU and train

**Coach Josh** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 8:51am

We have had an increase in enrollment over the past few weeks. This is awesome because we want to be able to teach full time. The thing is that there is always a new guy who thinks he knows it all. Recently we have had three instances with beginners. All three would not STFU during drilling and to make matters worst flat out ignored our directions or pissed one of us royally with asinine comments.

Grant it we have a check system in place. It could be viewed as an ass whipping if you didn't know better. We just call it sparring. If your gym has such a system in place then you should be thankful. Then you should try real hard to not be that guy.

Here are some tips if you are going to start at a new gym.

1. Don't talk about prior training in karate, TKD, or an RBSD mcdojo when you were 10. It has no relevance to learning BJJ, Judo or MMA. If asked did you take a MA before be honest and say yea I got a BB in karate when I was 12 but haven't practiced in 10 years. In other words don't brag about it because you will seem like a douche.

2. It takes roughly 10,000 repetitions to become proficient with a technique. Do you honestly think that you have it mastered in the 10 reps you did on the first day and should be trying to add your own **** to it?

3. Do not over correct your partner. It's one thing to say move your arm here and put your foot there. It's another to give you philosophical break down of the technique. If they are having that much trouble call over the instructor. If its going to take him some time to get there then switch positions and get more reps in while you wait.

4. When rolling/sparring with a higher rank belt
DO THE FUCKING TECHNIQUES YOU LEARNED THAT DAY.
Generally that is what the instructor is waiting for you to do when you are rolling with him or one of the higher ranks. They want you to do that and most of the times will allow you to work through it to completion with a little resistance.

5. Tap and tap often. We do not go in the office after class and mark on a chart how many times we made people tap in class. No one is keeping score in the gym. When you hear higher ranks talking about how they made each other tap or what they caught each other in is entirely different than white belt/beginner rolling. Those guys have been training together for many many years. They will go weeks without tapping each other. They are past the ego and now its about getting better and MAKING THEIR TRAINING PARTNERS BETTER. No one gives a rat's ass about your ego. Tap it will make you better.

6. Do not goad a higher rank. After you have been tapped 6 times in 2 minutes do not restart and say "come on bring it". The next 3-5 minutes should be a living hell. Don't get frustrated either. You are not going to be the next BJ Penn on your first day of class. Hell not even your first year.

7.Learn from your mistakes. The only people who make mistakes are the ones that are doing something. In the beginning if you are not fucking up you are not learning. The key is not not make the same mistake over and over again. As time goes on you are just making fewer mistakes. You came to class to learn not to have your ego stroked. It takes years to become comfortable in grappling. This is a tedious and heart breaking sport. Just be happy to be on the mat and grappling. It could be worse you could be playing soccer<insert equally mind numbing sport>.

I could probably list 20 more things but I won't. The thing is your instructor will tell you these things in a nicer way. You will misconstrue his kindness for weakness and blow him off. Then when they jump your **** in front of the class for being a retard you will get your panties in a wad.

Don't think that I am trying to say you need to kiss your instructor's ass and bow and grovel at their feet. That is not it at all. The reason many of the TMA are the way they are is because of that. BJJ and Judo are not on the level of karate and TKD when it comes to the whole protocol and "tradition" thing. What we do expect from people is a level of respect for someone who has been training for many years and is only looking to teach you the same skills that have given them and their students success in the venues that they choose to compete.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 10:22am

Awesome. I was just trying to explain this to a guy in the CMA forum. He saw it in everyone else. in his class, and not himself.

**Neo Sigma** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 11:22am

The only people who make mistakes are the ones that are doing something. In the beginning if you are not fucking up you are not learning.

People in ANY kind of physical activity should have to recite this for their first year before every class. When I was still in judo, our sensei told us a story about when he was new, and thought he'd done really well because nobody had thrown him all night. His sensei shook his head and told him that if he wasn't getting thrown, he wasn't doing judo.

**Aaron Fields** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 11:39am

YAAAA!

Good on ya' Josh...

If I may add to it and vent a little, (this included folks who have been doing whatever for a spell as well as new folks....)

Open comments to, whomever the shoe fits.....

You are not original, Everything has been done before. Quit thinking you are smart enough, a good enough sportsman, etc to come up with anything that is new. You may have discovered something for yourself, (good on 'ya,) but you have not discovered a new country. The human body is finite; you gain mechanical advantage in a limited number of ways. SMALL VARIATION is not a "new technique," it is a god-dammed new variation.

STOP trying to be original and focus on being good.

Quit trying to make a name for yourself by witty technique names and marketing, and start by working your ass off and sweating more than everyone else. (In addition, quality mat time is the key. I have taken a piss for a longer period of time than some of the folks who have wanted to critique technique have been on the mat.)

Like Josh said, gum flapping while standing on the mat, does not count as mat time.

Secondly, the internet is a great medium for idea exchange. But, don't come to practice with the most super-duper "new" technique that you learned without first understanding the technical root.

At the top level simple, clean, efficient movement and technique is what wins, not fancy-ass rubix cube stuff.

If you can hit an "inverted flying triangle choke with only one leg," you could also take the dude down and armbar them. Hell, if there is that much difference in skill you could likely sit on them and get them to tap. Practice what is going to work at the upper levels, not **** you feel like will keep you in the arms-race.

Unless you have MD next to your name, (ok fire and paramedic too,) I don't want to hear your diagnostic eval of your injury, or any injury that you have never sustained. YOU don't know, in fact you won't know for sure until you are checked out by, that’s right....by a MEDICAL DOCTOR. If you are concerned go see them, your description over the internet and all of your buddies eval is worth nothing.

INJURY AND SORENESS ARE NOT THE SAME...This is a combative sport, it is going to hurt.

FINALLY don't take yourself so seriously...the real reason to do this is because you enjoy it. Smile....

AHHH I feel better, thank you

Regards,
Aaron Fields
SEA-Town SAMBO

**riccweee** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 2:16pm

Great posts! I have been doing M.T for about 2 months now. I have barely spoken a word to anyone, I just show up, OFTEN, and do as told. Hopefully I´ll become a better fighter for it!

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 2:50pm

This made me lol. So, so true. I'm not sure my schools have such a system formally. But informally ... Nothing says "shut up" quite like an arm triangle. Or seoi nage.

Originally Posted by Coach Josh

Grant it we have a check system in place. It could be viewed as an ass whipping if you didn't know better. We just call it sparring. If your gym has such a system in place then you should be thankful. Then you should try real hard to not be that guy.

**kenso** · Posted On: 11/13/2009 3:51pm

My favorite response in these situations:
"Are you here to learn, or to impress me with how much you already know?"

They usually shut up after that, and if they don't, then I know they're pretty much hopeless.

**Aaron Fields** · Posted On: 11/16/2009 3:36pm

Oh hell...in that case you are for sure an original man....lets see..with skills like that train a few folks...who then train a few folks..every club that gets opened pays you a few dollars off the top. Everyone refers to you as Sir..or Grand POOBA...

When your original-ness wears-off...you can just start making **** up...still taking money off the top... of the pyramid that is...;)

Aaron.."just call me diva" Fields....

**Tex** · Posted On: 11/16/2009 4:04pm

I appreciate this post because it reflects morals and values that can be applied anywhere, in any environment, with equal results.

People tend to think that if they act like they know something, they can demand respect that way.. It sucks when you end up on your ass for such a philosophy. My philosophy in the Dojo is to do what I'm told and say thanks to my Coach for helping me out, and to abstain from feeling intimidated by the peripheral BS involved.

SO.. Thanks Coach!