First Day Lessons

[Method2Madness]

On our first class ,at my school, we are taught as follows

1. Basic positioning (mount, sidemount, guard, etc)
2. escapes (upa and elbow escapes)
3. basic figure 4 lock
4. whatever else the higher ranked students teach you when you roll with them.

[Fighting Cephalopod]

When I teach utter n00bs, the first class is usually -

guillotine - kimura - hip bump sweep

one guard break to guard pass (usually knee break to the knee up the middle pass)

Then I have them roll, starting from the guard, with the guy on the bottom trying to sweep or submit and the guy on top trying to pass. If either of them succeeds, they stop, reset in the guard, and start again. Then they switch positions.

I feel like if you teach a couple different things from different positions and then have them roll freestyle first thing, they frequently get put in situations where they have absolutely no idea what to do - on the bottom of side when they don't know any escapes, in half guard where they don't know anything, on top of half guard where they don't know any attacks, etc. So they just sort of grab on to a head and arm and get nothing accomplished and don't learn anything. Whereas starting in guard and resetting if they sweep or pass means that they're getting rolling with resistance and working on setups and defense, but also they always know what they should be doing (and therefore trying it and getting better at it).

Teaching the guillotine/kimura/hip bump first off also gets them used to thinking in terms of chains of moves early on, which I regard as pretty important.

[KhorneliusPraxx]

Newbs at my school start with:

Bridge and roll out of a shitty side control or crappy mount
Armbar from the mount
Americana
and ebi, ebi, ebi, and then ebi some more. (can't drill enough the importance of getting on your side and moving your hips.)


On a side note:
I know that everybody progresses at their own pace but sometimes I am amazed at the huge differences in some people. If I remember correctly, Aesopian and myself started at the same time. 7-8 Months later, he received his blue belt in record time...and I still sucked. Now, he is advanced to the point of being an instructor and I still suck...not as hard as before but suck none the less.

[Aesopian]

Maybe this will make you feel better.

[Aesopian]

Here is a revelant quote from "Coaching, the SBG Way" by Matt Thornton that I have taken to heart:

I am often asked what defines great performers or fast learners. Why do some people get very good, very quickly, while others take years. And I have given that subject a lot of thought.

I have been coaching now for well over ten years, and in that time I have noticed some common points with athletes who excelled and gained a high level of performance very quickly. Most people think that athleticism, being stronger or faster then others would be the common trait. Others might say work ethic. But in my experience it is neither.

It is true these athletes tend to put in their time on the mat, and it is also true they take care of their bodies. But they do not necessarily work harder than others, and they have not been, in my experience, more “athletic”. In fact, these athletes have often never played sports previously, don’t lift weights, etc.

So what is the common trait?

The fact that they think about the game as a whole. They think about their own game, they think about why things work a certain way, and they think about why things arise in a certain order. And in that process they gain an understanding of the game, BJJ, MMA, whatever, that others just don’t have.

There is absolutely no doubt that this introspective trait is the one thing I have seen as a common factor amongst all the athletes who have rapidly gained a high level of technical skill.

In fact, I would say it is the only common trait I have so far been able to identify.

[KhorneliusPraxx]

Maybe this will make you feel better.

That will make me feel better?

I tapped a BJJ black belt.

Now, I don't know what to think.
After less than a year and a half of training...you tapped a ligit BJJ black belt?
You are either full of **** -OR- you truely are the grappling god you seem to think you are.
At this rate you will be an official BJJ Black Belt in Lloyd Irvin time.

[Aesopian]

Don't forget to the part about the reverse omoplata.

[KhorneliusPraxx]

Does it make a difference what you tapped him with?

[Aesopian]

It's only my most favorite submission ever, that no one at my school does besides my instructor and I, so it holds a special place in my heart.

[Aesopian]

How often do you train?

How often do you stay late to do extra drilling and sparring?

How much do you study BJJ outside of class?

How often do you apply critical thinking to BJJ and your game?