Some advice for beginners

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 4:07pm

Progress so far:

**Bang!** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 4:26pm

Looks familiar.

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 4:46pm

Originally Posted by Raynor

I used to pummel on the knees, but pretty much all of my instructers have told me I'd be better off just taking a position I want. If I get passed pulling guard like that, its just more time to work escapes.

Yeah, it's really kind of pointless to spend large amounts of time doing that when you could be working from a much more important position.

**Jaguar Wong** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 5:19pm

Originally Posted by Aesopian

Progress so far:

Nice. Has a fatherly smug look about him. Did you do that all in Illustrator, or is there a sketch you were working from? Also, is this for a website, or just a creative outlet to improve your BJJ?

Originally Posted by Raynor

I used to pummel on the knees, but pretty much all of my instructers have told me I'd be better off just taking a position I want. If I get passed pulling guard like that, its just more time to work escapes.

Dig, I guess I shouldn't worry so much about starting from guard (top or bottom) when rolling then. I do need a metric TON of work on my takedowns (starting from standing), though. I mean I can wait, since my sweeps and position reversal/escapes also need work. I noticed that in all the months my instructor has been teaching (he took over the grappling classes full time, but he was doing half of the classes since October), he hasn't shown us one submission during class time (he always shows us that after class). He's really taking position over submission seriously. And I think (even though I wasn't really "finishing" anyone for a little while), it's really done a lot to help me improve.

**Odacon** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 5:26pm

Jesus christ I have a lot of work to do.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 5:29pm

JW,

I'd argue that's going to far, though I suspect anyone instructing can kick my ass.
One of the harder things to do is to 'see' the submissions in front of you and firing them off.

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 5:29pm

Originally Posted by odacon

Jesus christ I have a lot of work to do.

All of us do.

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 5:52pm

I originally drew this...

And decided to use it to learn Illustrator.

**Jaguar Wong** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 6:17pm

Originally Posted by UpaLumpa

JW,

I'd argue that's going to far, though I suspect anyone instructing can kick my ass.
One of the harder things to do is to 'see' the submissions in front of you and firing them off.

I'm no expert, so I won't disagree with that. But one of the hardest things for me is maintaining and escaping from bad positions without giving up submissions. I was never really in a position to see a submission because I was always doing the wrong things and giving up a superior position (either losing a mount or having someone pass guard way too easily) and end up tapping out. One thing his approach has done for me is to help me avoid many submissions rolling with much stronger, heavier and more experienced guys.

He shows subs and submission escapes after class, but most of the guys that are serious about it stick around an hour or so afterwards to learn that stuff as well. Besides, one thing I've noticed new guys doing is giving up positions to go for subs they saw on the internet (I'm guilty of this myself).

Actually I have to make a correction, he taught the S-Mount to armbar finish a couple of weeks ago during class. And there was one other class that was entirely devoted to the RNC a few months back. So I guess I should say, he rarely teaches subs in class.

**Jaguar Wong** · Posted On: 2/09/2006 6:25pm

Aeso, that's a great sketch. It's got a nice loose/free feeling that's missing from your Illustrator version. Did you "place" it into your illustrator file as a template? I think that would really help add some life to the lines.

I like that overlapping like on his jaw/jowel on the sketch. It has a better flow. Also, the second line defining the bridge of his nose flattens it out too much. The sketch version has a cleaner look.

Also, a better way to get the thicker contour line is to block the whole shape out, do all the lines normally, then add a thicker stroke behind the object. I don't know what version of Illustrator you're using, but if it's CS, you can group all the pieces together and add a stroke to the whole thing and slap it in the back.

Although that's really derailing the thread. :)