Randori Questions

**The_Caine** · Posted On: 7/25/2006 11:31pm

The older students -are- definitely clearly and often instructed to take it easy on beginning students.

Not sure about the instructor thing, she's never around in any of my classes and I've never seen her teach a class of any type so I really have no idea what, if anything, she teaches. I know she's married to one of the higher-level instructors. They -do- have some of the blue and purple belts -help- teach classes; sort of a teacher's aid-type thing I guess. They help demonstrate moves, lead warm-ups and stuff like that, but none of the ones in my classes are on that page.

Well, I guess it sucks that I'm not getting the amount of rolling that others are, but oh well, I'll get there soon I suppose. At any rate, any helpful advice on my original question would still, of course, be greatly appreciated! :)

**Psycho Dad** · Posted On: 7/25/2006 11:34pm

If you say so, although I still have my reservations.

EDIT: I'm responding to this..

Originally Posted by RoninPimp

A good blue belt coached to coach by a good coach is perfectly capable of teaching newbs the basics.

and not the above post.

**The_Caine** · Posted On: 7/25/2006 11:53pm

EDIT: Ah, oops, I see you were talking about the blue belt instructing thing...anyway, all this below is still true. ;)

Reis:

I can understand your concerns with the approach and as a total BJJ noob, I totally don't feel qualified to state any real opinion about whether it's the right or wrong way to go.

I will, however, say tha this delay is my getting into Randori has given me an opportunity to make some amazing personal strides in conditioning my out of shape ass into something ready to roll. I guess, just the idea that I'd be doing it has given me a lot of motivation to get in shape and be ready for it and, well, just in general to be ready to be a better fighter. I mean, I've lost like 25 lbs and gone from 29% body fat to 16% in these 4 months and I'm running 4 miles a day, 6 days a week now , lifting 2-3 times a week, and working the bag in my garage at every opportunity, plus training BJJ twice a week (and that will go up very soon as I'll be able to attend the purple belt classes as well as the blue belt classes and Randoris when I get my 3rd stripe.) As far as BJJ goes, I feel like I've been able to take my time and progressively apply resistance as I was ready for it and I really feel like I've learned a great deal about proper form in this time.

So anyway, I guess what I'm saying is, for good or bad, it's what I'm stuck with and well, so far, it's not been a huge disappointment for me personally to not be able to go to Randori sooner. In fact, it's given me some time to prepare myself mentally and physically, which I've tried to make the best of. As for me personally, I'm very sure that I would not have been mentally (or physically) ready to roll on day 1. Not that I would have been intimidated really, just more like I feel like I would not have had the common sense to not hurt myself or someone else in a full-resistance uncontrolled situation.

**Oscar Goldman** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 12:42am

Originally Posted by RoninPimp

I can underestand a school doing this. White belts have a reputation for being overly competitive spazzes that hurt themselves and others.

My club does this and I think it's great. It keeps guys from going ballistic trying to imitate UFC fights they have seen.

To get the first stripe and the ok to roll you have to do 12 basic classes on specific topics which get rotated weekly in the curriculum. With two or three basic classes a week, you can be rolling in 1-2 months easily.

The nice part is that everyone who rolls has been in every basic position and understands what the object is they are going for in that position. That removes a lot of white belt on white belt random spazzing that doesn't teach anyone **** and gets people hurt.

**Yrkoon9** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 1:17am

4 months is too long not to be rolling.

1 week I can understand so that people get the idea by observing. 1 month is really stretching it. 2 months is milking it. 4 months is just too much to ask for anyone.

(assumption is that 1 week = 3 classes)

**Samfoo** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 1:20am

I think that waiting longer than a couple weeks is really pushing it personally. If someone is spazzing out, my instructor generally just pits them against a larger/stronger upper belt to get squished for fifteen minutes until they calm down. I do understand the concern, but I don't think making someone wait is going to prevent them from spazzing anyway.

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 1:45am

It's not like spazzing out ever works, either. If you pit two new white belts together, bad stuff is bound to happen. But a blue belt should be able to handle a noobie and guide him through some basic moves.

How much you paying for that per month? I hate it when they don't give you the price online.

1 hour classes are also kinda short, but that depends on how much warming up you do, I guess.

**The_Caine** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 1:58am

It's $150/mo for all the blue belt and conditioning classes, but after the 3rd stripe opens to purple belt and randori classes as well. They do the schedule on a sort of two-part week where classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays are sort of an "A" class and Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays are a continuation of that work: the "B" class. I normally only train twice a week right now unless there's something I'm having trouble with, then I might repeat an "A" or "B" class.

**The_Caine** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 2:01am

Originally Posted by Yrkoon9

4 months is too long not to be rolling.

1 week I can understand so that people get the idea by observing. 1 month is really stretching it. 2 months is milking it. 4 months is just too much to ask for anyone.

(assumption is that 1 week = 3 classes)

Right now, it's just 1 week = 2 classes for now, unless I want to repeat a class.

You know, 4 months isn't actually even the end of the wait or anything; I mean, I've been in it 4 months now and I'm not rolling yet. It's going to be -7- months by the time I get the next stripe. :)

Neil

**Poop Loops** · Posted On: 7/26/2006 2:32am

Seriously, get out. The instructors seem competent, but it's really not worth it. Especially when you only go twice a week. You can probably find something cheaper.