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[markitrons]

Yeah I hate the whole "family" thing. It does feel very cultish when people say that. You're cool people I train with, but you're not my friggin family.

Haha yeah, last I checked my family won't stop talking to me if I don't pay monthly dues. It goes the other way too - high correlation of students that keep saying "family" and ones who try to get stuff for free.

Actually, maybe that is like family haha.

 

[markitrons]

Sure I'd be grateful for any tips you can offer. I haven't defined a clear criteria to judge against other than I want to avoid places where there's lots of dudes trying to act hard. I'm almost 40, I'm over that tough guy shit. You're right, a quick Yelp search brings up multiple highly rated gyms in my area. I won't want to fall in the trap of picking a gym because its name sounds "more legit" because it sounds more "brazilian".

I would highly, highly suggest doing trial classes at multiple places - really feel out the gym culture. Try trials at different times of day too. This is completely anecdotal, but see if you can find morning classes - its usually full of the people that are professionals that can't make it to the gym on normal hours due to life commitments. (Caveat here - the young people that make the time to wake up and go to these classes are usually monsters haha)

 

[markitrons]

Found out yesterday that its pretty tough to wristlock me.

My hand was touching my forearm and I wasn't really feeling anything.

Speaking as someone who has a barely working left arm now, please just tap haha

 

[BrettWeir]

Sure I'd be grateful for any tips you can offer. I haven't defined a clear criteria to judge against other than I want to avoid places where there's lots of dudes trying to act hard. I'm almost 40, I'm over that tough guy shit. You're right, a quick Yelp search brings up multiple highly rated gyms in my area. I won't want to fall in the trap of picking a gym because its name sounds "more legit" because it sounds more "brazilian".

I would highly, highly suggest doing trial classes at multiple places - really feel out the gym culture. Try trials at different times of day too. This is completely anecdotal, but see if you can find morning classes - its usually full of the people that are professionals that can't make it to the gym on normal hours due to life commitments. (Caveat here - the young people that make the time to wake up and go to these classes are usually monsters haha)

This.

The culture can vary greatly between gyms. Using Atlanta gyms, I've had friends that tried classes at a certain well known school (not mentioning names to avoid drama). They have walked away injured. But you need to realize what type of environment you're stepping foot into. That particular school is highly competitive, and they treat each roll as a competitive roll, no matter who it is. Chances for injury are a lot higher.

Try a few. Get a feel for the instructor and students.

Link to one of my favs:
http://www.chewjitsu.net/how-to-pick-a-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-school/

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Okay. I've tried multiple free classes at multiple schools. Here's my take.

Picking a BJJ School

Street vs sport:

Decide on what you want: street or sport Jiu Jitsu. Sport is more sport like with emphasis on competition and tourneys. Street is more self defense oriented. The problem with this is that due to the two camps on the Internet, this issue is treated as binary. Problem is, most Jiu Jitsu schools that are worth attending have a mix of both. There's certainly those schools that have a lopsided approach on each style but most schools are going to split it.

In my opinion, if you can, find a school that teaches both but at the very least teaches some self defense: You should be learning base 1, base 2, technical stand ups, safe falls and more. That's the self defense aspect. My school has both and mixes them seamlessly so that when you're learning sport you're also learning street. We also have days where we dedicate and drill specific street situations but at its heart it's still a sport school.

Feel free to ask the school what their focus is.

Do they have a curriculum?

Seems like a good question but most fresh new white belts aren't going to think about that kind of shit and why should they? They just want to learn Jiu Jitsu but they haven't factored in what the best way they personally learn Jiu Jitsu is.

Some schools have no curriculum. They do stuff depending on who makes it to class. The professor/coach will notice who is there and cater to that weakness in those present. Some have a curriculum that lasts day to day or even week to week like an actual school program. This also depends on your affiliate. Some affiliates are learning the same moves during the same classes at the same times around the world. So if you're in another city and you visit your affiliate school you'll get the same tech you would have learned while at your home gym.

This is important because as a white belt you're learning all this crap. Some schools lay it on thick and you're learning 3-5 techniques a class and you can't remember a thing. Some schools with a curriculum work on one technique a week and build upon on it with more and more details each class, so you're building up on the thing you worked on last class.

Some people prefer an onslaught of information of retain that information and get bored by training the same move in new situations, some (like me) like to lay down building blocks in an analytical manner and prefer that because they're intimidated by 4 moves per class.

Which is your learning style? This is why it's best to see a school across multiple classes and not just one before signing up. You'll get to see how their classes progress through the week.

Again, feel free to ask about this. It's highly important because it factors into how fun learning bjj is, which will impact your longevity in the art.

How do they treat the white belts?

As a white belt this is among the most important things. Do they kind of ignore you? Do they do nothing but smash you and don't offer suggestions other than "keep showing up?" Or do they mentor you and take you under their wing and coach you while you roll? Do they put you continuously into bad situations (mount for instance) so you can practice getting your muscle memory to work on that situations? Or do they just say,"suck it up newbie" and go 100 all day every day? Do they make you feel a part of the team immediately? Do they have an atmosphere where everyone contributes to making it positive and this comes from the top? Or is it a situation where it's dog eat dog and you need to earn their respect? Do they treat you like shit during the free trial in an apathetic "fuck, another white belt, they won't last" way or are they like "sup? What's your name? I don't know what you know so let's start from the beginning! This is base..." Do they let white belts squirm or do they dedicate time to teaching the white belt their secret sauce?

As you can see, there are different ways different schools handle white belts. Make mental note of this. Which factors into...

How safe are they

Do they go over basic moves with their white belts? How they treat white belts is the most important factor in picking a school. If your school is doing stand up takedown practice and they aren't making sure if their white belts can do a proper breakfall yet then that's a red fucking flag, bro. At my school, coach comes over and seperates newer white belts as the more experienced people do their thing. Coach will go over basic Jiu Jitsu moves: bridging, hip escapes, base, base 2, technical standup, breakfall, and then start a flow roll with them and make sure they do these moves before they are put into a roll, where they apply the moves they just learned in actual spar situations. So if we're drilling a move that requires breakfalls, if you can't do breakfalls, you're being seperated from the rest and you're going to practice your falls before you practice that move. Do they have people who go way too hard and the coach/professor doesn't bat an eye? Watch out for that. Some other schools do not give a shit. As a 40 yo dude, this should be a priority.

As always, ask and be conscious of this while picking a school.

How clean are they?

They should be sweeping and mopping the mat regularly. If they aren't....run. Another benefit to visiting the same school over multiple visits. Again, ask. And as a courtesy, volunteer to clean up if possible after a free class. Honor and respect are a big thing in bjj and you will show your professor/coach that you want to be part of the team in an earnest manner while making friends.

MMA vs BJJ school

As said earlier, MMA schools tend to attract dudebros with chips on their shoulders who are there for only one class and never show up again. BJJ schools tend to be more chill. Granted, this isn't always true. But for the most part it proves to be true, at least in America. This also factors into tech taught. BJJ only schools tend to teach base and technical stand ups. I highly suggest a BJJ school over mma but many mma schools are BJJ schools with mma in the name. It's not black and white, but you have been warned. If it has MMA in the name, it's not necessarily a red flag, but depending on what kind of training environment you want you might not find it there.

Extra shit

- Do they allow you to go to open mats elsewhere? Remember that if you do that you're representing the squad's name on the back of your gi. Always be respectful. Some professors may not want you to because injury is a possibility. Which seems reasonable. But maybe they'll let you go to open mats if you ask if you're allowed to. Others have a no open mat policiy 100%. Watch out for those.

- always check your professors credentials and lineage to see if he/she is legit.

- contracts? A six month contract when you first sign up is normal because BJJ has high turnover so it's not necessarily a sign of a McDojo. But be careful of contracts.

- if there's a BJJ school 10 minutes away from your house but the one 20 minutes away is better, I suggest going for the one that's 20 minutes away. They will likely be safer, you'll have better training, and it'll pay in the long run.

- you might think that a fundamentals class is required because you're new but it really isn't. Some schools have fundamentals classes, some require that you get X amount of stripes before you can roll, some have no fundamentals classes and every class is mixed, some have an "advanced" class it's really just a regular bjj class, others have advanced classes and you'll think you'll die before the class is over. Absolutely none of this I've found makes or breaks how well they teach bjj and seems to come to personal preference of the student. At Gracie Academy they don't let students spar until a year in. At some you spar on day one. Go with what makes you comfortable, but don't convince yourself you'll be get better just sparring with white belts in a fundamentals class.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Oh man, surprisingly I still forgot some stuff.

Stuff like:

The fact that some schools care about your personal progress and safety shows they see you as an asset and a commitment. Some schools feel apathetic with their white belts in a way that is survival of the fittest. Try to find a school that treats you like an investment. If they invest in you, you'll invest in them. If they're constantly giving attention and advice to how you can do this better, or do that more efficiently you've more than likely found a good school. This factors into the creonte thing: loyalty is a two way street. If you can't pay your dues on time do they say "it's okay, we trust you, you're a part of the team/family, pay us when you can" or do they stop communication altogether? Again, see how they treat their white belts. Reason being is that white belts are the life and blood of a school. It doesn't exist without us white belts because they need people to eventually be promoted to colored belts.

How are things picked? Doesn't seem like much when you start but do students pick who they roll/drill with? Big mistake. Schools like that tend to form cliques, and even worse they tend to stick to the same people every class. Does the coach/professor personally pick your drill/roll partner? They will know of your weaknesses and pair you against a purple belt when you don't want to. They'll pair you with the really big guy and it's the perfect opportunity to practice getting out of side control against someone way bigger than you. At some schools, when the students can pick, as the newer student no one will want to drill/roll with you because you're new. Again, cliques form. If this happens too often you might feel demotivated to come to class as BJJ is a very social martial art. You might feel like you're a bother and just stop coming. And again, the value of the teacher picking shows itself. Since you're new, they'll put you up against a purple, brown, or black belt to coach you along the way during the roll rather than haphazardly put you up against a spazzy white belt. Both approaches have merit. I prefer trusting my teacher with picks as it keeps you from being complacent, keeps things constantly fresh, and forces you to work on weaknesses.

 

[Fox318]

Speaking as someone who has a barely working left arm now, please just tap haha

It was odd.

Even my instructed gave it a go on me.

We were trying to get it from guard and I just didn't feel anything

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Has anyone seen this video? It's so in-depth. It's like getting a free seminar. That purple belt kid is a monster.

https://youtu.be/levnfsziVMM

Got me all

God-tier video.

 

[Goofalo]

Takedowns! I love takedowns!

 

[Fox318]

Takedowns! I love takedowns!

Get your uchi mata on.

 

[Goofalo]

Get your uchi mata on.

I drop seo nagi'd to armbar some kungfu guy who wouldn't shut up about how deadly his kungfu was.

I know I shouldn't feel good about it. But I kinda do.

 

[Fox318]

I drop seo nagi'd to armbar some kungfu guy who wouldn't shut up about how deadly his kungfu was.

I know I shouldn't feel good about it. But I kinda do.

Guys like that are perfect to ankle pick since they have their weight so far back.

My jiu jitsu instructor strictly forbids guard pulls. We do a ton of judo and wrestling in our program.

 

[Goofalo]

Guys like that are perfect to ankle pick since they have their weight so far back.

My jiu jitsu instructor strictly forbids guard pulls. We do a ton of judo and wrestling in our program.

I didn't even have to. He tried to do that wing chun arm trapping thing with me. But I think they are susceptible to arm drags as well.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I think my professor is on the wavelength with me recently. I can't explain it. I was thinking just today,"I should ask coach or professor for help on my sweeps" and we end up drilling sweeps.

 

[BrettWeir]

My jiu jitsu instructor strictly forbids guard pulls. We do a ton of judo and wrestling in our program.

I like your instructor. This is how I see guard pullers/butt sitters getting in a fight.

Spoiler

This is supposed to be funny. IE not serious

https://youtu.be/gBK23Vjv4mM

To change subject. What are some of your favorite brands?

Here are two of mine. The only other one is Inverted Gear, but I don't have any pics.

 

[Measley]

I like your instructor. This is how I see guard pullers/butt sitters getting in a fight.

Spoiler

This is supposed to be funny. IE not serious

https://youtu.be/gBK23Vjv4mM

To change subject. What are some of your favorite brands?

Here are two of mine. The only other one is Inverted Gear, but I don't have any pics.

Damn, that's a nice looking belt. I just love the way purple belts look on the gi (I'm currently blue belt).

 

[Goofalo]

I like 93 Brand a lot.

I have a Muaewear Gi. Which I adore, but don't really wear much.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Inverted Gear and Fenom. Minimalist and stylish.

 

[juliushandle]

I will only buy Adidas BJJ gis from now on. Their A2 size fits me like a glove and their 450 weight Contest gis are hands down the best I've owned. Their ripstop gis are also nice for a lightweight alternative.

 

[BrettWeir]

Damn, that's a nice looking belt. I just love the way purple belts look on the gi (I'm currently blue belt).

Thanks! Kataaro and Eosin Panther make incredible belts, but are pretty expensive. I had a Koral Blue for 5 years. Loved that baby shade of blue, but for Purple, I really wanted a dark shade. Kataaro had the perfect shade I wanted.

I like 93 Brand a lot.

I have a Muaewear Gi. Which I adore, but don't really wear much.

I haven't tried anything by either. May have to give them a go. I've not heard of Muawear before.

Inverted Gear and Fenom. Minimalist and stylish.

Absolutely love the Panda. My wife had a Fenom. It shrunk really odd, so she didn't care for it too much. She does love her Fenom hemp Blue belt though!

I will only buy Adidas BJJ gis from now on. Their A2 size fits me like a glove and their 450 weight Contest gis are hands down the best I've owned. Their ripstop gis are also nice for a lightweight alternative.

Haven't tried these either. Will have to check them out!

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Should I buy my blue belt myself or should I use the one my professors gives me?

 

[juliushandle]

Should I buy my blue belt myself or should I use the one my professors gives me?

You professor will give you a flimsy $6 belt. Maeda gi material belts come in a nice blue and readily available through Amazon for $29.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I love the Fuji sky blue belt. I also like white gi's more than blue gi's after white belt. White on white is lame to me, so blue is the only reasonable answer as a white belt.

Also, purple is my favorite color and love how purple belts look on white gi's!

How's the Atlanta Open, Brett? One of my professors is there. Where's the pics and videos of the action? Where's the pics of the delicious acai?

Fenom has treated me well. They're some of the few gi's that are made for a woman's shape but the panda might be my favorite brand. Look at it!

https://www.invertedgear.com/collections/kimonos/products/navy-blue-panda

My favorite gi:

Can't wait to rock it with a blue belt. Wearing white on this feels so wrong.

 

[markitrons]

It was odd.

Even my instructed gave it a go on me.

We were trying to get it from guard and I just didn't feel anything

Oh I totally believe you, its just from personal experience Ive had things not hurt, break, and then hurt haha.

For example, I was passing and my partner had a half-ass kimura - didn't feel any pressure in my shoulder - my pec tore instead. Also was in an Americana and didn't feel anything in my shoulder - my elbow popped instead and now I have nerve damage from the elbow down.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Why isn't it considered disrespectful to use a belt you bought yourself and not the one your professor gave you?

 

[juliushandle]

Why isn't it considered disrespectful to use a belt you bought yourself and not the one your professor gave you?

Cuz professors know they are cheap asses and know there are nicer belts out there for a cost they aren't willing to spend.

Reality, they are giving you a rank. A belt is just a symbol of your rank.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Cool!

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Going to order an Atama blue belt. Just love the contrast on a white gi.

Here's a fresh, new one.

Here's what it looks faded.

Here it is on a white gi.

Pay not attention to the weird bjj wedding stuff. Pay attention to how clean that Atama blue looks on a white gi and bask.

--------


So...this was posted on Gracie Breakdown. This girl was beaten unconscious by her "friends" and the Academy invited her to learn self defense.

https://youtu.be/JPA6nJEq6aQ

Rener and Ryron putting in work! What amazing guys. Jiu Jitsu truly does save lives.

 

[juliushandle]

That poor bride. She's an official jiu jitsu widow now.

 

[BrettWeir]

I love the Fuji sky blue belt. I also like white gi's more than blue gi's after white belt. White on white is lame to me, so blue is the only reasonable answer as a white belt.

Also, purple is my favorite color and love how purple belts look on white gi's!

How's the Atlanta Open, Brett? One of my professors is there. Where's the pics and videos of the action? Where's the pics of the delicious acai?

Fenom has treated me well. They're some of the few gi's that are made for a woman's shape but the panda might be my favorite brand. Look at it!

https://www.invertedgear.com/collections/kimonos/products/navy-blue-panda

My favorite gi:

Can't wait to rock it with a blue belt. Wearing white on this feels so wrong.

Yeahhhh. I was a complete jackhammer and forgot to take pics. Caught up in all the excitement. Will get some at Kakuto in a couple weeks.

Nice color you picked for your blue. And yeah, get whatever belt you want. It's not disrespectful. Hell, you could even get the belt you want and give it to your instructor and let them know that whenever the time comes, that's the belt you want them to promote you with. A lot of people do that. Here's my Koral after 5 years. Love that belt.

I love that IG gi! Been wanting one, just have other priorities. I already have 6 gi's so can't justify a new one.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

That poor bride. She's an official jiu jitsu widow now.

Wait what? What happen

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Yeahhhh. I was a complete jackhammer and forgot to take pics. Caught up in all the excitement. Will get some at Kakuto in a couple weeks.

Nice color you picked for your blue. And yeah, get whatever belt you want. It's not disrespectful. Hell, you could even get the belt you want and give it to your instructor and let them know that whenever the time comes, that's the belt you want them to promote you with. A lot of people do that. Here's my Koral after 5 years. Love that belt.

https://m.imgur.com/IfR9aCm

I love that IG gi! Been wanting one, just have other priorities. I already have 6 gi's so can't justify a new one.

That Inverted gi will go well with your purple belt, Brett! You know you want it!

What's Kakuto? Never really heard of it. What's their rule set like?

I like your blue belt, and thanks for the advice!

 

[BrettWeir]

That Inverted gi will go well with your purple belt, Brett! You know you want it!

What's Kakuto? Never really heard of it. What's their rule set like?

I like your blue belt, and thanks for the advice!

I agree! It would be perfect. Saving to buy a new Corvette, which takes precedence over another gi 😀

Kakuto is a popular sub only tournament in Atlanta.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Sub only tournament? Are you competing? What is everyone's thoughts on different tournament styles? I wish there were a points only tournament just for the variety!

 

[juliushandle]

Wait what? What happen

Girlfriends and wives of jiu jitsu players are often called widows because they come 2nd to BJJ. Vacations (locations must have a gym), free time, the endless gi washing (gis drying on the shower curtain rod), etc all revolve around the lifestyle.

 

[Goofalo]

We're all high level belts when it comes to gi laundry.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Girlfriends and wives of jiu jitsu players are often called widows because they come 2nd to BJJ. Vacations (locations must have a gym), free time, the endless gi washing (gis drying on the shower curtain rod), etc all revolve around the lifestyle.

Bahaha. So what does this say about the boyfriends/husbands of female jiu jitsu players? Are they widowers?

We're all high level belts when it comes to gi laundry.

I've come to have fallen in love with it. I hang mine in my room and have a fan blowing over my gi and makes the room smell like a lovely detergent. When I get home from work the room always smells so lovely and I go to sleep really easy.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

omg gaf I'm tired of accidentally double posting!

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I always rock the black gis, and I am nerdy enough to want a Akatsuki gi-http://www.modernflowbrand.com/product/akatsu-gi

I don't think I could do the Dragon Ball one though. I never saw Dragon Ball, and that one is so flashy that you better be good if you're going to wear such a troll gi xD





My Gis currently are;

Atama Black Mundial; https://www.atamausa.com/Atama-Black-Mundial-Model-9-Black-p/ki.jj.0009.pr.htm

Really awesome gi. It has an old school cut with the lapels going very very deep. the left lapel edge almost hits my back when I tuck it really far in. So if you're rolling and the gi gets undone by the belt, it can look funny.
The collar is insanely thick, but the pants are super thin. I really like them, but they are two short for me. A common problem with being a long limbed freak like me.



Scramble Wave;

The wave is one of my favorite works of art. Obviously I needed this. I love Scrambles style. They are like the Superdry (mix of British and Japanese) of Grappling appeal. For an A4 I felt it was on the smaller side. Jacket has not been as durable as other brands. Unfortunately, like my other white gis, the blood is hard to get off.





Tatami;

Estillio V1, Estillio V2 and Estillio Honey Badger edition;

Love these. In my gym, more than anything, people have Tatami. Tatami is European which is a big cost saver compared to shipping from America or Asia. All non-EU products have a 25% extra added tax on top. If I buy a Gi for 200 dollars in the US, I pay 50 dollars just in tax. Not including shipping, customs and other fees. That really makes international purchases quite costly for us Europeans.




I'm trying to wear my Gis down. Not gotten a new gi for 5+ years. Having 4-5 in rotation makes them wear down very infrequently. Honey Badger and the Wave is almost done. Purple A5 Estillio is nearing its end as well. The Atama is a tank though. I also still got two of my very first gis- One from Breakpoint which I don't like (doesn't fit me at all) and a black Vulkan from 2010 that just won't die xD


I'd love to have a travel gi. The ultra thin gis that dry very very fast are perfect to bring with you when you travel. It's also very practical if you need to wash your gi every day or nearly every day and you don't have a washer.
Them problem with the travel gis is that they are often illegal in competition. Some people argue that they are harder to grip by the collar, but that hasn't been my experience! I like them a lot because you sweat less in them. I feel that the gis with the rashguard linnen are very hard to breathe in. But they do look uber cool.

 

[Brerlappin]

My current Gi. Wolfhound puca series. The only one I've ever bought, aside from the shitty gym gi I got when I signed up to my first gym.
It's a great gi, fits awesome, and the pants are so fucking comfy you could wear them just sitting around the house!

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

My gi's:

Standard most every day gi is a Fenom royal blue

Favorite gi as said before is Panda CS 2.0 (thanks bjjhq!)

And a Fenom white

Gi I want:

Panda navy blue.

I really like Fenom because they have a "curvy" option for their gi's. They're really accommodating to different body types for women. They're also cheap. Never paid more than 100 for a Fenom.

 

[BrettWeir]

Sub only tournament? Are you competing? What is everyone's thoughts on different tournament styles? I wish there were a points only tournament just for the variety!

I'm not competing. I'll be helping coach a couple guys.

As for tournament styles, I like a majority of the sub-only/EBI rules tourneys, I just wish that they could find a way to stop the absolutely ridiculous immediately sit to butt or pulling guard. It's incredibly boring to watch a lot of times....but then again, so is points tourneys in certain degrees.

Most tourneys I know of are points based. NAGA, NewBreed, Copa America, Grapplers Quest, IBJJF. I dislike most points based tourneys due to Advantages. Take em out. If it goes to a draw at the end, go sub-only and enforce a ridiculous penalty to whichever opponent pulls guard or sits to butt.

I don't think I could do the Dragon Ball one though. I never saw Dragon Ball, and that one is so flashy that you better be good if you're going to wear such a troll gi xD

Oh man. We have a Judo BB, BJJ Purple belt that has the Dragon Ball gi. He wore it once......and once only. It's pretty hideous.

 

[Goofalo]

My gi's are:

93 Brand Gotham

Hayabusa Shinju

Carlson Gracie by Bamboo Break

Muaewear Korea

The Muaewear is the single most nationalistic thing I have ever worn in my whole life.

 

[juliushandle]

a green gi was worn once in my gym and it became a banned color, along with orange and red.

BTW, for detergent I use anti bacterial sports detergent that lets me hold off until I can wash a full load of gear. Even if the gear sits in a hamper for a few days, all the funk is gone in a warm wash. I used regular detergent before I found this stuff and my knee pads and rashguards would always stink. Amazon has quite a few brands, all effective and cheap.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

a green gi was worn once in my gym and it became a banned color, along with orange and red.

BTW, for detergent I use anti bacterial sports detergent that lets me hold off until I can wash a full load of gear. Even if the gear sits in a hamper for a few days, all the funk is gone in a warm wash. I used regular detergent before I found this stuff and my knee pads and rashguards would always stink. Amazon has quite a few brands, all effective and cheap.

Hold off until you wash a full load? What detergent you use? You use the sports detergent for a full load too? What's it called? It smell good though?

 

[juliushandle]

Hold off until you wash a full load? What detergent you use? You use the sports detergent for a full load too? What's it called? It smell good though?

Atsko is what I used before but it has no smell. Switched to a brand called No Sweat and it has a citrus smell. There are other brands too but I only used those 2.

 

[juliushandle]

Bunny choke aka buggy choke. I wonder if I have the flexibility to pull this off?

https://youtu.be/jhBzf4MxiL8

 

[pr0cs]

Got my blue belt last week. Took me 3.5 years to get it. Didn't think I'd be able to continue after getting hurt at my old gym, too many meat heads doing stupid shit like can openers and whatnot...
Switched gyms this last Oct when some of the other dropouts of my last gym convinced me that more technical training would be better for me (I'm 44). I've been really happy and totally underestimated how important the right gym is.

 

[juliushandle]

Got my blue belt last week. Took me 3.5 years to get it. Didn't think I'd be able to continue after getting hurt at my old gym, too many meat heads doing stupid shit like can openers and whatnot...
Switched gyms this last Oct when some of the other dropouts of my last gym convinced me that more technical training would be better for me (I'm 44). I've been really happy and totally underestimated how important the right gym is.

Great news, congratulations!

 

[Brerlappin]

Got my blue belt last week. Took me 3.5 years to get it. Didn't think I'd be able to continue after getting hurt at my old gym, too many meat heads doing stupid shit like can openers and whatnot...
Switched gyms this last Oct when some of the other dropouts of my last gym convinced me that more technical training would be better for me (I'm 44). I've been really happy and totally underestimated how important the right gym is.

Awesome work Procs

I went to my first ever seminar on Sunday. A woman named Emilia Tuukannen. It wasnt quite what i was expecting. I thought it would be her showing off her favourite subs or setups for submissions, but it kinda just felt like any other class really. We drilled spider guard escapes, then rolled, then had a Q&A. It was cool, but i couldn't help but feel a little disappointed to be honest.

During the rolling, I got steamrolled by a fellow white belt which was pretty demoralizing. Had a nice roll with a Blue where i managed to take his back during a scramble. But my own "dont be a dick" tendencies scuppered it for me, i was scrambling to lock in my hooks and get his neck when i remembered we had agreed to "go light", and i was like "oh, im probably being a douchebag here", so i eased off and he got out and then subbed me lol.

It just sucks cause at the moment i know i'm not training enough to actually improve, im just staying at the same shitty level. i've also got a lot of financial shit that has me umming and ahhing over weather i can genuinely afford my mat fees, and the ever present anxiety i get before classes is all ganging up on me these last few days making me feel like calling it a day. And i KNOW stripes don't mean shit but it is still kinda disheartening to have zero stripes after all this time. I think ill just take a hiatus this week, see how i feel come Mondays class.