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We had an awesome time at the Community Roll this month! For those who aren't familiar, a community roll is when a bunch of different Jiu Jitsu schools get together and spar. It allows you to go with a whole bunch of different people and practice your skills with new partners. Overall, it's an amazing gathering of martial artists who have a mutual love and respect for the art. I can't wait to do it again! #rpma #rphxma #rocbjj
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Chad Robichaux is a 3rd degree BJJ black belt, an MMA fighter, and a combat veteran. We are hosting a free training session with him that is open to all martial artists. Friday, Sept. 29th 7:00-9:00PM Come train with us and learn from one of the best! We've had a number of promotions happen in our adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program this summer! Brennan Strimple was promoted to purple belt, Chris Smith was promoted to 4th stripe Blue Belt, and Leigh Strimple was promoted to Blue Belt. Many of our newer students also earned their first or second stripes on their white belts.  Are you confused in Jiu-Jitsu? Or Aikido? Or Karate?
That's okay, we all are. Or at one point we all were. These aren't easy things to understand. It takes time, and lots of practice. Here are some tips: 1. Record Classes Ask permission first, but most instructors won't have a problem with it. Recording the explanation of the techniques for reference later can help a lot. It can also help to watch yourself. You may pick up on things you didn't realize you were doing. 2. Keep a Notebook Writing and reflecting after classes also helps you retain and process things. Again, this gives you a reference to look back on. 3. Ask for Help Don't be afraid to ask for help. This can be done before, during, or after classes. Instructors are always happy to help explain things to you, and it helps us refine our teaching skills. Finally, the fun part of class is here: Battle Time! The chance to practice all those sweet moves on a resisting and unsuspecting opponent! You picture yourself landing those triangles, throwing on armbars, wiping the sweat from your brow triumphantly while your opponent shakes off their defeat- Oh, except you get partnered up with the 300 pound ex football lineman. The dude with the neck that is literally stronger than your right leg.
NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Battling bigger people can suck. But it can also be a great learning experience. More on that later. This post is about why you shouldn't get discouraged about the suck. One thing that helps keep things in perspective for me is the Boyd Belt System. This means that for every twenty pounds someone has on you, it equals a belt rank. So if you're rolling with someone who outweighs you by forty pounds, it is the same as fighting someone two belt ranks higher than you. So don't get discouraged if you're not tapping people out who are bigger than you- even if you are the same rank. This doesn't mean you'll never manage to win your matches. As you get more experience things will start to level out. We had a student in Aikido who was tiny, we had to order a child size uniform for her. Yet she always went with the biggest guy in class. I really appreciated that mentality. You can learn a lot from trying - AND - failing against bigger people. Personally, I'm okay embracing the suck and learning what I can from having my techniques fail on bigger opponents. Someday those techniques won't fail, and that will be a gloriously awesome day. The world of uniforms can be pretty confusing to new martial artists. Open up Amazon and you'll see martial arts uniforms on there for thirty bucks, so why are we asking you to buy one that's twice as much? No, we aren't evil money hungry jerks looking to cheat you. The uniform is actually pretty important- especially for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
If you or your child are taking BJJ, you need to get the right uniform. ASAP. Why? Protection In Jiu-Jitsu people are grabbing that uniform by the collar and sleeves as hard and fast as they can. Grips play a huge role in this sport. A BJJ uniform is made to handle that, and the quilted material is pretty forgiving on the skin. Those cheap standard student uniforms are NOT the same. If someone grabs those super hard and fast they can cut into the skin, leaving what looks like rug burn on the neck, upper arms, and wrists. A proper BJJ gi will eliminate a lot of those types of injuries. Longevity A BJJ uniform is thick, quilted, and designed to withstand the rigors of training. Again, people are grabbing at the uniform pretty aggressively. You can buy a cheap $30 uniform, and it will maybe last a few months. They tend to rip along the sides and under the armpits. In Jiu-Jitsu, you are also fighting on the ground. The knees on a BJJ uniform are reinforced, so they tend to last for a long time. My oldest one is over two years old and it's just starting to wear out- and I train all the time. On a cheap standard uniform the knees are usually the first thing to go, I've seen it happen after only a couple hours of training. The Right Cut Again, grip fighting is a major part of BJJ. If you have a standard student uniform, chances are that the sleeves and overall cut of the gi will be on the larger side. This is because those uniforms are not specifically made for Jiu-Jitsu. I've gone up against people with giant sleeves, and even my little hands can grab onto those suckers and wrap the material around the wrist- resulting in a death grip that is nearly impossible to break. BJJ uniforms have a slimmer cut to make it harder for opponents to catch the sleeves and collars. If you're a woman, I recommend getting a uniform specifically made for females. The sizing and cut will be different, and you'll be much happier with the fit. You wouldn't wear hockey gear to play baseball, right? We need to think about uniforms in the martial arts the same way. Plus, if you're looking to compete you'll absolutely need the right uniform. Many major tournaments regulate them and won't let you participate if the uniform isn't right. |
Black belts onlineWhen Sensei Leigh and Sensei Brennan aren't training, we're keeping you updated on the happenings here at Rochester Phoenix Martial Arts! Categories
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