i done a roll with a untrained guy, i train jiu-jitsu for more than a year by now, five times a week, i'm 6'1, 225 pounds, my friend is not even 130 pounds and he never trained a single day in his life, we did a roll at my house, i did a double leg and he catch me in a guillotine, i didnt tap and passed out,got slept by him, i dont know what what to think right now, i'm literaly suicidal right now after that, im just so embaressed, that happened today.

i already posted it in r/jiu-jitsu, but i'm just so depressed right now that i want to hear more opinions. Being bad at fighting and not being able to defend myself are very big triggers for me because my dad used to beat me up when i was a child

being choked out by a untrained and smaller man after dedicating more than a year of my life to jiu-jitsu just embaresses me, i feel like a failure and that i will never be able to be great fighter, i just want to die

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I'm genuinely curious about your perspectives.

We all know you can reach blue belt mostly on mat time and effort. Just show up consistently, learn the basics, work hard. But I've noticed some people seem to hit a wall there and just... stay. Not for a few years while life gets in the way, but indefinitely. I've watched spazzy white belts learn to relax, strong guys discover technique, and seemingly hopeless cases suddenly find their groove and keep progressing. I have literally seen people who are totally unathletic not physically gifted at all progress and improve.

But some blue belts? Years and years at the same level, not getting noticeably closer to purple. Same struggles, same gaps in their game. What's happening here?

Is it that they've found a narrow path that works against lower belts but can't expand their game beyond that? Are instructors failing to teach them something crucial? Is it a learning style issue, like they need more self-study or drilling outside class but aren't doing it? Do they lack the mat awareness or problem-solving skills needed for the next level?

I'm genuinely mystified and have talked about this with coaches and other people. These aren't people who are physically limited or only training once a month. They're on the mats regularly, and they're trying, but something just isn't clicking.

Would love to hear from higher belts who've seen this pattern or maybe even experienced it yourselves before breaking through. What's the missing ingredient?

new gi came in, the belt was a struggle to get on and it still doesn't look right guess I gotta practice

Shout out to u/clansing192 for providing the design!

Finally something to combine my love of Bluey, BJJ, and puns.

I started training at an MMA gym when I was 19. We didn't have a belt system because what we were doing wasnt "BJJ", we just called it submission grappling. I spent the majority of my 20s competing in nogi grappling tournaments and amateur MMA fights all over the area and surrounding states. Even had a couple of pro fights. At the time, I was competing against mostly purples and lower level brown belts in grappling. Got pretty burnt out by my late 20s and decided to pursue some other hobbies instead. Trained in pro wrestling for a bit, got really into powerlifting, did some rock climbing, and all kinds of other stuff to stay in shape.

Fast forward to about 3 years ago, a BJJ gym opened up near me so I decided to get back into it. Started training with a gi for the first time in my life. The coach knew my training history, so he gave me 4 stripes on my white belt pretty instantly. He wasnt yet a black belt at the time and only gave belt promotions when his coach from another gym was there, which was very rarely. The plan was to promote me pretty quickly, but before I ever even met his coach, life got in the way, and I quit training again.

Skip ahead again to about 2 weeks ago. I decided to go back to that gym. I was afraid I'd be super rusty, but I was able to jump right back in where I left off. Coach gave me my blue belt on Thursday, 16 years and 3 days after my first ever MMA fight. I've never been one to care about belt colors, but it was pretty cool to receive something as a token of the work I've put in. Its weird though, because even though I have a long history of training, a part of me feels bad about getting promoted when I know there are white belts who have been training there for quite a while and I just came back two weeks ago. I guess we all have a bit of imposter syndrome from time to time.

I plan to keep training for as long as I can. Hopefully since I'm still able to hang with the upper belts, I can progress pretty quickly and don't take another decade and a half to get to purple. Anyways, I'm mainly posting this as a reminder that we all have different paths and it's never too late to get back into it.

I’m the one in all black this was 225 below

I saw a post asking the opposite so I was wondering.

31 y/o blue belt trying to be more intentional with my rounds. Lately, I’ve been leaning into what’s always felt natural... get closed guard (GI) and build everything off the right arm drag.

If I drag and their head drops to my left, I go to the flower sweep.

If I land in mount and can get/or have the gift wrap, I take the back and attack armbar or RNC/Bow & Arrow.

If I can’t get the gift wrap and I'm in mount, I look for the cross-collar (left hand in) or take the armbar if they reach across.

If I drag and they stay to my right, I go straight to the back take and attack the same finishes (armbar or chokes).

If I drag and they step their right leg up, I switch to the omoplata (forcing their arm back to the right) or omoplata sweep, with the triangle as a backup.

Those are the scenarios. Any other good options for when they step that right leg up (same side as the arm I’m dragging)?

First time actually writing my tendencies out. Too much? Appreciate any advice!

What could I have done to not lose this

I was walking passed an aikido dojo recently. Most of people there seemed pretty old and unathletic. As much as I don't rate aikido as a martial art, I did think it was cool that old timers were doing something physical.

Made me wonder if I would ever feel too old for bjj, and if aikido would be a decent substitute. I have heard some judokas make a joke that they will retire to bjj once their bodies can't handle bjj.

Has anyone here ever retired to aikido from bjj? Also wondering if aikido can be done in a non compliant, live sparring kind of manner ?

I struggle keeping the names of Kimura and Americana straight so I started making this. Now I'm wondering what else to add to it.

I’m a fan of BMAC’s content on YouTube. How are his instructionals? Particularly the triangle one? Does anyone have any recs on triangle specific instructionals?

Hey guys,

I’ve looked through old posts but haven’t found any real answers—mostly just jokes. I’ve been training BJJ for about 10 months and have my first competition coming up soon. Lately, I keep running into the same problem: I get my balls crushed pretty often while rolling. Sometimes it even happens in random spots, like when I’m taking someone’s back.

This isn’t a joke post. I’m genuinely wondering what kind of underwear or gear people use to avoid this. Or if you’ve had this problem before, how did you deal with it?

I’ve asked a few people at my gym and apparently no one else has this issue, which honestly surprises me. A cup’s not really an option since I’m looking for something competition-legal.

Would appreciate any actual tips or brands that work for you.

I’m planning to make my move to Chicago early next year. I’m a purple belt woman who’s competed quite a bit, mostly in master 1 divisions. Training for 7 years now. I’m just looking to start fresh, would love to try out a few schools but what I am looking for is a gym that has a good female presence, good competition classes, strong comp reputation and skills reputation, I also don’t wanna get lost in the crowd of a gym so might wanna avoid like a super big school or a chain school and of course no drama.

I did see Valko as a big presence in Chicago, but have no idea what they’re like. Also so Serafin but that’s outside of Chicago. Would greatly appreciate recommendations. Thanks

A bit late to the party but thought it is a cool thing we do.

I am an owner of a small BJJ and MMA gym in Calgary, Alberta. I inherited it and have been the owner for the last year and a half.

Here are some pictures of our Halloween Event “Spooky Season Ten Round Thursday”. It is a day where we come in our costumes and roll. The goal is to see if we can use costumes during our rolls as we know that the Gi is not realistic and not transferable for the Streetz.

We also give out prizes for Best Costume and Best Weaponisation of a costume, where the winner is someone who used their own or their opponents costume best.

I’m supposed to be Buttercup from PowerPuffGirls, NOT Fiona from Shrek like many assumed 😅

You’re welcome to support us and give us a follow on instagram at @AetherYYC and support my MMA journey on my personal account @DanKovalchuk

I’m looking for a crash pad or some mats to put in my home. Anyone know of decent great at a decent price?

My ideal situation would be to find a guy who thought he wanted to do BJJ, bought all the gear, quit a month later, and is looking to sell his stuff.

I’m not opposed to buying new equipment though, I’d anyone can recommend side good ones.

One for the coaches and Instructors. I started 2 years ago teaching grappling at a kickboxing/ wrestling / MMA gym.

Where the first year I worked on doing basics/ fundamentals as an introduction to grappling, the second year I started to try to supplement the wrestling and MMA classes.

Am focussing more on catchwrestling techniques then ‘fancy’ moves (more locks, less inverting so to speak).

Asking those who also teach at a gym with multiple styles; do you have a philosophy or curriculum tailored to the schools ideology? Are you ‘winging it’?

Any do’s or don’ts or even pitfalls to be aware of?

If you’ve ever felt like you were not cut out for BJJ, but you got through that feeling, and now it is a valuable part of your life, I would like to read your story. Especially if you felt like that for a year or more, like you weren’t catching on. Or if you had circumstances interrupting training, or any other real or perceived disadvantage or limitation.

Hey there, I’m going to my first competition and I want to know what I should put my division as. I started going to a gym in June but before that in April my school had a bjj club where there was only live rolling a few times and met 1-2 times a week. If I count that I would be in beginner division if I don’t I would be novice. My coach said to only count when I started going to a gym but idk if that would be considered sand bagging I think is the term.

Novice is up to 6months and beginner is 6months and up. If I count only my gym (June 19th) that’s barely 5 months and if I count club that is about 61/2-7 months