Academy Life

BJJ is a life long pursuit for sure. Of course the turnover in the academy is great at the beginner level but over time you develop a relationship with the core team in the academy.

What I want to say is that of course you must treat your team mates with the same respect that you also expect from your partners. It will take something like ten years to get your black belt before you might decide to setup your own academy and therefore you should develop a relationship with the guys and of course your instructor who will show you the way forward and help you achieve the progress that your seek.

Everyone is different of course. Most of us have a background in some martial art. At my academy where our instructor is very keen on no-gi grappling, there are many guys who have a background in Greco-roman wrestling or freestyle wrestling. These guys tend to be very hard working and also well conditioned and there are of course a lot of things that you can pick up from guys like this especially in the takedown department.

Since I train at a Gracie Barra academy in Russia, there are plenty of guys with a Judo and Sambo background. Since both of these martial arts are very closely interrelated, many have cross trained in both.

These guys have a lot of judo throwing experience and in the case of sambo pracitioners the thing to watch out is leg locks and in particular straight ankle locks and heel hooks.

Many BJJ guys, blue belt and below in other countries don't even come across leg locks until purple, but in Russia the situation is quite a bit different. You constantly have guys coming over to train or sparr who are extremely proficient in leg locks and therefore a part our training is devoted to leg locks and especially defense.

Jiu jitsu makes you comfortable from working from you back and I think that is what BJJ pracitioners should take advantage of of course.

The Academy is a place where you will spend many many thousands of hours training with your partners so it is good to make friends. This I think also helps motivate you to come. You come to meet your friends and practice the sport you love.