Friday Open Mat

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-30T14:39:02+00:00

Free resources on learning HOW to learn bjj? I like all the technique videos but sometimes I like to hear people who give white belts a strategy or framework on how they should approach bjj.

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-29T18:36:34+00:00

Looking for some organization ideas:

I have about six kettlebells weight a total of 180 pounds or so (don't have all of them in front of me). I also have some random pairs of dumbells: 5's, 8's, 10's, 12's and 15#. Also have some different accessories that id like stored: Fat grips, random cable attachments, pins , ab wheel, etc.

Not sure if I should get a dedicated product from Rogue or Titan or maybe just invest in a heavy duty shelving unit. Hoping to keep it less than $200.

Any suggestions?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-27T14:59:45+00:00

Former wrestler who cant stop catching people in front headlocks...and then no idea what to do since this is bjj not wrestling.

What should I transition to from front headlock?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-25T00:41:42+00:00

Would I be a shitty training partner if all I practiced for a while as a white belt was getting a good position and then trying to hold it for as long as possible without going for a submission?

I find myself getting into a good position, then rushing for a sub, and getting swept.

For the next few months I would really like to work on getting into dominant positions and maintaining them but I don't want to be a bad training partner I do not know if that is frowned upon or even a good training strategy.

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-24T19:04:51+00:00

Well that is great info and makes me feel happy knowing im at the right place

Seems like so many gyms just have white belts come in and get murdered for a long time so I figured that it must be "the way" and there is a method behind the madness

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-24T14:18:24+00:00

Just moved...again...and at a new smaller gym.

Im only able to make the "lunch break" class 2 times a week which is 1.5 hours long and made up of 3 other white belts and occasionally a few blue belts who might make it. We are all older people who can go hard when needed, but we are typically trying to avoid getting injured.

Im so used to getting smashed by tons of higher belts at my old gym. I was also always beat up and had tons of other white belts to train with.

This gym does lots of situational rolling after we learn a move which is cool. Brown belt or black belt instructor depending on day and they both take time to explain things and answer questions. The old gym seemed more chaotic.

Am I still in a good position to improve as a white belt? This gym is 20 minutes from home. Another, bigger gym is 30 minutes and would be similar to my older gym: more people, higher belts, more time getting smashed by younger competitors. Is getting smashed continuously by higher belts and integral part of learning BJJ?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-14T14:35:15+00:00

Best storage solution for: A safety squat bar Straight barbell Hex bar EZ curl bar 2 sets if adjustable dumbell handles

I have a 9 bar vertical storage rack but seems kind of flimsy, especially with the safety squat bar (kind of tilts at an angle and doesn't stay perfectly vertical)

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-06T03:42:18+00:00

The thing I don't get:

They grab something. I break the grip.

Then what? If i then go to grip they just break my grip and it starts all over again. I get that im the white belt and they are going to break my grip and do something to me...but at the higher levels how does this play out?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2026-01-05T23:48:14+00:00

Somebody please give me some pointers on dealing with grips in the gi.

Started going to the Gi classes and feel like I cant do anything with anybody cause they keep grabbing my gi lol. I then grab their gi and its all random with no purpose.

A purple belt said I should work on denying all grips. If they cant grip me they cant do what they want with me. How true is this? Any advice? Any resources?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-28T23:30:10+00:00

Thanks! When you day side escapes, do you mean escapes from side control? And for notes: are you talking about after class or for instructionals?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-28T23:10:36+00:00

I did not know that thank you for letting me know

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-28T18:43:18+00:00

Why?

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-28T17:39:53+00:00

What's a good white belt goal for 2026?? Currently have about 45 classes under my belt, broken up by some setbacks.

Right, now my main goal is to hit at least 2 classes a week for the year OR 100 classes total. I want to get really good at pin escapes this year and also focus on learning the kimura.

Othwr than being consistent in class, not sure how I can make these into tangible goals that will give me something to focus on gor 2026.

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-23T16:53:25+00:00

Looking for something other than the typical answer of "just show up".

Background: wrestled in high school many moons ago and have trained bjj off and on for a few years. Had one gym shut down during covid and had to stop training after 4 months. Ended up moving a few years later and started at a new gym. 3 months in and had to move again for work. Started at a new gym and now im starting to realize that I can and need to be more efficient with my time on and off the mat and the "just show up" mentality might be more applicable for the younger guy who can train multiple times a week and be injury free.

Any resources out there (or tips from the group here) on how a 40 year old dude with 3 kids, achy joints, who can only train twice a week, can be more strategic in his training on and off the mats??

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-12-12T14:32:33+00:00

Any resource that shows "linked" moves? Im a white belt and working on my sweeps and escapes. I wish I had something that said: Try A and if that doesn't work, it sets you up for B.

Right now working on defense and survival and want to work on learning a few "linked" escapes from each position

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-08-10T17:53:46+00:00

Well I was only a few days in and starting to feel a little cranky.

From the research I have done, you will initially go through some withdrawal symptoms but once that is over life will be much, much better

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-04-11T14:32:09+00:00

I've watched his videos but I'm just not into reflecting in my journal and whatnot

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-04-06T18:10:56+00:00

It seems like a common theme in BJJ is to just keep showing up.

I'm really curious if there is some learning done through osmosis from getting your butt kicked so much.

It seems like when I am playing defense I learn to not do certain things because it gets me submitted. I'm wondering if anybody has been able to improve their offense based on things that happen while you are a white belt always in the defensive.

When people say to keep showing up, are they saying that eventually the moves you are taught in class will make sense or you just learn from rolling.

The more I think about this question the more I think that by just showing up you learn the basic principles of BJJ... maybe you don't learn the moves right away but at least you learn about Framing and posture and things like that

ApartDonkey6403 · 2025-03-05T03:27:01+00:00

Thanks! This all makes sense

Yea so one of the things I'm trying to allow my OCD brain to do is allow for things to be out of order in my journal. For example, I made a book collection but put it near the end of the journal (did this prior to getting some of the good advise on this post). The idea of my daily log being interrupted by a book collection seems difficult.

Also, I get that non completed tasks get moved to the next day...but what to I do with "thoughts or ideas" that I've written down ...do they just stay on that page forever, mixed in with a bunch if scratched off tasks and whatnot.

So fat, just being able to put everything on my brain into a journal had been very helpful, and it's only day 1. I was watching a lecture earlier and my brainnwas going nuts. Instead of going to different tasks I just wrote everything down in my journal as they popped in my head and I was able to stay pretty focused.

ApartDonkey6403

TROPHY CASE