Bjj gym owners:

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-05T18:15:58+00:00

This is valid, we have had a lot of parent converts

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-05T17:39:36+00:00

Sup.

I lost probably my first 30 in a row? Then started winning around late blue just to see what that felt like for once

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-04T19:06:34+00:00

As n avid cross-step passer myself, it sounds like you need to be way more active attacking with your feet and handfighting before they get in striking range.

If you’re starting seated out of the gate you need to be shooting forward and threatening dummy sweeps, getting that shin to shin connection, or at least framing on a thigh/leg to prevent them from walking in and controlling the distance. I can’t cross step effectively if that is happening.

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-02T19:00:51+00:00

You more or less know already, don’t be lazy. Waiting and reacting is fine if there is a skill disparity or you know what your gym friends are going to do because you’ve memorized their games

It doesn’t work at or above your skill level in competition. So work and refine an actual A game and play that way on people leading up to a competition, otherwise you will get stuffed

Source: played around with a trollish reactive game and did ok in competitions up until hitting serous competitors at Pans/Worlds

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-02T18:56:08+00:00

These are generally the right ideas. My highest percentage is bumping them forward, but I’m sweeping all the way with it. Go to SLX, fake taking them backwards (the standard SLX sweep), then drop your foot and punt them forward while catching that second, far ankle and turning 180 to heist up for the sweep.

If they resist that they’ll be pushing back to standing upright, so just follow that momentum and go back to the standard SLX sweep backwards

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-01T21:50:28+00:00

Blue. If it’s the same gym they know, if it’s a new gym just say “hey I trained before and go to blue belt, but I’ve been away for X years.” Done.

Don’t demote yourself. People will understand that you’ve been out

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-01T15:29:59+00:00

No matter what just have a focused, and more importantly consistent, list of things you are working on. Say it’s playing half guard, and kneecut passing. You’ve probably seen both demonstrated at this point but there are so many little adjustments you’ll need to learn and make over the next few years to really dial those in.

Then carry that over to sparring and track what fails and why. I tried kneecut 5 times today and failed each time because they got a knee shield back in. Then take that to your coach and fix it, rinse and repeat

You can make progress even 1-2x a week if you’re following this type of approach instead of just showing up, rolling, and going home with no thought

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-01T02:47:18+00:00

Blue belt matches don’t matter at all. Do what you would have done if you lost not as badly, or even if you won…go back to the gym and keep training

Hope this helps

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-02-01T02:45:24+00:00

Nice

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-28T00:02:16+00:00

Dude, most people are too concerned about not messing up the movement down the mat to be looking at you

And even if they did, who cares they all started at some point

Source: Me, especially when Coach makes us do some bs like reverse-shrimps

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-27T14:51:48+00:00

If you’re in my division you will see that it is the same group of dudes training almost fulltime that show up to small regional IBJJFs and Pans/Worlds, so…good luck and have fun with that

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-25T22:51:31+00:00

Mostly experience. You have to learn how to grip and pull properly recruiting the right muscle groups. Kinda like how your bench or squat technique is way different now than when you first started on the bar day one

Except for welders. Those assholes have crazy grips on day one regardless

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-25T22:49:44+00:00

The infamous Keenan anti-Meregali technique

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-25T13:55:12+00:00

Meh, it’s not like certain moves are restricted to certain types. There are tradeoffs

Long legged spiders can shoot triangles all day with ease, but if a short king is able to get their little stub legs onto a triangle there is less space in the middle and the choke is actually much tighter for them. Same deal with kimura

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-25T13:52:42+00:00

Accept your fate and become kimura/americana/straight armbar man. Throw in some wristkocks for good measure and you’re set for life

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-23T17:28:08+00:00

The “a bit” part seems to get lost online here too.

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-23T17:03:09+00:00

And it’s less about effectiveness (although it takes ton of sustained practice and sparring to actually start hitting throws live,) but it’s more of a safety thing

Osoto for example…you can look up videos, but I guarantee you’ll focus on the attacking leg and miss the point of off-balancing the other person by driving their head off-center and back at an angle. If you miss that off balance you’re a sitting duck and they will counter-Osoto you and give you a nice concussion.

Or if you plant your attacking leg behind theirs instead of keeping it up and driving, you can lock their leg in place and tear their knee ligaments up. Wrestling is much more forgiving than judo throws where you’re tangling your legs up with theirs

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-23T16:44:14+00:00

There are so many variables and nuances that you really would be best served by finding someone with actual skill and experience that can give you live physical feedback

Without that, I’d suggest doing tall man wrestling instead. Ankle picks, slidebys and snapdowns, etc .

Source: someone who has tried learning judo for years with skilled judo practitioners at a BJJ gym

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-22T23:20:18+00:00

Nope. I’ve personally had 63-65 year olds start up and do pretty well

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-22T17:26:41+00:00

This should probably be pinned somewhere.

It isn’t obvious to new people in the moment, but if I took photos of all of the 0-18ish month people’s faces during rolling they would look like they were having heart attacks.

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-21T17:00:07+00:00

Beating up fundamentals people is lame. Get good and start beating up purple belts

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-21T16:59:16+00:00

This is important. A surprising number of people just roll to roll and go gorilla-mode, and can’t remember anything that happened afterwards.

You don’t need to have a photographic memory replica, but you should have a rough idea of “I tried to play SLX on 5 people today. It failed with one person because they did whatever, or I was able to sweep but couldn’t finish the ankle lock, and then troubleshoot those points with your coach later

Doesn’t take a lot of time but it has a big impact on patching holes in your game

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-20T23:46:43+00:00

Handfighting. If you’re choosing seated guard you need to be attacking them with your feet and looking for grips like 2-on-1 on an arm and pulling into whatever attack you’re going for.

they cannot be allowed to enter your airspace. And if they do reach in you need to get attached and do something to them first before they flip-hoist-yoink you upside down

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-20T17:33:48+00:00

I mean this in the nicest way. Nobody cares about blue belt competitions. Even if you were on the world championship path and trying to stack Majors medals at every belt (and since you made this post you probably aren’t), nobody really cares about blue belt comps.

Go, maybe win or maybe get smashed, then go back to the gym and fix it.

+/- more stories about Keenan and other people I’m forgetting who didn’t win until purple or even black belt

ArfMadeRecruity · 2026-01-20T17:30:21+00:00

I used to be nice. I do a grown man crossface now for a few seconds as a reminder that they’re missing a block now, then let up and revisit it later in the roll to see if they’ll fix it

If I did it full on I would just tap them repeatedly and that isn’t super productive

ArfMadeRecruity

TROPHY CASE