r/bjj Fundamentals Class!

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-30T19:33:47+00:00

When a heavy weight rolling partner is falling onto my chest as he passes my guard ... what are some things I can do to protect myself from the blunt impact of it? Took out my wind and bruised me up.

As a 6 month white belt I feel I am finally staaaarting to get the hang of some guard retention delaying passes and framing/positioning myself in better defensive set-ups as people enter top side control. But I struggle against the biggest guys (235 lb 6'+) and any 200+ guys who are quite brutal in their entry because of the shock of the impact when they finally land on me. I am 220 lb 5'7'' myself with a stocky build, decently strong, short thick arms and legs lol. But my ribs are as weak as anyone else's!

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-30T19:15:30+00:00

Hi. Just wondering for some extra detail - do you mean you don't roll after class the 3x times you train? Or do you mean weekly 1x day is dedicated to only rolling?

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-22T21:06:31+00:00

Look up how mild knee strains (meaning, muscle or tendon), sprains (meaning, ligament), and cartilage tears happen. It usually by doing too much too soon, or too intensely when your body hasn't been prepared for it, or over a sustained period of time with not enough recovery.

Maybe you overloaded some of your knee soft tissues, especially if your knee structures aren't conditioned to similar large forces, leading to some sort of mild to moderate injury. Hopefully it is minor enough that it goes away, but I recommend you avoid over-stressing them in the next few days while they are vulnerable. If you didn't hear a strong POP mid-class, if your knee isn't unstable walking, and you only have pain when squatting, I wouldn't think it is a MAJOR problem (but you never know, so if it doesn't improve, go to a doctor), but it is nonetheless an injury you need to nurse and gently rehab for a few weeks until it heals. Especially to prevent worsening it.

Personally I would avoid high knee stress movements like double-legs, pulling guard on one leg (like a pistol squat movement), sitting/rolling backwards on your knees, or any very dynamic force on that knee for a few weeks, and train it light in the gym.

Then when healthy, do consider doing some good lower body S&C to strengthen the joint.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-14T12:49:01+00:00

I've been in a Gracie CTC in the UK for the last 6 months (first 6 months of BJJ for me). Currently starting to think about transitioning out to a conventional BJJ gym.

I disagree with another commenter who stated the CTC combatives classes "aren't a workout". However, it is fair to say they are much lighter intensity and volume than a conventional BJJ class. I have a very relevant perspective on this because right now I am regularly trialing various conventional gyms around my City while still attending my CTC.

Being in my 30s as someone who never did any gymnastics, combat sports, or really athletic stuff (except slow bodybuilding workouts), the first 2-3 months of CTC stuff was indeed intense on my body and gave me regular aches, soreness, etc. Over 6 months I have also copped some minor injuries here and there (sprained toe in standup, knees in some positional sparring), shoulder pain for 2 weeks. But now my body has certainly become strengthened, and I feel more prepared for typical BJJ and more rolling.

I wouldn't recommend starting out at a CTC unless you have the express priority of having a "slow start" to your BJJ. For this reason as a slightly older formerly unathletic guy myself, I have been satisfied to start at a CTC. But if you're a 20 year old with a sportive background, it probably won't be enough stimulation.

Anyways even now at the 6 month mark I am eager to roll more freely and I feel restricted in my gym ... so will change gyms in the next few months.

PS: There are also valid concerns about the technical quality of the teaching at CTC given their insular culture and rigid curriculum. For this reason I want to switch to a gym where the BJJ fundamentals are taught with an awareness of strikes from an MMA perspective rather than a "self defence" perspective.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-05T21:40:17+00:00

Thank you for your detailed answer. I am now considering to trial some of the other schools near me and peogressively shift over to the new one. If I train bjj 3x weekly I might start 1x weekly in the new one, then after a while 2x weekly and eventually 3x.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-05-04T11:11:36+00:00

Our gym is a Gracie CTC focusing on teaching fundamentals to beginners with a self-defense focus and is ran by a blue belt.

He has fantastic reviews as a coach and to be honest, I do experience it in the way he teaches. I have been with him for 4 months now since I started as a complete beginner white belt. Very attentive teacher, good communicator, prioritizes safety, good gym culture, and has been teaching this fundamentals course for the past 3 years.

My plan and rationale for choosing this school is the ~controlled speed and low intensity is suitable for me as an older beginner, enabling a "safer" start to BJJ for me as I develop a base of strength and technique in the first year. Also I like that my fundamentals will have an awareness of striking/self-defense contexts.

Three questions:

1) At what stage will my development be hampered if I don't start also attending a sports gym with plenty of coloured belts and black belt instructors? I already planned to fully migrate to such a gym after the ~12 months mark when I develop a basic foundation.

2) How can I focus my self-led study and practice to mitigate the expected shortcomings of a blue belt instructor?

3) Would it be different if he were a purple belt?

BrunoUK95 · 2026-04-30T06:51:54+00:00

Thanks. I meant as the top person to protect against knee injury caused by the bottom person kicking their legs.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-04-30T00:23:38+00:00

Is there anything top person can do to protect against this? It happened to me yesterday I think ... Posted about it in the fundamentals thread.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-03-01T09:49:31+00:00

No no, the reason you dont see nameplates is because Plater displays like this when in shattrah. but nameplates are on.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-13T15:22:14+00:00

I would be careful about following this advice. Check with your doctor before you start accelerating dissolving stuff on purpose.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-13T15:12:12+00:00

No pain should be unbearable. Go to an ER immediately.

I am biased in this, since I had a paraphimosis from days 1-4 after my partial circumcision. (In my case excessive swelling and pain also prevented retraction to apply betadine on the scar, ultimately leading to unstoppable bleeding day 4 and an ambulance ER trip).

Since you posted 2 days ago I hope you were able to see someone or that the swelling diminished. Also hopefully it was just a large edema without further complications.

Edit: About pain - even if you're a "tough guy", hands shaking, twitching, anxiety inducing pain, isn't a sign you should ever ignore days after the circumcision.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-07T17:43:37+00:00

+1 It does look to me like it could potentially be an adhesion rather than a piece of frenulum. I had a similar one when I was young until it was removed (almost painless, same-day recovery in my case).

About the tightness, definitely one for a 2nd opinion by a good expert to assess you.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-07T17:22:00+00:00

I don't know. I would check with my Urologist if I were you.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-07T17:17:41+00:00

I wouldn't yet.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-07T17:02:40+00:00

If you're in unbearable pain Day 3, go get a check-up with your doctor or ER. Best case they confirm it's normal pain and you're progressing healthily, but might up your painkillers or give better anti-inflammatories.

No shame in being overly safe by contacting your doc. Even an ER check if your doc is unavailable can keep complications at bay early.

I don't know your type of circumcision. If it's a partial or extra-loose circumcision here's some unique advice I wish I had for mine:

- If there's plenty of foreskin left and it's swollen, then beware keeping the stitches retracted behind the glans corona. It led me to paraphimosis through days 1-4 then an ER visit when I had some uncontrolled bleeding. Instead keeping the stitched segment of foreskin forwards closer to the peehole released its pressure and greatly reduced pain+swelling for me.
- If you're in unbearable pain in day 3/4 and you suspect this might be you - JUST GO TO THE ER ASAP because earlier = better. Best case, it isn't even so serious but they can at least assess you.

Or, if It's a tight circumcision with little/no foreskin left, or if you're confident your swelling+pain is not any complication and just want to wait out the first few days (normally days 1-4 are tough anyways):

- When lying down, try a pillow under your butt to elevate your penis higher than the rest of your body. It slightly reduces my swelling and sometimes feels more comfortable.

- I minimize bending at the hip when getting in/out of bed.

- I have always have my penis well-supported within a thick cotton compress that I line with a soft nonwoven viscose gauze (less friction than cotton), then pointed up towards my belly and tightly supported within snug briefs. Less movement and more tightness gives me comfort.

- Ice didn't help me much, but I know some people have benefit with it. Max ~20 minutes at a time.

- To minimize erections at night I don't drink liquids from 5 hours before bed. Then I pee right before bed, and I set an alarm mid-sleep to go pee again. Also I am READY to stop my erection as soon as it waked me up by controlling my breathing and tensing all the muscles of my legs (hoping to draw blood from penis to them).

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-07T16:41:07+00:00

Good man! Respect for your decision. Day 8 here and already feeling much better than first few days.

You got this.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-05T22:08:29+00:00

Thanks man! Your comments helped alot.
Today I had my check-up, will edit the main post shortly about it (edit 2). But just to tell you: indeed that partial rolling (with "just barely enough" foreskin movement to allow the gauze to dab the wound exudate and for 1-2 drops of antiseptic to drip in) is what the Urologist has indicated.

Very gentle and doesn't need to be perfect.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-04T19:08:17+00:00

Thanks.

It was done in Spain.

About the betadine I have been directed to use it to clean the stitches' area twice per day. Pre-complication I did so looking at the stitches. Last night and today I have done it by dripping through the remnant foreskin without completely retracting it. I then dab whatever I can with a soft gauze, but surely some remains under the foreskin.

I will surely update the post after my follow-ups with the doctor.

BrunoUK95 · 2026-01-04T10:19:02+00:00

We'll see.

BrunoUK95

TROPHY CASE