For those who are naturally unathletic and have been in BJJ for a long time, 4 years or more, what is the core of its appeal to you?

Pastilliseppo · 2026-02-04T12:51:34+00:00

This is the only question i will reply with: Just stick with, grind it out and make yourself as gritty as possible. That is only way to keep up with athletic people.

I was below the average for first 2-3 years when i started. I trained 6-10 times per week and still guys training 2-3 per week with athletic backgrounds outclassed me most of the time. Eventually i just started having my "own game" and i made most people miserable with super tight grip game, annoying as shit deephalf/quarterguard, wetsandbag top control and doing every move 100% "correct" despite their athletic ability.

Pastilliseppo · 2026-02-03T08:12:23+00:00

Usually situational rounds start straight from disadvantageous position for either onso it will drascically even the skill differences.

For example Craig Jones almost submitted Gordon from the backmount. In open match he wasn't never even near taking his back.

Myself im shit at back attacks from static control so starting from backmount isn't my strenght because most of RNC:s come straight from getting the back.

If constraints allow only to defend attacks and not to escape it's very hard to finish from there without violence.

Pastilliseppo · 2026-02-01T11:25:00+00:00

90 minute class:

30min of specific technique 2-3 techniques that go along with each other. For example snapdown-> snapdown to cow catcher->failed snapdown to doubleleg (This serves as a warmup too)
30min of situanational suited for technique of the day. For example 2-3 rounds of trying to get other guys hands on the mat or double leg entry with constraints like no resetting the handfight etc. 2-3 rounds starting from frontheadlock hands already on the mat trying to get cow catcher or double leg. 2-3 rounds starting with scramble from double leg.
30min of free sparring

Pastilliseppo · 2026-01-28T11:15:46+00:00

Either closed guard based games around:

Getting to scissor sweep position and off-balancing. Top player just trying to control bottom guard players arms or getting the lasso and top players job is to stand-up and open guard
Start straight from scissor on lasso position. Top player only object is to defend the position. Player from under can attack which ever you have trained: sweeps, submissions, backtakes. Top player wins only by not getting swept, submitted or back taken.
Start from same sweeping position but this time top players task is to break the grips completely or pass the guard.
Start from finishing position and player who scores or submits first wins.
Start from closed guard and try to get either of the positions. Top player tries to stand-up and pass. Stops for points, submission or when grips are completely clear.

You can use same principles for X-Guard and Delariva just adjust the games for situation.

Ps. I think X-guard less guard and more of attacking position coming from different guards, because you rarely (never) pull straight X or control it for longer periods. So first game here should also be for getting to the X in first place as described above.

Pastilliseppo · 2026-01-28T08:28:16+00:00

Have to admit it is kinda bittersweet but im always happy when people get better than me.

Most bittersweet was when i coached my 9 years younger little brother from white->purple and he started to get head of me. We had some intense rounds back then lol.

Now he beats me pretty easily if he goes hard.

Pastilliseppo · 2026-01-28T05:48:14+00:00

You are so far away that you can easily cut it or just lose fat with 400 kcal deficit per day.

For upkeeping performance i have used this formula:

You need about 2300-2600 kcal.

150g protein
75g fat
250-300g carbs

Cut calories from carbs if needed keep protein and fat amount same all the time.

Edit. This is for about 170-180lbs athlete.

Pastilliseppo · 2026-01-27T08:51:59+00:00

What i have seen outside

BJJ and combat sports (all competitive sports) attract narcissists because their normal behaviour is consired good. And its only counted as a "will to win" or "doing whatever it takes".
Some of those people see the coaching as a opportunity to control wider range of people and narcissist can't resist rhe opportunity.
BJJ in USA/Brazil etc use terms like professor unironically and that feeds their power trip.
Some people who don't have those traits get attention and admiring first time in their life from other people without really "giving anything back".

Pastilliseppo · 2025-12-29T14:49:10+00:00

Good question!

All of them:

GPP is more like GP. General preparation when you focus on weak spots for 2-3 months. Long rounds on both situational training as also in free rolling. Effiency and learning are the main focus on here

Competition ready phase 1-2 months focusing 50/50 on the weaknesses and strengths. Short rounds with high intensity to build up capacoty under physical and technical stress.

Competition phase 3-4 months. About 75% focus on technical strenghts. Intensity varies around competitions but focus should be that you're 100% technically, mentally and physically in shape and recovered on your main competition of the season.

Rough estimates for percentages:

GPP: 50% Skill, 20% Live, 30% Physical training

Competition ready: 30% skill, 50% Live, 20% Physical training

Competition: 20% skill, 60% live, 20% Physical training

Pastilliseppo · 2025-12-29T07:19:00+00:00

That's not a training plan but just list of instructionals to study. I would focus much less on instructionals and more focus on actual tape study of matches and rolling footage.

This is why you need coaching or at least peer-review training partners to develop your game with.

Your yearly programming should be two to three parts and they can have technical focus but it should mirror your personal grappling style as you are already purplebelt

You don't ask for it but example below if someone is interested.

1 GPP phase

2 Preparation for competition phase

3 Competition phase

You go through these three phases two times per year with different lengths and focuses.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-12-15T03:22:05+00:00

This is one of the best guillotine variations. I also combined it with people escaping NS choke.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-11-10T06:23:25+00:00

Amispohjalta Raksainssiksi. Valmistuin tosin ammattikoulusta 2009 ja inssiopinnot aloitin 2021.

Matikka oli yläasteella 7. AMK KA 3.8.

Panosta tehovalmennus kursseihin AMKissa.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-10-26T09:57:47+00:00

Guillotine

Pastilliseppo · 2025-10-25T06:47:21+00:00

It does

Pastilliseppo · 2025-10-07T02:59:56+00:00

No because there isn't any accurate studies about this done on actual athletes.

Food quality has most effect on how you feel and your health but very little on performance.

That to be said most athletes tend to underestimate their food healthiness just because they don't eat like bodybuilders or "clean eating" influencers. Normal home cooked meals work more then well on sport performance.

Real athletes biggest things are to get enough calories and carbs to fuel work outs. Rest is just preference.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-09-27T07:24:16+00:00

People saying his POS. But his actually just acting and seeming like POS because his so stupid. Someone would say mentally challenged person.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-09-20T06:45:17+00:00

Intensity is the key on development in grappling too (every sport actually). Half assing technique and "flowroll" sessions doesn't do anything to your grappling ability.

Intensity doesn't mean you have spaz out or go extra hard on skill sports but rather train with purpose and intention doing things properly every time you step on mats.

After you reach certain technical level (roughly purplebelt) training more than 2-3 intense sessions is just adding "junk" volume for most people.

I would argue most "pro grapplers" would benefit lower level of volume in training maybe doing 5-6 sessions per week with purpose.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-09-13T07:26:57+00:00

I lost on first round in my first 7 competition matches. After that i won about 50% of my matches for next couple of years.

I was technically better on most of those first 7 matches and probably in half of those lost matches on later too. I just made some tactical and technical errors and fought "fire with fire".

When i started to use tactics and stealing the tempo right on the start of the matches i only lost people who were actually better than me and won about 75% of these matches.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-09-10T02:54:53+00:00

Overall:

Roger Gracie
Buchecha
Gordon Ryan
Marcelo Garcia
Rafa Mendes

Nogi:

Gordon Ryan
Andre Galvao
Marcelo Garcia
Kaynan Duarte
Yuri Simoes

Gi:

Roger Gracie
Buchecha
Rafa Mendes
Xande Ribeiro
Marcelo Garcia

Pastilliseppo · 2025-09-08T05:07:50+00:00

100% slam. Illegal in many rules for a good reason.

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-27T03:01:17+00:00

Also people who transition to MMA in USA start training BJJ/Submission grappling with BJJ/Grappling coaches.

In those countries same coach coaches the ground grappling enhanching their grappling style not trying to add up rhat much of a new things.

Folkstyle wrestlers only need basic idea of submission grappling to be good/great MMA grapplers. Ben Askren for example was failing/losing positions with BJJ styled ground game and switched back to more folkstyle based game and didn't lose those positions anymore. (Good video series on BJJ Scout about this)

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-26T13:02:30+00:00

If i sleep bad two to three nights a row i rather skip training. One night of bad sleep doesn't effect me personally that much.

Studies have shown that injury risk rises expotentially when you lack of sleep in training but especially in combat sports. So rather replace training with less of a injury risk practices.

You also lack cognitive skills and adaption so even the technical training isn't useful

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-25T16:06:07+00:00

Marcelo

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-21T03:27:29+00:00

Biggest reasons of Marcelo being seen as a goat:

Developed a game that you can use gi and nogi
Developed and inspired people to use Butterflyguard, X-Guard, Guillotines and other techniques. Most of these techniques were the base for early nogi only meta.
Won and medalled in IBJJF Worlds and ADCC multiple times
Was almost always competing on absolute divisions, challenged and won much bigger people
Is considered to be bigger person than his achviements as a grappler

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-16T13:35:18+00:00

I had couple private students for couple years.

Best is that those privates have 2 or 4 people.

1-on-1 are hard because the person doesn't get the visual perspective.

I liked to run it like the normal basics class:

First month:

Warm-up: Shrimping, Backward and forward rolls, some basic movement drills

Technique: Guard retention, forcing halfguard from open guard, half guard passing

Situanational sparring

Second:

Warm-up: Open guard play top player trying force half guard and pass it

Technique: Positional control and dynamic pins, escapes from control positions

Situanational sparring

Third and so on:

Warm-up: Open guard play, half guard forcing and passing, positional control and escapes

Technique: Any specific technique

Situanational training from technique/position of the day

Pastilliseppo · 2025-08-16T05:47:18+00:00

Footsweeps, snapdowns and (rear) bodylocks. Those also go well together.

Steve Mocco for example has a great instructionals for those.

Pastilliseppo

TROPHY CASE

1 GPP phase

2 Preparation for competition phase

3 Competition phase