As a 40-something blue belt, myself I can say one thing for MY experience. It is HARD to switch from white belt defense to blue belt offense because you HAVE to take more risks and start giving up position that you are used to holding onto. I can survive but I know that if I attack I have to give something in exchange. That is intimidating.
He has to remember the lessons he had as a white belt You're going to be the nail most of the time keep rolling keep showing up keep working on your skills and you'll see that you'll be able to hang with the best of them never get discouraged
As a blue myself, what I like to do is to mix it up with all the levels. I get my backside handed to me by the uppers, work my way down and start surviving and then flourishing against the new guys. I really enjoy rolling with the lower belts as it gives me opportunities to recognize positions and exploit the openings much more versus the upper belts. That’s also a gauge for you. You can see you’ve improved versus the day 1 version of yourself. No need for the blues. Just relish the opportunities to be on the mat.
6'4" 230lb? Dude is halfway to bein a damn stud! Glad to hear other blue belts struggle with this. It's like we expected to stop struggling after white belt or somethin lol
Blue belt blues. I have been sticking with my private lessons on top of regular classes with the hope of having the minimum stay in that zone . So far has been working out great. Thanks for the video.
What you said about your BJJ advice crossing over to other areas of life is extremely true. I haven't started BJJ training yet but I watch your videos for general advice I can apply to many, many other things and life in general.
I'm fl🔵ating with the same dilemma. I'll take your advice and focus on something specific and give it weeks/months to buildup a ⛰ of failures. Thanks Chewy!
I'm there too. I'm retaining almost zero knowledge from training. It's so depressing. I'm upper end of the blue spectrum but I feel my game got worse to mid white belt over the year of shut down. Moves we covered two weeks ago are lost. I think part of the problem is that the stuff we cover involves a bunch of actions (7). My brain can only retain / reproduce a max of 3 actions. To make matters worse- I've been (and so is the entire gym) more susceptible to injury since coming back- so I lay off open mat and rounds with guys I know to be overly physical and less technical. It's a rut. Gotta train through it as best you can.
In my experience instead of concentrating on offensive moves get really good at defense. You'll feel alot safer and it'll encourage you too engage more
I felt the same way. I'm a 4 stripe white belt. I started taking notes when I got home from class. This forces me to think hard about the details I learned an hour before. Pulling these back to the surface helps them stick. I also notice after reviewing my notes when I do a live roll, techniques pop in my head I wouldn't normally think of.
@Greg Lurik i nailed my defense first couple years and after getting injured so long and recovering from injuries decided to just fall back on that defense oriented game and occasionally go for armbars, heelhooks or maybe a crazy darce
Same, I'm pretty stupid honestly so I just keep my phone next to the mat and write everything down. Some purple belt gave me a good tip? Cool lemme just right that down real quick 😅
I don't know if this helps but I feel this guys pain. I am 6ft and 300 lbs and I have been training for a little over three years. I am pretty good at defense not so good at offense and getting submissions. I decided to go to my first competition and it is motivating me to find my deficiencies and force myself to work on things I didn't think I would. I would never say that competing is for everyone but it definitely gives you a short term goal to keep yourself motivated. The biggest issue that I find with myself is lack of assertiveness, and accepting positions I shouldn't. I agree with almost everything Chewy says here and having had the pleasure of going to DCMMA, I can say that he is as positive and helpful as you see in his videos as well an all around nice guy. His posts help keep me motivated.
Really good advice! I am in a similar situation, and I've been working on things which suit my body type. Currently trying to connect certain guard and attack systems. Body type can help a lot when it comes to deciding what direction to go in. Thanks for the vid, Chewy! 💪
This one really resonated with me especially since I'm at a similar stage. Fresh blue belt, nearly 40, losing weight, gaining muscle, no offense, but I'm able to survive a bit longer... And the wrist locks hurt :D It helps me to focus on the details. Every session I have the goal to either reach or stay in a specific position and look what others are doing when in there. After the initial compulsory 2 months of failure I always start to see patterns and openings. That doesn't mean I know how to capitalise on them, but I know they're there 😅 Keep going and enjoy the ride.Remind yourself where you were last year. Us 40 somethings are too old to dream of becoming world champions and there is no point in being depressed about learning a new skill 😂
Another great video Chewy! I have to work a little to keep from getting discouraged. I train Luta Livre in an mma gym with some really good fighters. A lot of the techniques that I am learning seem advanced for my level but with a lot of focus and trial and error, I see the moments when things just click (which rocks!). Just like chasing numbers in the gym, I found that chasing the belt color is an easy way to get discouraged. Just fight through and make sure you are a better version of yourself tomorrow and it will all fall into place.
What I also have to tell myself is this: The incredible people you train with evolve with you. They just know your game. As an example: my go to offensive move is a Kimura or Americana from the top. It just doesn't work against my long year training partners. They know me. New people in the gym? Bam! Works MUCH more often.
Big fan of your channel. Any advice for a white belt that is frustrated with injuries. I’ve always been into physical sports and activities, unfortunately that didn’t come without a multitude of injuries. As I got into my late 20’s I started to work out almost exclusively at home to avoid injuries. Outside of a few nagging injuries from the past, I was doing really well. Come to a couple months ago, I decided to join bjj (at 31), the addiction was instant and I dove head first into the deep end. Unfortunately only a month in I received my first injury. A tweaked rib, right underneath my pec from a heavy guy practicing his armbar transitions on me. Took about 3-4 weeks to heal. I returned as soon as the pain was not severe, two weeks in, I injured another rib on the opposite side. This time I was on top position trying to pass and my partners elbow was framed into my pec. At one point we both felt my rib move around and stopped to acknowledge it felt weird. I was doing really well and the adrenaline was pumping so of course I pushed through the pain. Fast forward a few days later and now it feels like someone is stabbing me every time I sneeze. I also noticed I must have injured my wrist at some point as it has become quite sore. These are all new injuries acquired at bjj, in about a three month period with about one month of healing in between . I feel discouraged more than anything, I can’t help but think that my body just isn’t built for the sport. I’m stubborn and will continue training as soon as I can, but I worry about how often these injuries will plague me. As much as I want to practice bjj, if the injuries are so constant that they keep me from working out even at home, I worry how that will affect my physical and mental health long term.
One thing that I have tried to research, and found no information on is what bjj belt brands wear out quickly or quicker than others? ive only found lists of belts that are good, which is helpful but still wondering
I find it's hard to follow a particular path for a month, the reason being I find something that I think is cool or effective for me and by the end of the week our specific or situational rolling is from a different postion. For example often I wanna do like a spider/ lasso deep dive and we practice in a way I can do that say Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, however I show up on Thursday and we start in half guard or side control and now I gotta play a different game due to that particular class objective lol over all tho I am deff 100% better then 2 years ago tho
Wow I'm in the blue funk. 5 month shortly after getting my blue belt. Then wife come down with breast cancer. Battling my own insufficiency coming to Rolling. I'm not stopping. But it's hard getting back into it. I'm not sobbing. it's me. I have to fight with my self. Any good advice. I know I can be very good. I'm thinking hey compete at age 58 in the new year. No gi is cool too. So let me know
"Blue belt blues" hit me in a completely different way and I've been struggling to get my focus back, after I got my blue belt I started having personal problems at home and it eventually sent me in a severe depression and started draining me of my energy and took away my desire to do the things I love doing I'm trying to battle back from that things seem to be looking up right now but I'm wondering if anyone else has been through this and if they made it back from it
I messed up chasing rankings and being better than certain people instead of focusing on myself when I wrestled in high school. Worry about the journey not the destination! When I started bjj I didn't care that on my first week after a 10 year break from wrestling I was giving a new blue belt a hard time.... I just wanted to learn how to choke people out. Lol Good luck bro!
I don’t get the ‘ blue belt blues.’ When I got my blue belt a while back it was like a the fire in my got turned up, got hotter, and changed to the color blue.
From my personal experience, I’ve found sleeve control really helps me handle more athletic opponents. I’ll try and get them(more athletic opponent) frustrated and tired from fighting grips and trying to establish position, then start on the offensive. This works for me😄
Brown belt in his 40s here. After 18 years of training I realized that after taking so much abuse in all the years my body isn't even close to what it was in early days. But that just means I change my approach and game plan and don't put extreme expectations on myself. It is also important to check your ego AND pride and don't let them control me. You get submitted by a blue belt? Soooo what? Praise him for his achievement and keep on going. Jits is a journey, not a destination.
Bluebelt Blues don't exist. It's a cop-out to describe the aimless feeling students get, once their eyes have opened to the reality that their self defense art, isn't teaching them self defense. Their original driving force, their motivation...has been removed. This puts them in a complete aimless position, trying to reconfigure a goal, or path, in a grappling chess game. This is why the vast majority quit at Blue as well. Why did I comment? Because you xavt fix a problem, when it is continually ignored, and washed over with excuses
As a 40-something blue belt, myself I can say one thing for MY experience. It is HARD to switch from white belt defense to blue belt offense because you HAVE to take more risks and start giving up position that you are used to holding onto. I can survive but I know that if I attack I have to give something in exchange. That is intimidating.
He has to remember the lessons he had as a white belt You're going to be the nail most of the time keep rolling keep showing up keep working on your skills and you'll see that you'll be able to hang with the best of them never get discouraged
so he will be nailing boards? sounds boardish.
The blue belt blues are real!
Well this is not where I expected to see the punk rock MBA. Welcome to the jiu jitsu side of youtube!
Maybe you can do a video connecting bjj and music? Musicians that do bjj, maybe?
Finn!
💯
straight to your face
As a blue myself, what I like to do is to mix it up with all the levels. I get my backside handed to me by the uppers, work my way down and start surviving and then flourishing against the new guys. I really enjoy rolling with the lower belts as it gives me opportunities to recognize positions and exploit the openings much more versus the upper belts.
That’s also a gauge for you. You can see you’ve improved versus the day 1 version of yourself.
No need for the blues. Just relish the opportunities to be on the mat.
As someone in covid lockdown I really felt that last sentence
@@randmcnally6542 If you can dude, buy some mats and get the guys over to train.
I'm a white belt and this seems like a really helpful video even for white belts.
6'4" 230lb? Dude is halfway to bein a damn stud! Glad to hear other blue belts struggle with this. It's like we expected to stop struggling after white belt or somethin lol
As a white belt who was feeling really frustrated with my BJJ just as this video showed up on my feed during my lunch break, thanks chewy!
Growing up in our dojo we had a small sign on the wall 🚫 with the word CAN'T inside. This is a strong mental exercise with serious benefits.
Blue belt blues. I have been sticking with my private lessons on top of regular classes with the hope of having the minimum stay in that zone . So far has been working out great. Thanks for the video.
What you said about your BJJ advice crossing over to other areas of life is extremely true.
I haven't started BJJ training yet but I watch your videos for general advice I can apply to many, many other things and life in general.
Start tomorrow bro. You wont be able to stop. And you will regret not starting earlier. 👊🏻
I'm fl🔵ating with the same dilemma. I'll take your advice and focus on something specific and give it weeks/months to buildup a ⛰ of failures. Thanks Chewy!
I'm there too. I'm retaining almost zero knowledge from training. It's so depressing. I'm upper end of the blue spectrum but I feel my game got worse to mid white belt over the year of shut down. Moves we covered two weeks ago are lost. I think part of the problem is that the stuff we cover involves a bunch of actions (7). My brain can only retain / reproduce a max of 3 actions.
To make matters worse- I've been (and so is the entire gym) more susceptible to injury since coming back- so I lay off open mat and rounds with guys I know to be overly physical and less technical.
It's a rut. Gotta train through it as best you can.
In my experience instead of concentrating on offensive moves get really good at defense. You'll feel alot safer and it'll encourage you too engage more
I felt the same way. I'm a 4 stripe white belt. I started taking notes when I got home from class. This forces me to think hard about the details I learned an hour before. Pulling these back to the surface helps them stick. I also notice after reviewing my notes when I do a live roll, techniques pop in my head I wouldn't normally think of.
add a headlock or choke. figure out how to add more headlock to whatever position you are in. and then if you are in a rut again, add a footlock
@Greg Lurik i nailed my defense first couple years and after getting injured so long and recovering from injuries decided to just fall back on that defense oriented game and occasionally go for armbars, heelhooks or maybe a crazy darce
Same, I'm pretty stupid honestly so I just keep my phone next to the mat and write everything down. Some purple belt gave me a good tip? Cool lemme just right that down real quick 😅
I don't know if this helps but I feel this guys pain. I am 6ft and 300 lbs and I have been training for a little over three years. I am pretty good at defense not so good at offense and getting submissions. I decided to go to my first competition and it is motivating me to find my deficiencies and force myself to work on things I didn't think I would. I would never say that competing is for everyone but it definitely gives you a short term goal to keep yourself motivated. The biggest issue that I find with myself is lack of assertiveness, and accepting positions I shouldn't. I agree with almost everything Chewy says here and having had the pleasure of going to DCMMA, I can say that he is as positive and helpful as you see in his videos as well an all around nice guy. His posts help keep me motivated.
I'm there too. This video was insanely helpful to get my mindset right. Thank you!
Really good advice!
I am in a similar situation, and I've been working on things which suit my body type. Currently trying to connect certain guard and attack systems. Body type can help a lot when it comes to deciding what direction to go in.
Thanks for the vid, Chewy! 💪
This one really resonated with me especially since I'm at a similar stage. Fresh blue belt, nearly 40, losing weight, gaining muscle, no offense, but I'm able to survive a bit longer... And the wrist locks hurt :D
It helps me to focus on the details. Every session I have the goal to either reach or stay in a specific position and look what others are doing when in there. After the initial compulsory 2 months of failure I always start to see patterns and openings. That doesn't mean I know how to capitalise on them, but I know they're there 😅
Keep going and enjoy the ride.Remind yourself where you were last year. Us 40 somethings are too old to dream of becoming world champions and there is no point in being depressed about learning a new skill 😂
Another great video Chewy! I have to work a little to keep from getting discouraged. I train Luta Livre in an mma gym with some really good fighters. A lot of the techniques that I am learning seem advanced for my level but with a lot of focus and trial and error, I see the moments when things just click (which rocks!). Just like chasing numbers in the gym, I found that chasing the belt color is an easy way to get discouraged. Just fight through and make sure you are a better version of yourself tomorrow and it will all fall into place.
Really needed to hear this today! Thanks Chewy!
Amazing how many lives jiu jitsu saves.....
What I also have to tell myself is this: The incredible people you train with evolve with you. They just know your game. As an example: my go to offensive move is a Kimura or Americana from the top. It just doesn't work against my long year training partners. They know me. New people in the gym? Bam! Works MUCH more often.
Big fan of your channel. Any advice for a white belt that is frustrated with injuries. I’ve always been into physical sports and activities, unfortunately that didn’t come without a multitude of injuries. As I got into my late 20’s I started to work out almost exclusively at home to avoid injuries. Outside of a few nagging injuries from the past, I was doing really well. Come to a couple months ago, I decided to join bjj (at 31), the addiction was instant and I dove head first into the deep end. Unfortunately only a month in I received my first injury. A tweaked rib, right underneath my pec from a heavy guy practicing his armbar transitions on me. Took about 3-4 weeks to heal. I returned as soon as the pain was not severe, two weeks in, I injured another rib on the opposite side. This time I was on top position trying to pass and my partners elbow was framed into my pec. At one point we both felt my rib move around and stopped to acknowledge it felt weird. I was doing really well and the adrenaline was pumping so of course I pushed through the pain. Fast forward a few days later and now it feels like someone is stabbing me every time I sneeze. I also noticed I must have injured my wrist at some point as it has become quite sore. These are all new injuries acquired at bjj, in about a three month period with about one month of healing in between . I feel discouraged more than anything, I can’t help but think that my body just isn’t built for the sport. I’m stubborn and will continue training as soon as I can, but I worry about how often these injuries will plague me. As much as I want to practice bjj, if the injuries are so constant that they keep me from working out even at home, I worry how that will affect my physical and mental health long term.
I have the same thing at purple belt after a long layoff from covid !
One thing that I have tried to research, and found no information on is what bjj belt brands wear out quickly or quicker than others? ive only found lists of belts that are good, which is helpful but still wondering
I find it's hard to follow a particular path for a month, the reason being I find something that I think is cool or effective for me and by the end of the week our specific or situational rolling is from a different postion. For example often I wanna do like a spider/ lasso deep dive and we practice in a way I can do that say Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, however I show up on Thursday and we start in half guard or side control and now I gotta play a different game due to that particular class objective lol over all tho I am deff 100% better then 2 years ago tho
Just leaving this comment here for when I get my blue belt(very soon hopefully) I’ll come back and watch this video
I didn't really start building offense until purple. White defense blue escapes and transitions, purple is attacks at least the road I went
Wow I'm in the blue funk. 5 month shortly after getting my blue belt. Then wife come down with breast cancer. Battling my own insufficiency coming to Rolling. I'm not stopping. But it's hard getting back into it. I'm not sobbing. it's me. I have to fight with my self. Any good advice. I know I can be very good. I'm thinking hey compete at age 58 in the new year. No gi is cool too. So let me know
"Blue belt blues" hit me in a completely different way and I've been struggling to get my focus back, after I got my blue belt I started having personal problems at home and it eventually sent me in a severe depression and started draining me of my energy and took away my desire to do the things I love doing I'm trying to battle back from that things seem to be looking up right now but I'm wondering if anyone else has been through this and if they made it back from it
How you holding up man ? fellow blue belt here
the best thing to do is find the craziest guard and then work the craziest most silly submission. then fall back to fundamental spinning attacks
3.5 yers in
5 time + a week
still white, i gave up on belt , i want skill
I messed up chasing rankings and being better than certain people instead of focusing on myself when I wrestled in high school. Worry about the journey not the destination! When I started bjj I didn't care that on my first week after a 10 year break from wrestling I was giving a new blue belt a hard time.... I just wanted to learn how to choke people out. Lol
Good luck bro!
I don’t get the ‘ blue belt blues.’ When I got my blue belt a while back it was like a the fire in my got turned up, got hotter, and changed to the color blue.
🙏
Any advice for a technical brown belt in his mid 30s getting smashed by young athletic blue belt former wrestlers? Haha
Roll with them more and stay humble
Develop defensive counters or postures even grip fighting will help loads
From my personal experience, I’ve found sleeve control really helps me handle more athletic opponents. I’ll try and get them(more athletic opponent) frustrated and tired from fighting grips and trying to establish position, then start on the offensive. This works for me😄
Brown belt in his 40s here. After 18 years of training I realized that after taking so much abuse in all the years my body isn't even close to what it was in early days. But that just means I change my approach and game plan and don't put extreme expectations on myself. It is also important to check your ego AND pride and don't let them control me. You get submitted by a blue belt? Soooo what? Praise him for his achievement and keep on going. Jits is a journey, not a destination.
Keep in mind: every 10 years in age difference is a belt. Also every 20 pounds. So, being 46, I usually roll against purple belts upwards only. :)
where is adam i need to conquer him. i will be victorious. i will not falter. his lineage will remember my name.
big blue belt
I'm so old.
riders on the storm...
Oh a side note. I was bless with this blue belt but I feel like I should have stay at a white belt. Like did I really deserve this belt. Just saying.
I wonder how these people make it through being a white belt. That shit is way worse.
First
Bluebelt Blues don't exist.
It's a cop-out to describe the aimless feeling students get, once their eyes have opened to the reality that their self defense art, isn't teaching them self defense.
Their original driving force, their motivation...has been removed.
This puts them in a complete aimless position, trying to reconfigure a goal, or path, in a grappling chess game.
This is why the vast majority quit at Blue as well.
Why did I comment? Because you xavt fix a problem, when it is continually ignored, and washed over with excuses
Uh how is bjj not teaching them self defense?
No such thing as blue belt blues.