I just keep looking for the magic dragon. That one guy/girl, who you can just flow roll magically, and it feels like you're way better than you actually are. Not going 100% (maybe 85%?) and it just feels right.

I'm a 53yo 4 stripe white belt after 11 months. I've been told by my professors that my belt will be changing color soon. School has a 1 year minimum requirement to advance to blue. I train on average about 4-6 days/wk in the 6am class. I've been able to tap all belt levels, but still get subbed on a few occasions/ week usually by the more advanced belts. I had earned a black belt in Karate in 98, but hadn't trained much in the last 20 years.

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

I’m looking to interview around 50 students about their Jiu-Jitsu journey. I’d love to learn more about your biggest struggles and what kind of content would be most helpful for you. This will not only guide me in creating better videos but also give me the chance to help you directly. You can sign up here: forms.gle/LB9E3492UC1v2zBG7 Thank you for your participation!

Music ruining it

This is fantastic. I had been on the fence about buying a Grappling Smarty and I look out at the icy roads separating me from my gym two towns over and really wish I had something to use for drilling. I think I will try to get a prefilled 2.0 model.

Love the info thanks.

nice video man, you're really specific of your journey and i can really relate!

As a 6-month blue belt, I agree 100% with every word of this video. You give some truly insightful tips here that I plan to rewatch and take some notes on. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Just had my trial class today.. I definitely am not built for this sport. It took them 20 mins just to show me how to shrimp. I could barely do the stretches 😂

It’s not up to you. If you’re stuck and feeling stagnant ask your professor 💯

I'm in my late 40s, 5'8" 145 lbs and my game is based around getting smashed and subbed by everyone. I'm not very strong, flexible, or fast.

As a 67 yr young 1 stripe WB OG i appreciate that my school has a fundamental class which is more technique oriented...

The answer is: traditional style of teaching. Ecological approach speeds things up way faster.

I'm currently on a 90 day break. Started off with a tattoo, then just laziness, then sick, then vacation, then sick, kids sick, wife sick....now I have extreme anxiety about going back, feeling like a failure. It's really tough after a long break like that.

I am a seasoned purple belt, and I still don't know this answer, lol...

Some gyms don't care how good you are, they need you to pay a certain amount of dues $$$ , before you get promoted.

Do more of these I just bought one

Older, smaller blue belt here (63 130lbs). Having to switch schools about 1 year after receiving blue belt really helped me with the "only one way" trap. The training methodology and emphasis was different enough to get my attention and reevaluate my assumptions. What was good and solid from my first school was proven again and improved, with some of my weaknesses exposed so I could identify and focus on them. One example was what my first school called "wrestlers cross side". They considered it weak, and easy to escape. My new school also has a Judo coral belt instructor. Students who learned pinning and control from him take this a couple notches higher than I was used to and I have to learn how to deal with it better. I tend to be reactive, but not necessarily passive. I think of it as similar to the counter-puncher in boxing. I've learned quickly that the larger new white belts only need a few weeks of training before they learn how to use their size and strength against me better, with some technique, and I have to be more proactive or I will spend too much time working escapes or sweeps from under them, which wears me out faster. I now prioritize staying on top and not ending up there as much.

Great advice. Amazing Professor

Definitely 👍🏼 - slow is fast 💨 and fast is slow….Roy Dean is a good example of someone who blends all the steps together in a smooth, efficient manner.

I was at white for 6 years. I finally did a stretch long enough to be promoted to blue. I pretty much immediately stopped going because of work and now that I have the time, it seems wrong to wear the blue belt and I’m having a tough time getting back through those doors again. I’m sure it’s just another excuse in the back of my head, but it’s real. 😅

This was me for the last three months. I never thought I would show up to class one day and wonder why I was even there. I was bored as hell and felt like I was done. It costed me a my 4th strap on my purple this year. Granted I got my third stripe last year and busted my ass for 9 months this year to hit a major road bump like you talk about. I am back now and more determined for next year. I am 50 and still have a lot to prove to myself.

So your blending is a very helpful concept. My issue usually is I can think of the hand step and then think of the leg step. Combining those is the goal obviously but I did not think of it as a blend. Thank you.

I started a BJJ journal. Hopefully it helps me out in my transitions and stuff

Have you put in the effort to train more efficiently?

Recently promoted purple belt here. Just over 4 years and a month from White to Purple, about 2 years and 9 months of that at blue. Getting involved in teaching fundamentals classes as a 3 stripe blue REALLY helped my game grow. Forced me to evaluate holes in my game and check over all my fundamental positions and techniques that I needed to clean up.

Got the butt chin like Uriah

I want to let you know that I followed your advice in this video and here I am 1 1/2 years as a blue belt and I’m getting my purple belt Wednesday

And the BIGGEST DANGER: the black belt gym owner loses $ when you take a break 😅

Bulged discs in my neck that I never rested to let heal so here I am. Quit my gym, again. Doctor says I can go back in January so there's that.

The longer you're away, the longer it takes to get back into it. This is true for 2 weeks, 6 months, or a few years... If you're feeling physically or mentally exhausted, just relax the training schedule a bit. There are some days where I realise my mind's just too distracted or my body's just a little too beat up and I hold off training to the next day. In the off days, just recover and reflect. Thinking about techniques, principles, or the specifics of previous rolls has improved my training because from it I develop something to focus on in future training.

I hear, but how do I do that?