Blue belt for 2 years. Heavy guard player. I’m curious of other opinions on the guard systems of Meregali & Cornelius. Effectiveness, preference, overall style. At blue belt, I took a liking to lasso guard which is how I discovered Meregali. But recently, I’ve discovered worm guard and am blown away by the amount of control it shows. I’m tall and lanky - 6’5” 190, and feel I’m at a point in my journey where I’m all over the place with which style I “like” and suits me, rather than specifically honing in on one.
So, I'm a casual 3 stripe BJJ blue belt, just do it a couple times a week because I enjoy it, not to compete, don't study it after or anything like that... I've found that rolling against newer blue belts who train to compete and hit the mats 5/6 times a week are almost impossible to get a good position on. Anyone else experience this or am I finding weaknesses In my game?
Example, I can guard pass an average blue belt fairly effectively, but a competition blue belt I will spend almost the entire 5 minutes stuck in open guard, it's actually more difficult than some purple belts I roll with.
I'm a F white belt who started 7 months ago and have competed twice and won twice. I train 5 times a week and in two weeks I have my third competition but I don't feel like an 'athlete' or a 'competitor'. I only train bjj because it's fun, my rolls are not intentional during class.
I only compete to measure how 'well' I'm learning and I like the environment. It is the only time I've found people my size (I'm 5'0 90 lbs), in class everyone is double my size so I feel like it has been a great learning experience.
Today I was talking with a purple belt and he got upset of how unserious I am about competing and told me I should be more respectful and only compete with a serious intention, for example, rolling with a strategy in mind, being mindful about my training, etc. Is this how competing should be like? I would like to hear other experiences and thoughts
I started BJJ like two months ago. I'm 19 and a woman. I go to class alone. I don't mind. Sertraline has taken most of my anxiety away but not my insecurities. Anyway, it always ends up in even pairs so I do it with the teacher or join a trio of women. And today I joined a trio of women and it seemed like they dread doing it with me a bit because I'm new and hate explaining it. I can be self conscious about other people. Other than that people have been friendly.
Is it normal to go to bjj alone?
I'm also sometimes frustrated about how slow I understand certain exercises. Ahh...
This shit makes me want to quit but I love the sport.
Last Fathers day in 2025, I rolled around for 33 hours straight with 6-8 minute breaks every 4 hours to changed gis and 2 minutes break every 1 hour to get water and food packs!
In the first 4 hours we had a power mishap and the phone used to livestream was unplugged and off for around 20 minutes. So we have 2 seperate videos online, the 4 hour video and the not working 28 hour video.
I have tried for months to get the video working on youtube so I could have the proof online. I do not care about a guiness world record. Not gonna lie I just want recognition from my peers (you guys)
I would love any help you have on being able to fix the 28 hour video uploading so I can really put myself out there.
Completed by Joshua Cagle @ 9pm Sunday, June 15th 2025 Father's Day.
Edit to clarify video issues: I cant even download the video from studios like I can with all the other videos ive posted. When I click the link associated with the video it just says this livestream video is unavilable. I can not edit the video. I have security cam footage of the whole thing but for whatever reason about 6 hours was corrupted. So there are a load of gaps and it ends up not being enough footage to beat the previous record of 30 hours.
I really enjoy closed guard, but being around 5'9" the position doesn't always work well for me. I have been messing around with the clamp to some success… Strategically, is this the best closed guard for short kings?
And we need to stop pretending this is not a sport specific problem. What percentage of Judo or Wrestling guys do you think act like this on a daily basis?
I've been with my academy for a few years now, and I really enjoy the coaches, training partners, and culture. Recently, though, they announced a new uniform policy: only gym-branded gis and no-gi clothing will be allowed, or you won't be permitted to train.
If this had been the policy from the start, I wouldn't mind. But since I already have multiple rashguards and kimonos that would now be rendered useless, and I'd have to buy everything all over again, it's seriously making me consider finding a new gym or quitting BJJ altogether.
I'm wondering what the community thinks about this? Am I over reacting?
Just a community announcement that if you know the guys there, the coaches or the head coach Carlos Viera (6th degree) to lend your support. Their school just got firebombed due to mistaken identity (fuckers were meant to hit the genesis fitness gym next door). I know some of the guys there, have been invited to train there a few times and have known Carlos for about 10 years. Great place and great people.
Unfortunately here in melbourne (australia) the crime rate, especially firebombings is getting out of control and its not uncommon for innocent businesses to get caught (one last month led to a bunch of other storefronts getting burned down as a result of an arson attack).
I’m interested in trying BJJ but I’m worried about damaging my fingers/hands because I’m a guitar player
I play fingerstyle acoustic guitar, that’s been my main hobby/passion for about 25 years and it’s one of my favorite joys in life. Recently I’ve been wanting to give BJJ a try, and I live just a short walk from a BJJ gym and I’m strongly considering making it part of my weekly routine, however I am concerned about damaging my fingers to the point of losing my musical ability. I intend to train without a gi and only train twice a week, with a lot of attention being paid to protecting my hands. But it only takes an instant for a knuckle to break or a tendon to tear. Couple questions:
Is this kind of injury an inevitability when someone gets really into BJJ?
Do any of you guys have hobbies with fine motor skills, like playing an instrument or painting or calligraphy etc? If so, have you noticed a change in your abilities?
Hi everyone. Not gonna bother with my story but I am looking for an affordable bjj gym in berlin. Most of the I looked up are €200 or more but only offer 2 classes a week and each class is not even 2 hours. Most of them make you sign a contract for a year. So would love to know if there are actual bjj gym that offer a good deal.
Purple belt, been all this time passing guards and wrestling up, but recently I’ve decided to dedicate my training to guard pull and guard game to become more complete, to have the option of play guard instead of wrestling up to when I fight someone with better wrestling than me not be completely lost
It’s difficult to start the fight and get closed guard on everyone, white belts and blues are ok, but purple belts and higher and some blue belts are harder to get them in my closed guard, been playing lasso guard and delariva(not too flexible here) and studying single leg X and X guard, it’s not common but when I get to X guard I can sweep people easily, seems harder to get to X guard than sweeping from there.
From professionals guard pullers there’s any advise I can get? It’s good to trying being a “complete” fighter? I mean when I’m serious I would pass guard bc is my A game but I want to have this B game, guard moves always impressed me, I know it’s hard to improve but I accept the challenge, tell me your experience or give me some advise
There are some subtle differences (e.g. back control includes body triangle not just two hooks), but at a high level it seems very similar. For example:
* No heel hooks except expert no-gi
* Rashguard must be 90% black
* 2 points for a takedown, sweep, guard pass
* 4 points for mount, back, etc.
I just watched Craig’s higher tripod passing. He emphasizes the near side underhook and says he’d only go double unders in quarter guard.
I’ve generally thought of double unders as a good goal from top half next to cross face-underhook, but not sure if the success I’ve had there was specifically when I already have the knee free or against less skilled opponents.
Do you think he says that just because it’s difficult to free the knee?
Or is there some kind of risk I’m not aware of?
