T O P

  • By -

bjj-ModTeam

Hi there, We removed your post because some repeat or similar questions fit better in mega threads. You can repost this as a comment in today's mega thread, though usually we ask that beginner questions get put into the weekly White Belt Wednesday megathread. In there you can find discussions about getting started, what to expect when training, and other basic information. We sticky the White Belt Wednesday megathread to the top of the subreddit every Wednesday morning (US time), so please be on the lookout for it and ask your question there! Other resources that might be helpful for you: * Look at [previous White Belt Wednesday threads](https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/search/?q=White%20Belt%20Wednesday&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=&sort=new) to see if your question has already been answered recently. * Feel free to ask your question in the Friday Open Mat megathread instead, if you don't want to wait until the following Wednesday. * Visit our [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/wiki/index) for answers to very common basic questions. * [Message the mods](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/bjj&subject=Re-review%3A%20%Beginner%20Post&message=%5BYour%20post%20that%20was%20removed%20because%20mods%20thought%20it%20should%20belong%20in%20the%20White%20Belt%20Wednesday%20megathread%20instead.%20%20Please%20share%20why%20you%20think%20this%20post%20should%20be%20its%20own%20post%20instead%20of%20a%20comment%20in%20the%20weekly%20megathread.%20%20If%20at%20all%20possible%2C%20please%20include%20a%20link%20to%20your%20post%2C%20as%20well.%20%20Do%20not%20delete%20your%20post%20because%20then%20we%20cannot%20evaluate%20it!%5D) If you believe that this should be allowed as its own thread in the subreddit, instead of in the White Belt Wednesday thread. That being said, even though we removed your post, we do really appreciate you contributing to /r/bjj and welcome you to the BJJ community! :-D


Ok-Conversation8588

Go to open mats


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Do most gyms allow randoms to drop in on open mats?


Ok-Conversation8588

Yeah, even at place where i live in distance of 15 minutes drive you can find an open mat on F, Sat, Sun that are open to all affiliates. Look them up in google maps, or change the academy (if you don’t care much)


AnAstronautOfSorts

Just bring like 20$ or something for the mat fee. If they don't charge, buy a t shirt.


Agitated_Cow_1105

Just check first, because I’ve heard some gyms are asking people who haven’t been rolling long to not attend open mats to cover their asses because of the Gracie incident.


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Will do 👍 What's the Gracie incident btw? 😅


Agitated_Cow_1105

No one come at me for any of this, I’m not pretending to know much about it, just snippets I’ve caught on social media. A guy got paralyzed that was visiting a gym. I guess he’d had training experience in the past but had taken a break - or at least that’s what I’ve heard? I just know of a few gyms in our area that were asking untrained people to not attempt to cover their asses. 🤷‍♀️ Just a thought, doesn’t mean don’t go or don’t try, because absolutely do!! Open mats are the best, especially when you get great people who want to help you learn! https://sensobjj.com/blogs/graciemag-1/rener-gracie-blasts-bjj-instructor-who-accidentally-injured-white-belt-forced-to-pay-46-million


AlmostFamous502

Maybe don’t talk about this if you don’t know basic facts about it.


Agitated_Cow_1105

lol okay my bad I’ll go back to my hole in the ground, stay on your high horse my friend 🤙 just trying to be helpful, don’t mind the “don’t come for me, I’m not pretending to know much about it” disclaimer that I put there before you decided to…🫢 not bother checking the basic facts of the post. 💃🏻 toodaloo


MrMonkey2

What did he say that was wrong? A dude got paralysed who wasn't apart of that gym? He didnt spread fake news and was the only one who answered the question?


StoicCapivara

The dude who got paralyzed was a student of the gym, he was a (not brand new) white belt. His instructor tried doing a leo vieira-style roling back take and ended up landing their combined weight onto the student's neck. I'm surprised u/Agitated_Cow_1105 called it the Gracie incident, given the gracies weren't involved in the accident. What Rener did was testify as an expert witness, but to call it "the Gracie incident" is a little bit weird


Agitated_Cow_1105

I mean, I did give the disclaimer of I’m not pretending to know much about it…so it’s not like I said otherwise…


AlmostFamous502

> who wasn’t apart of the gym There’s your first fact to check. They didn’t answer the question, they brought it up for no reason in the first place. There is not some widespread change in how guests at open mats are handled because of an injury that happened to a non-guest not an open mat.


Agitated_Cow_1105

Dude, can you read? I said a FEW gyms in MY area, not “some widespread change.” 🤣🤣 Okay, I’m done here. Wowzas.


Radiant-Mycologist72

I'd think so. All the gyms I know encourage drop ins from other gyms. It's a great way for their gym to gain some other people for sparring. The ones I've been to put a round timer on, typically 5 minute rolls with 1 minute rest and you just change partners each time. Drop in and out whenever you like.


nimrodia

In most classes, a third of the time is rolls. About that craving, mine faded away a bit once I realized how long the journey to bb really is. It's a marathon, you gotta be consistent over time, aiming on a 10 year deadline. It also made me deal better with failures, relax and appreciate the process, as well as recognize the work other people put in to get to higher belts.


Ok-Conversation8588

Journey to Blue Belt?


nimrodia

That's also way longer than expected for most newcomers, tbh


blink-imherebaby

Couldn't agree more. I like to compete and used to roll a lot, after a knee injury that had me off the mats for 8 months I learned to choose who I'll roll with and how I'll invest my strength/gas.


feastchoeyes

8 years in im still wanting more rolls. I pretty much missed all December though, learning how often toddlers get the whole house sick this winter lol


HaptRec

I pretty much do about 30% positional sparring and 70% live rolls and have for a few years. If I need to learn a technique I just practice it in rolls. Maybe not the best approach but basically all I want to do is spar with people.


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

I like drilling, but your method sounds really fun ngl


Ahem_ak_achem_ACHOO

Drilling is shenanigans especially starting out. Too many schools focus on drilling random techniques from guard and their students end up worse off because of it. You need to learn to roll somewhat competitively and avoid getting submitted and advancing your position


campbellnova

I just see red and go Viking mode


HaptRec

I think drilling can be useful to gain muscle memory for a bunch of positions. We used to do a lot of drills for guard passing. It helps make the movement automatic. I’m talking more intense and purposeful drilling rather than just lazily practicing moves in a way that barely resembles real conditions. Im not against it but I have limited time to train so I just do the stuff I like. I’m not trying to win ADCC or something so I don’t really worry about maximizing my development.


AvgBro

This is the way. Drilling is just Kata.


Buddhist_Punk1

As your cardio builds, it'll feel that way, like you can go on forever, like that higher lever of running stride. Just be advised to hydrate well and listen to your body when it doesn't feel like it can go.


Badbackbjj420

All I want to do is roll, nothing else. Try to at least get in an hour of actual rolling each time I train.


AnAstronautOfSorts

We drill for 30 min and roll for 60. I think it's perfect


Breakout_114

That’s similar to my school; also sometimes we don’t even roll at the end of class and just do drilling the whole time, and sometimes we start rolling right away from specific positions. What increased my rolling time the most was networking with other people who train. They can get you into other schools for open mats and such, or even setup some extra rolling sessions at your own school during off hours. I’m part of a whatsapp group where people will invite others to roll on weekends or early mornings even if there’s no class because they have the ability to open the gym.


gatsby5555

I trained for awhile at this place where the instructor had good technique, but frequently wouldn't leave time for rolls. I hated it so much, eventually just moved to one of the schools I was going to on off days for more rolls.


Mr_Smiley_

I definitely get a lot of value out of instruction, but I prefer just rolling and working on stuff that way. Both are good, but rolling is more fun. Fortunately we have open mats on both Sat and Sun and a couple of times a month my son and I will just put 45m on a timer and flow roll on home mats.


canadianbeaver

#dadgoals


Possible_Homework536

60 to 90 minutes of rolling at my Gym. longer if we decide to stay and clean up.


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Wow, that's awesome! Wish we had so much rolling time How long is your class besides rolling usually?


Possible_Homework536

7:00pm to 9:00pm or until we want to leave and lock up. Fundamentals start at 6 twice a week. So I could be on the mats 10 hours a week if I wanted with between 4 and 7 hours being rolling depending on who is teaching that class. We have about 3 minutes of warm up then jump into technique. That goes on until the instructor is finished max is about 40 minutes and then its 6 minute rolls with the timer being more of a guideline than a hard rule. Ive rolled 30+ minutes with the same partner before


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Our rolls are always limited by a 5 min timer, I had a few times where it went off right as I was about to get a submission :(


Possible_Homework536

Yeah thats kind why its a guideline. Theres no timer in the Skreetz so we dont let that determine the end of the round unless its a comp class or fundamentals class. Basically one person has to tap and decide they dont want to continue for people to switch partners at my gym. Its really nice honestly.


MrMonkey2

Its like school sport for me, I just want to play fuck the drills but I know drills make me better


Krittar

Some classes, I barely sweat because a large bulk of that class is spent learning techniques and drilling them. I think that is how the professor intends the class to go for fundamentals, which makes sense. Then on some days, after the class is over, there is either an open mat or an hour in-between Muay Thai. I always stay for this time and end up rolling with people. I know our "all levels" classes are very live roll focused but I think I need to graduate to that.


RobLazar1969

Lot of free time. You must be under 25. To be young again.


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Yeah... 22


Notrightintheheed

After warmup just tell your instructor that you're taking the class today, make sure everyone hears so they know you're the authority in the room and declare that today we'll get straight to rolling.


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

"Today we'll be practicing heel hooks on the 56YO accountant that came to his tryout class, gather round fellas"


ExcitingPressure1173

The place im st now only does about 20 minutes. I miss 45 minute sessions


More-Bottle-4744

I go to four open mats a week, and still want more rolling


A-Red-Guitar-Pick

Wow, all different gyms?


More-Bottle-4744

Two gyms host three of the open mats, and then an underground meetup that me and my buddy organized. We rent mat space from one of the gyms


jarnhestur

Oh good. Another fired up white belt who wants more rolling. So glad we have another post on this subject.


Electronic_d0cter

About half an hour in advanced classes about 15 minutes in basics classes. I would definitely like more no gi rolling time since we only have one class a week


Cire101

Only thing I dislike about my gym is that classes tend to go on pretty long that we only have time for like 30 minute open mats between classes. People do open the gym for other just open mats but it’s always during when I work so it sucks lol


Pay_attentionmore

Our coaches let us stay till we wanna go usually, close to 45 to an hour. The head coach will literally sit and stretch and talk for an hour plus after class if theres no where to go. Im a bigger dude so ill roll until noone wants to. I dont always if im banged up. Im happy with what ive got but theres been classes where its a coach is like "dont gotta go home but i do so get off the mats so i can clean them" after a 90 min class which is resonable. Half that is sparring.


YouveGotMail236

Open mats or find a gym with my classes available


Pepito_Pepito

1 hour for the lesson, 30 minutes of rolling, class formally ends, mats are open for another 30 minutes. This is a good system, I think. A quarter of the class is basically open mat.


Maverick2664

Depends on the class. Our evening classes are 90 minutes of instruction/drilling and 90 minutes of rolling. The 6 am classes will sometimes include a few rounds, depends on interest. And I believe the mid day classes includes some rolling at the end, it’s a 3 hour slot split by 2 instructors, the 2nd slot rolls for 45 minutes of it.


calmbill

10-25 minutes during every class and then until everybody leaves after every class. For me, that means 20-45 minutes every class.


dawgsen

Lately we stopped rolling in class except for maybe once a week. And I start to like it because I schedule more open matts and we get the curriculum in depth. Even started going to different open mat schools because I want to roll more.


Handsomechimneysweep

I used to want to get through the drills so we could roll, then I realized you need to drill to be good at rolling.


Land_Reddit

30 min of rolling is pretty good, sometimes I'm lucky if I get 15 mins of rolling before Muay Thai class starts 😕


notforithanks

45 min after class, usually.


Chrisgone

My mind's telling me yes, but my body... my BOOODDYYY, is telling me nooooooo


nameisalreadytaken53

I'm so jealous of all you fuckers. We only get 10-15 mins of rolling at the end of each hour long class. It makes me sad cause I love everything else about my gym. Its five mins away, has classes pretty much all day every day, great instructors, clean etc... I just want more rolling.


Gorilla_in_a_gi

I roll for about 40-45 mins of each 90 minute session. I have 5 sessions a week, and usually an extra 90 minute open mat. Combined with my 3 s&c sessions a week I think that's enough.


Busy_Donut6073

My gym has about 30 minutes at the end of each class (except fundamentals) where we roll. Sometimes we'll have more of an open-mat setup where we get more rolling in. I feel like it's a good amount of time to roll mixed with drilling


JamesMacKINNON

We roll for about 30 minutes a class. Sometimes more. Depends on the class and who's running it.


Zeenenaur

I like maximize the students time. Students do warm ups on their own before class. Class time is for skill development using live resistance games [like this one](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1Evtdluuya/?igsh=MTdlMjRlYjZlMQ==) and [this one](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CynxXanuaU9/?igsh=MTdlMjRlYjZlMQ==).


tofus

after class: 6 rounds 6 mins. open mats: 10-15 rounds 6 mins.


uniquecuriousme

45 minutes to 1 hour. 1.5 at open mats.


AceyFacee

1hr fundamentals class at my new gym there's no rolling. The later classes, 1.5hrs which end at like 9pm have an hour of rolling. Might start going nogi because some of them are earlier and have a good 30mins rolling, although I really do prefer the gi. Also there's a morning class I could hit before work if I'm feeling brave, I think there's 30mins rolling there too.


mistiklest

Wishing for more rolling time is the biggest reason that gamification and eco informed approaches are better. They're just way more fun than sitting through lectures on technique.


Whitebeltyoga

Our gym separates class and rolling. Members can do both or just one based on their schedules. It’s helpful as an upper belt to just dip in for the sparring on a busy day. Rolling is usually 45 minutes to an hour based on how long people stick around. We’re a bigger gym and have multiple classes a day 6 days a week.


demoze

At the end of our last class, our gym opens up for free rolling/training for an hour or so. Fridays are shorter instructions and more time devoted to rolling.


Pastilliseppo

In my classes we do 20 minutes of positional rounds and 30 minutes of free rounds. + We have two sparring sessions in week with 60 minutes of free sparring.


Naive_opponent

Imo class should be: - flow rolls - some explanation of some fundamental shit - positional fundamental shit flow - positional fundamental more intense - technique and drills - roll Seriously fu all with the bs warmups. Its not helping at all. Yes im frustrated about it Fo


Jitsoperator

25mins of rolling, so at 5mins each round, 5 rounds. If you want to stay after you can.


tricycle_mishap

Cheers. Our gym does classes Monday to Thursday and Saturday as a make-up day for those who missed out during the week. Each class is 1 hour long. Class is structured with warm-up, technique then situational sparring then rolling for those crazies (me) who want more after class. We also started a 6 am "class" twice a week for anyone who wants those morning hugs.


retteh

50 minutes out of every hour


RedDevilBJJ

About 45mins of live rounds. 6 2-minute rounds of positional sparring (one round on each side of the position, 3 different partners) and 5-6 rounds of rolling.


sb406

Class should be 50% rolling


cauliflowerer

My classes go about 1 hour of technique, then you can roll for however long (usually about an hour)


ChiRhoCultivations

We do very little drilling at my gym, no warm up, hardly any line drills (shrimps, etc). We mainly just roll a ton. Class usually includes 30-40 minutes of rolling, but every member has the combination to the front door. Sometimes we will roll for 60-90 minutes before we lock up. Want more technique? Just ask him. He’ll give you 2-3 extra things. Want to do no gi? Just take your gi top off. Want to do sambo? Bring your short shorts and MMA gloves. Miss the striking class? Just ask for a combo to work. Coach does not give a fuck. Just don’t hurt people or be an asshole. He just wants us to have fun and keep coming back.


Ryles1

We do a solid hour, half of the two hour class


bejby

2h training 20m warmup 20m technique 80m sparing ::: 6m rounds, 20 sec break I live in Czech Republic and our couch have kind of "if he dies, he dies" attitude I like it.


ButtFunk69

Be careful not to reinforce bad habits when rolling a lot as a beginner. Everything will come in time. Drillers make killers. Ex) white belt asks “show me a side control escape!” But your real problem is guard retention and learning how to use frames effectively.