The People, Process, & Progress Podcast - Definitive Guide to Starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) - Part 1| KEVTalks24

Episode Date: March 7, 2023

I'm importing episodes 1-7 of the You-Jitsu Podcast, which will be discontinued next week. In this Part 1 of 2 episode compilation, I walk the curious through signing up for and attending a trial BJJ class and then share tips for when you sign up and start training regularly.Time Stamps:00:02:02 - Do the Intro Class00:03:27 - BJJ Intro Class Prep00:05:00- So, You Signed Up for BJJ?00:10:31 - Breathe00:13:19 - Frame00:15:00 - Survive00:15:56 - No Free Grips

Hey everybody, welcome to part one of a two-part series, the definitive guide to start training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This will be KevTalks episodes 24 and 25. I am importing the 24 episodes that I did on the Jiu-Jitsu podcast to this feed because I'm going to shut down the Jiu-Jitsu podcast to just cut down on some administration and I talk about Jiu-Jitsu here anyway. So thanks for sticking with the Kevalks podcast for talking about this really important martial art that I am part of, been a part of for four and a quarter years or so.

I'm a blue belt and I've talked about the benefits of it here in this part one. I'm going to walk folks through who are interested from, should I try that intro class, which you should, through understanding that you shouldn't let people grab you for free, no free grips in general, but particularly in jujitsu. And then we'll kind of build on that in part two into not really more advanced, but other supplements you can take, exercises you should do outside of jujitsu, some other concepts, and really also being nice to the white belts because we all are one at some point. But I hope you enjoy this two-part series.

If you're interested in Brazilian jujitsu, this should be really helpful. Practical things like have a mint before you go to class, wash your gi, get in there, breathe, frame, survive, that concept that really works. You'll hear more about that. This one's about 15 minutes long. The other one will be a little bit longer. I have yet to put that together, but it'll be released after this one. So thanks so much. Still at kevtalkspod.com. And you can still submit to be on the show to talk about jujitsu, those kinds of things. So got to update it or have updated intake form, support the show, if you will. There's a support and donation thing there through PayPal and leave a review on Apple podcast that really helps get the show exposure as I talk to more

thought leaders, industry leaders talk about processes and general wellness, particularly in public safety in the veteran community, but also for folks in the private sector like myself who are there now and sharing processes with program and project managers. So thank you, the listener. I hope this is helpful. Here we go. How to get started and start that intro class in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Godspeed. Be curious about what's going on in that Jiu-Jitsu gym in your town? Do you want to know how to do or what all that stuff they do on the ground in the UFC is? Well, a lot of it's Jiu-Jitsu, and yes, you should go try an intro class. Most of them are free.

You're not going to be thrown to the sharks where people beat you up, choke you out, break your limbs or anything. Don't worry. If you stick with it, that'll come later. Just kidding, but not really. Anywho, go try the intro class, right? You'll sign a form that says, I won't sue you if I get hurt. You'll get to see your expectations versus reality, which is super eyeopening when you do a real martial art where you have to go against people. Mostly in the intro class, you'll probably do the warmups, depending on what kind of warmups they have. Do the drills, a certain move, one or two moves that

you learn, or a move and a build on that move. And maybe roll. And hopefully if you roll with someone, it'll be with an experienced person because they are both more dangerous because they can actually hurt you with moves and less dangerous because they're not spazzy. Some places don't let you roll at all when you do an intro, just as well. You'll understand just from the warmups, just from drilling, whether you want to touch people, grapple people, get in these positions, do this thing, whether you're going to freak out if you're on the bottom, it's worth it. So do that intro class, worth the price of admission, which is typically free, and your questions will be answered. Does that jiu-jitsu stuff work, and is it something I do or don't want to do? Congratulations

on signing up and showing up for your first Brazilian jiu-jitsu intro class. So what are some things that you should do before you go? One, trim your fingernails and toenails, brush your teeth, maybe have a mint before you go in there. Nobody likes stinky breath, whether it's a business meeting or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu role or class together. And nails, well, nobody likes to get scratched ever. Make sure that you wear what they asked you to wear, which often is a t-shirt and shorts, preferably not shorts that come down easy. Sometimes feet get caught on clothes and things like that. And show up a little bit early 10 15 minutes is good to make sure that you go to the right mat the right part of the school you can

see and make sure if there's a mat fee if not often intros are free like i mentioned in the other show but you know it just pays to be there early and then listen listen to what the instructors say listen to what the people that you're going to train with say don't go in there there thinking you're going to tell folks, hey, I used to do this or that. If you hadn't trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, this is your chance to just be a sponge, soak up the environment, listen to how the instructor talks to the students. What are the warmups like? Do people help you in the warmups? Is it an intro curriculum? Is it a program that you if you sign up, you can do? There's a lot of different factors and you'll learn about a lot of them as you go there. So again, congratulations,

way to get in there. Don't be stinky in breath or body. Wear what you're supposed to, trim your fingernails, show up a little bit early and just listen and enjoy. Look at you all signed up after completing your intro class. I hope the tips I provided were helpful, and if so, subscribe, share this. Let's bump us up and help other folks that are getting started. So, now that you're signed up, I imagine you'll have to get a gi, which is the traditional uniform used in jiu-jitsu. So, where should you get one? I use Santa Ball. No, I'm not sponsored by them, but they're inexpensive. They last quite some time and their customer service is awesome. There are tons and tons of gi companies. Talk to

folks at your gym. Maybe even when you signed up, you got a free one like I did with my first intro class. That was pretty sweet. Toro BJJ, T-U-O-R-O is also very good. Also, not a sponsor, but I recommend them. So now you have your gi, which is a top and pants. One thing to consider with your gi, if you're not given one, or even if you are given one, is sizing. They typically come in A, 1, 2, 3, and on up. One is smaller, bigger numbers are bigger. So a good thing to do is ask somebody that's about your size and class, what size top and bottom they wear and order that size. If it doesn't fit, you can usually send it back if it's in good condition or you only tried

it on and it's too small. You can probably still do classes without your gi and just tell them, hey, it doesn't fit. I'm getting one. Most instructors are pretty cool about it, but make sure you pay attention to the sizing. Also, most gi companies on their website has a size chart like chest, arm length, inseam, kind of like getting a suit. Make sure that a belt comes with it, and if a belt doesn't come with it, then buy one. Now you're a white belt. So what next? Watch some videos on how to tie your white belt.

Doesn't have to be perfect, and certainly you can ask the folks at your gym, but it's helpful. Henner Gracie has a good one in particular. That's how I tie mine in a pretty basic one. There's a few different methods, but it's always handy to know how to tie it. Another item to consider, or let's say, I guess a couple items is one, a rash guard. I wear a rash guard, which is a tight fitting shirt, usually short sleeve. I have one long sleeve one that you wear under your gi. I wear that because the gi kind of rubs and I don't want my sweaty body rubbing over somebody else's. I also wear a kind of athletic, tight kind of boxer briefs, which are helpful for guys, for women. Not sure how that goes, but similar kind of workout things underneath.

But it's good for me. I like to wear a shirt under my gi. Some people don't. Totally your choice. So what if you're not going with the gi and you're doing submission grappling or no-gi jiu-jitsu? So like I mentioned, rash guards, again, there are so many different companies that sell rash guards, different styles. It's really kind of pick it out. Again, ask people at your gym. Some of the places I mentioned before sell those as well.

Probably for a while, you may be able to just wear a t-shirt and shorts. The difference is a regular t-shirt and kind of workout shorts are a little floppy and baggy. So when you're moving fingers and toes and knees and elbows, they can get caught in those. And of course, in no gi, you're not grabbing the clothing like you are in the gi, but you still don't want to let people get their finger and toes caught and get hurt or something like that. So a rash guard is something if you've watched ADCC or you're interested in jiu-jitsu or you see kind of the warm-up tight Reebok shirts that you see people wear, that's like a rash guard, right? And then there's a lot of shorts. They call them fight shorts or grappling shorts or things like that that you can wear that don't have pockets. That's the key is don't have pockets.

And I probably didn't mention that in the intro thing too, but now is don't wear jewelry, right? Earrings, necklaces, rings. I take my wedding ring off before class all the time. I'm using fingers all the time. So you don't want to get it kind of gloved where it pulls the skin off. Some people may use those like rubber wedding rings. I just take mine off. So, but again, no gear, there's tons of suppliers. Another thing to get now that you're going to get into it is a mouth guard. I have chipped a couple teeth due to jujitsu. Not really getting into it and scrapping with somebody. It was actually when we were demoing things and it just happened to headbutt or get an elbow or something.

But a mouthpiece is key. There are lots of good companies out there. I use the minimal one by Sisu, S-I-S-U. It's called the Sisu Aero. It starts out flat actually. So if you've ever used a mouthpiece in any sport, you put it in some hot water, you bite down on it, mold it around your teeth, then put it in some cold water, it hardens up. I like that one the best. Some of the bigger, more traditional ones I use for a long time too, but when you start to get tired for me, they start bothering me and kind of gagging me. So the Sisu Aero works really well. It molds almost like Invisalign

to your teeth. It works really good. So gi, belt, or rash guard shorts if you're doing no-gi or submission grappling, mouthpiece, and again, trim your fingernails, toenails, brush your teeth, take a shower, don't be stinky. And another thing, if you happen to smoke, one, you probably won't want too much longer after you start jujitsu because you're not going to be able to breathe. If you smoke any kind of thing, don't be just covered in it a lot when you go in there. Again, you're going to be very close to other people. You don't know who's allergic to smoke, who has asthma, and sometimes it just smells. So that's my two cents because I don't smoke. That's a different perspective from it just smells. So that's my two cents because I don't

smoke. That's a different perspective from folks that smoke. So hope this stuff was helpful getting into regular class schedules and look at the schedules of where you're going, see what fits for your life. Jiu-Jitsu will work if you make it fit as part of your life. It has to. It has to work. And of course, it depends if you're single or not, if you're married, if you have kids or not, all that kind of stuff. But try and figure out your schedule now as you start to go more often now that you're signed up, now that you're part of the gym community that you're at. Whether you're in your first class demonstrating how to get out of or into side control, at some point early in your journey, you're going to feel like you can't breathe and

you're going to freak out. There's no getting around it. There's only pushing through, dealing with it, or if you need to tap out. That's why this episode is called breathe. You have to breathe. If you hold your breath, you're going to hate it. You're going to pass out or you're going to get scared off. I've had anxiety and claustrophobia in jujitsu and it sucks. It's horrible, especially when you get someone that's heavy, and I'm 200 pounds, and I get somebody big on me. It's awful, but what we have to try and do is remember we can breathe. There is air there, and if you've chosen a good school, your instructor or your training partner isn't going to be a dick and trying to go too hard or be mean or crush you or freak you out. They're there to help you, welcome you

into the school, and help you get to the next step in your journey, which is to show up for the next class. That's as far as you need to look. Don't look toward the belt, which is really what all of us do when we start, but rather think about, I'm going to focus on doing well in the warm-ups. You're going to learn about shrimping, bridging, throwing triangles up, doing single legs. And these are part of warmups. These are different terminology. You can Google this. You can look it up. And there are some other good resources. One of the great ones that I knew, and this is from the school that I started from Revolution BJJ in Richmond, Virginia, and some great folks there is bjjpath.com. It's just tons of videos,

everything from brand new stuff to more advanced stuff. Again, don't try and do fancy moves that you see in videos you watch, or even in some of those videos, you're just starting. This one's called breathe because you really need to focus on your breath. We'll get to the next thing that I keep closing every episode with, and that's frames. But for now, take some breaths before you go into class. When you step on there, breathe during the warmups. Remember, it's a warmup. You're not trying to win the warmups. You're trying to get through them. There's a saying, there's in shape, and then there's in jujitsu shape. I worked out very regularly before I started jujitsu, and I was still gasping for air because you're using both your lungs and your muscles and your mind all at the same time, and you can only do so many metabolic conditioning workouts or high-intensity interval hit workouts

or anything like that to kind of mimic it. That helps for sure to be in better shape, but you're going to get gassed out. Unless you were a wrestler or another grappler before you started jiu-jitsu, there's just nothing like jiu-jitsu shape so enjoy the journey lose the weight start eating a little better certainly stay hydrated as you get into jiu-jitsu more and more and enjoy it just soak it up and take advantage of these early days of your jiu-jitsu journey frames hold up buildings frames are structures that provide strength. Frames are also structures in Jiu-Jitsu that are going to keep you from getting smashed and allow you to do the thing

called breathing that we talked about briefly in episode four. Frames are key. A lot of folks that I've seen that are new that don't have as much of a structured intro or maybe aren't familiar with Jiu-Jitsu at all, like most new folks, don't know what framing is. So even if it's a light warm-up roll or the full-on potentially spazzy whatever roll during live rounds, they get crushed and they lay there. So let me give you all some tips. If someone has passed your guard, which means around your legs, and I'll get into those positions in a future episode, that means they are perpendicular to you, chest to chest, belly to belly kind of things, and they are putting all their weight on you. If it's someone that knows

what they're doing, they've been around even a few months, then it probably is pretty unpleasant for you on the bottom. What you want to do is have your forearm under their chin and your other forearm underneath their hip. So hard to do on a podcast, but essentially try and get your hands between you and them, between their chest and your chest to make space. You'll do drills where you'll push them up a little bit and pull your legs there and get them in your guard, which is where your legs are wrapped around them. You can hold them, which in a real fight means you're holding someone down and not clocking you in the face. In jiu-jitsu, it means they can do a few less things to you, depending on how nice they're

being to the new person and whether they want to try a new trick. But at any rate, a frame is key. So in addition to breathing, like we talked about, when you're getting squished, try and get your hands underneath and between you and the person on top of you. How do you survive in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Keep showing up. There's a saying, there's so many sayings. Some are cheesy, some are awesome in Jiu Jitsu. If you just Google Jiu Jitsu sayings, you'll find a bunch. But one I do like is a black belt is a white belt that never gave up or show up till your belt changes color. And I know we touched on not focusing on a belt color, but what you have to keep thinking about is just showing up is surviving. Getting through the warmup, you survived it.

Doing the drills with focus, you survived. And then getting through some live rounds, you survived. Accept this early and remember it often. You are not there to win a championship. You are going to lose. You are going to be humbled. But in losing, there is learning. In humility, there is strength gaining. And that is how you survive in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. No free grips. No one should grab your collar, your cuff, or your pants without you responding and ripping the grips off.

That's what this episode is all about. If you notice, if you watch ADCC 2022, there was tons of stand-up grip fighting and this was no gi, but imagine in the gi, if I reach up and I grab your collar, I control you a lot. I use it a ton. Great video on Hicks and Gracing, talking about collar control. You grab the collar, you have a strong wrist and forearm, you can make people go where you want, sets up ankle picks, a whole bunch of other stuff. So if you're newer and people start grabbing at your collar, look down, grab the cuff of their sleeve with both hands and rip it off, pull it away from you, pull it down. There's other grip breaking things, but that's a basic one to start with. Grab their cuff, pull it off, but don't let anybody just grab your grips for free. Otherwise they'll you choke you etc thank you all so much for listening to part one i hope this was

helpful to get you started to realize you can breathe frame and survive in brazilian jiu-jitsu and don't let people grab you grabbing is going to lead to something some kind of move right so work on that so welcome white belts to brazilian jiu-jitsu thanks for being here for the more experienced folks that have put some time in, I look forward to getting your feedback. Remember, breathe, train, survive.