advice on waht to do.

[Maddwraph]

Hey guys, I did bjj for a year then went off to college where I continued grappling in a wrestling club. My takedowns have gotten a little better but not by much. In december I was home for a month and recieved my blue belt despite being a little rusty. I went back to college and wrestled some more in the club, but for not much long since the season ended and i sprained my shoulder. Towrads the end of the school year I continued a little more and now I am back and have had my second class of jiu jistu. Problem is that I feel rusty, even bigger white belts are giving me problems. Not subbmitting me but getting good positions and stuff. I am kind of confused because if evey year I come back from college and am rusty in bjj, will I just never learn anything? I like bjj a lot, its awesome, but maybe something else liek judo for now will help me in my grappling expeierence,, or should I contune bjj? I cant do in college, incase your hopin to suggest that. Thanks.

[ps1]

A year off is a long time. All martial art skills are degradable. That is, if you don't use it, you'll lose it. Quitting will not make you better. Plus, wrestling will give you some bad habits when you translate back to BJJ. Keep working your BJJ as much as possible. That's the only way to get better, period.

As far as what to do during school, is it possible for you to find a training partner and work on the skills yourself. There may not be an instructor there, but you can still drill your skills if you find a partner.

[Maddwraph]

I had anotehr class today and was getting tapped by white belts. its making me so mad im at the brink of qutting and starting judo or something. maybe ill just do no gi.

[ps1]

Why are you letting it bother you? If you roll (grapple) just to avoid being tapped, you'll never learn anything. It happens. You said you're a little rusty.

Imagine you found a 1967 Chevy Convertable. The engine is good, there's just a little rust on it. Would you leave it out in the rain and hope the rust disappears? Heck no!!! You buff that stuff out and repaint it.

You've found that you're not as good as you thought...that's a bigger treat than you seem to understand. Figure out where your weaknesses are and begin to fix them. Switching styles or ignoring the gi section of the art would be like changing the apholstry in the car and hoping it fixes the rust. But you can't go into training and be afraid of being tapped. That will happen more often than you will like. Being afraid of being tapped demonstrates nothing but ego! Lose it. Don't expect to go into a knife fight and not get cut, don't go into a gun fight and expect not to be shot, and don't go into a grappling match and expect not to be tapped. If you concentrate just on what submissions the opponent is going to try, you might miss the openings and opportunities he is leaving for you to exploit.

Remember that learning BJJ is a long and difficult road. That's why it takes an average of nine to twelve years to earn a black belt.

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” -Robert H. Schuller-

“There is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see that now. Time will reveal it. Be patient." -Swami Sivanada-

Be patient, I urge you not to quit so easily.

Good luck,

Bill

[bushido_man96]

Good post, ps1.

When I was in the 8th grade, I wrestled. I sucked at it, and didn't go out the next year.

I still regret that decision.

Keep at it.

[marie curie]

Judo helped my BJJ- I think as long as you are learning something related to the art, you should be able to find things that you can use to contribute to your BJJ skills.

[bushido_man96]

Do you wrestle on a competitive level for your college? If so, then I would continue to focus on it, and try to train in BJJ with some buddies, as has been suggested. Then, when you finish your eligibility, you can focus more on the BJJ.

[Maddwraph]

i think i will do that, continue wrestling and some bjj.i guess i jsut want to rush and doo mma as soon as possible.

[bushido_man96]

I think that would be best for you right now. Instead of worrying about what you can't do, worry about what you can do right now. Things may fall into place for you later.