Self training?

[Journyman74]

To be quite honest, I am most likely not going to join or commit to a traditional BJJ gym in my life due to a variety of reasons. Does anyone here self train using videos, partners, mannequins etc? How satisfied are you? Im not ever planning to be a fighter or what not...just stritcly as a hobby

[username19853]

As I’m sure most people will say, training on your own (especially in grappling styles) will never be as valuable as training partners. Even more so, learning from a real face to face instructor vs someone online. But nothing is impossible!

There are plenty of “drills” that you can learn and practice on your own, either on grass or a padded floor. Back in high school, my wrestling coach would have us run around the room and randomly call out a “shoot!” And you’d lunge forward as if you were trying to take someone down. Similar drill with sprawls as well. The video below gives a decent example.

I’m very interested to see what others have to say, but this is what I’d invest most of my time into - if training alone. Along side a good weight training program!

[Tempest]

Hmm.

If you are not able to commit to a traditional BJJ gym, have you considered a competitive Judo school?

Or an MMA school with a decent wrestling program?

There are a variety of options available.

However, if you insist that you must do this alone, here are some things you will need:

1. Training partners. You cannot learn to grapple without bodies, particularly resisting bodies.

2. Space. Preferably space covered in mats. You won't WANT to grapple for very long without these.

3. A decent curriculum to learn the fundamentals from. My recommendation for beginners is The Gracie Combatives program supplemented by a Grapplers Guide membership.

4. Good Luck. Let us know how it goes for you.

[sensei8]

Hmm.

If you are not able to commit to a traditional BJJ gym, have you considered a competitive Judo school?

Or an MMA school with a decent wrestling program?

There are a variety of options available.

However, if you insist that you must do this alone, here are some things you will need:

1. Training partners. You cannot learn to grapple without bodies, particularly resisting bodies.

2. Space. Preferably space covered in mats. You won't WANT to grapple for very long without these.

3. A decent curriculum to learn the fundamentals from. My recommendation for beginners is The Gracie Combatives program supplemented by a Grapplers Guide membership.

4. Good Luck. Let us know how it goes for you.

Solid post!!

Going on your own will limit you to the Nth degree, due to exactly what Tempest has posted, as well as the negative muscle memory, a memory that will be hard to break away from...not impossible, but quite near impossible depending on how long that negative muscle memory has been around.

Without a qualified instructor, how will you ever know what's right or what's wrong when you do it or don't do it...before it's way too late?!?!?

[bushido_man96]

Practicing a grappling style by yourself is going to be a big challenge. You really need that physical feedback to know what your doing and if it's working. Training dummies can be valuable tools, but there are just some things you can't do with them; like have them mount and punch you, and things like that.

[Alan Armstrong]

To be quite honest, I am most likely not going to join or commit to a traditional BJJ gym in my life due to a variety of reasons. Does anyone here self train using videos, partners, mannequins etc? How satisfied are you? Im not ever planning to be a fighter or what not...just stritcly as a hobby

Planning to be a fighter or not, being strictly hobby self taught martial arts is a likely path of getting hurt and developing a false sense of security; not to mention learning bad or uncorrected habits earlier on just makes them more difficult to fix later.

Suggest doing it the right way and develop some experience first with qualified CI's then make some sound decisions later.

Give yourself a reasonable amount of time and commit to three months in a dojo and make a decision from there on, to know weather to stick with it or not.

Two hours an evening, twice a week, for three months is 48hours, that is fair enough time to get some idea of what you are doing and getting in to.

Perhaps martial arts is not your thing, be fair on yourself and do a little self discovering first, before commiting time, money and energy to it.

Best of luck with your martial art journey no matter how long or short it is.

[Journyman74]

I want to purchase a grappling dummy and just feel the flow of executing techniques...I have a mat as well. I like the Bob Dorris commercials I see of him using the submision master dummy and thought it would be ideal for me given that Id like to practice lightly whenever I want with no limits. I have previously enrolled in Judo classes but can't keep up with the warm ups and taking the beating it gives on the body as it will affect my work life...from past experience...The same goes with BJJ unfortunatly. Regardless i truly enjoy the the grappling arts as a martial science.

[Alan Armstrong]

I want to purchase a grappling dummy and just feel the flow of executing techniques...I have a mat as well. I like the Bob Dorris commercials I see of him using the submision master dummy and thought it would be ideal for me given that Id like to practice lightly whenever I want with no limits. I have previously enrolled in Judo classes but can't keep up with the warm ups and taking the beating it gives on the body as it will affect my work life...from past experience...The same goes with BJJ unfortunatly. Regardless i truly enjoy the the grappling arts as a martial science.

Perhaps having a live person to practice on from time to time might help, having more experienced in fighting the better, as wrestling with grandma on the living room carpet doesn't count.

It is the vital experience gained from working out with a variety of people that helps, getting out the kinks if things work or not.

Crash test dummies alive or not always feel like techniques work, as that is what they are designed for, as time goes on wanting more, the feedback is missing, that can only be obtained by a none compliant opponent.

Nothing really takes the place of a real person as everything else is just a stand in secondary substitute.

Everyone alive reacts differently as they have past experiences that they can rely on, also either being relatively skinny, big, heavy and small to you, with varying degrees of intelligence, whereas fully compliant training dummies have none of that.

Dummies have a vital role in training, not to forget that, as well as to remember, no matter what you do to them, they will never hit back.

[ChpsahoySE]

But what if you absolutely have no access or can’t afford traditional training? I myself wouldn’t mind being part of a home study course as well as ranking through one like Roy Harris program for example or Gracie university

[bushido_man96]

But what if you absolutely have no access or can’t afford traditional training? I myself wouldn’t mind being part of a home study course as well as ranking through one like Roy Harris program for example or Gracie university

If all other options are not viable, and you really want to do it, then do it. There are lots of good resources out there; there are bad ones, too, so be on the lookout for what you're getting.

It will be more difficult than doing it with an instructor on hand, in a class, but it can still be done. And every chance you get, seek out an instructor. Whether at a school should you move, or a chance to get to some seminars, or whatever. But look for those chances.