What can I expect in my first class? What is a BJJ class like?
All classes will vary slightly. However, the general structure of a class will be;
Warm-up (jogging, stretches etc),
Conditioning exercises (bodyweight exercises, sprints etc),
Techniques,
Drills,
Live sparring.
What do I need for my first class? What should I wear for my first class?
If you have a Judo gi, wear that. Thinner Karate-style gis may not be stong enough for grappling. Otherwise; shorts or jogging bottoms and a t-shirt or vest. Wear old clothes which you won't mind getting ripped/stretched and don't wear anything with zips/buttons etc.
It is a good idea to take a large bottle of water with you, and a towel.
What training should I do before starting BJJ? I am unfit, should I get fitter before starting BJJ? Should I lose weight before I start BJJ?
Many people start BJJ without any prior athletic experience/while being overweight/while being unfit. While having a good level of cardiovascular fitness and conditioning will undoubtedly help you train BJJ, and will help you get more out of each class (by allowing you to train harder and longer), it is not a prerequisite to training.
Participating in BJJ will increase your cardiovascular fitness, strength, speed and can help you lose weight. As this may suggest, however, it is hard work so be prepared to sweat!
If you are unfit, just get stuck in and train as hard as you can. If the training gets too hard ask for some time to recover before joining in again. Your fitness level will increase rapidly if you always push yourself.
I had my first class yesterday, now I ache all over! Is this normal? I trained BJJ for the first time yesterday, now I can't walk! What's up?! After my first BJJ class I am covered in bruises, is this normal?
This is normal, especially for people who haven't been training in anything athletic prior to taking up BJJ. The bad news is; you'll probably be more sore the next day (2 days after training), see; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOMS. The good news is, you will recover in time and you will eventually get used to it!
Be careful not to ignore any particular soreness, especially if it hurts to touch any specific areas or you have acute pain (see question on injuries). If you just have general soreness in your muscles you may find a hot bath will help reduce the feeling and decrease the time it takes to recover.
Until your body adapts you will find you get bruised regularly - this is normal and is something nearly all beginners will encounter.
What cross-training will help me with BJJ? What should I cross-train?
Pretty much any athletic cross-training will help in some way. Football, rugby, swimming, cycling etc; they all improve fitness and conditioning in some way.
For specific competition ability, Judo is an excellent compliment to BJJ, as are wrestling and Sambo. For self-defence/MMA ability, boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai may be better suited.
Other areas of training which can help are weight-lifting, with most people using power or Olympic lifting routines, aerobic fitness (long distance running etc) and anaerobic fitness (short duration, high intensity - sprints etc).
That being said, training BJJ regularly will help improve all aspects of fitness and athletic performance, and nothing will make you better at BJJ than time spent learning technique, drilling and sparring!
What is the belt system in BJJ? What are the BJJ belt ranks?
The ranking system is as follows; white, blue, purple, brown, black. High level black belts then become black and red and, finally, solid red.
Many schools also use a stripe system, where stripes are awarded to show progress within a belt level. The systems of awarding stripes varies between schools.
Also, see: http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm
How long does it take to get to … belt? How long does each belt take to earn? What is required to advance? How are belt levels judged?
There is no set time to earn each belt in BJJ. Belts are awarded based on sparring ability, technical knowledge, and other considerations depending on the instructor.
Each instructor will award belts by their own judgement of each individual student. This means that the requirements in each school are different; some may have formal assessments, others may just throw your new belt at you without any prior warning.
Also, see: http://www.ibjjf.org/graduation.htm
Will I get whipped when I get a new belt? What is that all about?
Not all clubs do it. We do! Just be glad you've been promoted!
How often do I need to train to progress? Is there a minimum number of times I need to train to learn?
Most people advise training at least twice a week in order to be able to remember techniques and to progress. However, something is better nothing!
If you cannot train regularly, do not judge your performance against other students. Many people train 4 or 5 times a week, some every day, and others more than once a day. These people will progress much faster. You should only judge your own progress; think how you would do after one month's training if you fought yourself on your first day.
I have injured my … what should I do? How long will … take to heal?
The first advice for any injury should always be; seek immediate medical advice. For injuries sustained during BJJ it may be better to see a qualified sports physiotherapist as many GPs are inexperienced in dealing with sports specific injuries.
Soft-tissue (muscle) injuries can be treated using the R.I.C.E protocol. See; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HI-RICE for details.
Ligament and tendon injuries will require rehabilitation and are best dealt with by an experienced physiotherapist.
You should ensure you allow your injury to heal fully before recommencing training (once more experienced, you will learn to be able to train around some injuries).
My ear is swollen, what's happened? I have cauliflower ear, what should I do?
The swelling, or cauliflower ear, is caused by the cartlidge in your ear rubbing and separating, then filling with blood. The cartilidge will then die, leaving the ear permanently swollen and deformed.
If you want ears like Sakuraba/Couture/Lindland (or, of course, Russ!) etc, then do nothing. However, if you want to retain human looking ears, you need to see a doctor immediately. From experience, it is best to go to A&E and they will probably refer you to the ENT clinic. They will syringe your ear to remove the fluid and will apply a compression bandage. DO NOT remove the bandage until you have been told to by the doc. If you remove it early, your ear will fill with fluid again.
I want to compete, will I get a chance?
Of course, if you want. Students at Gracie Barra Swansea train for many different goals; fitness, self-defense and enjoyment being the most common, but a lot train specifically to compete. If you are interested in competing in BJJ/grappling or MMA, please speak to Chris.