Trying to get back into BJJ after years off

[Foppa21]

This gym sounds super catty. Also wtf about turning to face the wall.

It's a thing. I still do it to this day. I won't go out of my way and walk to a wall like I'm about to piss on it, but I'll sort of turn towards a wall.

 

[Peteyandjia]

I too relocated and will be going to a new school and I guess my question was basically how to best handle the situation.

1. Show up
2. Do your best not to get injured, or injure others
3. Have fun!

It really doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. Regardless of any other factors. Age, belt level, ego & fears, etc. None of it really matters that much, life is short.

Train, try to get better than you were yesterday, & help others do the same. Simple! The rest of your worries will get worked out & fall by the wayside as you go along.

 

[CFGroup]

Do a 3 month nutrition, flexibility, cardio, S&C, solo drilling camp before you start.
Man, I was off my crutch, double PT every day, on my bike, in my running shoes and back to shadow Uchikomi as soon as recovery pain would allow.
I'm just finishing a 3 month camp before ligament surgery from an old nagging injury on Tuesday. Sure as shit I'm going to be right back at the solo training so I can be on the mat by May!
I'll probably drill the first class and watch the Randori. There's some older Dans who are good at isolated Randori drills to ease back with.
Don't sweat the return, he grateful to be training and have fun!

 

[asian-glow]

I got my BB a year ago and have rolled a handful of times since. I did some beach BJJ with a guy who wrestled in high school and was having a ton of trouble with him. I sympathize.

 

[rmongler]

I'm stoked I found this post, this was the reason I actually joined the site. I had a very similar question honestly. I'm also a purple belt who was promoted about 6-8 months before I had two very serious injuries which sidelined me. I haven't trained in about 3.5 years and when I left I was about 205lbs and would compete at 194lbs. Currently I'm 240lbs (not all fat some muscle), but my flexibility and conditioning is straight up shit because of the injuries.

I too relocated and will be going to a new school and I guess my question was basically how to best handle the situation. I'll be honest, with where I'm at currently I'll get humbled by good blue belts for a few months and with my flexibility completly gone due to the injuries, even drilling simple basic techniques will be difficult for awhile. I guess it's kinda a pride thing coupled with the fear of potentially looking like someone who either didnt earn it, or was promoted far far ahead of when I was ready. I can confidentlly say when I was promoted I feel I was ready and before I was hurt I trained 3-4 times a week evry week. After reading the comments I think it's best just to be up front with everyone and tell them I had some serious injuries and have been out almost 4 years so just bare with me. Also I expect, or hope things will come back fairly quickly. One question for everyone though, how long do you think it will take me to get near to where I was? I'm thinking 8 months maybe if I'm rolling 3-4 days a week. Thoughts?

Most species of humanoids predict competence based on confidence, not competence.

If you sound nervous to someone, then they are going to start thinking there must be something up with whatever it is you're about.

Likewise, if you are confident, then they will feel you are competent, even when you're not. Eg, 'sure, he might not be rolling well right now, but that is only because he was injured/on layoff/whatever, he is still a 'real purple belt' '.

 

[sb413197]

After reading the comments I think it's best just to be up front with everyone and tell them I had some serious injuries and have been out almost 4 years so just bare with me. Also I expect, or hope things will come back fairly quickly. One question for everyone though, how long do you think it will take me to get near to where I was? I'm thinking 8 months maybe if I'm rolling 3-4 days a week. Thoughts?

Yep exactly, I think the best path is to just be up front and honest with everyone and let the coach and everyone else you think you should know about your time off and how you're hoping to get back in shape again.

That being said, who cares what everyone else thinks, you're training for you and to improve yourself. Focus on your health and stay safe, you don't want to get hurt again. Cut yourself a break as well, you don't have to live up to any kind of "performance standard", if you can train you'll improve.

 

[Krimzon]

I say, if anyone finds themselves in the same boat as the TS in a new gym, just downgrade yourself 1 belt level. Pretty much all problems solved, except possibly thy ego.

 

[Little Mac]

I was on a 8 year layoff and been a white belt for years lol!!! Went back to training in 2017 to 2018 at a No Gi gym, but did not like the attitude of the gym. Took a 3 year lay off again and now even happier with the new team I joined.

Apart of the Double Five team now and happier than ever. In reality just go to a new gym, tell them your situation. You'll be fine.

 

[method115]

We have a purple belt who is the exact same at my gym. I just assumed he had taken a lot of time off. A blue belt thought he was just going easy cause he's large. I honestly don't care why he's not at purple belt level and I'm never going to bother asking. He's a good rolling partner and he comes consistently can't ask anymore of him then that.

 

[kenetics]

This gym sounds super catty. Also wtf about turning to face the wall.

I think because the don't want men and women showing there stomachs with kids and family around in gym.

I think people should wear rashguards underneath their GI.

 

[sb413197]

I say, if anyone finds themselves in the same boat as the TS in a new gym, just downgrade yourself 1 belt level. Pretty much all problems solved, except possibly thy ego.

I would argue that this would be done mainly to PROTECT the ego, and make yourself feel like you aren't struggling too much for your given belt.

My first day back after injury and COVID was brutal - everyone seemed to be moving in super-speed and I was in truly horrific shape. Every training session has been better than the last in retrospect but I'm not really expecting anything of myself - just trying to stay healthy and make progress - and I think I'll try to keep this mentality long-term because it makes training much more fun and probably safer because if things go wrong, they go wrong, no big deal.

So I say bite down and suffer, tap early and often and expect nothing of yourself, wear that belt with pride because it represents what you've learned and the work you already have put in; and work your way back to whatever skill level you think you should have at whatever belt you hold (I would argue that is an imaginary concept though). As you improve, it stands to reason you'll reach your comfort point eventually anyway.

 

[shunyata]

I would argue that this would be done mainly to PROTECT the ego, and make yourself feel like you aren't struggling too much for your given belt.

My first day back after injury and COVID was brutal - everyone seemed to be moving in super-speed and I was in truly horrific shape. Every training session has been better than the last in retrospect but I'm not really expecting anything of myself - just trying to stay healthy and make progress - and I think I'll try to keep this mentality long-term because it makes training much more fun and probably safer because if things go wrong, they go wrong, no big deal.

So I say bite down and suffer, tap early and often and expect nothing of yourself, wear that belt with pride because it represents what you've learned and the work you already have put in; and work your way back to whatever skill level you think you should have at whatever belt you hold (I would argue that is an imaginary concept though). As you improve, it stands to reason you'll reach your comfort point eventually anyway.

Amen, barely been in since November 2020 now and when I have gone back lately I feel slow, so slow. But it'll come back in time, just gotta stay consistent.

 

[JacJeanFinger]

Forget about the belt. Bob Sapp who is a legitimate forever white belt would whup your ass gi or nogi. Not just you. Your black belt instructors too.

Belt divides people and gives false sense of confidence. If Marcelo Garcia defines the ranking system, everyone should demote themselves.

Keenan said rickson gracie was purple when he wasn't on drugs. Belt changes people 8n the wrong ways. What a shame.

 

[shunyata]

Forget about the belt. Bob Sapp who is a legitimate forever white belt would whup your ass gi or nogi. Not just you. Your black belt instructors too.

Belt divides people and gives false sense of confidence. If Marcelo Garcia defines the ranking system, everyone should demote themselves.

Keenan said rickson gracie was purple when he wasn't on drugs. Belt changes people 8n the wrong ways. What a shame.

I think that Keenan remark was not so much Keenan being delusional but Keenan being well aware that online trolling works really well to drive clicks. Hell, look at the Paul boys. World class trolling gets a 0-1 boxer into a Mayweather fight these days.


But yeah the belt system is horrifically relative, it's mat hours and quality of the time on the mats that really matters but there isn't really a great way to quantify without flipping over to Russian style Master of Sport grading so we are where we are.

 

[Thrawn33]

Dude you are way too anxious about this. If you are a low purple who hasn’t trained in a long time you’d normally be expected to roll like a mid blue or so. You need to develop some internal goals and pursue them rather than caring about what a bunch of people you don’t even really know might think.

I wouldn’t change your belt or gi. That’s just playing a pointless game, like you were a middle school girl or something. Show up in gear and train, have fun improving, that’s all that really matters.

This.

I'm in the service and move every 3-4 years, sometimes I'm stationed on a ship, sometimes there's no Judo, so I do BJJ or vice versa, sometimes there's nothing...3-4 year gaps have been common for me, and I get to walk into a new club with a ragged old Judo Brown belt or new BJJ Blue... so there's already an expectation.

I bow on, I take my lumps and knock the rust off and start improving again.