@anonymousgrappler
Just started BJJ, how do I not get crushed every roll?
Two weeks in. Every roll feels like a car wreck. Higher belts toy with me, and I can't even tell what's happening. Is there a survival framework or do I just suffer for 6 months?
Higher belt rolling 100% on white belts — call them out or leave the gym?
There's a brown belt at our gym who absolutely smashes every white belt with full intensity. Hurts people regularly, ego rolling. Coach won't address it. I'm a purple. Do I say something or steer the new people away from him?
Worst thing you've heard yelled out during a roll
Mine: blue belt told a competing brown belt mid-match "his guard is open" while reffing. You know what I mean. The unhinged stuff.
Higher belt rolling 100% on white belts — call them out?
There's a brown belt at our gym who absolutely smashes every white belt with full intensity. Hurts people regularly, ego rolling. Coach won't address it. I'm a purple. Do I say something or just steer the new people away from him?
Periods + comp day. Tactics?
I've had 3 comps fall on bad cycle days. Energy in the toilet, anxiety doubled. How are female competitors actually managing this? Birth control timing? Iron loading? Anyone willing to be real about it?
Brown belts who got passed over for black — talk to me
I've been brown 4 years. Two of my training partners got promoted last year. I didn't. No bitterness — just questions. Did this happen to you? How did you handle it?
Coaches: your hardest student conversation
Asking for it. The talk you didn't want to have but had to. Could be performance, could be behavior, could be hygiene. What happened, what did you say, how did it land?
Solo training partner at gym — feeling exposed. How do you handle it?
I'm the only woman at my gym. The guys are respectful but I still feel exposed. Especially with bigger guys when we hit closer rolls. Other solo women: how do you stay sane? Is it me or is this a thing?
I'm a sandbagger at blue and I know it. Should I just ask coach for purple?
I'm mid-30s blue belt. Won my last 3 IBJJF blue brackets without dropping a match. Crushing 4-stripe blues at training. Coach hasn't said anything. Do I bring it up or wait? It feels weird to ask for a promotion.
Coach paired me with a brown belt — I feel useless. Normal?
I'm 5 months in. Coach has me drill with a brown belt 2x/week. I feel like dead weight. Like he's slowing himself down for me. Is this normal? Am I wasting his time?
Hot take: black belt should take 15 years minimum. Anything less is inflation.
When the founders were graded, it took decades. The BJJ community has steadily compressed the time. 7-year black belts are now common. 5-year black belts exist. Is the standard dropping or is the training getting better? Because both can't be true.
Coach plays favorites with comp team — how do I bring this up?
I've been at the gym 3 years, train 5x/week, support every event. Coach focuses 90% of competition prep on his 3 chosen guys. Not looking for a handout but a little attention would help. How do you raise this without sounding like you're whining?
Coach plays favorites with comp team — how do I bring this up?
I've been at the gym 3 years, train 5x/week, support every event. Coach focuses 90% of competition prep on his 3 chosen guys. Not looking for a handout but a little attention would help. How do you raise this without it sounding like whining?