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Atama BJJ >> Awkward to travel to train as a white belt?
| 11/19/12 10:42 PM | |
k1levelstriking
14 
Member Since: 1/20/11 Posts: 825 |
A close BJJ buddy of mine whose a blue wants to do some travelling to places like Mendes Bros, Marcelo's etc., he asked me to tag along but I said no as I'm a white belt. Is it typically considered weird at other schools to have a white belt be travelling to train? I usually see mostly colour belts do this. Sorry if its a stupid question I just wouldn't want to visit another club and offend anyone in the slightest 
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| 11/19/12 10:56 PM | |
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Easytarget
49
Member Since: 3/1/03 Posts: 3370 |
Not sure why anyone would care. You get more out of going to different places as a higher belt i think, but there is still value to it for a white belt if you can afford the time and expense, do it. If it is something you wont be able to do often, i would wait. |
| 11/19/12 11:02 PM | |
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JRockwell
60
Member Since: 3/13/02 Posts: 7024 |
White belt and blue belt is the BEST time to do this, IMO. The higher the belt the more awkward it can get to just "drop in" places.
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| 11/19/12 11:03 PM | |
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k1levelstriking
14
Member Since: 1/20/11 Posts: 826 |
Thanks guys, appreciate it
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| 11/19/12 11:08 PM | |
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Tboney8669
6
Member Since: 3/26/12 Posts: 289 |
Was wondering the same thing. Thanks for posting this thread. 
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| 11/19/12 11:17 PM | |
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BigEyedFish
106
Member Since: 3/18/02 Posts: 52998 |
Not stupid in the least. Go for it, you will have a lot of fun. I traveled and trained a ton as a white and blue. All the way up to black.... |
| 11/19/12 11:17 PM | |
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26018
1
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 301 |
Be respectful, listen, and train hard, and a good academy will welcome you. |
| 11/20/12 12:06 AM | |
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checkuroil
95
Member Since: 2/28/03 Posts: 34184 |
Not awkward at all. More awkward as a bb
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| 11/20/12 12:12 AM | |
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Baroquen Record
16
Member Since: 4/20/07 Posts: 17010 |
Always good to train other places no matter what your level is. Place like Marcelo's or the mendes brothers should be a mo brainer
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| 11/20/12 12:12 AM | |
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Baroquen Record
16
Member Since: 4/20/07 Posts: 17011 |
No brainer
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| 11/20/12 3:16 AM | |
Poncey
2
Member Since: 10/10/10 Posts: 565 |
JRockwell - White belt and blue belt is the BEST time to do this, IMO. The higher the belt the more awkward it can get to just "drop in" places.X2 I train at 4 gyms regularly in the UK and 1 occasionally. More gyms = more games and body types to spar with.
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| 11/20/12 7:29 AM | |
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PayItForward
106
Member Since: 6/4/02 Posts: 13576 |
bro, back in the day this was considered the norm for folks NOT from southern california. go have fun. |
| 11/20/12 7:48 AM | |
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Devil Dog
Member Since: 5/12/11 Posts: 115 |
Do it, its a blast. |
| 11/20/12 7:55 AM | |
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trianglegrrl
1
Member Since: 8/25/07 Posts: 1318 |
I can't even count the number of academies I've trained at in North America and Europe, from white through purple. It's a fantastic experience. Do it. |
| 11/20/12 9:40 AM | |
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deepu
3
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 15077 |
Don't forget to heelhook the hell out of higher belts! I kid but I actually did that at Ralph Gracie's school when I was a travelling white belt back in early 2000. Thank god the blue belt was super nice and politely told me that it was not legal, and more importantly, Ralph was not in class. |
| 11/20/12 9:52 AM | |
Akston
Member Since: 6/29/12 Posts: 1053 |
Hell no, travel and enjoy yourself. Be courteous, respectful, and don't spaz. Good luck.
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| 11/20/12 10:06 AM | |
Judo Scott
Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 6175 |
Just go have fun. The guys you meet now that stick with it will grow to be your friends when you're both purples. |
| 11/20/12 11:30 AM | |
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temp226208
3
Member Since: 8/9/06 Posts: 440 |
If you're cool, training pretty much anywhere should not be problem. |
| 11/20/12 11:32 AM | |
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raleigh
Member Since: 11/13/08 Posts: 17879 |
not any more (or less) awkward than a blue. |
| 11/20/12 11:59 AM | |
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dirt fan
3
Member Since: 8/22/03 Posts: 120 |
checkuroil - Not awkward at all. More awkward as a bb So if a BB drops in is it viewed as a challenge or something along those lines? I wanna drop in some schools but the last thing I want is cause a problem. How would you approach the situation? Call first? |
| 11/20/12 12:30 PM | |
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BearsDownAzzUp
61
Member Since: 6/10/08 Posts: 14216 |
JRockwell - White belt and blue belt is the BEST time to do this, IMO. The higher the belt the more awkward it can get to just "drop in" places. THIS! If your a white belt no one expects anything out of you. You are new and learning. DO IT! Im a 2-stripe brown and when I go places people just want to see how I hold up against their higher belts. Gets kinda annoying.... |
| 11/20/12 12:46 PM | |
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Judo Scott
Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 6179 |
True once I got my purple I had to watch it when visiting other academies. When visiting some place new I call ahead and ask if its cool and introduce myself. Go out of my way to be extra gracious and regardless of how aggressive someone rolls with me I try to play an open and relaxed game. Even if I tap to a blue belt so what.. I probably made that guys day and he'll usually calm down. |
| 11/20/12 2:57 PM | |
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k1levelstriking
14
Member Since: 1/20/11 Posts: 827 |
Thanks guys, this year was more of a tournament year, helped me see where I'm at, next year is dedicated to learning as much as I can. Hoping to visit Marcelo's in March and absorb as much knowledge as I can
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| 11/20/12 3:48 PM | |
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Digitsu
10
Member Since: 11/8/10 Posts: 52 |
Whenever you go to another school whether you are a white belt or a BB, you should expect a war. People your level will want to try to kill you and people higher than you will want to test you. Just give it your all, go the pace your opponent is going and stay humble, you should be ok. For the most part, from my experience, bjjers are good people.
Just a note, (this will not apply to you right now) if you an average purple or brown belt, if the instructor gives you a blue belt to roll with for the first roll, the instructor is setting you up. HAHAHA! That happened to me.
At that time I was a brown belt and had a business meeting to attend in the same city later that afternoon, so I figured why not get there early so I could train. I flew out @ 6am and I got to my destination @ noon (a little late for their 11AM class). The head instructor was running a competition class, and allowed me to jump on the mats. He put me against a rooster weight blue belt (I'm 185lbs) and I could not pass his guard. Then the instructor put me against other small blue belt, that guy swept me twice so I lost 4-0. Finally, he put me against a brown belt (my size)... I swept and submitted the brown belt. Afterwards, I complemented the head instructor and his students. I told him he had some really tough guys and the two blue belts will be champions one day... The instructor laughed and said they those two are Pans and Mundial champions a few times over. HAHAHA! I was like thanks! HAHAHA!
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| 11/21/12 9:31 PM | |
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Braxmax
Member Since: 10/20/12 Posts: 10 |
As a side note, when you see a visitor you should be cautious. They usually try to prove themselves and go pretty hard right out of the gate. Ive experienced a few highlight reel knees to the mouth because visitor guy wants to prove he's legit. I tend to duck the visitors until I see how they roll because I like my teeth inside my mouth.
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