One thing I like about the GB formula is the consistency in their fundamentals program. They have a 16 week program, and they go through each one per week. So after 16 weeks, you roughly are a 3 stripe white belt and are ready to spar.
During today's class, it wasn't an official spar but I was able to get into a controlled sparring environment with a blue belt and purple belt. I was the biggest (210lbs), the blue belt was about 180lbs, and the purple belt was in his late 40's but only about 150 lbs. So the drill was to have someone mount the back, and the person in front try to sweep or escape and the person in back of course try to submit via any choke but especially the collar choke we've been going over.
The 150lb purple belt got me in this arm bar and tried to submit me, but I remembered to shrimp and roll my body up, and hold my arms together. I was stronger than him, so he couldn't get it. He kept on saying how strong I was, rather I think I was much heavier than him and also he didn't fully get my arm locked. Still, strength and size do matter all else being equal or even not so equal. Of course, he would have submitted me anyways and my shoulder kind of hurts from fighting arm bar. I would like to go every day just to drill more, but since my shoulders are hurting (and many 40+ year olds get lots of shoulder injuries from BJJ), I think the 3x/week or 4x/week schedule is just fine.
Even when I start live sparring in about 4 months, I will probably only spar 1x or 2x/week. I don't want to damage my shoulders. It was a productive class today.
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