Generally at GB schools, 3 stripe white belts are allowed to spar and attend the advanced classes (vs. the fundamentals class that everyone can attend.) There's also a weekly black belt class where you have to be a blue belt minimally to attend, and they do a variety of things including MMA and the like. It's only once a week and I don't know how many attend. As a 2 stripe white belt, I'm sure I'd be the lowest ranked person to attend the Advanced classes. It's helpful in terms of the schedule, I have more flexibility and can go every day if I want to - or if my schedule permits.
Compared to the fundamentals class, the advanced class is definitely geared towards competition. The fundamentals have that too, but the 1st move in every fundamentals class is geared towards self defense. Since I don't care much for the self defense aspect of BJJ (I was a former boxer/wrestler, I'm in this for the exercise), the class was interesting. I may not even ever compete, so I don't care all that much for the competition side as well especially as a white belt. Still, it felt different because the class was geared towards competition and so there was much more talk about - if your opponent counters, here's a reverse counter, etc. In the fundamentals course we go over the basics. I know I need the fundamentals course more, but for me the self defense portion is a bit of a waste of time even though it does involve ground fighting and the like.
As a 41 year old guy, even though I'm getting fairly fit, I want to limit my sparring to only 2-3x week. The young guys spar every day, and the average seems to be that people spar when they come. I'm one of the few, mostly b/c of my schedule, who attends classes (about 1 hour long) without actually sparring. I'll try sparring 2x/week or maybe 3x/week. Since I'm one of the larger guys in my gym, I usually only spar twice anyways. Since I'm a low ranked belt who is pretty clueless, I'm usually paired against an upper belt who just blocks me and puts me in his guard and tells me to escape, etc.
I'm seeing that I'm definitely a top player. My guard is terrible, mostly b/c I was a former wrestler. I do have some skill left in putting my weight on top of a guy/sprawling, so during the sparring matches I'd try to get side mount and my opponent always pulled guard. They were much better. I got tapped out several times. My first opponent, got me in this triangle but wasn't able to pull my arm that far out so while he had me he wasn't submitting me, I was stronger than him/outweighed him though he was my height, so again strength does make a difference. I mean it wasn't a contest, this guy could easily tap me probably 90% of the time, but I was strong enough to push his leg away just a bit on the triangle and from that point was strong enough to resist, pull his leg so it wouldn't choke me. He spent the last 3 minutes (5 minute sparring rounds) trying to choke me but couldn't.
I know I have a strategy now for sparring.
1. Get top control or side mount
2. If in guard, then get side mount or mount.
3. From side mount or mount go for:
Americana, other arm locks, collar choke
Of course I have to be able to defend as well and I'm not a good defender. So much to learn. Still, I enjoy going to class b/c it's learning something new. I don't look at youtube videos or think about BJJ outside of the class, so going to the class can be fun. There are many who go 6x/week and are totally obsessed, even people in their 40's who discovered it for the first time. Hopefully they don't get injured, but for me I may end up doing this a long time b/c I just go to enjoy myself. It's not too serious for me, it's an OK workout if I go to a regular class, and a really great workout if I spar.
Compared to the fundamentals class, the advanced class is definitely geared towards competition. The fundamentals have that too, but the 1st move in every fundamentals class is geared towards self defense. Since I don't care much for the self defense aspect of BJJ (I was a former boxer/wrestler, I'm in this for the exercise), the class was interesting. I may not even ever compete, so I don't care all that much for the competition side as well especially as a white belt. Still, it felt different because the class was geared towards competition and so there was much more talk about - if your opponent counters, here's a reverse counter, etc. In the fundamentals course we go over the basics. I know I need the fundamentals course more, but for me the self defense portion is a bit of a waste of time even though it does involve ground fighting and the like.
As a 41 year old guy, even though I'm getting fairly fit, I want to limit my sparring to only 2-3x week. The young guys spar every day, and the average seems to be that people spar when they come. I'm one of the few, mostly b/c of my schedule, who attends classes (about 1 hour long) without actually sparring. I'll try sparring 2x/week or maybe 3x/week. Since I'm one of the larger guys in my gym, I usually only spar twice anyways. Since I'm a low ranked belt who is pretty clueless, I'm usually paired against an upper belt who just blocks me and puts me in his guard and tells me to escape, etc.
I'm seeing that I'm definitely a top player. My guard is terrible, mostly b/c I was a former wrestler. I do have some skill left in putting my weight on top of a guy/sprawling, so during the sparring matches I'd try to get side mount and my opponent always pulled guard. They were much better. I got tapped out several times. My first opponent, got me in this triangle but wasn't able to pull my arm that far out so while he had me he wasn't submitting me, I was stronger than him/outweighed him though he was my height, so again strength does make a difference. I mean it wasn't a contest, this guy could easily tap me probably 90% of the time, but I was strong enough to push his leg away just a bit on the triangle and from that point was strong enough to resist, pull his leg so it wouldn't choke me. He spent the last 3 minutes (5 minute sparring rounds) trying to choke me but couldn't.
I know I have a strategy now for sparring.
1. Get top control or side mount
2. If in guard, then get side mount or mount.
3. From side mount or mount go for:
Americana, other arm locks, collar choke
Of course I have to be able to defend as well and I'm not a good defender. So much to learn. Still, I enjoy going to class b/c it's learning something new. I don't look at youtube videos or think about BJJ outside of the class, so going to the class can be fun. There are many who go 6x/week and are totally obsessed, even people in their 40's who discovered it for the first time. Hopefully they don't get injured, but for me I may end up doing this a long time b/c I just go to enjoy myself. It's not too serious for me, it's an OK workout if I go to a regular class, and a really great workout if I spar.
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