Author Topic: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive  (Read 5323 times)

goalphish2002

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Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« on: November 02, 2018, 05:52:38 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible. 

big_slacker

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2018, 07:45:14 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible.

I did BJJ from the early 90's till 2000 or so. Those were the garage gym days and for us it was $5 every time you showed up. The $80 average a month was doable for single lower income me, imagine my surprise when I investigated sending my son for kid BJJ last year. :-0

I think the best way to make it cheaper is to get a limited membership, most gyms have a 1 or 2 day a week thing. So do that and then get a regular training partner or two that you can meet up with and do drills with. Learn the paticular move, setup, escape, etc and drill drill drill at home.

Also adult wrestling clubs are WAAAAAAAAY cheaper and you'll develop better takedowns, top game and probably some toughness that many BJJ guys lack. No insult intended by that BTW.

bernardnb

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2018, 07:55:38 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible.

I trained from 2011-2014, about 2-3 times a week.  Loved it, but then we had two kids.  I used to basically come home from work, eat something real quick and head to train, but if that continued I pretty much wouldn't be seeing the little ones at all on those days so stopped.

I'd say I catch myself daydreaming about getting back into it at least once a week.  Hopefully once the kids get a little older I can try to get them interested.

As far as cheap goes, for a brief month a buddy of mine got some old wrestling mats from a local school.  We set them up in his garage and would roll.  Was a hell of a workout, but didn't really expand our skills too much since we were mostly just working what we already knew.

Also, not sure of the exact situation they worked out, but one guy and his son helped to clean everything at the end of the night for some sort of discount.  I've considered asking about something like this once I get back into it, especially once I FIRE and have more time.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2018, 07:59:18 AM by bernardnb »

brute

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2018, 07:55:57 AM »
BJJ is legit! It took me a little while to find a good place to train it, I got kicked out of my first dojo for being too big.  Now I train with some guys at a strongman gym and get my ass kicked regularly. Best feeling in the world is working at getting better at it and every now and then beating someone, then learning more.

I'm sure I've told the getting kicked out story before, so here's the short version. I'm 6'5" and a super heavyweight strongman competitor. As soon as I walked in, they said "we teach this so small people have a chance against things like you" Later, as one of the assistant teachers was trying to pin my arm, I asked if I was supposed to let him, he got mad and didn't ease up when I tapped, so he got tossed through the air. I was asked to leave. Damn dude, I was trying to be cool and learn. Whatever. Egos, amirite?

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2018, 08:09:51 AM »
My husband does BJJ. Ways we've saved:
-He does no Gi. Cheaper gear ;)
-Don't go gear happy. If you drill 3 times a week, you don't need more than 3 rash guards. Just cuz you like the new unicorn spats doesn't mean you need them, haha.
-Barter! He's an electrical engineer, so he's traded making sure the owners don't fry themselves for free gear. He also fixed their security system on short notice after a break in once, and they gave him a free month.
-Offer to pay ahead. Gym owners were moving space. We offered a year's pay up front if they'd cut us a deal- they cut us a WAY better deal than I imagined, so we've been paying $80/mon vs $130/mon.
-Don't compete much. If you do, see if the tourny will trade work for fees.
-Make your own defense soap! Ring worm costs a lot to treat, and if your gym gets lots of visitors or new members, there will eventually be an outbreak to some degree. Defense soap works really well, but costs a lot. You can make your own with peppermint dr bronners, some tea tree oil, and some eucalyptus oil. A gallon of the home made stuff costs less than like 10oz of the name brand stuff. Antifungal costs like $11 for a little tube, so it's worth preventative measures!

bernardnb

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2018, 08:31:54 AM »

I'm 6'5" and a super heavyweight strongman competitor. As soon as I walked in, they said "we teach this so small people have a chance against things like you"

I can sort of relate.  Not nearly as big as yourself, but I'm 6'2, like 215-220lbs.  It could definitely be awkward rolling with guys typically 50lbs lighter.  I had to really focus on using technique instead of just muscling out of everything.  I also always worried about hurting people, especially early on when you might not be doing everything "right". 

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2018, 11:51:30 AM »
I found a place I can literally walk to during lunch.  They also have 6:30 am and 6:30 pm classes.  This school is slightly higher than a few others I visited, but the early am and lunch classes will allow me to be home with the wife and child at night. 

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2018, 11:52:33 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible.

I did BJJ from the early 90's till 2000 or so. Those were the garage gym days and for us it was $5 every time you showed up. The $80 average a month was doable for single lower income me, imagine my surprise when I investigated sending my son for kid BJJ last year. :-0

I think the best way to make it cheaper is to get a limited membership, most gyms have a 1 or 2 day a week thing. So do that and then get a regular training partner or two that you can meet up with and do drills with. Learn the paticular move, setup, escape, etc and drill drill drill at home.

Also adult wrestling clubs are WAAAAAAAAY cheaper and you'll develop better takedowns, top game and probably some toughness that many BJJ guys lack. No insult intended by that BTW.

Good idea.  I will look at a wrestling club also.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2018, 11:58:03 AM »
My husband does BJJ. Ways we've saved:
-He does no Gi. Cheaper gear ;)
-Don't go gear happy. If you drill 3 times a week, you don't need more than 3 rash guards. Just cuz you like the new unicorn spats doesn't mean you need them, haha.
-Barter! He's an electrical engineer, so he's traded making sure the owners don't fry themselves for free gear. He also fixed their security system on short notice after a break in once, and they gave him a free month.
-Offer to pay ahead. Gym owners were moving space. We offered a year's pay up front if they'd cut us a deal- they cut us a WAY better deal than I imagined, so we've been paying $80/mon vs $130/mon.
-Don't compete much. If you do, see if the tourny will trade work for fees.
-Make your own defense soap! Ring worm costs a lot to treat, and if your gym gets lots of visitors or new members, there will eventually be an outbreak to some degree. Defense soap works really well, but costs a lot. You can make your own with peppermint dr bronners, some tea tree oil, and some eucalyptus oil. A gallon of the home made stuff costs less than like 10oz of the name brand stuff. Antifungal costs like $11 for a little tube, so it's worth preventative measures!

Thanks for the info!

JanetJackson

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2018, 03:56:31 PM »
Hi!
I was interested in BJJ about a year ago when transitioning out of 10 years of roller derby and really feeling the need to be involved in something. 
I used a groupon to check out a few local BJJ classes, but just couldn't afford to attend regularly after that/also found it to not "be my thing" (F-Forward a year and currently I ended up with a combo of the November Project and Crossfit).

Not too long after that I hear about Gracies Garage on the ChooseFI podcast and did some research into this No/Low Cost training/meet up. 
I ended up chatting a few times on the phone with the owner of my local Gracies Garage, and he was SO NICE and it sounded great, but they did not have any open time that worked with my tight schedule.

So maybe take a look and see if there's one near you?

Here are a few links:
https://www.gracieuniversity.com/Pages/Public/Affiliates?t=1

https://www.reddit.com/r/bjj/comments/8filc5/i_tried_a_gracie_garage_today_my_experience/

...Also, if those links aren't helpful (I only went SO FAR down the BJJ rabbit hole before I found a better fit for me elsewhere), Google is your friend.  :)

seemsright

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2018, 07:06:11 PM »
I paid about $50 a month for 3 lessons a week with a guy who was (and still is) terrible with business for American Kenpo Karate. I managed to get my Black Belt. It was crazy hard on my body. But so worth the money, the time, the injuries and the tears.  It took me almost 15 years. It was a insane commitment.

Almost any Martial Art will be awesome. If you have the chance go for it. I suggest finding a guy that teaches because he wants to teach and not make money. Sparing the BJJ guys was always crazy fun!

PatronWizard11

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2018, 07:36:48 AM »
I found a way to earn some side money to pay for my hobbies. I started selling tradelines to cover the cost of bjj and it has allowed me to pay the fee guilt free.

Zola.

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2018, 01:05:56 PM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH
« Last Edit: November 04, 2018, 01:12:45 PM by Zola. »

DoneFSO

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2018, 01:06:42 AM »
Agreed, it’s awesome.  Take care of your body, and *tap* as necessary.  I had a bum shoulder for the better part of a year when I first started because I didn’t realize how easy it is to get tweaked from a kimura.  You’re all good and think you are resisting effectively and then… bam.  Of course, the blue belt I was rolling with should have known better, but you can't rely always on your partner so take care of yourself.  Thankfully, nothing was torn or broken, so it eventually healed on its own.  I also tape some of my fingers now.  I’ve had a cauliflowered ear twice and had to get it drained (I now wear headgear every time I roll).  I once got Cellutitis that made my eyes nearly swell shut for a day from improperly sanitized mats.  But it’s still an amazing sport and an amazing journey I just can’t give up.  Plus it’s an excellent, total-body workout and great cardio, too.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2018, 06:48:36 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2018, 06:49:53 AM »
Agreed, it’s awesome.  Take care of your body, and *tap* as necessary.  I had a bum shoulder for the better part of a year when I first started because I didn’t realize how easy it is to get tweaked from a kimura.  You’re all good and think you are resisting effectively and then… bam.  Of course, the blue belt I was rolling with should have known better, but you can't rely always on your partner so take care of yourself.  Thankfully, nothing was torn or broken, so it eventually healed on its own.  I also tape some of my fingers now.  I’ve had a cauliflowered ear twice and had to get it drained (I now wear headgear every time I roll).  I once got Cellutitis that made my eyes nearly swell shut for a day from improperly sanitized mats.  But it’s still an amazing sport and an amazing journey I just can’t give up.  Plus it’s an excellent, total-body workout and great cardio, too.

Any suggestions on the headgear?  I have looked at Venom and Matman. 

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #16 on: November 05, 2018, 06:55:36 AM »
I found a way to earn some side money to pay for my hobbies. I started selling tradelines to cover the cost of bjj and it has allowed me to pay the fee guilt free.

What is this?

DoneFSO

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2018, 06:56:09 AM »
Any suggestions on the headgear?  I have looked at Venom and Matman.

I've found the best to be the Cliff Keen Fusion.  It's low profile, unlike some of the giant wrestling headgear, and it's padded and smooth on the outside, so it doesn't annoy (or enrage) your partner.  I find it comfortable, as well.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #18 on: November 05, 2018, 06:59:31 AM »
Any suggestions on the headgear?  I have looked at Venom and Matman.

I've found the best to be the Cliff Keen Fusion.  It's low profile, unlike some of the giant wrestling headgear, and it's padded and smooth on the outside, so it doesn't annoy (or enrage) your partner.  I find it comfortable, as well.

Thanks.  I will look into this.  I have read good things about Cliff.  I was just worried because I couldn't find one that had fabric on the outside.  But, if none of your partners care, I am sure they are good.  No slipping?  Stays on well?

dude

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2018, 07:50:29 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible.

Been doing it for @9 years (with a few injury recovery and other hiatuses here and there). Currently 4-stripe blue belt.

My academy gives a discount to military veterans.

Ways to make it cheaper include working the front desk, providing cleaning services in exchange for a discount, and teaching kids' classes (once you've earned a blue or higher).

DoneFSO

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #20 on: November 05, 2018, 08:07:29 AM »
Thanks.  I will look into this.  I have read good things about Cliff.  I was just worried because I couldn't find one that had fabric on the outside.  But, if none of your partners care, I am sure they are good.  No slipping?  Stays on well?

It's completely smooth and padded on the outside.  There is no fabric or exterior shell, and the hard ear protection is beneath the padding.  Just take a look via Google images, and you'll see what I mean.  I find that it stays on and doesn't slip if you have it adjusted correctly and make sure to do a good job pressing the Velcro shut. 

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #21 on: November 05, 2018, 08:09:55 AM »
But worth every penny. 

Has anyone else fallen into this hobby?  Let's talk about how to do it as cheap as possible.

Been doing it for @9 years (with a few injury recovery and other hiatuses here and there). Currently 4-stripe blue belt.

My academy gives a discount to military veterans.


Ways to make it cheaper include working the front desk, providing cleaning services in exchange for a discount, and teaching kids' classes (once you've earned a blue or higher).

Interesting.  I didn't think about teaching kids.  Great idea.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #22 on: November 05, 2018, 08:10:41 AM »
Thanks.  I will look into this.  I have read good things about Cliff.  I was just worried because I couldn't find one that had fabric on the outside.  But, if none of your partners care, I am sure they are good.  No slipping?  Stays on well?

It's completely smooth and padded on the outside.  There is no fabric or exterior shell, and the hard ear protection is beneath the padding.  Just take a look via Google images, and you'll see what I mean.  I find that it stays on and doesn't slip if you have it adjusted correctly and make sure to do a good job pressing the Velcro shut.

Good deal.  I just ordered it off Amazon.  Thanks for the help.

Zola.

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #23 on: November 05, 2018, 09:09:57 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2018, 09:11:35 AM by Zola. »

GuitarStv

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #24 on: November 05, 2018, 09:52:47 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Eowyn_MI

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2018, 09:59:22 AM »
I started BJJ in March this year and its been great!  I train 3-4 days per week with a combination of gi and nogi classes. 

I only bought one gi, two rash guards and a pair of compression tights to start.  Then, I found out that a pair of knee sleeves/pads are extremely helpful at protecting the knee joint and preventing bruises there.  I wash everything as soon as I get home and its been working well so far. 

The monthly fee is practically the same as what I was paying for CrossFit which I was doing before BJJ so I just swapped that out in my budget.


goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #26 on: November 06, 2018, 05:41:41 AM »
I started BJJ in March this year and its been great!  I train 3-4 days per week with a combination of gi and nogi classes. 

I only bought one gi, two rash guards and a pair of compression tights to start.  Then, I found out that a pair of knee sleeves/pads are extremely helpful at protecting the knee joint and preventing bruises there.  I wash everything as soon as I get home and its been working well so far. 

The monthly fee is practically the same as what I was paying for CrossFit which I was doing before BJJ so I just swapped that out in my budget.

Long sleeve guards?  What is the difference between that and an athletic shirt like Under Armor?  I have been getting elbow and knee bruises and burns.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #27 on: November 06, 2018, 06:06:43 AM »
I started BJJ in March this year and its been great!  I train 3-4 days per week with a combination of gi and nogi classes. 

I only bought one gi, two rash guards and a pair of compression tights to start.  Then, I found out that a pair of knee sleeves/pads are extremely helpful at protecting the knee joint and preventing bruises there.  I wash everything as soon as I get home and its been working well so far. 

The monthly fee is practically the same as what I was paying for CrossFit which I was doing before BJJ so I just swapped that out in my budget.

Nice.  The gym I'm looking at has cross-training, powerlifting, kickboxing/thai, and mma also.  I'm mostly interested in the BJJ right now.  I used to go to a boxing gym, but it was harder on the joints and late in the evening.  I have some knee sleeves for squatting.  I might try those.  They are neoprene. 

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #28 on: November 06, 2018, 06:46:43 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Nice write up.  Thanks!  Do you still do Muay Thai?  I did boxing for a while but it was rough on the joints.  I also don't need shots to the head right now.

yorkville

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #29 on: November 06, 2018, 07:41:47 AM »
Its just like a monthly gym fee, no other expenses.

I have been doing BJJ for years. I bought one set of Atama gi for $50 when I started. Patched up holes and fixed rips myself until the thing fell apart. After that, I just ask the gear heads in the gym if they have any old Gis they don't need. Some of these guys have 7 or 8 sets of Gis and usually are glad to give away the old ones. The old Gis may not be matching pant/jacket, but completely adequate for training. Rash guards and spats are more recent fashion trends, regular t-shirt and underwear work just fine. Neither is headgear, getting cauliflower ear is a badge of honor in the sport and not something to be avoided.

I never bother with seminars or comps, which I believe are overpriced and time consuming. BJJ is one sport you can pretty much tell what your skill level is through full on sparring, hence I don't think competition is necessary. 
« Last Edit: November 06, 2018, 07:45:47 AM by yorkville »

GuitarStv

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #30 on: November 06, 2018, 07:57:10 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Nice write up.  Thanks!  Do you still do Muay Thai?  I did boxing for a while but it was rough on the joints.  I also don't need shots to the head right now.

Nope.

My eyesight (nearsightedness) is quite poor, and has only worsened over the past ten years.  It's at the point now where I can't see the other guy well enough to feel confident when sparring, and I really, really hate wearing contact lenses.  I've also had have my retina surgically re-attached from blows to the head (plus there's the question mark about the long term impact of those blows to the head anyway).

I moved into grappling mostly because you only really need to see as far your arm, and no blows to the head.  :P

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #31 on: November 06, 2018, 08:07:08 AM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Nice write up.  Thanks!  Do you still do Muay Thai?  I did boxing for a while but it was rough on the joints.  I also don't need shots to the head right now.

Nope.

My eyesight (nearsightedness) is quite poor, and has only worsened over the past ten years.  It's at the point now where I can't see the other guy well enough to feel confident when sparring, and I really, really hate wearing contact lenses.  I've also had have my retina surgically re-attached from blows to the head (plus there's the question mark about the long term impact of those blows to the head anyway).

I moved into grappling mostly because you only really need to see as far your arm, and no blows to the head.  :P

Yeah.  I have seen some men in their 60's rolling.  But, I haven't seen many men that age sparring in a boxing gym.  Striking relies very heavily on youth, athleticism, and eyesight.  All of which i am losing, day by day...  Hahaha.

Eowyn_MI

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #32 on: November 06, 2018, 11:53:42 AM »
I started BJJ in March this year and its been great!  I train 3-4 days per week with a combination of gi and nogi classes. 

I only bought one gi, two rash guards and a pair of compression tights to start.  Then, I found out that a pair of knee sleeves/pads are extremely helpful at protecting the knee joint and preventing bruises there.  I wash everything as soon as I get home and its been working well so far. 

The monthly fee is practically the same as what I was paying for CrossFit which I was doing before BJJ so I just swapped that out in my budget.

Long sleeve guards?  What is the difference between that and an athletic shirt like Under Armor?  I have been getting elbow and knee bruises and burns.

A long sleeve Under Armor shirt would probably work fine.  My nicer long sleeve rash guard has a strip (rubber?) along the bottom edge to keep it in place while rolling.  I wear that one for nogi.  The other rash guard is just like a long sleeve athletic shirt and I wear it under my gi.

I have two pairs of knee protectors.  One pair are basic, cheap (neoprene?) knee sleeves that I use for nogi.  The other pair are knee pads are made for grappling (brand: Venom) and I wear them under my gi pants.

dude

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #33 on: November 06, 2018, 12:12:31 PM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Nice write up.  Thanks!  Do you still do Muay Thai?  I did boxing for a while but it was rough on the joints.  I also don't need shots to the head right now.

Nope.

My eyesight (nearsightedness) is quite poor, and has only worsened over the past ten years.  It's at the point now where I can't see the other guy well enough to feel confident when sparring, and I really, really hate wearing contact lenses.  I've also had have my retina surgically re-attached from blows to the head (plus there's the question mark about the long term impact of those blows to the head anyway).

I moved into grappling mostly because you only really need to see as far your arm, and no blows to the head.  :P

Yeah.  I have seen some men in their 60's rolling.  But, I haven't seen many men that age sparring in a boxing gym.  Striking relies very heavily on youth, athleticism, and eyesight.  All of which i am losing, day by day...  Hahaha.

Setting the ego aside is crucial to staying healthy and training into old age. That means not worrying about being tapped by lower belts, not fighting a submission that is already a done deal (especially joint locks like arm bars, foot locks, etc), and foregoing the stand-up/takedown game if need be (no shame in telling your partner you'd like to start on the ground). Helio Gracie when he was really old would try only to survive a rolling round with younger opponents (i.e., avoid getting submitted) and considered that a great victory. As we age in the sport, we need to keep in mind that younger, more athletic guys are simply going to be better than us at some point. Setting the ego aside makes that transition acceptable and expected rather than cause for frustration and self-doubt.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #34 on: November 06, 2018, 01:28:30 PM »
I started BJJ in March this year and its been great!  I train 3-4 days per week with a combination of gi and nogi classes. 

I only bought one gi, two rash guards and a pair of compression tights to start.  Then, I found out that a pair of knee sleeves/pads are extremely helpful at protecting the knee joint and preventing bruises there.  I wash everything as soon as I get home and its been working well so far. 

The monthly fee is practically the same as what I was paying for CrossFit which I was doing before BJJ so I just swapped that out in my budget.

Long sleeve guards?  What is the difference between that and an athletic shirt like Under Armor?  I have been getting elbow and knee bruises and burns.

A long sleeve Under Armor shirt would probably work fine.  My nicer long sleeve rash guard has a strip (rubber?) along the bottom edge to keep it in place while rolling.  I wear that one for nogi.  The other rash guard is just like a long sleeve athletic shirt and I wear it under my gi.

I have two pairs of knee protectors.  One pair are basic, cheap (neoprene?) knee sleeves that I use for nogi.  The other pair are knee pads are made for grappling (brand: Venom) and I wear them under my gi pants.

Thanks for the info.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #35 on: November 06, 2018, 01:32:27 PM »
I am a current blue belt and I train three times a week, twice gi and once no gi. It doesn't have to be expensive. If you go to an expensive, globally branded school (Like Gracie Barra), you will get ripped off and will have to drink from the kool aid to get by (buying their vastly overpriced  Gi and merchandise, getting pressurised into attending expensive seminars etc). A smaller, independent club will be cheaper, have a more underground feel about it (like a secret fight club!!), and most likely will have very nice people...

I love BJJ, the only thing I dont like about it, is that it destroys any muscle mass I build in the gym as it burns so many damn calories, it eats your body.

LETS ROLL THOUGH

Tried to send you a PM, but I'm not sure it went through.  Any suggestions on balancing weights and BJJ?  I have been obsessively googling how to do both without burning out and losing my gains from many years in the weight room.

Comes down to having more calories in than out, which is very hard to do if you are rolling and lifting in a combined week, every week.  Eating enough of the right food to put on more size has always been the harder bit for me than training, you have to consume so many calories.

I had good luck by doing the following:

- Lift pretty low volume but heavy.  Strip your weight routine down to the bare essentials.  Squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, weighted pullups, power cleans  Do a few warmup sets, then move into your working weights.  Four sets of five reps seemed to be the sweet spot for me.  No lifting session should last more than an hour, and I'd do only three sessions a week.
- Protein powder immediately after every time you roll in BJJ.  It makes a noticeable difference in the speed you recover, and helps you keep the muscle you've built on your frame.  Try to eat some real food as soon as you can as well.
- Roll soft.  Really focus on relaxing and not using strength when you don't have to while rolling.  Don't pussy foot around, you still have to be fast . . . but always try to keep relaxed and flow rather than force things.  This makes you a much better BJJ guy, and it also saves you energy.  (Note - you do still want to have several sessions a week where you go against a partner who is better/bigger than you as hard as you physically can.)
- Visualize stuff at home.  You're not going to get into as many classes as you want to each week, but if you mentally think your way through a sequence of moves, you can lock them into your mind when you're not in class so you spend less time thinking about where to put what arm and leg, and more time applying technique.  Bonus - visualization doesn't burn energy the way that even gentle practicing with a partner does.
- Eat a ton.  Carbs before workout sessions, lots of fats and protein afterwards.  Don't just assume you know what you're eating.  Actually track everything for a couple weeks.  I thought I was eating a lot more than I really was.  I ate plenty of fruit every day - avocados, bananas, mangos, pineapples, dates, coconuts . . . but pretty much swore off raw veggies as they made me too full for the caloric content.  I needed 4 - 6000 calories a day to gain, and that's hard to hit, but tried to limit garbage food to once or twice a week.
- Eat more on days you work harder.  I'd do an hour and a half BJJ session on Mon-Fri-Sat, a double session on Wed, and would lift for about an hour on Tues-Thurs-Sat.  Wednesday and Saturday were usually gorging on crap food nights.
- Be lazy as fuck when you can.  When you're not lifting or doing BJJ, be resting.  FORCE yourself to take one full day off a week, no matter how much you don't think you need it.
- Sleep.  I'd try to get 9 hours of sleep a night.

I came to BJJ after doing Muay Thai for a while at a very lean 6' and 170 lbs.  After four years I was regularly competing under 195 and hadn't gained any fat.

Nice write up.  Thanks!  Do you still do Muay Thai?  I did boxing for a while but it was rough on the joints.  I also don't need shots to the head right now.

Nope.

My eyesight (nearsightedness) is quite poor, and has only worsened over the past ten years.  It's at the point now where I can't see the other guy well enough to feel confident when sparring, and I really, really hate wearing contact lenses.  I've also had have my retina surgically re-attached from blows to the head (plus there's the question mark about the long term impact of those blows to the head anyway).

I moved into grappling mostly because you only really need to see as far your arm, and no blows to the head.  :P

Yeah.  I have seen some men in their 60's rolling.  But, I haven't seen many men that age sparring in a boxing gym.  Striking relies very heavily on youth, athleticism, and eyesight.  All of which i am losing, day by day...  Hahaha.

Setting the ego aside is crucial to staying healthy and training into old age. That means not worrying about being tapped by lower belts, not fighting a submission that is already a done deal (especially joint locks like arm bars, foot locks, etc), and foregoing the stand-up/takedown game if need be (no shame in telling your partner you'd like to start on the ground). Helio Gracie when he was really old would try only to survive a rolling round with younger opponents (i.e., avoid getting submitted) and considered that a great victory. As we age in the sport, we need to keep in mind that younger, more athletic guys are simply going to be better than us at some point. Setting the ego aside makes that transition acceptable and expected rather than cause for frustration and self-doubt.

That makes sense.  I am doing this as a hobby and for exercise.  I have already had my ego shattered a few times.  It is amazing how someone that doesn't look in shape at all can trap you and choke you into submission.  I knew this already, logically, when I walked in...but, it really hits you when someone is like a snake all over you.  And, you can do nothing about it...

letsdoit

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #36 on: November 06, 2018, 01:44:07 PM »
I found a way to earn some side money to pay for my hobbies. I started selling tradelines to cover the cost of bjj and it has allowed me to pay the fee guilt free.

i'm still reeling from my 10k in 3 year triathlon habit. 

i guess it's what i needed at the time .

Nightwatchman9270

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #37 on: November 07, 2018, 03:25:57 AM »
No offense, but spending thousands of dollars a year to roll around on the floor with other guys doesn't seem very Mustachian to me.  There are cheaper ways to get/stay in shape and there are definitely cheaper and more definitive ways to defend yourself.  Lots of guys will roll around on the floor with you for free. But to each his own I guess.

goalphish2002

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #38 on: November 07, 2018, 05:40:54 AM »
No offense, but spending thousands of dollars a year to roll around on the floor with other guys doesn't seem very Mustachian to me.  There are cheaper ways to get/stay in shape and there are definitely cheaper and more definitive ways to defend yourself.  Lots of guys will roll around on the floor with you for free. But to each his own I guess.

Waiting for comments on Krav Maga and guns...  Hahahahaha.  No offense taken.  You do you, and I'll do me.  I don't care what Mr. Money Mustache would think.  There's always a cheaper option for everything in life- that doesn't mean I'm going to do it.  And, there are women to roll around with too, FYI.  :D
« Last Edit: November 07, 2018, 05:42:30 AM by goalphish2002 »

GuitarStv

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #39 on: November 07, 2018, 06:51:37 AM »
No offense, but spending thousands of dollars a year to roll around on the floor with other guys doesn't seem very Mustachian to me.  There are cheaper ways to get/stay in shape and there are definitely cheaper and more definitive ways to defend yourself.  Lots of guys will roll around on the floor with you for free. But to each his own I guess.

I agree with you.

If your only goal is to get in shape for the least money, BJJ is probably not the best way to do that.  If your only goal is cheap self defence, BJJ is probably not the best way to do that.  If your only goal is to roll around on the floor with mostly naked sweaty guys, BJJ is probably not the best way to do that . . . and an enterprising individual could probably find a way to make money doing that.

These three things are clearly very important to you, so I wish you the best in achieving them for the lowest possible price.

JimJammer

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Re: Brazilian Jiu-Jujitsu is Expensive
« Reply #40 on: January 20, 2021, 06:16:02 AM »
Costs like gym membership are known up front and things like gis are not really expensive (I only own one which i bought for about £40 two years ago).

The problem I had is its easy to get obsessed with bjj and up doing things like training 6 times a week then deciding you need to bulk up so doing 4 lifting sessions on top of that which means a second gym membership. Now you find your eating 4000 calories a day and because you spend all your non working hours training you don't spend enough time cooking as you should so you're tempted by pre-prepared food and even takeaways. You also start neglecting maintenance around the house and your wife -  which makes her grumpy so she's goes clothes shopping for something to do. Oh and now your washing and tumble drying your gi every day which costs about £400 a year. You also think about bjj all day in work so you are risking getting sacked. Oh and now you have ringworm all over your face so your a social pariah who no one trusts - this also ends up costing you money through missed opportunities.