The SF Brazillian Jiujitsu Thread - fans, competitors, filthy casuals, all are welcome

[LA Guy]

I was just watching the match between Cole Abate (Atos/AOJ) and Gianni Grippo (Marcelo Garcia/Alliance) and decided that I that prefer gi much more. No gi is more dynamic, but I've seen more and more of this "If you don't like the position, just disengage" from top players because there are no strong grips keeping them from doing so, and the passing is a lot more opportunistic and less systematic, Just as an example, a lasso guard is much more of a position that both sides need to work in gi, while in no gi, the swim in is a standard defensive maneuver, but there is no followup, since the grip is so loose as to be non-existent, and the top guy cab get up from half guard pretty much at will. Which just makes for boring BJJ matches. Cole won, but it's not as though he tried to make anything interesting happen.

 

[LA Guy]

Working towards my black belt. Got my second stripe today (it's four stripes and then you get to the next belt, though I know a fair number of people who have been stuck at 4 stripes for a bit now. I've weirdly become a lasso, sleeve and collar and deep dela Riva/ DLX player in addition to full guard (which I developed mostly during my purople belt) and various half guards that was most of my blue belt repetoire. I guess that you just go in phases. I pass mostly using either various torreandos and chest to chest half guard pressure passing, depending on the situation, as well as some folding passes, but its been a minutes since I've done a knee cut or an over under, both of which used to be my go tos. Okay, I did a bunch of knee cuts today, but before that, it's been months and probably a hundred training sessions since I did a knee cut before that.

 

[Sartre-orial Renegade]

Back on the mats last week and this week after a two year hiatus. Feels good. Wristlocked a white belt.

 

[Sartre-orial Renegade]

Can we talk gi's for a bit?

What brands do you all wear? How do you like them, and what do you like about them vs. other brands? Hemp vs Cotton? Single/Double/Gold/Pearl weave? How many GSM? Which brands have been the most durable?

I'm currently rolling in a 15ish year old Padilla and Sons gi, a Killer Bee one just as old, and a first model Datsusara hemp one, so I've been out of the gi game for a while. Just snagged a Newaza Monogram and a Hyperfly Starlyte II, but I'll probably be grabbing two more in the coming weeks so I'm not in perpetual laundry hell.

For the next one, I'm thinking about the hemp one from Flow, a Killer Bee custom, or another sub- $100 one from Inverted or Scramble. Is there anything else of similar quality under the $125-ish mark?

I like A&P's designs, but have a hard time justifying more than $200 for a gi that isn't hemp, and I wish their website had more information. I like Datsusara's gi's, but their branding and proximity to Joe Rogan (though it's understandable) turns me off to buying more of their stuff.

Thanks!!

 

[LA Guy]

Can we talk gi's for a bit?

What brands do you all wear? How do you like them, and what do you like about them vs. other brands? Hemp vs Cotton? Single/Double/Gold/Pearl weave? How many GSM? Which brands have been the most durable?

I'm currently rolling in a 15ish year old Padilla and Sons gi, a Killer Bee one just as old, and a first model Datsusara hemp one, so I've been out of the gi game for a while. Just snagged a Newaza Monogram and a Hyperfly Starlyte II, but I'll probably be grabbing two more in the coming weeks so I'm not in perpetual laundry hell.

For the next one, I'm thinking about the hemp one from Flow, a Killer Bee custom, or another sub- $100 one from Inverted or Scramble. Is there anything else of similar quality under the $125-ish mark?

I like A&P's designs, but have a hard time justifying more than $200 for a gi that isn't hemp, and I wish their website had more information. I like Datsusara's gi's, but their branding and proximity to Joe Rogan (though it's understandable) turns me off to buying more of their stuff.

Thanks!!

I don't know you build or gym rules, but I live in Tatami Estilo (now "gold label") gis. They are very well reinforced and for my build (175-180 lb, 5'11"), so, about as average as you get, the A2L fits nearly perfectly - I find a lot of gis are a bit too boxy through the body for me. They are also slightly heavier weight (550 gsm, compared to the more common 450 and 425) which I personally prefer. Every single one of mine are navy or black, and the black on black is nice as any BJJ gi gets, imo: https://us.tatamifightwear.com/products/estilo-gold-label-gi-black

 

[Sartre-orial Renegade]

I don't know you build or gym rules, but I live in Tatammj

I'm 5'9, 160-165. Right where an A1 is usually too small and an A2 is usually too big unless is shrinks hard.

I'm guessing that's Tatami, I've got a pair of their pants that I like but no gi's. Is the brand loyalty about fit?

Gym rules are that there are no rules for gi's. We've got ones of all colors. Lavender, sky blue, surf teal, navy, yellow...

 

[LA Guy]

I'm 5'9, 160-165. Right where an A1 is usually too small and an A2 is usually too big unless is shrinks hard.

I'm guessing that's Tatami, I've got a pair of their pants that I like but no gi's. Is the brand loyalty about fit?

Gym rules are that there are no rules for gi's. We've got ones of all colors. Lavender, sky blue, surf teal, navy, yellow...

lol. We had that until the head coach got a headache from the insanity and limited to white, blues (navy counts) and black. He even offered a trade in program. A few legacies get away with their gray or olive gis, and a few guys have been wearing their gis past expiration date to not get their favorite off IBJJF gi being retired for good.

And yes, my brand loyalty is mostly for fit, as well as for their more minimalistic (for BJJ) designs.

 

[Sartre-orial Renegade]

lol. We had that until the head coach got a headache from the insanity and limited to white, blues (navy counts) and black. He even offered a trade in program. A few legacies get away with their gray or olive gis, and a few guys have been wearing their gis past expiration date to not get their favorite off IBJJF gi being retired for good.

And yes, my brand loyalty is mostly for fit, as well as for their more minimalistic (for BJJ) designs.

Well that did it. Clicked on the link you sent, looked at the Clearance gi's, and saw the crane one for $80, and that it's got zero polyester. Done. Excellent recommendation.

 

[razorfrazer]

Working towards my black belt. Got my second stripe today (it's four stripes and then you get to the next belt, though I know a fair number of people who have been stuck at 4 stripes for a bit now. I've weirdly become a lasso, sleeve and collar and deep dela Riva/ DLX player in addition to full guard (which I developed mostly during my purople belt) and various half guards that was most of my blue belt repetoire. I guess that you just go in phases. I pass mostly using either various torreandos and chest to chest half guard pressure passing, depending on the situation, as well as some folding passes, but its been a minutes since I've done a knee cut or an over under, both of which used to be my go tos. Okay, I did a bunch of knee cuts today, but before that, it's been months and probably a hundred training sessions since I did a knee cut before that.
View attachment 2295133

Working towards my black belt. Got my second stripe today (it's four stripes and then you get to the next belt, though I know a fair number of people who have been stuck at 4 stripes for a bit now. I've weirdly become a lasso, sleeve and collar and deep dela Riva/ DLX player in addition to full guard (which I developed mostly during my purople belt) and various half guards that was most of my blue belt repetoire. I guess that you just go in phases. I pass mostly using either various torreandos and chest to chest half guard pressure passing, depending on the situation, as well as some folding passes, but its been a minutes since I've done a knee cut or an over under, both of which used to be my go tos. Okay, I did a bunch of knee cuts today, but before that, it's been months and probably a hundred training sessions since I did a knee cut before that.
View attachment 2295133

Glad to see you are still at it and so close to your goal.
I look at JiuJitsu so much differently now. I think that whether you are doing knee slices, or over under, or outside passing, its all working towards the same skilled outcome.

I've pretty diligent in working in the area's im weak at. I will constrian myself in rounds and no matter how tasty something looks I won't break my intentions.
Yesterday I had a focus of getting to single leg and just holding it for as long as I can. The only thing I was worried about was keeping it for a long time and keeping my head free. Once I felt I had a good grip I would finish the takedown or get to the hips. I've been putting lots of time in the standing unconnected and connected areas.
For a few other rounds I constrained myself to staying on top without ever putting my knees on the mat and not connecting my hands or submitting. My main focus is staying on top and not letting feet touch me instead making them frame on me and having maximum pressure. I was able to get 3 10 minutes rounds of only doing this. Working diligently on my passing and pinning !
My backtaking / back finishing / leg locking / counter leg locking is still by far my best skills so I wont let myself do any of that for a lot of my training unless someone can force me there. Most of my rounds with lower belts are me playing within my own constraints I make up.

 

[LA Guy]

Glad to see you are still at it and so close to your goal.
I look at JiuJitsu so much differently now. I think that whether you are doing knee slices, or over under, or outside passing, its all working towards the same skilled outcome.

I've pretty diligent in working in the area's im weak at. I will constrian myself in rounds and no matter how tasty something looks I won't break my intentions.
Yesterday I had a focus of getting to single leg and just holding it for as long as I can. The only thing I was worried about was keeping it for a long time and keeping my head free. Once I felt I had a good grip I would finish the takedown or get to the hips. I've been putting lots of time in the standing unconnected and connected areas.
For a few other rounds I constrained myself to staying on top without ever putting my knees on the mat and not connecting my hands or submitting. My main focus is staying on top and not letting feet touch me instead making them frame on me and having maximum pressure. I was able to get 3 10 minutes rounds of only doing this. Working diligently on my passing and pinning !
My backtaking / back finishing / leg locking / counter leg locking is still by far my best skills so I wont let myself do any of that for a lot of my training unless someone can force me there. Most of my rounds with lower belts are me playing within my own constraints I make up.

Thanks. I have a similar mindset, though clearly I don’t have as much control of the rounds as do you. Every session, there is at least one thing that frustrates me, whether it’s guard retention in what should be a completely advantageous position, or having full control on top, but a specific transition, like mount to S mount, gives too much space and alleviates too much pressure and a fast partner can escape back to neutral. I’ll prepare specifically for those scenarios, using the techniques of whoever is best known for those techniques and positions, and try to replicate the scenario with better results in the next session, and fit that knowledge into my overall understanding of the concepts of jiujitsu and how what I learned might be applied in other situations. It’s definitely making me better, and really helping in my teaching as well. Thanks again.

 

[Matt]

Purple belt here.

Virtually all gi - sweat wrestling not worth the injuries at 48. Very tentative mat return in progress at present - 8 mth old baby means 7 mths of zero mat time (but I did make an effort to do a bunch of judo privates in my lunchtimes).

 

[LA Guy]

Purple belt here.

Virtually all gi - sweat wrestling not worth the injuries at 48. Very tentative mat return in progress at present - 8 mth old baby means 7 mths of zero mat time (but I did make an effort to do a bunch of judo privates in my lunchtimes).

My coach is a two time Brazilian national champion in judo and Olympic alternate, so I have leanred a bunch of judo, but I rarely start on my feet in live training. Too ,many people on the mats, plus bad knees. plus having broken my back on a take down right before the pandemic just make it too much of risk at 50. I do judo drills and some very controlled randori with my head coach and a few other extremely skilled judo blackbelts who can basically take me down like a child, and so it's super safe, but the chaos of BJJ takedowns on a crowded mat with people who don't have nearly that same level of control? Most catastrophic injuries in BJJ are from falling body weight. So, not going to happen.