Hello guys, I just wanted to ask if somebody tried training BJJ at home, without a partner, or with a partner, learning from videos, books, etc. And if you do, how do you do it & does it work?
You can practice techniques from youtube/dvds on people you live with. Bas Rutten said he learned a lot of his grappling from practicing dvd techniques on his wife (don't worry, there was consent lmao). Although his techniques were a little rough and sloppy, he did become a very dangerous grappler in MMA. He was also a very strong dude though, so his strength likely made up for his rugged technique. Personally, most of my grappling came from practicing youtube techniques on my little brother, and I've outwrestled my 220lb 6'3 friend (I'm only 5'8, 130lb) and even a blue belt once (I always got fucked by any guy above blue belt though).
I'm a blue belt. I have not trained for about 2 years already, due to fatherhood. So, training only by yourself will be hard and boring. You can watch videos and read books, yes you will learn but it feels like reading about how to swim without swimming and you need to roll with other people, otherwise, your body will not learn. You could buy a dummy or just find a training partner, it will definitely help. Also, you could start Calisthenics, the best workout for BJJ! Good luck and have fun.
Yes, my big problem is that there isn't a school for BJJ in my city, but I'm so passionate about it, just watching, makes me wanna do it so much. Finding a training partner is actually easy, but here we are talking about the budget. I have to buy mats, so we could have somewhere to practice it on... & a place to put the mats on.... I'm hearing about something called Gracie University, do you know this?
It doesn't matter, it is just a small town. There is only Judo in the town, which I have tried and do not like that much + had some issues with the trainers. So there is no chance of going back to that gym.
dude... save some money and buy the mats. I'm sure you can get it for cheap on Amazon or eBay. If you think about it, for the rest of your life there will be always some sort of sacrifice that would require you to spend more money than you have. You just have to find the way to get it. Why not to set as your objective? This would be a nice incentive for you. Unless you live with the Mormons.
Thank you for the advice, I will look around for the mats, I mean, it's worth it, if I want to do it, right? Still thinking about it tho..
Did some BJJ, dont know how one can practice alone. It's very technical and you need someone to respond to your moves. Otherwise it would be very dangerous to put them in practice without real fighting experience. If you find someone to practice, go easy and focus on technique. Damaged articulations isnt something to mess arround.
Yes, of course, the better option is to find a place to train at.. the problem is there are no schools for it in my city. Cannot travel to another one also.
There isn't much you can do. Maybe just do the solo drills (like rolls, hip escapes, etc.)? You're probably better off just working on your overall fitness like strength, coordination and cardio which would definitely benefit your grappling (and striking too, if that matters).
Sure, just solo drills but, how far could those get me? Is that even worth it, just practicing drills?
Maybe not. Look into Calisthenics. Check the youtube videos. You can practice anywhere with minimal / no equipment.
Not that far. Are you doing jiu jitsu for self defence? If so, although it's very helpful, it's not that important for self defence. Just work on your overall fitness and the simplest shit (like how to throw a punch - getting strong and fit should be enough for grappling). Like honestly, unless you bump into a fucking UFC fighter, you should be able to defend yourself against most people by just working on your fitness alone.
Of course, self-defense is a big part of it, but also I like the philosophy of the martial art. Just I don't want to use punches & stuff, also that way you could hurt yourself. But anyhow, I know how to throw a punch, I did boxing for about 2 or 3 years. Want to try something new. Currently not doing boxing
I did shyto-ryu karate and I think it is necessary to feel the impact, resitance, train muscle memory etc when you get into a real fight a punch in the air wont be as effective as you punched something with resistance and in my personal opinion I'd get a real teacher because certain movements (throwing a punch or deflect a punch) should be taught correctly by a professional to avoid injuries I hope you understand what I mean