The NEW A/T Martial Arts Thread: Aikido to Zoo-jitsu

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > The NEW A/T Martial Arts Thread: Aikido to Zoo-jitsu

foot: Mar 28, 2002; why foot why

M.C. McMic posted:

I'm looking for a BJJ gym in N. Austin, TX. I've pretty much narrowed it down to Vandry's BJJ and Gracie Barra, based mostly on reputation. Are there any additional resources (online) I can use to help me make my decision besides just going in, taking a class, meeting the instructors and inquiring about rates?

Are there any Austin goons that have an opinion one way or another... maybe you go to one of these places or used to train at one of these places?

I'm a beginner. I have no experience in BJJ. Also, I'm in my early 30's and don't want to deal with any egos or tough guys. I just want to have fun, get in shape, and learn some self defense in the process.

I guess I'm going to have to recommend Vandry's school for the second time in this thread. As of a year ago, Vandry was instructing for a portion of the class during every class. Gracie Barra Austin has barely been open for a year, and they've already opened 4 satellite campuses in the Austin area? What the gently caress is that about? Just remember that when you train at a GB school, part of your tuition is being spent to purchase the GB license for that school.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 05:33

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# ? Jun 4, 2024 08:32

dokomoy: May 21, 2004

Blazebro420 posted:

I guess I'm going to have to recommend Vandry's school for the second time in this thread. As of a year ago, Vandry was instructing for a portion of the class during every class. Gracie Barra Austin has barely been open for a year, and they've already opened 4 satellite campuses in the Austin area? What the gently caress is that about? Just remember that when you train at a GB school, part of your tuition is being spent to purchase the GB license for that school.

I don't know anything about the GB schools in the area, or about Vandry's school for that matter. But the truth is almost all schools pay an affiliation fee and you really shouldn't base your decision on that.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 06:02

foot: Mar 28, 2002; why foot why

dokomoy posted:

I don't know anything about the GB schools in the area, or about Vandry's school for that matter. But the truth is almost all schools pay an affiliation fee and you really shouldn't base your decision on that.

The difference is that Vandry runs his school under his own brand. I don't know if he kicks anything back to Carlos Machado or if Carlos just takes his cut when he presents seminars in Austin 2-3 times a year.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 06:14

George Rouncewell: Jul 20, 2007; You think that's illegal? Heh, watch this.

Ligur posted:

Nah it was all good, thumbs up. Me, no, but a bunch of people I know did and also our club to the tune of "AND HERE'S HOW IT ALL STARTED" after which they zoomed to the door outside.

Thanks, journalist integrity programmers. The club got fanmail yesterday for that zoom. "Fanmail".

That Zoom was pretty bad.
As was the difference they started making between other MA's and MMA: "This is a sports and this is where skinheads learn a violence"

Why yes i love getting my face plastered on that hatchet job thank you very much for asking, i just hope you had asked BEFORE YOU loving PUT ME IN IT

# ? Oct 13, 2011 06:22

dokomoy: May 21, 2004

Blazebro420 posted:

The difference is that Vandry runs his school under his own brand. I don't know if he kicks anything back to Carlos Machado or if Carlos just takes his cut when he presents seminars in Austin 2-3 times a year.

So what? Even if a big chunk of your membership fee gets kicked up the ladder, what difference does it make to you assuming you can afford the monthly fees and you like the instruction? There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a school(qality of instruction, schedule, location, cost, training partners etc) how the affiliation process works is way down the list.

If you want to recommend your school, that's cool, but do it based on the quality of your school not on behind the scenes business that doesn't effect the student.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 06:57

foot: Mar 28, 2002; why foot why

dokomoy posted:

So what? Even if a big chunk of your membership fee gets kicked up the ladder, what difference does it make to you assuming you can afford the monthly fees and you like the instruction? There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a school(qality of instruction, schedule, location, cost, training partners etc) how the affiliation process works is way down the list.

If you want to recommend your school, that's cool, but do it based on the quality of your school not on behind the scenes business that doesn't effect the student.

Uh, I did mention the quality? I mentioned that Vandry's school was well established, plus the fact that the senior instructor actually spends time instructing? Whereas for that GB school the senior instructor apparently flew in from Florida, spent a year in Austin establishing four schools under the GB banner and is now doing the same thing in Tennessee?

Also, I've never trained with Vandry, when I trained BJJ in Austin I did it at the Relson-affiliated school that Phil Cardella runs, but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone unless they really like to do steroids and hurt people unnecessarily.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 07:21

Comrade_Robot: Mar 18, 2009

showbiz_liz posted:

How often do you guys train, like per week? I (complete noob) am thinking of going to my muay thai gym 3 or 4 times per week- is that too much? Too little?

Three times a week is really the minimum if you want to get better; twice a week will keep you from getting worse, but you won't improve much. Once a week means you'll just get worse more slowly.

Kimura, of course, trained 9 hours a day when he was preparing for competition.

If you're new at it, you might want to ramp it up slowly, though. Your body will get used to it.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 13:07

Ligur: Sep 6, 2000; by Lowtax

Adding to my previous post about "HOW OFTEN ARE TO TRAIN?" I'll now post a very general couch potato schedule which has worked in the past* and should not overtrain or kill anyone but still ensure easing into it while still going forward:

code:

First month: 2 times a week (+1 cardio at most, that is, a lower BPM aerobic exercise like jogging or aerobic or zumba or whatever). 
This is the most difficult time. 

Second month: ramp up to 3 times a week (preferably one of the days is an easier, more cardio oriented one). 
Have a day of recovery after every exercise. It will get easier at this point. 

Third month: 3 times a week (+ 1 cardio exercise if your body does not feel tired).
 
Fourth month: The same, you are still pretty new to this.
 
Fifth month: Keep it up bro.

Sixth month: 4 days a week of training max (+ any cardio you have time for and make sure you don't train sore).

Competition time: Every day until you get so stiff you can't train anymore and must take a day off,
mostly rest for a week before your fight.

edit:

* For some people. Anyway everyone is different, your age, your general fitness level, how you eat and sleep and your genes will factor quite a bit. Until your body gets used to the type of punishment you practice you really do need rest, and for your body to become acclimatized to your training will take from 6 months to years depending on your target level.

Ligur fucked around with this message at 13:47 on Oct 13, 2011

# ? Oct 13, 2011 13:42

Rhaka: Feb 15, 2008; Practice knighthood and learn
the art that dignifies you

Vaguely related, friend pointed me towards a new gym. Muay Thai and MMA classes, every day of the week, cheap as hell, nearby. Checked it out last night, it seemed decent enough, but all the loaner gear looked and smelled like rear end and I was remarkably not exhausted afterwards. I honestly have no clue what to make of the place. Maybe their beginner classes are just light so they don't scare people off?

# ? Oct 13, 2011 14:34

kimbo305: Jun 9, 2007; actually, yeah, I am a little mad

Rhaka posted:

but all the loaner gear looked and smelled like rear end

typical

quote:

and I was remarkably not exhausted afterwards. I honestly have no clue what to make of the place. Maybe their beginner classes are just light so they don't scare people off?

You train in WMA, right? You're probably better prepared than others. How in/out of shape did the other people in your class look?

# ? Oct 13, 2011 14:57

Thoguh: Nov 8, 2002; College Slice

showbiz_liz posted:

How often do you guys train, like per week? I (complete noob) am thinking of going to my muay thai gym 3 or 4 times per week- is that too much? Too little?

In college when I was competing regularly I was working out 6 days a week, with two a day workouts M/W/F. When I first graduated and had a job but was single and no responsibilities it was still 6 days a week but lost the morning workouts. Now between a girlfriend, traveling for work, and taking classes for a Masters I'm down to just twice a week or less. Only 3 hours of Judo a week makes me a sad (and fat) panda.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 15:09

Ligur: Sep 6, 2000; by Lowtax

Rhaka posted:

the loaner gear looked and smelled like rear end

Completely normal.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 15:10

Thoguh: Nov 8, 2002; College Slice

Speaking of how much people work out. There are 45 people in the Martial Arts Goons group on Fitocracy (plus 1500 in the Goon W&W group) and most of us are active about posting our workouts. It is cool seeing the workouts that the people on here are doing. Everyone should join to make it even more cool. If you need an invite code I have like 400. Just click HERE to use up an invite.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 15:49

KingColliwog: May 15, 2003; Let's go droogs

My training theorically looks like that right now :

2 days a week judo (2h class once, 3h30 (double class) another day)
2 days BJJ (2x 1h to 1h30)
3 days lifting
1 day cardio/judo specific stuff/whatever

In reality, I rarely do all of that. Due to work and stuff I usually cut between 1 and 3 of those training days. I never cut the judo though.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 15:52

generatrix: Aug 8, 2008; Nothing hurts like a scrape

My training (barring illness, injuries, or other unexpected interruptions) looks like this, all BJJ:
Mon - 3 hour class
Tues - teach 2 hour morning class, attend 2 hour evening open mat
Wed - 3 hour class
Thurs - teach 2 hour moning class, attend 2 hour evening no-gi open mat
Sat - 2 hour competition team class

I'll also be re-integrating weightlifting three times a week, and cardio 5 times a week, though I haven't been able to do either of those for about nine months due to an injury.

I'm a pretty big guy though, so my body recovers really easily. One of the other guys at my club who weighs around 160 tried to do the same schedule (well, attending morning class, not teaching), and usually burnt out by Thursday's evening class. Your body size and general ability to recover will dictate what your weekly maximum is.

# ? Oct 13, 2011 23:14

Kumo Jr.: Mar 21, 2006; JON JONES APOLOGIST #4

Training:

Sunday - Sparring
Monday - MMA Drills & Conditioning, no-gi rolling
Tuesday - 3 Hour Strength & Conditioning with some kickboxing bag work, 1 hour Gi Jiu-Jitsu
Wednesday - Active Rest/Cardio Day (Run, Swim, Bike, Climb)
Thursday - 2 Hour Strength & Conditioning
Friday - Active Rest/Cardio Day (Run, Swim, Bike, Climb)
Saturday - 2 Hour Strength & Conditioning, 1 hour Gi Jiu-Jitsu, 1 hour no-gi

Work on Thursday/Friday afternoon/evening, and Friday/Saturday night at the bar.

That's pretty much all I can find time for these days, and I've put most of my time-crunch priority on my workouts to increase my athleticism.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 05:06

Bangkero: Dec 28, 2005; I baptize thee
not in the name of the father
but in the name of the devil.

Monday - boxing (1.5 hrs), judo (1.5-2 hrs)
Tuesday - judo newaza (1.5-2 hrs)
Wednesday - rest day
Thursday - TJJ/ninpo (2 hrs)
Friday - boxing (1.5 hrs)
Saturday - TJJ/ninpo (2 hrs)
Sunday - FMA (1.5-2 hrs)

I'll also take rest days when I feel broken. Usually I'll cut TJJ/ninpo or move around judo since the dojo has classes everyday of the week.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 05:42

Nierbo: Dec 5, 2010; sup brah?

Two hours of TKD on Monday, Ninjutsu on Tuesday, rest wednesday, Hapkido and Wushu on Thursday and if I'm not too sore, crossfit on Friday and if I stay late after crossfit I can spar with the Joe Son Do guys.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 08:03

Jerome Louis: Nov 5, 2002; p; College Slice

Light training this week.
Friday: throw elbows at pillow on bed (1.5 hour)

the rest of the week I worked on mental sparring drills.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 09:53

generatrix: Aug 8, 2008; Nothing hurts like a scrape

Nierbo posted:

Two hours of TKD on Monday, Ninjutsu on Tuesday, rest wednesday, Hapkido and Wushu on Thursday and if I'm not too sore, crossfit on Friday and if I stay late after crossfit I can spar with the Joe Son Do guys.

The inclusion of ninjutsu and crossfit makes this seem like a fakepost designed to piss off the people from this thread/W&W, but this looks like it would be insanely fun.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 11:21

Nierbo: Dec 5, 2010; sup brah?

generatrix posted:

The inclusion of ninjutsu and crossfit makes this seem like a fakepost designed to piss off the people from this thread/W&W, but this looks like it would be insanely fun.

I imagine ninjutsu is like going to a ninja theme park for an hour and a half once a week.

_{I just do Judo}

# ? Oct 14, 2011 12:06

Hellblazer187: Oct 12, 2003

I guess I'll share my training schedule:

M: Rest
T: Judo
W: Weights
T: Judo
F: Weights
S: Rest
S: Judo

For a few weeks I lifted AFTER Sunday Judo to get three in per week but that was too much for me. My cardio is still poo poo because I'm at least 80lbs overweight. Even with all that training. I like pizza :/

# ? Oct 14, 2011 12:10

Rhaka: Feb 15, 2008; Practice knighthood and learn
the art that dignifies you

kimbo305 posted:

You train in WMA, right? You're probably better prepared than others. How in/out of shape did the other people in your class look?

Fair enough. It just seemed light compared to some of the other MT classes I've taken around town. The people there seemed pretty average, with a few ripped people there. Not much different than any other random MA place I've been to, though the obligatory giant fatass was missing.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 13:02

kimbo305: Jun 9, 2007; actually, yeah, I am a little mad

You guys train a lot. I'm amazed if I can get to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I'm happy if I get my 3 times a week in. But because of all the talk, I'm gonna try to step it up, especially as winter comes and I don't want to trudge to and from the gym in the cold.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 14:01

Xguard86: Nov 22, 2004; "You don't understand his pain. Everywhere he goes he sees women working, wearing pants, speaking in gatherings, voting. Surely they will burn in the white hot flames of Hell"

generatrix posted:

The inclusion of ninjutsu and crossfit makes this seem like a fakepost designed to piss off the people from this thread/W&W, but this looks like it would be insanely fun.

I've said it before: If a ninjitsu gym would just come out and say "hey it's really fun to climb around poo poo and throw smoke bombs, who cares if its real or works" I would probably take their free intro class.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 15:19

mewse: May 2, 2006

i signed up for ninjitsu but all i got was adam savage from the mythbusters trying to walk across water on boat shoes...

# ? Oct 14, 2011 15:25

Thoguh: Nov 8, 2002; College Slice

Nierbo posted:

Two hours of TKD on Monday, Ninjutsu on Tuesday, rest wednesday, Hapkido and Wushu on Thursday and if I'm not too sore, crossfit on Friday and if I stay late after crossfit I can spar with the Joe Son Do guys.

No Rex Kwan Do?

# ? Oct 14, 2011 16:37

Tambreet: Nov 28, 2006; Ninja Platypus; Muldoon

My schedule is usually:

Monday: 1 hour lifting, 90 minutes Aikido
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: BJJ 1 hour
Thursday: 1 hour meditation, 1 hour lifting, 2 hours Aikido
Friday: 1 hour cardio; BJJ is adding a class so may switch to that occasionally
Saturday/Sunday: 60-90 minute run, 1 or 2 hours BJJ class, 1 hour lifting, occasional 2 hour bike (varies based on weekend schedule)

# ? Oct 14, 2011 17:09

Legit Businessman: Sep 2, 2007

My schedule is crap compared to everyone elses.

Monday: BJJ 6:30-~8:20
Tuesday: Nothing (should be lifting)
Wednesday: BJJ: 6:30-~8:20
Thursday: D&D (should be lifting)
Friday: Sparring class at BJJ: 6:30-8:00
Saturday: Nothing.
Sunday: Nothing.

Seeing other people's schedules makes me sad.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 17:22

mewse: May 2, 2006

Drewjitsu posted:

My schedule is crap compared to everyone elses.

Monday: BJJ 6:30-~8:20
Tuesday: Nothing (should be lifting)
Wednesday: BJJ: 6:30-~8:20
Thursday: D&D (should be lifting)
Friday: Sparring class at BJJ: 6:30-8:00
Saturday: Nothing.
Sunday: Nothing.

Seeing other people's schedules makes me sad.

i'm like you cept it's boxing on tues/thurs. i'm looking to add a third day of something else like lifting or cardio but nothings stuck yet

# ? Oct 14, 2011 17:26

gunblade: Sep 1, 2008; -Just lucky, I guess

2x 1,5 hrs of boxing a week,
1x 1,5 hrs of submission wrestling. Not much, evidently. :sigh:

# ? Oct 14, 2011 17:32

Legit Businessman: Sep 2, 2007

mewse posted:

i'm like you cept it's boxing on tues/thurs. i'm looking to add a third day of something else like lifting or cardio but nothings stuck yet

WAMMA's schedule is pretty flexible. They run M/W/F at lunch I think, and Tu/Th evenings. You should see if you like hugging other sweaty men.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 18:02

mewse: May 2, 2006

Drewjitsu posted:

WAMMA's schedule is pretty flexible. They run M/W/F at lunch I think, and Tu/Th evenings. You should see if you like hugging other sweaty men.

fnurrgh. i know curtis brigham from high school but i've been too chicken to check out his gym. kent brown is starting up winnipeg elite boxing on nov 1 with curtis as head MMA coach, that's going to be interesting and disappointing because kent won't have time to coach at my current gym anymore.

# ? Oct 14, 2011 18:14

dokomoy: May 21, 2004

Xguard86 posted:

I've said it before: If a ninjitsu gym would just come out and say "hey it's really fun to climb around poo poo and throw smoke bombs, who cares if its real or works" I would probably take their free intro class.

This place is basically down the street for me, and if I wasn't super broke I'd consider signing up. They don't do smoke bombs(I think) but they do have crazy kicks and trampolines!

# ? Oct 14, 2011 18:17

Lt. Shiny-sides: Dec 24, 2008

Kumo Jr. posted:

Training:

Sunday - Sparring
Monday - MMA Drills & Conditioning, no-gi rolling
Tuesday - 3 Hour Strength & Conditioning with some kickboxing bag work, 1 hour Gi Jiu-Jitsu
Wednesday - Active Rest/Cardio Day (Run, Swim, Bike, Climb)
Thursday - 2 Hour Strength & Conditioning
Friday - Active Rest/Cardio Day (Run, Swim, Bike, Climb)
Saturday - 2 Hour Strength & Conditioning, 1 hour Gi Jiu-Jitsu, 1 hour no-gi

What are you doing during your 2-3 hours of strength and conditioning?

# ? Oct 15, 2011 00:07

Kumo Jr.: Mar 21, 2006; JON JONES APOLOGIST #4

Lt. Shiny-sides posted:

What are you doing during your 2-3 hours of strength and conditioning?

I make it up as I go along, so every workout is completely different. I pick two upper body areas (shoulders, chest, back), one arm (bicep/forearm or tricep), and one of either legs or core. I always change up which muscle groups I pair together which affects which exercises I do. I try and use as many multiple movements that target the daily muscle groups choices to be working together. I also try and focus on functional fitness, so I do lots of stabilizer training, plyometrics, kettle bells, balancing on a half bosu ball, medicine balls, trx bands, etc.

Recently I've started trying to do a lot more uni-lateral training, so one side of my body performing independently with the other side stabilizing.

Just some ideas of things I like to do:

Olympic Lifts (bench press, squat, military press, etc)
Stairs (often jumping up a flight of stairs two steps at a time, or putting on a weight vest and slinging a heavy bag over my shoulder to run up and down)
Box Jumps
Sprawls/Mountain Climbers

Core:
Functional Trainer movements balancing on one leg
Ellipticals on the Swiss Ball
Ab-Rollers/Hanging Crunches/Toe Touches/Medicine Ball Volleys & Twists/Bosu V-Ups
Turkish Get-Up with Kettlebell

Balancing:
Half-bosu one-legged stuff (yoga pose, squats, one arm curl and press)
Suspension training on bars, rings, chains
Stabilizer pushups

Body weight:
Medicine Ball pushups, military press & pushup, plyometric pull-ups (skipping my hands back and forth from close grip to wide grip each lift), weight vest stuff

Uni-lateral:
One-arm snatch and press, dumbbell pushup/lawnmower crawls, turkish get-up

Just some ideas for you.

Kumo Jr. fucked around with this message at 02:15 on Oct 15, 2011

# ? Oct 15, 2011 01:25

TravellinDan: Feb 20, 2006; Wa...ter?

Since school started up again I haven't been able to train as much as I'd like. Nowadays I get in about 4 kung fu classes a week and one or two days of weights with an hour or two on the bag as well.

Also I have some questions about sparring. At the place I go to everything is above the belt (which is fine), but for head shots we're supposed to either pull our punches or lightly tap, depending on who we're sparring against. It seems the "golden rule" is being applied here, but it is really hard to determine how hard certain people want to throw. Then again, I haven't been sparring very long, so I guess I'll get to know everyone's preferences over time, but the lack of clarity is frustrating. Also when people pull their punches it makes it easy to just lower your gaurd, and I think that's a bad habit to get into. Thoughts?

# ? Oct 15, 2011 05:27

Thoguh: Nov 8, 2002; College Slice

TravellinDan posted:

Since school started up again I haven't been able to train as much as I'd like. Nowadays I get in about 4 kung fu classes a week and one or two days of weights with an hour or two on the bag as well.

Also I have some questions about sparring. At the place I go to everything is above the belt (which is fine), but for head shots we're supposed to either pull our punches or lightly tap, depending on who we're sparring against. It seems the "golden rule" is being applied here, but it is really hard to determine how hard certain people want to throw. Then again, I haven't been sparring very long, so I guess I'll get to know everyone's preferences over time, but the lack of clarity is frustrating. Also when people pull their punches it makes it easy to just lower your gaurd, and I think that's a bad habit to get into. Thoughts?

Do you guys wear headgear?

# ? Oct 15, 2011 05:58

Lt. Shiny-sides: Dec 24, 2008

Kumo Jr. posted:

Just some ideas for you.

Yeah... thanks.

The reason I asked was 2 to 3 hour blocks of "strength and conditioning" is an awfully long time to spend for someone trying to improve athletic performance.

I would suggest that you focus your work outs and get everything done in a hour, hour and half absolutely max. Not only will you have more time to focus on MMA training, but your hormonal levels start to drop off after about forty-five minutes so you aren't getting the best out of your gym time.

Get out of the mind set of training muscle groups and more to training movement patterns. That will save you tons of time, and again will be more effective for performance enhancement. Also ditch the bosu stuff unless you are training for fighting on a boat. It isn't going to help your balance for anything but piracy.

# ? Oct 15, 2011 06:37

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# ? Jun 4, 2024 08:32

TravellinDan: Feb 20, 2006; Wa...ter?

Thoguh posted:

Do you guys wear headgear?

Yep, mouth gaurds as well.

# ? Oct 15, 2011 06:59

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