The Jiu-Jitsu Times reposted an article from the archives about the least favorite aspects of BJJ in the author’s view.
There were a ton of responses from you, the readers, on Facebook. First off, we’d like to thank you for this because we love hearing from our readers!
Now, onto the comments. Here is what bugs our readers the most about jiu-jitsu.
Warm-ups
While warm-ups are a regular and necessary part of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, many of you were not fans of long, intense warm-ups. After all, you’re paying to learn BJJ, not aerobics or CrossFit.
The warmups and drills I get, you’re strengthening all the difficult to stimulate muscles in your hips, ankles, and back that directly correlate to the sport, as well as getting your blood going, joints lubricated and muscles loosened up. But the squats, pushups, running, sprints, and all the things you can do without a mat, just seem like a way to make you keep showing up to class and pay a fee. I get it, the lights, building, insurance and payrolls aren’t free, but most BJJ gyms cost upward of $100/month.
I don’t pay for a cross fit workout, I pay for quality instruction and mat time.
-Quinton
When the warm ups become aerobics. Look I get warming up, but warming up for me is light and stretching to avoid injurues. Then getting to technique, I’m not spending 15-20 minutes doing aerobics THEN stretching. Just asinine.
-Jesse
When the warm up is treated like a work out. I already go to the gym. I’m paying for BJJ training, not 20 minutes of basic training flashbacks.
-Michael
Calisthenic warmups. I can do pushups on my own time, I don’t need you to help me count half rep shitty calisthenics. Make the warmups relevant to the day’s techniques or at least relevant to jiu-jitsu in general.
-Alex
30 min. Aerobic warmups unless it’s done with 80’s style leotard and workout clothing than it’s ok ??
– Robby
“People who complain about warmups and are out of shape.”
– Damian
People who complain about the warm-ups
Other readers of our weren’t so bothered by the warm-ups. In fact, what irritated these practitioners were the people who complained about the warm-ups.
“People who complain about warmups and are out of shape.”
– Damian
I dislike those lazy guys who refuse to complete the warm up drills, those guys with stinky feet full of fungus touching the mat, those super-ego guys who think they are UFC fighters lol, and those training sessions with many students (I prefer small group sessions, otherwise is difficult to learn).
– Jose
Poor hygiene
No one likes training with a smelly partner. Training partners who didn’t wash their clothing or bathe before class do not rank highly in terms of popularity — especially during drilling and rolling.
“That one guy who smells like a bag of onions s**t a bag of garlic and it hurts your eyes and spirits.”
– Michael
“That one guy in NoGi that sweats too much that it becomes half BJJ half slip and slide… but seriously warm ups that are not related to the technique being taught that day”
– Richard
“The person that doesn’t bath before class. The one that shows up wearing a smelly Gi, and that goes for rash guards as well.”
– Jason
Others
There were also a wide variety of other complaints.
“Too many techniques in one session. I’m too old and too tired at the end if the day. I like a light warm up, drill some basics, Do a couple of techniques, drill those and then at least 20-25 minutes to roll.”
Anthony
“People who think that it’s a Shaolin Temple and you’re not allowed to have a life outside of it…”
Kyle
“When I “burn out” because I don’t know how to pace myself yet when I roll.”
Sereen
“Peopel who train sick”
Keith
“Lack of practical self defense or street survival concepts”
– Omer
And the best answer?
“When it’s over and I have to leave ): “
– Peygan
