The dojo storming thread got me thinking about the popularity of BJJ. The point was made several times and seemed to be largely accepted that BJJ is largely effective as a self defense MA because so few people know how to do it. Another point brought up in defense of other MAs is that the likelihood of encountering someone with bad intentions who has studied BJJ is unlikely. I'm wondering whether this is true. It seems like BJJ is exploding in popularity. What do you guys think? I mean, I'm at the point where I'd be surprised if the person I'm fighting with doesn't have at least some BJJ training. Also, is there any sense of attrition? How many of the white belts quit? What about those guys who make it to blue? How many quit after they get their blue belt? My wife and I are planning to retire from our current jobs in about 10 years. I'll be 46 or so. I don't plan to be sedentary, though, and it's occurred to me that running a BJJ school with my wife would be a fun way to stay active and involved. Now, long term goals aside, this has led me to consider the popularity of the art as self defense and as a sport. There are TONS of schools now, and more all the time. As MMA gains in popularity, and as guys learn other self defense systems that incorporate BJJ (such as Modern Army Combatives), there are more and more people out there with BJJ experience. So, 10 years from now, even if I do manage to earn a black belt (no small feat), how difficult would it be to make a living?
There seem to be more people talking about it than training unfortunately. I do see it growing though, particularly as clubs adapt training and motivation techniques from TMAs.
Alot of guys that come in don't come back. I think people watch some UFCs and think it's easy. BJJ is a tough art. I've seen people throw up during the warm-ups. I think also pride causes some people to quit. If you see a guy come in with a chip on his shoulder and a female purple belt or a 150lb white belt dominates them, they usually don't come back either. I've noticed the ones who tend to stay are usually the ones who ask questions and don't get all ****ed off when they get tapped out. But it is getting more popular, I have noticed that.
You guys are right. I also see myself looking around at different schools with different emphasis. I love where I train. People there are universally cool. While everyone takes pride in what they're doing, there is a genuine desire to see everyone in our school do well, make progress and help them improve. I love that. I wonder, though. Am I the only one that figures if I'm going to get into a fight, the odds the other guy will have some BJJ training are pretty good? It seems like everyone and their brother is training in BJJ now.
I know MMA and BJJ are becoming more popular but I don't think you're likely to get started on by another martial artist full stop, let alone someone who's done BJJ. The only really common (in comparison to karate, TKD etc) live grappling style in England is judo and even then I'd hardly be worried that my attacker had studied it, especially not for any great length of time. Obviously I don't live in the USA but I hear a lot of people there have done college/high school wrestling (which does at least teach basic positional skills) so perhaps groundfighting might be seen as more important over there, but in England if you do BJJ you do it to have an advantage or to be well rounded in case you end up on the ground, not because you're worried about Royce Gracie jumping you. Also although I agree that some groundfighting skill is important (though not automatically crucial) for all-round self defence I think submissions are far more technical than most people will understand. Even in MMA it's only the real experts who use complicated submissions; pure sub grappling comps are generally far more technical.
I think that there are a few things to take into consideration here. First, there are 20 outspoken nutriders for every BJJ or MMA practitioner. Second, while not many people know BJJ, or any other discipline, MMA is going to shape the realities of self defense in the future. People may not know how to work the guard, or pull a triangle, but that won't stop them from trying it on you when they have nothing else. People may not know how to work the plum clinch, but that wont stop them from grabbing you by the back of the neck and trying to knee you in the face. People emulate what they see, and what people are seeing these days is MMA, because it's popular, and because it's "badass." But on the original subject, I think BJJ is pretty popular. It could even rival TKD in 5-10 years.
Keep in mind, the vast majority of people in the world do not practice martial arts. Among people who practice martial arts, many more practice striking martial arts than ground grappling martial arts like BJJ and Sambo. From what I've seen, the type of people who start fights with strangers, ironically, tend to look down on martial arts. The only real exception I can think of is the previously mentioned popularity of folkstyle wrestling in the USA. That said, I feel like a little bit of BJJ can reasonably defend oneself against a whole lot of wrestling. Just being able to fall properly and hold someone down in guard until the fight is broken up seems like it would take away the biggest dangers of fighting someone with a pure wrestling background.
It's SO annoying when he does that. Especially when he brings his brothers along. Rorion won't shut up as he films the attack. "And now my brother Royce is fighting an unsuspecting opponent. The unsuspecting opponent has over 20 years of experience being unsuspecting, but all of that goes out the window as soon as a Gracie Jiu Jitsu practicioner attacks him from behind."
I know . . . especially when he hides outside of the bathroom. You walk out, and next thing you know . . . . FLYING OMAPLATA!!!!!! And then you end up lying on the ground with a dislocated shoulders saying DAMN YOU ROYCE!!!! DAMN YOU AND YOUR FLYING OMAPLATA'S!!!!!
I know! He always acts surprised when I can "guess who", I just don't have the heart to tell him the accent's a dead giveaway... Peisistratos: I think a BJJ black will remain rare for a long, long time. edit: curse you Yohan! too quick for me
In the street, this is usually what happens: 1. Verbal taunting, a tee-shirt comes off 2. Two-hand shove 3. Wild swings 4. Someone on the ground getting stomped/punched The chances your attacker does MA (let alone), or can do MA if he's trained while inebriated/ enraged, is very unlikely in many experts' opinions.
Pei - I think as in most MA's, there will always be students who join for varying reasons. BJJ probably has an advantage in that there is much more consistency, competition is encouraged etc. so most people who are getting into BJJ are keen to pursue more than just 'fitness' 'fun' 'weight loss' 'self defence' (which are selling points for a lot of MA's these days). Maybe those goals will keep them at the club longer, who knows? You'll still get students who drop out or don't train consistently. The best thing you could do when you do get your BB (I know you will ) is to apply all the positive things you've learnt in your training experience in terms of school set up, creating and maintaining quality training etc.
Thanks, Lily! I don't intend to stop. I'm having too much fun. I think that even a guy as slow as me can't help but get a BB someday! But don't get me wrong. I'm not counting on anything, and while I can't lie and say I haven't thought about how much better I'll be in 3, 5 or 10 years, I'm content to do my time sucking wind and making other people look really good. I was just speculating on how the art is growing. Some of you mentioned the prevalence of wrestling in the States. I think I was one of the guys who brought that up in a different thread. A couple of points about that. First, yeah, it is much more pervasive in the States. So, if the percentages remain consistent, your chances of running into a former wrestler aren't bad. Second, I do think it takes more than a little BJJ to counter the average high school wrestler, size being a consideration, of course. A wrestler has a goofy strength, and I can tell you from experience that the former wrestlers who come into my school are still strong and their bodies remember even if they're completely out of shape. They may gas in less than 2 minutes, but they'll make you pay for 2 minutes.
Probably because you have it so you don't even think about it Wrestlers my size tend to be roughly a gajillion times stronger. Really makes me test my skills.
Ha! Could be. Hm... I think I might be getting the gist of what he means. Sort of a constant "pressure" from every position, a tension if you will?
