Things BJJ'ers don't like about BJJ

This is not intended to start a flame war or anything but it is a subject I want to hear about from BJJ practioners (past or present). What do you dislike about in in general?

I have found that there is no shortage of people to wax lyrical about how amazing BJJ is but it is hard to find sensible discussion about what people don't like about the art. I will start:

1) Expense: BJJ clubs can charge a premium rate for classes (and they generally do) because it is rare in some places and/or there is a big demand for it. Even compared to TMA, the costs of doing BJJ where I live are sky high and is easily, all things considered, the most expensive MA in my neck of the woods.

2) Hygiene: some places I trained in I refuse to take my sports socks off. The mats get cleaned once a month. Some guys sweat drops in your mouth. You get a guys foot near your face and notice he has a fungal infection....

I have a few more but feel free to chime in with more or to offer reasonable rebuttals

 

The farting.

 

"Who's wearing the best rash guard" competitions.

 

All that hugging.

 

Butt scooting

 

Shut your mouth I live for the butt scoot.

 

Sometimes I don't like how technical it can get. Body positioning and "invisible juijitsu".

 

Ryon, and Rener Gracie.

 

1) The "jiu jitsu lifestyle" and Gracie diet. The BJJ crowd may be excellent at choking people and breaking limbs, but health and nutritional scientists they are not.

2) This probably doesn't apply to every BJJ school, but mine (Gracie Barra) treads just a little close to the cult-ish side at times. My Facebook feed is full of "GB4Life" posts and the like, which puts me off a little. An academy earns my respect through quality teaching and a constructive atmosphere, not slogans and pledges of loyalty.

3) Running the gauntlet/belt whipping after promotions. We don't do it at our school, but I am appalled when I see videos of it going on at other academies. It's a deal breaker for me, and I'd never train at a school that hazes its members, regardless of the instructor/lineage.

 

Yeah the Gracie diet is ridiculous. The gauntlet doesent bother me ,IMO it's all in good fun.

 

1. My wife wins every argument at home with a RNC.

2. My wife (tries to) secretly practice standing arm triangles every time we hug.

3. Wannabes who post endless selfies doing the "hang loose" gesture in their new gi.

 

How most practitioners are living off the reputation of Royce and Rickson.

 

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-dragging-bottom

 

laying down and letting some huge guy choke you out as a 'demonstration' lol

 

Basically this whole thing:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBYmZsUjSFE"]RALEK GRACIE -GINAGI- (G-IN-A-GI) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO (HD) - YouTube[/ame]

 

A lot of great stuff that I agree with but this caught my eye. What is up with it??!

I have noticed this too. I found it really disturbing.

At a seminar with a world famous black belt associated with Gracie Barra*, the class was told that they would now have to pay 50% more and they had to pay monthly instead of pay as you go. He told the class they were doing it for their own good. I looked around expecting everyone else to be as equally astonished and bemused as I was but instead it was as though Christmas had come early. Most of the guys in the class genuinely looked happy or excited. I was expecting them to burst in to "the leader is good the leader is great" chant.

Also equally disturbed by the whole "OMG BJJ has changed my whole life I luv u guys u guys are my brothers 4eva I wud leave my wife for BJJ" blah blah blah. I have witnessed on several occasions people putting BJJ ahead of their families. Bringing small kids to sit beside adult classes where grown men were being crass and swearing while daddy rolled. The kids genuinely looked terrified. Never went back to that place.

*although this behaviour is not just In Gracie Barra clubs, heard of it in other BJJ clubs too.

 

I don't like cultishness in general
i hate the "lifestyle" because i know people who sell the lifestyle and know its crap

i also hate the brazilians at competitions - they are rude and aggressive to the refs.

the fees are horrible

also (just like crossfit) BJJ sells itself on the ability to make anyone "elite" ("jiu jitsu doesnt need strength or speed or anything, just skill and hard work") which it can't. some people just suck naturally at certain things regardless. if they didnt then anyone could be a high level athlete in anything.

 

i made a thread not long ago showing that the gracies only ever pushed the marketing for BJJ. the brazilian judo scene was/is super strong (especially in groundwork), with maeda and satake opening schools on their return.

the gracie god worship in BJJ is funny because we ignore all the other BJJ lineages and judo guys.

i appreciate the gracies more for bringing MMA to the state that it is.

Just saying

 

I'd say the groundwork is stronger because of the Gracie's pushing it and emphasising ground work. Perhaps we'd still be in the 80's in terms of martial arts? Or perhaps we'd all be espousing the "Fadda lifestyle".