1/5 Angela 4 months ago on Google • 1 review
They
only
allowed
live
training
as
an
optional
activity
after
class.
The
result
of
this
policy
was
that
most
students
did
not
roll,
since
they
were
already
tired
from
the
exercise
class.
They
did
not
want
to
participate
in
any
optional
training.
Of
the
people
who
opted
to
roll,
they
would
only
roll
with
a
minimal
number
of
opponents,
since
they
also
were
tired
from
the
exercise
class.
And
because
it
was
already
late
into
the
night
and
they
had
to
leave.
This
policy
effectively
minimized
the
variety
of
sparring
partners
(and
sparring
experience)
that
any
given
student
could
get.
Furthermore,
the
teachers
generally
refused
to
roll
with
the
students
during
the
live
training
session.
Instead
of
sparring
with
students,
the
teachers
would
prepare
for
their
next
MMA
fight
in
the
boxing
ring
-
while
the
students
were
rolling
(what
few
students
would
roll).
Teachers
would
not
roll
with
students
or
coach
students
who
were
rolling.
This
general
policy
-
of
cutting
into
live
training
-
also
took
place
on
another
night
when
school
representatives
were
competing
in
an
MMA
event.
During
that
night
an
employee
of
the
school
announced
that
there
would
only
be
"open
mat"
(implying
that
there
wouldn't
be
any
class).
Then
during
the
so-called
"open
mat",
he
ordered
everyone
to
do
breakfalls
down
the
mat
and
then
run
up
the
mat
on
the
return.
Only
after
this
activity
was
complete
would
he
"allow"
anyone
to
start
training
live.
By
ordering
students
to
do
a
drill
and
an
exercise
during
a
timeslot
designated
as
"open
mat",
this
4-stripe
blue
belt
employee
was
taking
upon
himself
to
redefine
the
term,
"open
mat".
This
improper
behavior
was
congruent
with
the
general
policy
of
cutting
away
from
live
training
in
order
to
have
more
group
fitness.
Live
training
is
the
most
crucial
aspect
of
the
BJJ
curriculum.
There
is
no
substitute
for
it.
By
eliminating
the
rolling
from
class
in
order
to
spend
more
time
on
conditioning,
they
were
essentially
using
exercise
as
a
substitute
for
live
training.
This
is
the
most
common
way
that
Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu
gets
watered
down.
It
is
also
disrespectful
to
the
student's
time,
which
is
not
being
put
to
good
use.
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