[pedronrf]

Ok, I had a small milestone today, first time back on the mat since the 10th of March when I ruptured my achilles tendon, but without any rolling, standing drills or exercises that might strain the tendon again, so it's not a comeback yet.

Anyway our instructor had us doing arm triangles for a bit and I just couldn't get them to work. The only time my partner said I came close I was using so much of my strength and making such an effort I just couldn't keep the pressure long enough. And yes I am obviously out of shape but I felt the same kind of problems before and I may be just weak but I think that's not the real problem.

I use this as a concrete example of the kind of learning difficulties I have in BJJ, most people seem to get things right that I struggle with for a long time before I actually learn how to do them.

Up until now I haven't worried much about it and just tried to learn at my own pace but now I'm supposed to be a blue belt and I think I have to take more of an active stance in my education in BJJ, it's not like anyone's expecting much from me, but I do have to try an honor my instructor's choice.

My question is do you guys, particularly the one's who teach, think there's a strategy for overcoming these difficulties?

My instructor's approach is sort of very laid back, instead of insisting on one technique until you get it right he prefers to keep teaching different things, periodically coming back to revisit the same techniques and sort of learning by slow osmosis. Now I respect his knowledge of BJJ and how to teach but I do feel it's not the best route for me, I'm thinking of talking to me and asking do to something 50%-50% like this: choose a technique that I can't do, drill it insistently until I can half the time instead of drilling what everyone else is drilling, the other half trying to do the same stuff as everybody. What do you think, is it a good idea?

The reason I'm in insisting in more repetitions is that up to now that's what I feel has worked for me, that's how I learned the back roll and forward roll, repetitions over several months until I finally started doing them.

So if you have any suggestions I'd appreciate them.

Thanks.

[SavageKitsune]

I am a very slow learner, and a couple of things that have helped me:

As soon as I get home from class, I write down what we did- including all the details of the Technique(s) of the Day. Note what worked and what didn't work.

Take a few minutes before or after class to grab somebody and ask, "Hey, would you mind whipping out a few reps of _____ with me?" Drill yesterday's technique, or something else that you've been working on. Then make sure you ask the other guy what s/he'd like to do, and let hir get some reps in. Even five minutes before each class can make a difference.

Pick an upper belt, or someone else who appears to know hir way around what you're working on, and ask hir if s/he would mind spending a few minutes before class or during open mat going over it with you and fine-tuning your technique. When something is just not seeming to work, I really need someone to help me figure out *WHY*, rather than just beating my head against a wall. Many classmates are nice about helping if you ask- make sure to thank them sincerely. Have a few different people to go to so that you're not driving one person nuts with all your questions.

Do the techniques on one side only until you have it solid. One of my profs is really insistant that we do everything on both sides, alternating reps, and I can see that.... but if I can't do it correctly on my *good* side, trying to fumble through every other rep on my stupid side is a waste of my time. Often, it'll be the fourth class on that particular technique before I start working the stupid side.

That said, *do* attempt the stupid side when you're ready- surprisingly, sometimes your stupid side turns out to be your better side for certain things.

Try to get a good drilling partner for class. The Ideal Drilling Partner will give you feedback- in the form of, "Your left hand feels a little too low to get that choke really tight" or "OOoo, that last rep where you turned your foot out more really messed with my balance and made it harder for me to fight the sweep". You do the same for your partner. Note that this is not necessarily instruction- it's feedback. Neither of you are the teacher, but even a first-day white belt can answer "Does it feel tighter when I turn this way or that way?"

I used to feel like I had to master the Technique(s) Of the Day as they came, and if I didn't, I was a failure. Well, if I go to class four days a week, that's going to be 9-12 techniques, and that is just too much for my little brain to absorb within seven days, so I learned to put less pressure on myself. All those techniques are going to come around in the curriculum again. And again. And again. They ain't going anywhere, and neither am I. Often, it'll be the third or 4th time I see a certain technique in class that it finally clicks. By that time, I've seen it enough that I can get all the niggly details- and every time I see it again, I pick up new details that I missed before.

[kurtsayin]

Drill after class! Grab a buddy and go at it. Rep things out until they feel natural. Usually for me, that is transitions from side control or sweeps from various guards.

[Ybot]

[Girafa]

Drill what you can do already. No point in drilling something you can't execute. For the things you don't know fine the right time and right person to ask.

[buhriyon]

I have the same problem except my mind will sometimes zone out when a move is being shown, this has happened to me all my life and it takes enormous effort to watch and listen for a few minutes to an explanation of a move, than when I try it due to the lack of attention I usually require more repetitions than everyone else.