There's a handful of us. The last thread on the subject:

https://texags.com/forums/48/topics/2737652

cool, thanks

Where are you training?

Anyone have any gym recs in Spring/Woodlands area?

Looking for somewhere to roll no-gi.

Garica Barra, Brazilian Top Team, and Marven are the ones I was checking out online.

chipotle said:

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Where are you training?

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Brazil 021

Always great to see new folks picking up BJJ. Really fun sport and great camaraderie as well. Lots of good schools and tournaments in Houston as well to suit all types of training goals. I've been training since 2008 at Gracie Barra (Webster) and am a brown belt, and even though I'm quite a bit older than most folks, it's still fun (and I have a few old man techniques to help).

aggie 1906, you said you're looking for no-gi - do you already train somewhere up there and are just looking to add no-gi into training or are you looking for a new school altogether? Just curious.

Sweep4-2 said:

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aggie 1906, you said you're looking for no-gi - do you already train somewhere up there and are just looking to add no-gi into training or are you looking for a new school altogether? Just curious.

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Did no gi in college and for about a year after at McCall in Humble. I added a few daughters to the family and moved and have been out of the game for a while. While checking out the websites I noticed McCall in some of the pics for BTT so I'm trying to pop in next week for a trial. I have nothing but great things to say about Darren McCall. Anyone in humble/atoscoita interested should try it out.

Good deal, always good to see folks getting back into BJJ and sub grappling. Hope the trial lessons go good this week and you get back on the mats.

I've always heard good things about Mccall. And a buddy of mine is a black belt under McCall and trains at BTT in Humble. I did train at an affiliate gym of McCall's a couple years ago and they were really nice folks (and tough).

The GB Champions location off 249 may be a spot to check out too. My guess is they probably only do nogi once or twice a week though (most GB schools focus primarily on gi).

Welcome to the BJJ brotherhood! I'm currently a 2 stripe blue belt training in Houston.

Blue belt is a fun belt. Still getting skilled up but starting to develop style/game. Whereabout in Houston do you train?

Sweep4-2 said:

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Blue belt is a fun belt. Still getting skilled up but starting to develop style/game. Whereabout in Houston do you train?

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Elite MMA... Are you also in Houston?

My 8 months at Blue have been a pretty wild ride... there have been plenty of times where I felt like a super hero and times where I've been reminded of just how much I have to learn. Loving this BJJ journey.

That's cool, Elite is a good school with tough training from what I've heard.

Yeah, I'm in Houston too. I've been at Gracie Barra since 2008, and currently train at the Gracie Barra Pearland location (currently a four-stripe Brown belt).

Totally know what you mean about enjoying the training and the lifestyle. I started BJJ as a sport, but it soon became a lifestyle. Never really planned to stick with it this long, but it's just too much fun to stop.

How long did it take to get your brown? I never did belt training when I trained.

I'm really not interested in "belting up" or anything, but I am curious how the belt system works. Seems very informal.

It can be pretty informal depending on the gym. For bjj it goes white, blue, purple, brown then black. There are more levels after black but unless you started young and are super committed then you shouldn't worry about them. Really you shouldn't be concerned at all about the belt system.

At our gym there was a list of qualifications (drills, throws, positions, etc) that was used for a blue belt test. Process was typically around 18-24 months. Each belt after was really between the instructor and student.

Just enjoy yourself and your instructor will promote accordingly. Hopefully those promotions will fall in line to a level you will compete in for tournaments.

How do most tourneys work??

The few I did in college were great. 5 min time limit. It was either someone gets a sub or it was a draw.

The one I did after college in Houston was point based. I didn't know the scoring but apparently pulling guard didn't do me any favors.

Aggie1906 - I started training (under Vinicius 'Draculino' Magalhaes at GBTX) in early 2008 and receIved my brown belt from him in Dec 2015. During that time I probably averaged 3-4 classes per week (with a heavy dose of live training). But I've had a couple short breaks in training, mostly for unrelated injuries (and surgeries). But since receiving my brown belt I've stepped up the training to at least 4 days a week on a regular basis.

For anyone here who is just staring out....totally agree with what chipotle mentioned though earlier, the belt system is informal and the real key to enjoying BJJ is to not worry about the belt and just to have fun learning and rolling. And to just keep showing up and working what the instructor shows/drills.

aggie1906 said:

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How do most tourneys work??

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Depends on the organization. There are several now: NAGA, IBJJF, Fight to Win, etc.

Most are single elimination time limit submission and will go to points when time runs out.

And unfortunately guard pulling or 50/50 is still the standard.

Yeah, it is unfortunate that there's so much guard pulling (and I shudder just reading the words 50/50).

Have you seen some of the new rules that Eddie Bravo is trying to put in? Curious to see how those play out.

Successfully got my ass kicked some more this morning

That's the spirit! Some days you're the hammer and others you're the nail (but in the beginning there's a lot of being the nail). But it's all good (and winning or losing its fun!).

Sweep4-2 said:

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Have you seen some of the new rules that Eddie Bravo is trying to put in? Curious to see how those play out.

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That's definitely more for upper UPPER level ebi tourneys. But I like the whole college football overtime aspect of it.

Yep, it makes it more exciting with a more conclusive outcome.

I skimmed thru the previous BJJ thread (from last year) and saw that you were training in Austin at the time of the thread. Are you still training in the Austin area? I was on the fence about competing in the Austin Open, but decided not too (full disclosure is that I'm not much of a competitor and at my age/belt there's relatively few folks).

I looked at doing the first Austin Open but just like you the pool is small (I'd be in purple masters 2). It's unfortunate the higher belt you are and....ugh...older...the competitor count shrinks. Also hard to stomach $120 bucks for an entry fee.

how old are you guys, and at what age did you start training? I'm feeling my age a bit starting a completely new sport like this at 36, but, at least at my gym, that doesn't seem to be at all uncommon

I started at 20 and did it casually for a few years off and on. Now I'm trying to get back into it at just before my 30th bday. Just make sure you listen to your body and take care of yourself. I used to always just power through things, but a decade later I can't do that anymore.

I'm 46 now and started training at 36. It's common to see folks starting BJJ well into their 30's, 40's and even 50's and becoming very good grapplers.

Just have to listen to the body re training frequency and 'speed'.

I'll say this. My mom started kickboxing as well as few other aspects of mma in her 50s. As long as you're able, there isn't too old of an age to start.

Presley OBannons Sword said:

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how old are you guys, and at what age did you start training? I'm feeling my age a bit starting a completely new sport like this at 36, but, at least at my gym, that doesn't seem to be at all uncommon

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I started MMA (boxing, bjj, judo, muy thai, not the octogon) when I was 30-31. After a few years of that I just went with bjj and judo.

We get plenty of 40+ coming through the gym. Even a few stick with it. Never to late.

I am feeling last night's training session. A lot of kind of feels like riding a bike. It just comes back, but I've forgotten a lot of technique so I was powering through way too much for my liking.