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I went along to a class at a self defence style gym after over a year off. I have been training on and off for years, but I am what you would call a life time white belt. I don't want to compete and I don't care about being graded.

Does anyone have any experience with the gracie combatives curriculum and quality of bjj practitioners it produces?

I went to a class today and I am not sure how I feel about it. The teaching was good and the techniques were sound, but the whole card and ticking off techniques and having to do reflex classes weirds me out.

While I liked the class structure (1 stand up technique, 1 ground minimum) and the way it was taught,
I just can't get over being taught by a blue belt while a black belt just leaves to go home. I can pay the same and go to another club and learn from black belts who roll with everyone and show their skills, but I have no interest in competing so their style doesn't mesh with me. I don't want to learn berimbolos, I want to learn to pass the guard and finish from the top or sweep to get up and escape. I also want to be aware of strikes with the techniques I learn and gracie combatives was great for that.

I was hoping someone had some experience and maybe it was worth just sticking it out as the classes are at a good time for me and I can get a 10 class pass and train as little and as much as I want.

I'm just a BJJ white belt too, so take this with a grain of salt. I learn a lot from the blue and purple belts in my classes. I think the only question (unless somebody on here knows something in particular about the school you are dealing with) is whether you are getting to be a better practitioner by going to these classes. Give it a try for a couple months, and if you feel like your game is improving in the way you want it to, then it's a good thing.

J-Madd wrote:I'm just a BJJ white belt too, so take this with a grain of salt. I learn a lot from the blue and purple belts in my classes. I think the only question (unless somebody on here knows something in particular about the school you are dealing with) is whether you are getting to be a better practitioner by going to these classes. Give it a try for a couple months, and if you feel like your game is improving in the way you want it to, then it's a good thing.

The place is a self defence orientated gym and I felt like something different. They give LE a discount and have that morning session which is great.
The instructor was good, but after being exposed to black belts on the mat it just feels weird. I reckon I will give it a bit because it fits with my schedule, but I don't know enough about the Gracie combatives program to know if it's worth it. At the worst I will probably unlearn some bad habits.

I might also give the other stand up classes a go before I decide.