Post by eriksd on Apr 9, 2018 6:34:57 GMT -8
Thanks for the advice on training under a purple. I appreciate your input. To build on that question, this week I decided to try another gym for a few reasons. For one, I felt it was important to see what other gyms are like, what other instructors are like and what other students are like. There's definitely a difference. I also wanted to see how this gym fit and felt compared to where I currently train. But my main motivation was the schedule of classes offered so I could train more regularly.
Here is a brief background, I began training at my brother's gym with my son so he could train with his cousins (my brother no longer rolls). That gym is about 10-15 mins from my house. They offered classes in the mid-AM and evening. I would go with my son, he'd train from 5-6 and I'd train 7-8 getting us home around 830 for a brief dinner and bedtime. My son would hang out with his cousins or other kids while I trained. The coach there is a great guy and the students are awesome too. It sounds great on paper, but I also work in the evening twice a week. As such, to train twice a week or more, I am out every evening. This put incredible strain on my marriage and our family time... but I have the BJJ bug. Big time...
So, after my wife basically said, 'every night is not going to work for us' (and she was very, very right), I began to look at other gyms with early AM classes. I teach high school so I needed a class that was like 5-530 to start. This would give me enough time to get ready and into work before 715. There is a gym right by my house, 3 mins away, descending from Pedro Sauer. They offer a trial, so I decided to try the first week (its free). Upon arrival, I met the manager and coach. Turns out he's a guy I graduated high school with. Super cool guy and brown belt (they have 5 black belts instructing). The class started at 6, but I learned that they have guys getting there to roll at 515. Perfect. The class itself was fantastic. While the gym I train at now is more of an immersion pedagogical method, this gym has a more structured curriculum. Each week they focus on one specific technique and drill it focusing on details. They end with a roll. Today we worked on the Americana from mount (where last week they had worked on achieving mount). What was different was how the teaching progressed. It was very methodical and emphasized details and bilateral capability. We started with a basic figure four and moved to specific details, which I really liked. The instruction was slower and deliberate, building the details into the final movements. Everyone there was pretty cool. And Rich, the coach, rolled with me at the end. So the obvious conclusion is, switch gyms, right?? But my problem is that I have developed a solid relationship with the gym I currently go to. My son trains with his cousins there (which I really want him to do) and when money became a set back, the coach worked with me to keep my son and I enrolled. In other words, he's taken good care of us... but with only training once a week, I don't feel like I really progress. I have to reset and re-learn every time I go. And I the basic curriculum is a better method for me to learn than immersion.
So the issue becomes this: Is it bad etiquette to switch? On one hand the gym I joined has taken really, really good care of us and got me started, helping us out when we needed it to keep us on the mat. On the other the gym by my house fits my learning style, fits my schedule and will allow me to train at least 3 days a week with minimal to no impact on family. I'm really torn because I like the idea of training early and training more often. I am a morning person through and through and usually gassed at night so I get more out of training in the AM. And I want to progress more steadily. They also have classes for kids if my son wants to continue. What is the best thing to do here?
I know that was a long post. Thanks for your feedback.
Here is a brief background, I began training at my brother's gym with my son so he could train with his cousins (my brother no longer rolls). That gym is about 10-15 mins from my house. They offered classes in the mid-AM and evening. I would go with my son, he'd train from 5-6 and I'd train 7-8 getting us home around 830 for a brief dinner and bedtime. My son would hang out with his cousins or other kids while I trained. The coach there is a great guy and the students are awesome too. It sounds great on paper, but I also work in the evening twice a week. As such, to train twice a week or more, I am out every evening. This put incredible strain on my marriage and our family time... but I have the BJJ bug. Big time...
So, after my wife basically said, 'every night is not going to work for us' (and she was very, very right), I began to look at other gyms with early AM classes. I teach high school so I needed a class that was like 5-530 to start. This would give me enough time to get ready and into work before 715. There is a gym right by my house, 3 mins away, descending from Pedro Sauer. They offer a trial, so I decided to try the first week (its free). Upon arrival, I met the manager and coach. Turns out he's a guy I graduated high school with. Super cool guy and brown belt (they have 5 black belts instructing). The class started at 6, but I learned that they have guys getting there to roll at 515. Perfect. The class itself was fantastic. While the gym I train at now is more of an immersion pedagogical method, this gym has a more structured curriculum. Each week they focus on one specific technique and drill it focusing on details. They end with a roll. Today we worked on the Americana from mount (where last week they had worked on achieving mount). What was different was how the teaching progressed. It was very methodical and emphasized details and bilateral capability. We started with a basic figure four and moved to specific details, which I really liked. The instruction was slower and deliberate, building the details into the final movements. Everyone there was pretty cool. And Rich, the coach, rolled with me at the end. So the obvious conclusion is, switch gyms, right?? But my problem is that I have developed a solid relationship with the gym I currently go to. My son trains with his cousins there (which I really want him to do) and when money became a set back, the coach worked with me to keep my son and I enrolled. In other words, he's taken good care of us... but with only training once a week, I don't feel like I really progress. I have to reset and re-learn every time I go. And I the basic curriculum is a better method for me to learn than immersion.
So the issue becomes this: Is it bad etiquette to switch? On one hand the gym I joined has taken really, really good care of us and got me started, helping us out when we needed it to keep us on the mat. On the other the gym by my house fits my learning style, fits my schedule and will allow me to train at least 3 days a week with minimal to no impact on family. I'm really torn because I like the idea of training early and training more often. I am a morning person through and through and usually gassed at night so I get more out of training in the AM. And I want to progress more steadily. They also have classes for kids if my son wants to continue. What is the best thing to do here?
I know that was a long post. Thanks for your feedback.
