Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tapes

[Jas]

How good could someone be in Bjj if the only training they get is off the Gracie series of video's, could someone get good enough to compete in tournaments just from video tapes?

[Mike S]

How good could someone be in Bjj if the only training they get is off the Gracie series of video's, could someone get good enough to compete in tournaments just from video tapes?

I've actually tape the pro vs. con debate over tapes on many of the other forums, so I'll say the same thing here.

My thoughts on tapes and if you can learn from them. IMO, they are best used as a referrence point. In other words, if you already have a very good understanding of the art that you are in. For example, I train in BJJ. I have a few BJJ tapes, but I do not use them to solely learn from, due to the fact that I have a few people that I train under in BJJ. Do I use them to get ideas from? Absolutely! I'll take a move, and work it with my partner. The one thing that the tape will not give you is the fine points of the moves.

As for competing??? I would have to say no. Keep in mind....chances are very good that the people entering those events have a strong background already. You're gonna get your best training from actual rolling, not from sitting IFO the tv and watching a tape. Its one thing to apply that move when your partner is not giving resistance, but once they pick up speed, its going to be much harder.

Sorry for the long rant. Again, these are just my opinions. I do not want to speak for anyone else.

Hope that this was a help to you.

Mike Slosek

[Andrew Green]

How good could someone be in Bjj if the only training they get is off the Gracie series of video's, could someone get good enough to compete in tournaments just from video tapes?

You need to spend a lot of time sparring. Prefferably a good chunk of it with people better then you.

It is possible, just gonna take a lot of time (and practice WITH live opponents) and you are at a big disadvantage to those that have coaches and training partners that are better then them.

[hebrew hammer]

tapes can't help you if you have no one better than you to see your mistakes. if you just train from tapes you may be doing something wrong and not know . so you will repeat that same mistake over and over again and not understand why you're not getting the tecnique . tapes also don't give you all the detales that you need for the drill and i have see some tapes that teach things wrong (for a fact) i don't know if it was on purpos or not.
find a good school and a good teacher
ido pariente

[Charles Choi]

BJJ has many techniques, but more importantly, it's the transitions and positions that make BJJ what it is.

Techniques (eg armlocks) you can learn from videos if you are experienced enough, but sparring is what gives you what a teacher and what a video cannot: experience in dynamic positioning and more importantly transitions in between positions (ie setups and control).

It all comes down to the element of control. Control cannot be taught, cannot and cannot be obtained from videos, but is only learned by the individual through sparring.

The reason why you don't get that many BJJ players discussing techniques online is because they recognise how difficult it is to relay. It's something they know and have experienced and have therefore learned. Besides, they're too busy training!

To quote a story regarding Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo:

The following incident took place shortly after Kano became a student of the jujutsu master Hachinosuke Fukuda (Yoshinryu) whom he found after a zealous search for a good master. Fukuda threw Kano by means of a certain Waza (judo technique). After promptly picking himself up, Kano asked his master "how did you do it?" Thereupon, Fukuda said "come here", and then threw him down again. Kano undaunted by this treatment persistently asked "what are the positions and movements of the hands and feet?" Thereupon, Fukuda again replied by saying "come here again", and then threw him down once more. Whereupon, Kano repeated the same question for the third time. To this the master replied "there is no use asking such a question, you will not understand my explanation anyway, but the important thing is to try again, and again, and again, then you will be able to do it, so come here once more". Kano's persistence in asking the same question so many times is amazing, but the answer of the master is also perplexing. However, from this Kano realized that "training must be learned by the body". This is of great importance. http://www.judoinfo.com/kano7.htm

My 2 cents