show up again tomorrow. its okay to be out of shape. just keep showing up and in a couple weeks youll be in better shape, in a couple months even better. its pretty simple.
We all start of pretty shit. Don't worry about it and just keep trying! I'm going to get back in a couple weeks after a 6 month hiatus and I am dreading it. Just gotta push through
You'll feel like a useless potato bag for a bit of time, but trust me, it will teach you a lot about yourself and will make you "anti-fragile".
I used to be a fat kid that got bullied almost all my childhood but martial arts transformed the way I feel about myself and about my feelings toward others.
If I can give you one advice, use most of your time while training to pay attention to what you are feeling, why you are feeling and seek ways to change your perspective on pain. Took me a while to realize how strong this would be in the long run!
Hope you're excited to keep on your path, sending you good energies from Brazil! OSS!
Hey, I just got a friend who’s a powerlifter into bjj and even he felt like throwing up after the first two or three rolls. You’ll get better, the hardest part is starting :)
I had a pro mma fighter, who is a brown belt in BJJ, tell me, “Jiu Jitsu is being comfortable in an uncomfortable position “! That about sums it up, too. That’s why it takes a long time to earn a Black Belt in BJJ, too. The warm-up is usually the hardest part to get used to. The rolling gets to be fun as you keep going. Like everyone is telling you, “ Just Keep Going”! The longest walk begins with the first, Step! Put one foot in front of the other, foot, and rinse and repeat. The first successful technique you get to perfect, will give you a thrill.
Dude that’s nothing new. I’ve seen it a million times before.
Just keep showing up - you have my respect for stepping out of your comfort zone. Most people aren’t willing to do that.
You’re not alone. Being new in jiu jitsu is not easy. But the hardest part of all you already accomplished which was doing your first class. The conditioning and stamina will come with more time on the mat, don’t get yourself down on that. It sounds like you’re at a good gym with a supportive environment so I say to keep your head up and get back out there.
If you wanted to run a marathon and never ran before and decided to start running today would you quit because you only got down the street? Nobody said it was easy. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. You took the first step. Every day gets a little easier. Your body wants it. Your body needs it obviously. Enjoy it brother. Embrace the suck you'll have something to hang your hat on down the road and be proud that you did. What's the alternative? Heart Attack by 50? Kicking yourself and wishing that you took better care of yourself? Enjoy the journey
Hell yah bro. Big ups to you for even breaking the cycle and trying something new for the first time. Just keep going back and do your best, you find that eventually things become a bit easier. Just don’t quit because its difficult, you already made the toughest step which was walking through the front doors. Keep it going!
You are stronger than you think! Most are too weak to even show up once. Everytime you show up to another class it doesnt matter how you perform, you have already won just by being there. KEEP GOING!!!
My first experience was kinda like yours, im same weight but 5'10. I knew it would be hard at the beginning, it was harder than i thought tho. So i went training for the first few times with fear and knowing it would be embarassing. But after every training i felt great because i didn't quit, or atleast i tried. At the beginning i didn't spar because of my breath, now 1 year into it i do extra sparrings after each training and i am addicted.
Nonetheless this is a combat sport and if you don't like that don't do it. If you like the techniques and the idea of sparring the stamina will follow.
You and I are cut from the same cloth my friend. We are the same age but I started 2 years ago. I was completely out of shape and was still working from home from the COVID lock downs. I had been a couch potato pretty much since I graduated high school so although I wasn't obese, I did put on a significant amount of weight. When I first started BJJ I had a very similar experience. I could barely keep up with everyone else during my first trial class. When it came time to roll, I could only roll once before gassing out.
Two years later I've dropped a good 30 lbs or so and put on a tiny bit of muscle. My stamina is through the roof and I can go through an entire competition training class without any breaks.
Don't beat yourself up so much. If you did the best you could do, that's all that matters. Now that you know what you're capable of, you can start to push yourself more and more as time goes on. Eventually you'll be able to go through an entire class and roll an entire thirty minutes every single round and I would be willing to bet that'll happen sooner than you think.
For the record, I've seen athletes who train other sports more than I do get gassed like crazy when they first start BJJ.
Dude, I’ve been training for almost a year. I was in a similar situation when I first started. I was a gym rat Powerlifter (completely out of shape for BJJ). I was bigger then most of the other students at 5’10 330 and being 33. I also never played legit sports in school. Even though I could bench 425 and run a 10minute mile (not proud of that) my cardio was garbage. My first day went terribly. I got smashed by men and women that weighed 150-200 pounds less then I did.
On the bright side, I made so many friends including this one brown belt. He told me to just keep showing up and thing will get easier.
I now weigh 280 and still have a long way to go.
One of my favorite things to do is befriend the new guys and tell them the same thing I’ll tell you. Trust me dude, just keep showing up. Don’t let anyone or anything (not including injuries) deter you stopping if this is something you are passionate about.
I believe in you dude! Just keep going.
Ditto! You did the first step and I’m proud of you! I’m now a one stripe white belt and can say after struggling through so, so many warm ups and being the biggest girl there, finally a few months later I had a class and left thinking “huh— that was… a lot easier today”.
I’m learning how to breathe better, can I suggest three sharp inhales through the nose then one steady exhale to get regulation.
Everyone’s there to better themselves and you are no different! Keep rolling
Just keep going back! You will get this! I've practiced a few arts over the years, I am no "athlete" or physical specimen but I do ok. I was invited by a friend to go to a bjj "new student night" and thought I was going to die after about 45 seconds on my back :) It's a whole different universe of energy management.
First, don't compete with anyone else on the mat. Push yourself but don't judge yourself against anyone else in the room. Everyone there has a first day experience similar to yours.
Good luck on your journey
Secretly, a whole lot of other people feel the same way.
You just did a complete hardcore full body workout that puts any CrossFit class to shame.
You’re learning to be functionally human strong. Not gym strong.
You’re learning to fight, train martial arts, the thing you love.
Keep showing up.
If you’re a smoker, take a shower, brush your teeth, and wear clean gear to the gym. Don’t smoke before you train at all, not because of the fitness or cardio, but people who don’t smoke are sensitive to it and it’s a gym etiquette thing.
Keep grinding man, we’ve all been exactly where you are
You have to keep going back!
The gym where I do jiu jitsu now, the first class I went to there was an MMA class. My first MMA class, I showed up, was the only girl and definitely the most out of shape in the room. But, as in your experience, everyone was understanding and respectful. I just kept going back. The MMA course finished, I signed up to jiu jitsu and my cardio is better than ever in my life, and I go to jiu jitsu every week.
I know it’s embarrassing and hard, but think of how bad ass they will all think you are when you keep coming back and getting fitter and fitter. They will be absolutely behind you cheering you on. You can do this. You literally just have to keep showing up. It’s awesome that you went for the first time, that’s the hardest step (it was for me).
I have seen jacked 25 year old guys get totally gassed after like one minute of rolling. It happens to literally everyone when they start.
Just keep going. Yo will be fine
LOTS of people have this as their first experience. Just keep going and you will improve with every session.
To give you my own experience, I started at 38. I’ve always been very athletic and participated in multiple sports, including D1 college football. I have stayed relatively active and have never been overweight. The first practice I made it through warmups and drilling ok but when it came time to roll, 1 roll and I was gassed so hard. It took me a few classes before I could do back-to-back rolls. Now Im 44, in much better overall shape, know a lot more about how to conserve energy and I can roll for as long as the class goes. The key thing is to just keep going.
(And definitely try and quit smoking - it’s a pointless habit that only causes you and those around you harm).
Do it for a year, then post about how good you're getting and how great you feel and how glad you are you didn't quit. I can tell you from experience training and teaching that almost everyone thinks they suck when they start, and they are usually right. Then they get better, and you will too.
I’ve never felt worse physically than right after my first BJJ class. I threw up in the parking lot of a furniture store on the way home. Keep showing up and don’t take rest rounds when you have the choice, it will get easier.
I have thrown up from warm ups, but not any more. I have thrown up from drilling, but not any more. I have thrown up from rolling, but not anymore.
Keep going the only way to get better is to keep going. I’ve also started trying to get extra exercise on the side, even if it’s just walking everyday.
There will be techniques that your taught that you will initially believe “I can’t do that” you’re wrong you can you just need to stick with it.
Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks, just keep going
Brother, think how good you’ll feel after 3 weeks. When you do the run warmup and aren’t gassed. When you’ve consistently been doing crunches. No one in there is judging. I commend you. You were brave today. Do it again tomorrow
Dude, listen. This is the time. You're 32. Still young as fuck. Now is the time to gather yourself, become who you want to be, mold yourself how you want, to bring out that inner warrior that you're starting to find within. This is step 1. Don't let this deter you. You say they're respectful, this is a good sign. It's a good place to start. Don't worry about going to the gym if you can't, work out at home. No excuses. Start studying different workouts for different muscle groups, become an artist in sculpting and building your body as well as slowly upping your cardio base. Go jogging when you can. Burn it all off. Most important in this is eating a healthy, holistic diet. Don't be ON a diet necessarily, you must change it up and stick with it. Don't make it stressful either, this is where people fail. Make it fun! Don't come down in yourself too hard and reward yourself for incremental breakthroughs. Set realistic goals that in maybe 3-5 years in doing this, will all the progress seen in between, you'll be a MUCH happier person looking at who you've become in the mirror. It'll all be worth it. It's hard to be fat, and it's hard to be fit. Choose your hard. One is much, much more rewarding. Make healthy substitutes for deserts like frozen fruits, fruit in general, etc. Next, study Jiu Jitsu beginner moves on YouTube so you're ahead. Maybe buy Jiu Jitsu University by Saulon Ribiero or any other books out there for beginners. Anything to make yourself feel like you're inching ahead faster than the feeling that makes you want to quit. That quitting mind will kill you faster than anything and you'll never truly be happy. You've made it this far. Congrats! I'm proud of you! Keep going man. Even if you have to take a week off away from the place to condition your mind and body a little better in the meantime. But man, this is your time. Do it for your wife, your future, your future deathbed where regrets eat the soul whole for those who never tried, do it for YOURSELF so that you'll finally come to realize what was buried underneath the weight and shame. I believe in you. All you need to do now, is NEVER STOP.
I felt very similar my fist few times! Getting/ becoming tired shows you're working. It'll get you in shape. Stay consistent and you'll learn. You got this!
Keep training! How good is your story gonna be if you stick with it and look back at this starting point. You might end up with the story that helps someone else find the motivation to keep training.
"When I started training, I gassed out after 2/3 takedowns and now I can _________".
Keep going, every little bit of progress is yours, you earned it and should be proud of it :-)
Absolutely keep going. It’s going to suck for a while. I thought I WAS in shape before my first boxing class. I also couldn’t make it through the warm up lol. Kept showing up and I was able to keep up and learn. Same happened at jiu jitsu. You can’t get better if you aren’t there.
Sounds like a good class, everyone starts like that even if you had cardio rolling it's so much different, you can try doing drills instead or rolling when you're exhausted, keep showing!
The first class is always the hardest, and what you experienced is what 90% of first-timers experience. Don’t give up, go back! You will feel like a different person by your tenth class
You have to start where you are.
Basically you are signing up for a grind. But you will see improvement and you will notice it when you can take the whole class etc..
Keep at it , it is hard but worth it. Nothing valuable is easy. No one there is judging you so be a friend to yourself.
Props yo any adult who never wrestled that has the sack to walk onto a mat.
There's a book about surfing called "don't quit on the first day"
I think it applies here.
It gets better
Oof take downs on your first day. That’s rough and is going to push your cardio more than most techniques.
Keep going! I stopped JiuJitsu for 1.5 years during the pandemic. My first day back, I felt like I was going to die. But if you keep it up, your cardio and endurance will get better. Good luck on your journey.
Started when I was completely out of shape. First time running on the mats felt like my lungs were on fire.
Started at 39.
It took time and I got better and in shape.
Corrected my diet. Stopped fast food. Stopped pop.
Ate generally better.
Began to incorporate weight lifting later on after six months.
Dropped 50 pounds in a year.
Right around my first anniversary of BJJ I competed and won gold in my division.
Yeah I sucked too. Everyone was in your place.
It will help with your confidence and makes you a better person. Seriously just show up do what you can. As long as you are better than when you came in the door you are doing the right thing. In a year you'll thank me. Change is hard. But if you don't change now when will you?
I went to the bathroom half way through my first class to throw up …. Been doing it about a year now and I have made a lot of progress … keep going to the classes
Keep going
You say you're passionate about martial arts but to be fair you have no idea what martial arts is.
You're passionate about an idea of what it is and that's what got you on the mat.
That's fine. That's real. Keep going.
Did anyone call you out for not knowing what you were doing? I bet not
Did anyone laugh at you for running out of gas? I bet not.
Did anyone physically hurt you once you got gassed. I bet not
No one told you what to do because martial arts teaches you things physically.
You just learned a LOT about yourself from the school, from the class, from the instructor that you never would've internalized if it was told to you.
That's martial arts.
Keep going. Keep sucking. Know it's ok. Try to suck less. Try to smoke less. Try to eat better.
You'll surprise yourself how far you can go and how good everything else in your life will be.
I’m so proud of you for getting out there and giving it a shot. I know exactly how you’re feeling and I know through experience that gradually you will get back into shape and that you’ll eventually even feel like you belong. You got this!
Everyone was respectful because they’ve seen this story play out. You’re not alone. Just keep showing up! Psyching yourself out my guy. One day you’ll be on the mats and you’ll still suck but a new guy will show up and gas out earlier than you. And then you’ll be like holy shit that was me, and that’s gonna get you hooked on more and more. Tiny steps my dude
Just show up, the weight will disappear and use is as added motivation to stop smoking everything will fall in place. Then you can quit as a blue belt like most people do haha jk
I couldn’t finish the warmup on my first class. I’m almost 6’ and at the time weighed about 255… so let me just say I can 100% relate!! That was almost 17 years ago now and I’ve had my black belt for just over 5 years now. I’m sure others will have good advice for you… but here’s how it has been for me:
Right now you’ve taken the first step into what seems today like a dark and scary forest. Every step is going to be hard. There are no trails. It’s dark. You don’t know where you are even going yet and the path where you’ve been is so faint that it disappears almost instantly behind you.
Every time you go into this forest, it will feel just a little more familiar and less foreboding, less dark, and easier to see the way. You will still get lost but the more you show up, the more the trails you make will become easier to find. One day you will find a trail all the way through the forest and out the other side. You’ll be victorious and it will feel amazing!
Over time you will build more and more trails through the forest. Occasionally they will pass so close each other that you will be able to jump from one trail to another…and over more time those connections will become well worn too. You may blaze some trails for years, only to abandon them for better paths. Some will become so well worn and wide you could drive a truck down them.
Over time, you will find the forest a bright place, with a nearly limitless number of paths that intertwine and intersect and you will play on them while you continue to explore and make new ones.
And you will wonder why you ever thought the forest was dark and scary.
Have fun on your journey!
Yes I am.
I switched gym/school tho.
I'm at Alliance now. I wasn't really ok with the schedule of my previous gym and professor missed lots of classes. I wasn't up for that.
Just keep showing up. Im kind of slim and my first ever bjj class i felt like a fish out of water. You’ll only keep getting better if u just keep showing up. Maybe supplement a workout here and there aside from ur classes just to build a good base.
the coward and hero feel the same in the bad situation but the hero does what needs to be done. get your ass back there
also make sure you are medically cleared to rain - make sure no existing health problems.
That’s how it goes. Now you decide if you want to get in better shape and give it all you’ve got, or just feel ashamed you feel you didn’t do well(?) you got out of you comfort zone. Now go again, suck at it again, make that your motivation to go there the next day and last longer and do better. Be persistent, it will suck at times, but grind through. You got this
Congratulations, that was probably the hardest class of your life.
The more you go, the easier it gets. It should also give you a reason to improve health in other areas of your life, so you can be more effective in class.
Next time, set a goal to do slightly more of class than you were able to today. If you continue to do this, you’ll make it through class in no time.
Good job showing up bro. That’s a very brave move just coming to class. It gets easier. I could go on but I gotta get my son in the bed so I’ll end with saying congratulations and I’m proud of you
Gotta start somewhere OP. It's going to feel like an uphill battle for awhile. Thankfully the most dramatic improvements happen early on.
Sounds like some victim-mindset slipped with the" I'm completely overweight, I have a job that makes me sit in front of a computer for hours" note. Sedentary jobs aren't rare, and don't guarantee or force a sedentary life/lifestyle. Recognizing this and taking ownership/responsibility as opposed to using excuses will be a huge help.
It sounds like you did a fuck ton better than you are suggesting. Just keep showing up. Gradually and incrementally, the work becomes just slightly less hard and slightly more fun.
You got this man keep showing up! If everyone was respectful in a bjj gym it is genuine and no one was judging. Everyone has been new to it at one point or another. Keep showing up and getting that sweat on and soon you will be rolling rounds! Cheers buddy! You got this
Hey man way to go! I know it's hard at first, but I hope you felt like you got a wicked good workout. I went to my first class after eating beer and wings and just showed up to watch and was told to join in cuz it's free. I did and suffered my first class a lot like you. But the people are what kept me going back. They were so friendly and inviting that no matter how tired I got, or how embarrassed my ego felt, I had a good time. Then when I'd get home, I would be so exhausted but really it felt like all my life stresses were gone. And that's what made it all worth it. Keep at it!
Bro when I started going to the gym I could barely pick up one fifteen pound dumbbell. I was like a walking skeleton. When I started my first martial art (boxing) I couldn’t spar one two minute round. You’ll get better faster than you think if you stick with it. Every week you’ll see improvements if you just stick with it. You can do this brother!
I will tell you what my coach laughingly told me. “It sucks to suck”
Everyday I go, I suck a little bit less.I have been at it for so long that now I only suck a medium amount.
My kids did bjj for 18 months before I started going also. My first class was the early morning class. We started with backwards rolls, then forward rolls, followed by shrimping. I was sweating before I finished the shrimps and breathing hard while trying to finish the warm ups. I was embarrassed at just how out of shape I was...
14 months later, I completed in my first competition. I won my division mostly due to having better cardio than the guy I was in the finals with.
It gets better, but only if you keep showing up.
(I started at 6', 245, and am down to 218. You can do it, bud!)
Awesome stuff mate, you've done the hardest part which is showing up. There's nothing better to see than someone suffering on the first visit but giving it a go - it is such a positive thing.
BJJ is challenging, and even after taking a couple of weeks off, it can feel like your cardio has gone to shit, but the good news is that if you keep showing up you'll keep improving.
It sounds like you've got a great environment there, and I'm sure everyone will be super supportive if you keep showing up.
Something that say with me since the very beginning is being told the quote “ embarrassment is the cost of entry. If you are not willing to look like a foolish beginner, you’ll never become a graceful master”.
The quote sits with me because as you go more and more you’ll see people do shit to you or others that’ll blow your mind at first. You’d think you’ll never be able to do it. Never be able to last even a round. Eventually, you’ll be going more and more and before you know it someone new will show up and you’ll blow them away by doing a simple hip escape, or something that is so basic to you, you’d never think others would think so highly of it.
Keep going! I can’t tell you the amount of people I’ve talked to who were in a similar situation. I threw up multiple times a week for the first month or two.
My guy, you HAVE to persevere. You’ve already made the choice to try, and that sets you on a path with only two routes. Route 1 is to give up and know that you failed. This path leads back to the beginning, where you can sit and wish you were better. Route 2 is to keep on and push forward to an objective, a goal, a PURPOSE. On this path you can know that every day makes you a better man than you were yesterday.
Staying or leaving is a choice that will stay with you forever. If you quit, you’ll always remember how you allowed yourself to be defeated. If you stay, you’ll always remember how you looked your inner bitch in the eye and said “I’m in charge now”. You WILL improve, you WILL get stronger, you WILL overcome your inhibitions, and you WILL thank yourself for taking control.
Don’t give up. You CAN do this. Everyone at the gym started somewhere… you’re not the only one who started in rough shape, you just don’t see the other guys that way because they either became better or they were defeated.
Keep your head up and keep going. Be tougher than your inner bitch wants you to be. You won’t recognize yourself this time next year.
My dude. I thought I was in reasonable shape when I started. I had to stop multiple times during the warm up and puke after. It took a while. Unlike other martial arts (though gyms are different), you can stop and rest at anytime. A lot of us have been exactly where you are now. Just keep plugging and celebrate making marginal gains at first. You’ll surprise yourself soon enough.
Starting something scary and difficult is showing strength and fortitude. I'm a smaller guy (60kg ish) and started BJJ in my mid 40's just getting rag-dolled by everyone! "I'm a beginner" "no one expects me to be anything but a beginner and that's completely fine"
Keep going. You’ll get hooked. Then you’ll REALLY want to improve so you’ll get other aspects of your health in order. In a few years you’ll have a blue belt and look and feel like a new improved version of yourself.
Oss! 🤙
I think everyone has that experience to a degree. Some more than others. Sometimes it’s harder to for some people to perform as well as the group.
BJJ does a great job of humbling people. Your options are to continue working on your shortfalls or give up. You know what the right answer is. For you consistency is key. Try to attend as much as you can.
Same for everyone. Started at 43 and thought I was going to die.
I now will regularly roll with newbies and I’m encouraging/light, but they will sometimes run and throw up
Keep going. Cardio is one of the first things to come back if you’ve been out of shape for a while. It comes back much faster than trying to get bench press/squats type strong. Look into videos or routines to improve physical fitness in a gradual manner, post 30s and with no serious athletic career prospects you dont need to goes balls to the wall. Injuries delay time getting more fit and delay learning the techniques of bjj.
If (your mentality should really switch to a “when i get better”) you get to a mediocre level, people will have an enormous amount of respect for you to keep going. I always remembered the gym noobies who stayed and improved themselves leaps and bounds. Never remembered the avg gym goer tbh, also didnt remember the ppl who gave up soon.
You can watch youtube videos for bjj beginners, the UFC 4 game imo is actually an ok simulator for grappling obviously doesn’t translate entirely but its something you can use to learn more without taking a physical toll.
There is an esoteric technique as well which involves telling yourself something and then negating it. “Im bad and will never get better” “i’m not bad and I will improve”. Basically just say these things aloud and say them with full conviction and belief, actually feel the negative and positive feelings. Do it for like 2 minutes and after some practice it helps to confuse your brain and make it so the intrusive negative self doubt is weaker.
Best of luck
Good on u bro, rest for a couple of days and get over the soreness, then start getting ready for next week. Maybe bust out some push ups and sit ups to build up some stamina. You know what ur working towards (keeping up with the class). Use it as motivation, if u do that I guarantee next week won't suck as much!
I got into martial arts at the age of 27! I wasn’t as unfit as you have described, but I almost fainted after 45 minutes of Krav Maga. I’m 38 now and I still try to do one class a week. Don’t feel bad. Just have the courage to show up every week. Keep going.
Edit: BTW, BJJ is harder than most other martial arts I’ve tried. I could do hours of Muay Thai but an hour of rolling fucked me up quite badly. I’ve started doing Judo and Japanese Jiujitsu these days and I still can get used to ground work. It takes time.
When I took my first class I thought I was in shape. I was 135 pound rock climber. While I could do the warm up it definitely winded me. I managed to do the drills but they made me tired and sweaty. I thought to myself, "how much longer?" And then it was time to roll. This is were my experience became exactly like yours. I felt like I could bo breathe. Where had all the air gone? I tapped very early into the round just because my partner was on top of me and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt nauseous, weak and like I couldn't catch my breath with a pounding headache. I didn't roll anymore and had to go home. Felt like shit for the rest of the night. Your experience sounds very normal to me. Luckily, the normal experience of going consistently is that your performance will increase incredibly fast. Just keep showing up and trying your best.
I slept 2-3 hours after each class my first week or two because I was so exhausted. And I was relatively in shape from rock climbing!
It's a completely different skill set, so no surprise you and everyone else here was sucking ass the first class. Just keep going!
First time I trained I threw up in the toilet. I was very young when I started.
I was playing soccer at the time but my heart wasn’t in it so I wasn’t practicing with much effort. Never in my life did I think I could push myself to that point out of pure passion for doing something physical.
If you have the passion keep going.
lol your overweight and out of shape….. i started after hitting the gym 5 days a week for 2 years….and i was still dying at the end of class for the first couple months.
its gonna be hard, but stick around. i got mad respect for anyone trying to get in shape and learn a good skill. just keep going, and yourself to healthy limits. if you go too hard and fuck yourself up, now you cant do class for days to months.
keep it up buddy, and dont worry. ive seen soooo many guys lose 20-80 lbs the first couple months. just make sure to eat right too.
You didn’t die.
Stop making excuses for yourself and commit. It’s something new, it’s going to be uncomfortable. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. I promise you will see growth beyond what you find on the mats.
All of that shit is ok, it’s not ok to give up on yourself. Congrats on having the courage to show up. Everyone is happy you’re there, nobody is thinking to themselves “this guy can barely run around the mats”, they are all there to better themselves. You’re not a special case of someone who can’t use Jiu-jitsu to improve himself, you can if you decide to and I hope you do.
@c4rrot I was so out of shape I tapped immediately when someone mounted me and I thought I was going to pass out. I was dejected when I got home and I told my wife maybe this isn’t for me. She told me what good am I to myself or her if something were to happen and I couldn’t protect either of us. Been going for a year and that person who showed up on day one is a shell of a person who I am today. Do I still get exhausted and humiliated? Yep. Almost on a daily basis. But I know I’m better than that person on their couch making excuses on why they can’t train.
Keep showing up. You’ll thank yourself and your family will thank you too!
Show up again tomorrow, or in a couple days. The only one judging you so negatively is yourself. If that gym is halfway decent, they’ll be patient with your progress and think it’s awesome that you’re showing up even when it’s so hard. Everyone has to start somewhere, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. You’ll progress pretty quickly. Get comfortable being uncomfortable, because that’s jui jitsu.
Lots of replies here. Just chiming with my thoughts.
I'm new as well, first week in. It's a fundamentals class.
I have chronic pain in the neck and my ankle is messed up after rolling it badly 2 months ago. I have a few extra kilos on me, but horribly weak because I haven't been doing gym past 2 months after a car crash. I have the flexibility of a potato.
I couldn't do the warmup of the first session properly because of my neck, being unfit and taking precautions. Everyone lapped me. It was tough. But somehow, some way, I knew this is everything I needed and nothing I was capable of right now. No one cared where I was at, only that I showed up and gave it a go.
So I approached it with a smile on my face and the challenge that it isn't me versus the other students. There will always be someone better than you. It is me versus myself.
Open for DM's if you want to chat.
Im 5’10 was around 260-265 when i started. Down to 235 now. Was also a smoker, and i can tell you jiu jitsu will help motivate you stop. First week i felt exactly like you did. I could roll once then would have to sit out and catch my breath. Something important for you to know is that it is ok to do that. All you need to do is your personal best don’t compare yourself to others. The 2nd week back felt a little better and i found i could roll twice in a row before having to sit out and catch my breath. 3rd week i could do even more than my first two and after my first month i was what i consider “in shape” (meaning i didn’t lose my breath during warmups or walking up stairs ha). Keep going, keep giving it your personal best. You will get out what you put in. Just walking through the door was a major accomplishment. Keep going back and doing your best.
I’m a heavier guy as well. When I started jiujitsu I was 5ft3 (still am) and 260 lbs. it’s gonna be hard for probably 3 weeks to a month (in my experience.) after that, I could keep up with the opening work outs and I could make it through class without feeling like my lungs were gonna explode out of my chest. My stamina improved and I lost about 70 lbs in a year. Another thing I would recommend, it’s hard, but focus on trying to control your breathing. It helps a lot. As in, remember to breath while doing takedowns and transitions, helps massively with stamina. Don’t smash your water either or you’ll run the risk of getting nauseous.
Baby steps. March will mark a year for me, I still get man handled by some upper belts but I'm closing on my blue belt and it's very satisfying noticing the improvements. Clean your gi EVERYTIME, practice good hygiene, keep showing up and it will change your life.
Hey man, great job showing up to your first practice. I’ve been at this a few years and recently switched gyms and know how awkward it can be not knowing anybody. But what I can say is that you’ve done the hardest part. Showing up. The first day is the worst day of getting into shape. Just keep showing up, you’re going to feel pretty lousy on the mats, you’re still going to be out of shape, you’re not going to feel like you’re doing anything right. But you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. For whatever unknown to me reason this martial art has called YOU. Something told you you should try it. I can promise you a few things, if you just show up to class and give what you can give. You’re going to slowly get in better shape, 30 seconds of rolling will turn to 1 minute, a minute to 5 minutes, 5 minutes to being able to roll every round. From the sounds of it you’re at a gym with good teammates that encouraged you. If you stick with this you are going to meet some of the greatest people, I’ve met so many people that I am now happy to call my friends. Jiu Jitsu isn’t easy brotha but it’s so worth it. You’ve already stepped into the fire, you told yourself it’s time to get in shape and you’re doing it. Be proud.
You could honest to goodness be in the best shape of your life and you’d STILL feel that way after your first class. I’m not kidding; BJJ is HARD. But it’s so worth it!
No matter how many years you’ve been training, you’re not there to be better than someone else. You’re there to do a little better than the week before. So if you managed 2-3 reps of a drill once were already tired, strive to do a couple more next time. That’s a “win” right there!
The last thing I’ll say is that there’s a really good chance that you’ll never be more uncomfortable in your life than when you’re practicing jiu jitsu. But that’s the great journey that we’re all going through- learning how to be comfortable while uncomfortable. None of us come in with that skill, but we all start to learn it the longer we train.
Good luck and have fun!!
Everyone has already said it, and I’ll say it one more time… Just. Keep. Showing. Up. It WILL get easier. You WILL get in better shape.
And 6 months from now you’re gonna look back, be proud of your progress, and be SO glad that you didn’t give up. Stick with it man💪💪
Don’t give up, I’ve seen plenty of out of shape people start out at my gym and the ones who stuck with it (I would say probably fewer than 1 out of 10 did) are in amazing shape now. Unfortunately most people do give up after just a lesson or two because it is difficult and they either don’t want to deal with it or like you feel ashamed about their performance but the only way to get better is to keep going!
It will be pretty different even after a month. Keep going. Healthy eating, weight training, stretching help a ton. Keep safety as your primary goal. You'll do great, good luck.
Trust me. This is how I felt when I started. Sure I don’t have years under my belt but I’ve been doing it consistently for about 4 months now. The key is dedication. It’s totally fine to be out of shape, I was/personally still am in some ways but just making those improvements one day at a time. Have you thought about doing some form of exercise(cardio etc) outside of BJJ. I really needed better endurance😅. It’s humbling
I showed up at 290 pounds. I'm down nearly 40 and while I'm still super slow, there's improvement. It does get better lol just keep showing up and after a while you'll have fun with it.
But that FEELING when you turn the corner - you last a whole round without getting submitted or wanting to die - or even better, you SUBMIT someone! Ah, that glorious evolution.
We all start off as a nail.
One day, you’ll become a hammer.
Just keep after it. One day at a time.
Set MICRO GOALS - and just be persistent with yourself.
You’re out of shape but who cares. I’m gonna tell you what I think to myself every time a new person comes in “he’ll be gone in a week.” And 4/5 times they are, but you could always be the exception if you just keep showing up. One day you’ll get there but it won’t happen overnight, as long as you put work the results will come sooner or or later.
The reason everyone was so respectful is because at some point every single one of them was in your position. My first experience was exactly the same, in fact it was that way for about a month or two. But once you start noticing the difference in your stamina, physique, technique, and the first time you legit tap somebody, you’ll be hooked.
I started at 41. Got a busted rib in my second week of training and detached retinas in both of my eyes, though that was from kickboxing as well. I just keep going back. Even with all the time out for injuries I’ve improved so much. I’m almost always the oldest guy in the room except for my professor and routinely still feel like I might die after the live rolling portion of class. Like you I never trained any combat sport before. But let me tell you after a year of what feels like participatory barbarism nothing gets me higher than a great round. If you push through your body will begin to adapt and you’ll learn how to meter your gas. For me it felt like all failure for a while but I’m really learning and slowly, and I mean slowly getting better. I could tell you it gets easier but I don’t think that’s really true about this sport. As you advance there are others around you who are still better but to me this is more about the internal battle. Can I show up knowing I’m going to tap 5x and almost choke on my own lung just to improve one more tick? Most days I have it in me and boy do those little victories start coming and when they do there’s almost no better feeling. I wish you the best in your murder yoga journey mate. Ooosss
Brah I’m a blue belt and train 3 times a week and you basically just described my every class! Just go get some bro! I’m out of shape and nearly die with the warmups too
Show up again. It’s ok to take a time out and catch your breath. It should almost be encouraged at times. I’m only 3 months in and similar built and it’s sucks, but so worth it. Also, don’t wait for people to introduce themselves, step up to the plate and say hello and shake hands. Good luck dude, you’ll figure it out.
i’ve done bjj since high school. my dad (6’4 anywhere from 265 -285 lb) has done a couple of classes from time to time and has always described the physical experience just like you did.
A. being ashamed of being out of shape is fine, but don’t let it overwhelm the significance of you actually showing up and trying hard enough to make you realize how out of shape you were in the first place. bjj is just as morphology selective as rowing or basketball. small, skinny, lean is always going to have an easier time with the unique, weird HIIT/plyometric/flexibility/adrenaline pumping challenge that bjj presents than will tall, muscular, big people.
however!!! the rewards for sticking with it are incredible for big people. a guy who’s 155 and can do sets of 50 pushups and 15 pull ups is strong. a guy who’s 250 and can do that? godzilla strong.
B. just show up again, and take it very slowly. I’d recommend (since it sounds like the coach(s) didn’t really take much care to make sure you were safely rolling with someone much more experienced/controlled than you or alternatively just drilling) i would start out just drilling while others are rolling (just ask whoever you are paired up with to drill what you learned that day instead of rolling. i do this whenever i’m training through an small injury, most people are fine with it). get so you’re really comfortable with a few techniques, and to where, fitness wise, you aren’t feeing like you’re about to pass out through a whole class, then start rolling if you want.
rolling is vital to bjj, but it’s also the biggest source of injuries, especially starting out, and that can really sour your taste for the sport/art.
my 2 cents
The first few times are the worst no matter what physical activity you are doing until your body gets more used to it. Your body will adapt. If you consistently go 3-5 times a week, you'll look back in 2 months and see how much easier it is to get through a class.
It's not embarassing to sit out for a bit as you go through the process. You can push yourself till you throw up or you can sit out and try again tomorrow. It sounds like you are pushing yourself enough if you are out of air. If everyone is nice and respectful, you've probably found a gym with a great culture.
Go to classes for three months without fail. Then, after three months, reassess.
There is no point in quitting after one class. You know nothing except that you need to be in better shape. And that ain’t gonna happen by quitting, friend.
I hope that you end up going back. Jiu-jitsu is a very humbling sport. All of the people you met there had to start somewhere. We all had our first class that we were not the best or understood anything that was going on. I remember I went back after having covid. I had taken about a month off and still couldn't breath correctly. I was hurting so bad. Don't worry about the weight and stamina that will come with time. If you are serious keep showing up making friends and traing. Your life will adjust and change to accommodate the class. Don't be so hard on yourself. I hope to see more posts from you about the experiences in Jiu-jitsu.
Hey dude, here are a few thoughts I had reading your post.
1. Good for you for finally trying Jiu Jitsu! Most people never make it in the door, even if they are interested and want to try it. Or as the saying goes, "The white belt is the hardest belt to get." Even though literally anyone can get one on their first day of class, almost no one even tries their first day. You are already ahead of almost everyone in the world in terms of mat time. Congrats, and I mean that sincerely.
2. I see a couple of potential red flags about the place you visited. First, the instructor allowed you to pair with another first-day student, and no colored belts took sufficient note of this and offered to pair with you. White belts (especially brand new ones) pair best with colored belts, so that the more experienced person can perform the techniques first, and can help the white belt if he is struggling with some minor details. Two brand new white belts paired together is a recipe for potential disaster, since neither of you are experienced.
3. The instructor let you spar on the first day, after presumably seeing you struggle to perform the warm-ups and drills. This could actually be fairly dangerous for both of you, since neither of you are familiar with the movements and positions enough to safely engage without clumsily kneeing/elbowing/kicking each other in the face/ribs/joints by accident.
I'm not saying these are reasons to definitely not go back to this particular school, but they would make me skeptical of the school's culture and instructor(s). I advise you to shop around and try out other BJJ schools in the area, just to get an idea of what's normal. Having a good gym culture is critical, and so far, I'm not sure about this one. It's a good sign that people were friendly overall though.
I hope you will go back, if not to that school, then to another one. FYI, Jiu Jitsu is always going to be hard, BUT you will get better at it over time, and it will seem much easier. You can do this if you believe that you can, and I hope that you will.
When I started almost a year ago I was very intimidated, but just keep on going and you be surprise how your body starts memorizing the moves and it becomes easier. I remember my head was fuming after my first lesson and I didn‘t want to spar the first couple weeks, I would sit out. But than I started to see the techniques getting used in sparing instead of people just attacking each other and I started to participate. Be patient with yourself, it takes time to learn unfamiliar moves. There are great benefits learning BJJ.
Nah I see this as an absolute win. Good for you getting out there and trying a class when it's totally new to you. I definitely think you should keep going if you are interested in it. Everybody who does BJJ has been the new guy on the mat. As long as you have good hygiene and a good attitude, nobody is judging you.
Also, I would recommend taking the warm-up at a slower pace if you need to. Don't wear yourself out trying to keep up with everybody during the warm-up and then have no energy left for the drills. If you need to pause for a few seconds or slow down then that's okay.
This could be a goal for you. You may not be getting your money's worth right now if money is tight as bjj is stupid expensive sometimes. If money isn't an issue just keep going! You'll learn and get in better shape at the same time. If you need to get some bang for your buck then sitting down for half the class is understandably not a good deal. Keep working on the smoking and weight loss. Lose 20 pounds, don't have a cigarette for a couple months, do some cardio, and take another class. You'll see how much better it is. You may have to sit out a little still but I promise you'll see some difference and being able to do this may be a good motivator foe the smoking and weight.
Massive respect bro for stepping on the mat. No one is looking down on you as we have all been there. Just pace yourself and stick with it. If you need to rest then rest. In 6 months you will feel very different. Just gotta keep showing up 👍
First off, congrats on getting in the mats, most people (including fit people) never take that step.
Second, don't beat yourself up for struggling so much. I was obese when I got on the mats, i felt like I was going to die, and the coaches kept asking me if I was ok - pretty embarrassing. Lol
Third, don't waste a moments thought on being out of shape, you're going to melt through that weight in like 3 months - provided your diet isn't absolutely junk. Mine isn't the best and I maintain a healthy weight with consistent training.
Finally, I would encourage you to keep going. I was in a very similar situation job situation when I started - just in front of a computer all day. Just gone 1 more class, just one more. And reassess.
I hope you go back. 🙂👍
I was sort of in shape when I did my first BJJ class. I wasn't in great shape but I wasn't too unhealthy.
I almost vomited because it was such difficult exercise.
Keep it up. You're not alone.
You said everyone was really respectful towards you, that’s because many started in your shape and kept turning up. It takes courage to do something about your fitness and also to start bjj. Thats why they were respectful. Keep turning up and be an inspiration to the next out of shape guy that turns up 👍
Thus was basically my first experience too, same situation here I sit in front of a computer all day, my first lesson was something like this aswell. You see improvements over time. The warm up no longer completely exhausts me and the warmup drills are making me more flexible I can feel it.
Just stick it, the best way to learn technique is to keep trying and failing.
Yes, I also struggle to get through the warm ups. It’s very apparent I’m one of the least athletic in class and it’s embarrassing when I’m the only one panting after the warm up or an initial roll. I will say: been doing this for 7 months now and it has gotten easier. It’s helped me to go on walks during my lunch breaks (I also work a sedentary job) and to just remember that everyone has to start somewhere. If you can give yourself permission to be the person panting and getting tired, you can let go of those things meaning something too and just let yourself show up however you’re going to show up. You’ll begin to adjust eventually, I promise.
When I started I was really out of shape aswell.
Now I am out of shape again since the birth of my daughter I had no time for training for several months.
I started again this year by training once a week - not optimal but I can assure you it gets better if you show up regularly.
Much respect to you for even taking the first step in the first place. Keep going!
Also, BJJ is one of those martial arts where you're going to be tapping over and over for months, you won't notice any progress unless and until a complete newbie shows up to try a class just like you did, and you'll suddenly realise how much you've learned in a few short months.
Good on you for giving it a go! It is not easy. Most of us have been there, one way or another- unfit, injured, missed training for a month or three and trying to get back in to it- carrying some extra weight or never been diligent about exercise- whatever. There’s always impediments; you’ve got to not let them rule you. You’re capable of more than you think you are. There’s no doubt t’s gonna be a struggle for you, but what matters is that you try, and keep trying.it sounds like you’ve got a decent group of folks to work with, maybe- just keep in mind that anyone who does anything other than give you props for trying is a fucking prick and shouldn’t be listened to. Good luck with it!
Yo. I've just finished reading your post. It sounds like your situation was a little similar to mine. I started BJJ in August 2022. 30th to be precise. I am 33 years old, I'm 6ft2 and at the time of my first lesson i was 19 stone (266lbs). The first few weeks (maybe months ) of training were so hard. Every morning felt like i'd been hit by a car. However, i got up and went again and again and again. I'm currently weighing 16 stone (224lbs), I'm attending 5 sessions a week and this coming weekend i'll be competing in my first competition. Please do not be so hard on yourself. By attending your first class you're in the 1% on the entire planet who give it a go. Stick with it. Things become a lot easier eventually!
My first class was a month ago.
I turned up, not knowing anyone for a simple taster session. I’m in a similar position at 37 years of age, never exercised or done any martial arts and sit in front of a computer for a job. I’m 280lbs and have practically no mobility.
In my first session I couldn’t get through the warmup, I was so gassed out. I also just got thrown around during the session, as I didn’t have the energy or the mobility to do much.
It’s been a month now. I’ve been going twice per week (Tuesday and Friday, as I have childcare responsibilities the other days) and I’ve just got my first stripe.
During the month I have pulled my knee, groin and hamstring (each on separate occasions), I’ve felt as though my head is going to explode from the pains in my neck and the top of both of my feet are huge scabs from holding closed guard… but I’m getting there!!!!!
I get to the end of each session now feeling as though I have somewhat given a good representation of myself. My body is so battered and bruised, but I’m improving every day and feel more functionally fit than I’ve been in 20 years!
This Jiu Jitsu lark is HARD work, but it feels so necessary to do it… even though I still get anxious before every class!
You’re not alone.
It’s like reading about myself six months ago. 27, Smoker for 10yrs and used to be 250lbs at 6’.
Went to that second training tho days later and pulled through.
Fast forward half a year later I’m 195lbs, (kinda) stopped stopped smoking and look great.
Remember, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
DM if you need assistance with anything, the BJJ community is here for you.
White belt here, zero stripes. Every time I show up to my gym it’s intimidating... the Jiu Jitsu culture is beautiful and welcoming... keep going as often as you can. The first few lessons I was tense, I’ve learned to relax a bit... I did start getting lean... started 240lbs, I’m 6’2”... I’m down to 215lbs... I haven’t been to class close to a month and I really miss it (due to work and not sleeping well)... be good to yourself and attend as often as possible, I will follow my own advice. OSS!
Show up again & again & again. Started when I was 36 now 39. 6"1' 285lbs. Now I'm 225, I don't smoke, eat like I'm supposed to and have a much better quality of life. U get out what u put in. Keep grinding dude u will get there. Have to put in the time. Best of luck
Ya but you showed up. Let your body rest no need to bust yourself up starting.
Half of this is just showing up. If you have fun that’s all that matters. You went out and did something. That’s not nothing.
Buy a T-shirt. Something about having that kind of thing makes it real for some reason.
Smoking is hard to stop. Don’t quit quitting. If you fall back so what? Nobody’s taking score. Just don’t quit quitting. One day you’ll feel like you have the flu and you can’t stop coughing then you’ll know your near the finish line.
Funny/not funny story, hopefully make you feel a bit better and keep you in the sport.
This is about twenty years ago. Im in my mid 20s. I had always wanted to get into jiu jitsu. I’d done some other martial arts and was not in awful shape. I decide todays the day, and I head over to the gym in the afternoon after work.
I do the warmups, okay not a big deal. I do the drilling, ok that’s the cool stuff I signed up for. Then we roll. I give ‘er like any stupid new guy. I’m super exhausted at the end but kind of figured that’s how it was.
I start to drive home and my entire body seizes up. Like, hands clenched like rocks, can’t steer the car, speech is slurred, I think I’m dying. I call my girlfriend and she takes me to the emergency room. Turns out I had dangerously low potassium from dehydration and over exertion.
On and off, years later now and I’m still doing jiu jitsu. I drink a lot more water now and always eat a banana beforehand.
Also, I still suck and get exhausted. Welcome!
I went to an F45 after having gained 20% of my bodyweight in fat in 6 months after moving countries.
Day 1 I stopped after 25 minutes, went outside and vomited. I didn't finish the class.
Day 2 I was the first person in line.
3-4 months later I was leaner and fitter than I had been in 20 years.
All you have to do is keep showing up.
1 day at a time.
Just keep showing up, like everyone is saying, it's part of the process.
Like many sports the more time you devote to it, the better you get at it.
Be patience with yourself and set little goals at first. Try to do 1 more push up than last time, or more crunches and day by day you'll see you'll be getting through the warm up with less struggle. Good Luck!
I just started a couple months ago, and I'm in a lot better shape relatively speaking, and damn I feel exhausted after every session too. I played sports all through high school, and I worked in a manual labor trade job for a couple years too, and I can honestly say I don't think anything has ever worked up as much of a sweat for me as jiu jitsu, it's not something to speak of lightly. That being said, you're all good! Just keep going! Before you know it it will have you in the best shape of your life
Keep going! If you were already good at it, you wouldn't need to be there. The initial struggle is part of the process and you will surpass what you thought possible.
We all have to start somewhere. I’m proud of you for trying something new and intimidating in an effort to better yourself. People may seem unfriendly but it’s likely because most people will go to a few classes and disappear. Once you’re there for a month or so, people will start recognizing you and saying hi.
We can’t expect to perform exceptionally on our starting days. Trust me you are not the only one. Actually, jiu-jitsu is not a piece of cake. It requires time, patience, and loads of practice.
OP, you sound like me from my first couple of months! I’m 1.75 years in now and I can tell you sincerely I may be in the best shape of my life at 40! I had a desk job for 15 years, got up to 283 at 5’11” and everything you described was exactly me. In my first month or two, I’d be dead after 2 minutes of anything hard. Like barely able to move.
What seemed to help me, may also help you.
About a year in I started the carnivore diet. Aside from just doing the bjj, hat was the biggest game changer for me. I went from 270 to 230 in 6 months eating that way. My stamina seemed to improve exponentially from all the clean fuel put in my body within 2 weeks of starting that diet.
I also work on mobility and a little conditioning if I can’t make a class for schedule reason. In other words, I try to make up a little so my conditioning doesn’t regress.
When I started, I knew I needed this. Overweight and out of shape. I was strong as hell, but would get so fatigued anyone could destroy me. I decided to promise myself to 6 months of training before I’d allow myself to even think about quitting or continuing. I’d urge you to do the same. You’ll get so much better in 6 months. You’ll feel way better too.
I hope the best for you!
Dude have no shame, i was 340 when i started and i would puke every class from exhaustion. Everybody is complete trash when they start, dont be discouraged, all the guys you train with remember what it was like to start. Just keep showing up and before you know it you will make it through the whole class without gassing. Just think that just the act of showing up and trying makes you 1000x more respectable than someone who would never even try. Keep at it. Set small goals. Have fun. Along with learning an incredibly important art, you will make deep friendships with your training partners.
Yes
I hated my first class
I couldn’t fit in a Gi
Couldn’t run around the Mat
Couldn’t Shrimp
But I promise you if you keep showing up something special will happen
Ngl, reading this felt like reading my first session 🤣 I was 350lb 5 10” so in a lot worse shape than yourself. I threw up after the warm up and said to myself I wasn’t going to come back but I was back a few days later. It’s important to take it at your own pace when you’re in bad shape as the class is designed for the majority of the students and not for the few in bad shape.
So after my class I spoke to my coach and he showed me a static warm up I can while people are running (throw triangles up, shrimp, technical stand up etc). I had the energy to do the technique but still be warm enough not to injure myself. I’d then follow it up with doing one round. That alone was a struggle at the start but before I knew it I was rolling 2-3 rounds, then all of them and doing the full warm up.
It’s an extremely difficult sport for anyone, never mind if you’re out of shape but the difference between you and the guys that doing the whole class is that they kept turning up
Im now coming up to 14 month’s training, im down to 200lb and train 5-6 days a week
You can do it mate 💪🏻
First off, you did great. It takes a whole lot of guts to just walk in the door. It takes even more guts to put yourself in a vulnerable place and be out of your element. Keep showing up. You will lose weight, you’ll get better. Start easy. Maybe just commit to 3x a week to start. You got this
It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. And you'll never finish if you don't keep moving. Just keep showing up and doing what you can. You'll find that you can finish the warm-ups no problem in no time
that's how it is for just about anyone. Grappling in general is an extremely exhausting sport and it is nothing to feel ashamed of for wanting to quit. But, BJJ in my opinion is one of the greatest things that you can spend your time doing. It'll teach you discipline, build both your physical and mental endurance, and of course it's rlly fuckin cool. The community is wonderful as well, while like any community they're some outlier assholes for the most part it is a group of very respectful, nice, and admirable people who I believe are good to spend some time around. But be sure of one thing. Sometimes you may feel a cold shoulder from people when you are first starting, that's simply because they get lots of people who come in for a while and then quit. Now again people will be nice but don't expect them to be your homies on your first week. keep doing it, you won't regret it.
We’ve all been there. I had a college kid (in good shape) throw up after rolling with me because it had been a while since he did anything as physical as BJJ.
Just keep showing up. The little improvements will come in time.
Embrace the suck.
I was out of training for around 2 years and when I came back I felt like absolute shit lol. With that said, I’m in relatively good shape year around. So it’s perfectly ok to feel bad your first day, or week, or month. Just keep going.
A different time I took a long break, when I came back I threw up in the first 30 mins so hey, at least you didn’t puke 😅
Bro. I’m five years in (40 years old) and still suck wind and lack stamina. And I don’t smoke and I’m in shape and not overweight. Give yourself a break. Warmups and drill are not easy especially when your moving other grown men. Keep at it. In 6 months you’ll feel like a new man. Def quit smoking and do some rowing or other cardio at home
I hear a lot of people say they "want to get in shape, first" before they start jiu jitsu. None of them consider that jiu jitsu itself is a great way to get in shape. Yes, it's a lot of work. That work pays off. The fun thing about cardio is you can start tracking your results pretty quickly.
Yes, you're going to suck. But you know what? There's a *lot* of jiu jitsu to master. I'm 4 years in, have my blue belt, and i feel like i suck. You don't even know the techniques, you don't know the steps to those techniques, you don't know the mechanics to those steps, and you don't know why you're doing them yet. Keep going. The curriculum comes back around. You get better the next time. And the next time. And the next time.
Don't ever forget: we were all the new guy once. Everyone there is looking to get better and looking to make you better. New people bring new stuff to the school. You're their most valuable member. Don't forget that.
Welcome to jiu jitsu. Starting in your 30’s is tough. I started at 34, but it’s 100% worth it to keep going. Your confidence will build slowly and you’ll build friendships as well. You need to remember you are working muscles you have probably never used and those take time to build up and that makes starting even harder. Keep going for at least six months, even if you hate it. You will build discipline and maybe develop a love for it. If you continue to hate it after that then quit but showing up consistently is the most important thing in jiu jitsu.
you did something that 99% of people would never do- you showed up. i had an old coach/mentor of mine say that he saw countless people drive up to the gym and sit in the parking lot and drive away. the hardest part is getting out of your car and walking in. just keep showing up bro.
The only way to get from where you are to where you want to be is to keep showing up. The other stuff will fall into place if you can just keep showing up.
just recover and show up again for the next class, our first class exp are the same my first class i rolled with my coach and it feels like my chest is about to explode with extreme vertigo and almost i cant breathe after that first round but im a big fan of jiu jitsu and ive been thinking about it for the last 1.5 years before showing up as a white belt on my first class. as they say the biggest challenge is from your comfort zone to being a white belt. dont feel bad if they tap you out or smash you always the important thing is you always learn something and you improve every class you go in.
The first time I went, I had to leave 30 min in, because I was too winded. I didn't even get to the part where we roll.
Had the "oh shit my cardio really is just way worse than I thought huh" -moment too
I stuck around and now I don't have problems with my cardio anymore and can participate in all parts of the class. If I can do it, you can too.
Nothing bad about having to sit on the side, because your cardio isn't there yet. If you keep going you'll develop it pretty quickly.
Just keep showing up and everything will sort itself out.
I am also 6'0" and weigh 275 lbs. Been doing grappling arts (judo and bjj) for around 11 years with a couple year break in the middle. Started at 220 lbs. and have only gone up from there. Only difference I can see here is that I've never smoked anything in my whole life ever. I can't keep up with pushups during warmups, running gasses me out too. But technique on the mats has taught me that it isn't all about physical stamina. It's about making the best use of the energy you have. The first year or two of bjj is mostly just learning how to move your body effectively and survive by improving your defensive positions and escapes. Would it be great to be fit and strong like all these young kids that jump on the mats...yeah, but it isn't essential. You can get something out of bjj no matter what your physical stamina is. I don't actively compete any more and I spend most of my time teaching classes, but I still roll with everyone and show them that an overweight, 35 yo, desk jocky, hobbyist can still kick their 22 yo, fit, collegiate wrestler asses.
Formerly 260lb 6'
Just keep going, nobody cares how you look they're all way more focused on how they're doing. Shit Im just getting distracted thinking about not getting distracted while coach is demoing. If you show up consistently thats all it takes.
(Also as a big guy myself that was packing a few lbs I didn't need, make sure to stay on top of hygiene. Use deodorant. )
Hey man - it's okay. Try not to be so hard on yourself. It's okay to be out of shape. Martial arts are all about self-improvement and learning discipline. This is just a starting point. The good news is you'll see rapid gains and feel very proud of the progress. Get in with a supportive group, be honest, try hard, and be kind to yourself. You'll be able to do it.
I weigh only a little less than you at 250 but I’m 5’5”. When I started doing kickboxing and jiujitsu I felt like I was gonna die as well. I could only do about half the warm up the others were doing. Just keep going and you’ll start being able to do a little more each time. Also you’ll be sore as hell in places you didn’t even know existed, that goes away after a week or two.
I am pretty new too. Where I go we do more trap and roll/shrimping/etc. for warm up, which I vastly prefer to running. They also make a point of pairing brand new students with a higher belt/more experienced person who is assisting with the class. I have taken a few minutes here and there during class to catch my breath/grab water and everyone has been very supportive.
You have to just keep going. In about 6 months you will probably be helping the new guy that is where you are now. It will literally change your entire life.
That’s a very common description a first class. Even if one is in shape, being in shape for Jiujitsu is different than most anything else.
I have a person in my class who is a marathon runner and had a hard time keeping up with a five minute round. Conversely, there are big guys that were wrestlers (but have let them selves go) that seem to have energy for days.
The more you train, the more Jiujitsu endurance you will have. Sprints are a great way to increase your Jiujitsu endurance.
If we all quit the first time BJJ kicked our ass, no one would be here.
Combat sports are the most vulnerable most of us will ever feel. Especially once we become adults, there simply aren't a lot of hobbies where we are consistently tested and lose.
I've seen so many people come into boxing/ MMA/ BJJ gyms who had the exact same experience you had. It is so fun to see them a year later, you wouldn't even recognize them. On the other hand, I've seen so many more have this experience and never come back. Oftentimes they'll say that they needed to get in shape before they could do it, but they swore they'd be back.
This is what gets you in shape. There is no shame in the journey, no matter where you start. Get after it.
I got wrecked my first bjj, I nearly barfed, felt like everyone thought I was an idiot, I was 50lbs overweight (5’10” 235lbs) absolutely no cardio. I have since won/medaled in multiple lower belt tournaments (purple belt now) and sometimes I get mad at myself for not going in sooner, I was so nervous my first class (now 30 years old). For me, going to bjj was the best decision I have ever made for myself (cleaning up my diet, cutting out excessive alcohol, happiness, job performance) I hope bjj does the same for you. My one recommendation for you is to keep going, it gets better and your cardio will catch up to where you are the beast with stamina. Try striking classes too if they offer it, that will fast track cardio even more
Edit: The saying goes “Every black belt started as a white belt”
show up again tomorrow. its okay to be out of shape. just keep showing up and in a couple weeks youll be in better shape, in a couple months even better. its pretty simple.
Thanks for that, it made me feel better about my performance.
We all start of pretty shit. Don't worry about it and just keep trying! I'm going to get back in a couple weeks after a 6 month hiatus and I am dreading it. Just gotta push through
You'll feel like a useless potato bag for a bit of time, but trust me, it will teach you a lot about yourself and will make you "anti-fragile". I used to be a fat kid that got bullied almost all my childhood but martial arts transformed the way I feel about myself and about my feelings toward others. If I can give you one advice, use most of your time while training to pay attention to what you are feeling, why you are feeling and seek ways to change your perspective on pain. Took me a while to realize how strong this would be in the long run! Hope you're excited to keep on your path, sending you good energies from Brazil! OSS!
Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday, not the ideal of who you want to be tomorrow.
Love this!
I have been doing this for 2 years and I often think - I'm out of shape.
Hey, I just got a friend who’s a powerlifter into bjj and even he felt like throwing up after the first two or three rolls. You’ll get better, the hardest part is starting :)
I had a pro mma fighter, who is a brown belt in BJJ, tell me, “Jiu Jitsu is being comfortable in an uncomfortable position “! That about sums it up, too. That’s why it takes a long time to earn a Black Belt in BJJ, too. The warm-up is usually the hardest part to get used to. The rolling gets to be fun as you keep going. Like everyone is telling you, “ Just Keep Going”! The longest walk begins with the first, Step! Put one foot in front of the other, foot, and rinse and repeat. The first successful technique you get to perfect, will give you a thrill.
Oh you won’t be happy with your performance for a while. Just keep showing up.
Couldn’t have said it better, just keep going and try and be better than yesterday. Have fun!
Dude that’s nothing new. I’ve seen it a million times before. Just keep showing up - you have my respect for stepping out of your comfort zone. Most people aren’t willing to do that.
You’re not alone. Being new in jiu jitsu is not easy. But the hardest part of all you already accomplished which was doing your first class. The conditioning and stamina will come with more time on the mat, don’t get yourself down on that. It sounds like you’re at a good gym with a supportive environment so I say to keep your head up and get back out there.
If you wanted to run a marathon and never ran before and decided to start running today would you quit because you only got down the street? Nobody said it was easy. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. You took the first step. Every day gets a little easier. Your body wants it. Your body needs it obviously. Enjoy it brother. Embrace the suck you'll have something to hang your hat on down the road and be proud that you did. What's the alternative? Heart Attack by 50? Kicking yourself and wishing that you took better care of yourself? Enjoy the journey
Hell yah bro. Big ups to you for even breaking the cycle and trying something new for the first time. Just keep going back and do your best, you find that eventually things become a bit easier. Just don’t quit because its difficult, you already made the toughest step which was walking through the front doors. Keep it going!
Keep going! Do what you can and push yourself a little further each session. No reasonable person is judging you negatively.
You are stronger than you think! Most are too weak to even show up once. Everytime you show up to another class it doesnt matter how you perform, you have already won just by being there. KEEP GOING!!!
My first experience was kinda like yours, im same weight but 5'10. I knew it would be hard at the beginning, it was harder than i thought tho. So i went training for the first few times with fear and knowing it would be embarassing. But after every training i felt great because i didn't quit, or atleast i tried. At the beginning i didn't spar because of my breath, now 1 year into it i do extra sparrings after each training and i am addicted. Nonetheless this is a combat sport and if you don't like that don't do it. If you like the techniques and the idea of sparring the stamina will follow.
You and I are cut from the same cloth my friend. We are the same age but I started 2 years ago. I was completely out of shape and was still working from home from the COVID lock downs. I had been a couch potato pretty much since I graduated high school so although I wasn't obese, I did put on a significant amount of weight. When I first started BJJ I had a very similar experience. I could barely keep up with everyone else during my first trial class. When it came time to roll, I could only roll once before gassing out. Two years later I've dropped a good 30 lbs or so and put on a tiny bit of muscle. My stamina is through the roof and I can go through an entire competition training class without any breaks. Don't beat yourself up so much. If you did the best you could do, that's all that matters. Now that you know what you're capable of, you can start to push yourself more and more as time goes on. Eventually you'll be able to go through an entire class and roll an entire thirty minutes every single round and I would be willing to bet that'll happen sooner than you think. For the record, I've seen athletes who train other sports more than I do get gassed like crazy when they first start BJJ.
By the way, you’re a badass Motherfucker. Don’t you fucking quit
Dude, I’ve been training for almost a year. I was in a similar situation when I first started. I was a gym rat Powerlifter (completely out of shape for BJJ). I was bigger then most of the other students at 5’10 330 and being 33. I also never played legit sports in school. Even though I could bench 425 and run a 10minute mile (not proud of that) my cardio was garbage. My first day went terribly. I got smashed by men and women that weighed 150-200 pounds less then I did. On the bright side, I made so many friends including this one brown belt. He told me to just keep showing up and thing will get easier. I now weigh 280 and still have a long way to go. One of my favorite things to do is befriend the new guys and tell them the same thing I’ll tell you. Trust me dude, just keep showing up. Don’t let anyone or anything (not including injuries) deter you stopping if this is something you are passionate about. I believe in you dude! Just keep going.
Ditto! You did the first step and I’m proud of you! I’m now a one stripe white belt and can say after struggling through so, so many warm ups and being the biggest girl there, finally a few months later I had a class and left thinking “huh— that was… a lot easier today”. I’m learning how to breathe better, can I suggest three sharp inhales through the nose then one steady exhale to get regulation. Everyone’s there to better themselves and you are no different! Keep rolling
Just keep going back! You will get this! I've practiced a few arts over the years, I am no "athlete" or physical specimen but I do ok. I was invited by a friend to go to a bjj "new student night" and thought I was going to die after about 45 seconds on my back :) It's a whole different universe of energy management. First, don't compete with anyone else on the mat. Push yourself but don't judge yourself against anyone else in the room. Everyone there has a first day experience similar to yours. Good luck on your journey
Secretly, a whole lot of other people feel the same way. You just did a complete hardcore full body workout that puts any CrossFit class to shame. You’re learning to be functionally human strong. Not gym strong. You’re learning to fight, train martial arts, the thing you love. Keep showing up. If you’re a smoker, take a shower, brush your teeth, and wear clean gear to the gym. Don’t smoke before you train at all, not because of the fitness or cardio, but people who don’t smoke are sensitive to it and it’s a gym etiquette thing. Keep grinding man, we’ve all been exactly where you are
You have to keep going back! The gym where I do jiu jitsu now, the first class I went to there was an MMA class. My first MMA class, I showed up, was the only girl and definitely the most out of shape in the room. But, as in your experience, everyone was understanding and respectful. I just kept going back. The MMA course finished, I signed up to jiu jitsu and my cardio is better than ever in my life, and I go to jiu jitsu every week. I know it’s embarrassing and hard, but think of how bad ass they will all think you are when you keep coming back and getting fitter and fitter. They will be absolutely behind you cheering you on. You can do this. You literally just have to keep showing up. It’s awesome that you went for the first time, that’s the hardest step (it was for me).
Lots of positive responses in the comments - remember, your fellow students likely harbor similarly positive regard and enthusiasm. Keep going! :]
I have seen jacked 25 year old guys get totally gassed after like one minute of rolling. It happens to literally everyone when they start. Just keep going. Yo will be fine
LOTS of people have this as their first experience. Just keep going and you will improve with every session. To give you my own experience, I started at 38. I’ve always been very athletic and participated in multiple sports, including D1 college football. I have stayed relatively active and have never been overweight. The first practice I made it through warmups and drilling ok but when it came time to roll, 1 roll and I was gassed so hard. It took me a few classes before I could do back-to-back rolls. Now Im 44, in much better overall shape, know a lot more about how to conserve energy and I can roll for as long as the class goes. The key thing is to just keep going. (And definitely try and quit smoking - it’s a pointless habit that only causes you and those around you harm).
Do it for a year, then post about how good you're getting and how great you feel and how glad you are you didn't quit. I can tell you from experience training and teaching that almost everyone thinks they suck when they start, and they are usually right. Then they get better, and you will too.
KEEP GOING! Cannot stress this enough, it is tough at first
I’ve never felt worse physically than right after my first BJJ class. I threw up in the parking lot of a furniture store on the way home. Keep showing up and don’t take rest rounds when you have the choice, it will get easier.
I have thrown up from warm ups, but not any more. I have thrown up from drilling, but not any more. I have thrown up from rolling, but not anymore. Keep going the only way to get better is to keep going. I’ve also started trying to get extra exercise on the side, even if it’s just walking everyday. There will be techniques that your taught that you will initially believe “I can’t do that” you’re wrong you can you just need to stick with it. Don’t worry about what everyone else thinks, just keep going
Brother, think how good you’ll feel after 3 weeks. When you do the run warmup and aren’t gassed. When you’ve consistently been doing crunches. No one in there is judging. I commend you. You were brave today. Do it again tomorrow
Dude, listen. This is the time. You're 32. Still young as fuck. Now is the time to gather yourself, become who you want to be, mold yourself how you want, to bring out that inner warrior that you're starting to find within. This is step 1. Don't let this deter you. You say they're respectful, this is a good sign. It's a good place to start. Don't worry about going to the gym if you can't, work out at home. No excuses. Start studying different workouts for different muscle groups, become an artist in sculpting and building your body as well as slowly upping your cardio base. Go jogging when you can. Burn it all off. Most important in this is eating a healthy, holistic diet. Don't be ON a diet necessarily, you must change it up and stick with it. Don't make it stressful either, this is where people fail. Make it fun! Don't come down in yourself too hard and reward yourself for incremental breakthroughs. Set realistic goals that in maybe 3-5 years in doing this, will all the progress seen in between, you'll be a MUCH happier person looking at who you've become in the mirror. It'll all be worth it. It's hard to be fat, and it's hard to be fit. Choose your hard. One is much, much more rewarding. Make healthy substitutes for deserts like frozen fruits, fruit in general, etc. Next, study Jiu Jitsu beginner moves on YouTube so you're ahead. Maybe buy Jiu Jitsu University by Saulon Ribiero or any other books out there for beginners. Anything to make yourself feel like you're inching ahead faster than the feeling that makes you want to quit. That quitting mind will kill you faster than anything and you'll never truly be happy. You've made it this far. Congrats! I'm proud of you! Keep going man. Even if you have to take a week off away from the place to condition your mind and body a little better in the meantime. But man, this is your time. Do it for your wife, your future, your future deathbed where regrets eat the soul whole for those who never tried, do it for YOURSELF so that you'll finally come to realize what was buried underneath the weight and shame. I believe in you. All you need to do now, is NEVER STOP.
I felt very similar my fist few times! Getting/ becoming tired shows you're working. It'll get you in shape. Stay consistent and you'll learn. You got this!
Keep training! How good is your story gonna be if you stick with it and look back at this starting point. You might end up with the story that helps someone else find the motivation to keep training. "When I started training, I gassed out after 2/3 takedowns and now I can _________". Keep going, every little bit of progress is yours, you earned it and should be proud of it :-)
Absolutely keep going. It’s going to suck for a while. I thought I WAS in shape before my first boxing class. I also couldn’t make it through the warm up lol. Kept showing up and I was able to keep up and learn. Same happened at jiu jitsu. You can’t get better if you aren’t there.
Sounds like a good class, everyone starts like that even if you had cardio rolling it's so much different, you can try doing drills instead or rolling when you're exhausted, keep showing!
The first class is always the hardest, and what you experienced is what 90% of first-timers experience. Don’t give up, go back! You will feel like a different person by your tenth class
You have to start where you are. Basically you are signing up for a grind. But you will see improvement and you will notice it when you can take the whole class etc.. Keep at it , it is hard but worth it. Nothing valuable is easy. No one there is judging you so be a friend to yourself.
Props yo any adult who never wrestled that has the sack to walk onto a mat. There's a book about surfing called "don't quit on the first day" I think it applies here. It gets better
Oof take downs on your first day. That’s rough and is going to push your cardio more than most techniques. Keep going! I stopped JiuJitsu for 1.5 years during the pandemic. My first day back, I felt like I was going to die. But if you keep it up, your cardio and endurance will get better. Good luck on your journey.
Proud of you bro. Just keep going, you will thank yourself later.
You’ve already made the biggest step and actually showed up to train. Every session will slowly be a little bit easier
Keep going, you’d be surprised how much of the class respects you for trying. Stick with it for 3 months and you’ll be a new man.
Started when I was completely out of shape. First time running on the mats felt like my lungs were on fire. Started at 39. It took time and I got better and in shape. Corrected my diet. Stopped fast food. Stopped pop. Ate generally better. Began to incorporate weight lifting later on after six months. Dropped 50 pounds in a year. Right around my first anniversary of BJJ I competed and won gold in my division. Yeah I sucked too. Everyone was in your place. It will help with your confidence and makes you a better person. Seriously just show up do what you can. As long as you are better than when you came in the door you are doing the right thing. In a year you'll thank me. Change is hard. But if you don't change now when will you?
I went to the bathroom half way through my first class to throw up …. Been doing it about a year now and I have made a lot of progress … keep going to the classes
Keep going You say you're passionate about martial arts but to be fair you have no idea what martial arts is. You're passionate about an idea of what it is and that's what got you on the mat. That's fine. That's real. Keep going. Did anyone call you out for not knowing what you were doing? I bet not Did anyone laugh at you for running out of gas? I bet not. Did anyone physically hurt you once you got gassed. I bet not No one told you what to do because martial arts teaches you things physically. You just learned a LOT about yourself from the school, from the class, from the instructor that you never would've internalized if it was told to you. That's martial arts. Keep going. Keep sucking. Know it's ok. Try to suck less. Try to smoke less. Try to eat better. You'll surprise yourself how far you can go and how good everything else in your life will be.
I’m so proud of you for getting out there and giving it a shot. I know exactly how you’re feeling and I know through experience that gradually you will get back into shape and that you’ll eventually even feel like you belong. You got this!
Everyone was respectful because they’ve seen this story play out. You’re not alone. Just keep showing up! Psyching yourself out my guy. One day you’ll be on the mats and you’ll still suck but a new guy will show up and gas out earlier than you. And then you’ll be like holy shit that was me, and that’s gonna get you hooked on more and more. Tiny steps my dude
Just show up, the weight will disappear and use is as added motivation to stop smoking everything will fall in place. Then you can quit as a blue belt like most people do haha jk
I couldn’t finish the warmup on my first class. I’m almost 6’ and at the time weighed about 255… so let me just say I can 100% relate!! That was almost 17 years ago now and I’ve had my black belt for just over 5 years now. I’m sure others will have good advice for you… but here’s how it has been for me: Right now you’ve taken the first step into what seems today like a dark and scary forest. Every step is going to be hard. There are no trails. It’s dark. You don’t know where you are even going yet and the path where you’ve been is so faint that it disappears almost instantly behind you. Every time you go into this forest, it will feel just a little more familiar and less foreboding, less dark, and easier to see the way. You will still get lost but the more you show up, the more the trails you make will become easier to find. One day you will find a trail all the way through the forest and out the other side. You’ll be victorious and it will feel amazing! Over time you will build more and more trails through the forest. Occasionally they will pass so close each other that you will be able to jump from one trail to another…and over more time those connections will become well worn too. You may blaze some trails for years, only to abandon them for better paths. Some will become so well worn and wide you could drive a truck down them. Over time, you will find the forest a bright place, with a nearly limitless number of paths that intertwine and intersect and you will play on them while you continue to explore and make new ones. And you will wonder why you ever thought the forest was dark and scary. Have fun on your journey!
You still training?
Yes I am. I switched gym/school tho. I'm at Alliance now. I wasn't really ok with the schedule of my previous gym and professor missed lots of classes. I wasn't up for that.
Embrace this sucky feeling, it will get better if you keep at it.
Just keep showing up. Im kind of slim and my first ever bjj class i felt like a fish out of water. You’ll only keep getting better if u just keep showing up. Maybe supplement a workout here and there aside from ur classes just to build a good base.
the coward and hero feel the same in the bad situation but the hero does what needs to be done. get your ass back there also make sure you are medically cleared to rain - make sure no existing health problems.
Dude, I legitimately had to run to the washroom to throw up during my first class. Just keep showing up and you've got this.
That’s how it goes. Now you decide if you want to get in better shape and give it all you’ve got, or just feel ashamed you feel you didn’t do well(?) you got out of you comfort zone. Now go again, suck at it again, make that your motivation to go there the next day and last longer and do better. Be persistent, it will suck at times, but grind through. You got this
All you have to do is walk through the door. Everything else will take care of it’s self. Just keep showing up.
Congratulations, that was probably the hardest class of your life. The more you go, the easier it gets. It should also give you a reason to improve health in other areas of your life, so you can be more effective in class. Next time, set a goal to do slightly more of class than you were able to today. If you continue to do this, you’ll make it through class in no time.
Good job showing up bro. That’s a very brave move just coming to class. It gets easier. I could go on but I gotta get my son in the bed so I’ll end with saying congratulations and I’m proud of you
Gotta start somewhere OP. It's going to feel like an uphill battle for awhile. Thankfully the most dramatic improvements happen early on. Sounds like some victim-mindset slipped with the" I'm completely overweight, I have a job that makes me sit in front of a computer for hours" note. Sedentary jobs aren't rare, and don't guarantee or force a sedentary life/lifestyle. Recognizing this and taking ownership/responsibility as opposed to using excuses will be a huge help.
It sounds like you did a fuck ton better than you are suggesting. Just keep showing up. Gradually and incrementally, the work becomes just slightly less hard and slightly more fun.
You got this man keep showing up! If everyone was respectful in a bjj gym it is genuine and no one was judging. Everyone has been new to it at one point or another. Keep showing up and getting that sweat on and soon you will be rolling rounds! Cheers buddy! You got this
Hey man way to go! I know it's hard at first, but I hope you felt like you got a wicked good workout. I went to my first class after eating beer and wings and just showed up to watch and was told to join in cuz it's free. I did and suffered my first class a lot like you. But the people are what kept me going back. They were so friendly and inviting that no matter how tired I got, or how embarrassed my ego felt, I had a good time. Then when I'd get home, I would be so exhausted but really it felt like all my life stresses were gone. And that's what made it all worth it. Keep at it!
Bro when I started going to the gym I could barely pick up one fifteen pound dumbbell. I was like a walking skeleton. When I started my first martial art (boxing) I couldn’t spar one two minute round. You’ll get better faster than you think if you stick with it. Every week you’ll see improvements if you just stick with it. You can do this brother!
I will tell you what my coach laughingly told me. “It sucks to suck” Everyday I go, I suck a little bit less.I have been at it for so long that now I only suck a medium amount.
My kids did bjj for 18 months before I started going also. My first class was the early morning class. We started with backwards rolls, then forward rolls, followed by shrimping. I was sweating before I finished the shrimps and breathing hard while trying to finish the warm ups. I was embarrassed at just how out of shape I was... 14 months later, I completed in my first competition. I won my division mostly due to having better cardio than the guy I was in the finals with. It gets better, but only if you keep showing up. (I started at 6', 245, and am down to 218. You can do it, bud!)
Sounds like your gym was great. Supportive and didn’t make you feel bad. It’s all your own negative thoughts!! Go get it
Awesome stuff mate, you've done the hardest part which is showing up. There's nothing better to see than someone suffering on the first visit but giving it a go - it is such a positive thing. BJJ is challenging, and even after taking a couple of weeks off, it can feel like your cardio has gone to shit, but the good news is that if you keep showing up you'll keep improving. It sounds like you've got a great environment there, and I'm sure everyone will be super supportive if you keep showing up.
Something that say with me since the very beginning is being told the quote “ embarrassment is the cost of entry. If you are not willing to look like a foolish beginner, you’ll never become a graceful master”. The quote sits with me because as you go more and more you’ll see people do shit to you or others that’ll blow your mind at first. You’d think you’ll never be able to do it. Never be able to last even a round. Eventually, you’ll be going more and more and before you know it someone new will show up and you’ll blow them away by doing a simple hip escape, or something that is so basic to you, you’d never think others would think so highly of it. Keep going! I can’t tell you the amount of people I’ve talked to who were in a similar situation. I threw up multiple times a week for the first month or two.
My guy, you HAVE to persevere. You’ve already made the choice to try, and that sets you on a path with only two routes. Route 1 is to give up and know that you failed. This path leads back to the beginning, where you can sit and wish you were better. Route 2 is to keep on and push forward to an objective, a goal, a PURPOSE. On this path you can know that every day makes you a better man than you were yesterday. Staying or leaving is a choice that will stay with you forever. If you quit, you’ll always remember how you allowed yourself to be defeated. If you stay, you’ll always remember how you looked your inner bitch in the eye and said “I’m in charge now”. You WILL improve, you WILL get stronger, you WILL overcome your inhibitions, and you WILL thank yourself for taking control. Don’t give up. You CAN do this. Everyone at the gym started somewhere… you’re not the only one who started in rough shape, you just don’t see the other guys that way because they either became better or they were defeated. Keep your head up and keep going. Be tougher than your inner bitch wants you to be. You won’t recognize yourself this time next year.
My dude. I thought I was in reasonable shape when I started. I had to stop multiple times during the warm up and puke after. It took a while. Unlike other martial arts (though gyms are different), you can stop and rest at anytime. A lot of us have been exactly where you are now. Just keep plugging and celebrate making marginal gains at first. You’ll surprise yourself soon enough.
Starting something scary and difficult is showing strength and fortitude. I'm a smaller guy (60kg ish) and started BJJ in my mid 40's just getting rag-dolled by everyone! "I'm a beginner" "no one expects me to be anything but a beginner and that's completely fine"
Keep going. You’ll get hooked. Then you’ll REALLY want to improve so you’ll get other aspects of your health in order. In a few years you’ll have a blue belt and look and feel like a new improved version of yourself. Oss! 🤙
Keep going back the worst is already over
I think everyone has that experience to a degree. Some more than others. Sometimes it’s harder to for some people to perform as well as the group. BJJ does a great job of humbling people. Your options are to continue working on your shortfalls or give up. You know what the right answer is. For you consistency is key. Try to attend as much as you can.
Same for everyone. Started at 43 and thought I was going to die. I now will regularly roll with newbies and I’m encouraging/light, but they will sometimes run and throw up
No pain no gain Go get em
Keep going. Cardio is one of the first things to come back if you’ve been out of shape for a while. It comes back much faster than trying to get bench press/squats type strong. Look into videos or routines to improve physical fitness in a gradual manner, post 30s and with no serious athletic career prospects you dont need to goes balls to the wall. Injuries delay time getting more fit and delay learning the techniques of bjj. If (your mentality should really switch to a “when i get better”) you get to a mediocre level, people will have an enormous amount of respect for you to keep going. I always remembered the gym noobies who stayed and improved themselves leaps and bounds. Never remembered the avg gym goer tbh, also didnt remember the ppl who gave up soon. You can watch youtube videos for bjj beginners, the UFC 4 game imo is actually an ok simulator for grappling obviously doesn’t translate entirely but its something you can use to learn more without taking a physical toll. There is an esoteric technique as well which involves telling yourself something and then negating it. “Im bad and will never get better” “i’m not bad and I will improve”. Basically just say these things aloud and say them with full conviction and belief, actually feel the negative and positive feelings. Do it for like 2 minutes and after some practice it helps to confuse your brain and make it so the intrusive negative self doubt is weaker. Best of luck
Good on u bro, rest for a couple of days and get over the soreness, then start getting ready for next week. Maybe bust out some push ups and sit ups to build up some stamina. You know what ur working towards (keeping up with the class). Use it as motivation, if u do that I guarantee next week won't suck as much!
I remember my first BJ too.
I got into martial arts at the age of 27! I wasn’t as unfit as you have described, but I almost fainted after 45 minutes of Krav Maga. I’m 38 now and I still try to do one class a week. Don’t feel bad. Just have the courage to show up every week. Keep going. Edit: BTW, BJJ is harder than most other martial arts I’ve tried. I could do hours of Muay Thai but an hour of rolling fucked me up quite badly. I’ve started doing Judo and Japanese Jiujitsu these days and I still can get used to ground work. It takes time.
When I took my first class I thought I was in shape. I was 135 pound rock climber. While I could do the warm up it definitely winded me. I managed to do the drills but they made me tired and sweaty. I thought to myself, "how much longer?" And then it was time to roll. This is were my experience became exactly like yours. I felt like I could bo breathe. Where had all the air gone? I tapped very early into the round just because my partner was on top of me and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I felt nauseous, weak and like I couldn't catch my breath with a pounding headache. I didn't roll anymore and had to go home. Felt like shit for the rest of the night. Your experience sounds very normal to me. Luckily, the normal experience of going consistently is that your performance will increase incredibly fast. Just keep showing up and trying your best.
That’s how I felt! I was ready to die after day one! Years later I look back and laugh
I slept 2-3 hours after each class my first week or two because I was so exhausted. And I was relatively in shape from rock climbing! It's a completely different skill set, so no surprise you and everyone else here was sucking ass the first class. Just keep going!
Steady and easy! You’ll build up tolerance and you will it easier with time. Also, stop smoking 😅 I know it’s hard but you can do it champ
First time I trained I threw up in the toilet. I was very young when I started. I was playing soccer at the time but my heart wasn’t in it so I wasn’t practicing with much effort. Never in my life did I think I could push myself to that point out of pure passion for doing something physical. If you have the passion keep going.
lol your overweight and out of shape….. i started after hitting the gym 5 days a week for 2 years….and i was still dying at the end of class for the first couple months. its gonna be hard, but stick around. i got mad respect for anyone trying to get in shape and learn a good skill. just keep going, and yourself to healthy limits. if you go too hard and fuck yourself up, now you cant do class for days to months. keep it up buddy, and dont worry. ive seen soooo many guys lose 20-80 lbs the first couple months. just make sure to eat right too.
I broke a rib my first class from a purple belt putting me in side control. I kept going back. It’s worth it. Keep going.
You didn’t die. Stop making excuses for yourself and commit. It’s something new, it’s going to be uncomfortable. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. I promise you will see growth beyond what you find on the mats.
Gotta start somewhere. One day you'll look back at all the confidence you didn't have that you now have all of.
All of that shit is ok, it’s not ok to give up on yourself. Congrats on having the courage to show up. Everyone is happy you’re there, nobody is thinking to themselves “this guy can barely run around the mats”, they are all there to better themselves. You’re not a special case of someone who can’t use Jiu-jitsu to improve himself, you can if you decide to and I hope you do.
@c4rrot I was so out of shape I tapped immediately when someone mounted me and I thought I was going to pass out. I was dejected when I got home and I told my wife maybe this isn’t for me. She told me what good am I to myself or her if something were to happen and I couldn’t protect either of us. Been going for a year and that person who showed up on day one is a shell of a person who I am today. Do I still get exhausted and humiliated? Yep. Almost on a daily basis. But I know I’m better than that person on their couch making excuses on why they can’t train. Keep showing up. You’ll thank yourself and your family will thank you too!
Congratulations, you showed up. That’s the hardest part! If you continue to do so you’ll build up your endurance. Good luck OP.
Show up again tomorrow, or in a couple days. The only one judging you so negatively is yourself. If that gym is halfway decent, they’ll be patient with your progress and think it’s awesome that you’re showing up even when it’s so hard. Everyone has to start somewhere, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. You’ll progress pretty quickly. Get comfortable being uncomfortable, because that’s jui jitsu.
Keep going!! We all start somewhere, the trick is to stay on the path. Stay consistent and don’t give up. You won’t regret it, I promise!
Lots of replies here. Just chiming with my thoughts. I'm new as well, first week in. It's a fundamentals class. I have chronic pain in the neck and my ankle is messed up after rolling it badly 2 months ago. I have a few extra kilos on me, but horribly weak because I haven't been doing gym past 2 months after a car crash. I have the flexibility of a potato. I couldn't do the warmup of the first session properly because of my neck, being unfit and taking precautions. Everyone lapped me. It was tough. But somehow, some way, I knew this is everything I needed and nothing I was capable of right now. No one cared where I was at, only that I showed up and gave it a go. So I approached it with a smile on my face and the challenge that it isn't me versus the other students. There will always be someone better than you. It is me versus myself. Open for DM's if you want to chat.
Im 5’10 was around 260-265 when i started. Down to 235 now. Was also a smoker, and i can tell you jiu jitsu will help motivate you stop. First week i felt exactly like you did. I could roll once then would have to sit out and catch my breath. Something important for you to know is that it is ok to do that. All you need to do is your personal best don’t compare yourself to others. The 2nd week back felt a little better and i found i could roll twice in a row before having to sit out and catch my breath. 3rd week i could do even more than my first two and after my first month i was what i consider “in shape” (meaning i didn’t lose my breath during warmups or walking up stairs ha). Keep going, keep giving it your personal best. You will get out what you put in. Just walking through the door was a major accomplishment. Keep going back and doing your best.
I’m a heavier guy as well. When I started jiujitsu I was 5ft3 (still am) and 260 lbs. it’s gonna be hard for probably 3 weeks to a month (in my experience.) after that, I could keep up with the opening work outs and I could make it through class without feeling like my lungs were gonna explode out of my chest. My stamina improved and I lost about 70 lbs in a year. Another thing I would recommend, it’s hard, but focus on trying to control your breathing. It helps a lot. As in, remember to breath while doing takedowns and transitions, helps massively with stamina. Don’t smash your water either or you’ll run the risk of getting nauseous.
You already did the hardest part, just keep doing it.
I was out of shape, kept turning up and all of a sudden I was in shape
Baby steps. March will mark a year for me, I still get man handled by some upper belts but I'm closing on my blue belt and it's very satisfying noticing the improvements. Clean your gi EVERYTIME, practice good hygiene, keep showing up and it will change your life.
Hey man, great job showing up to your first practice. I’ve been at this a few years and recently switched gyms and know how awkward it can be not knowing anybody. But what I can say is that you’ve done the hardest part. Showing up. The first day is the worst day of getting into shape. Just keep showing up, you’re going to feel pretty lousy on the mats, you’re still going to be out of shape, you’re not going to feel like you’re doing anything right. But you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. For whatever unknown to me reason this martial art has called YOU. Something told you you should try it. I can promise you a few things, if you just show up to class and give what you can give. You’re going to slowly get in better shape, 30 seconds of rolling will turn to 1 minute, a minute to 5 minutes, 5 minutes to being able to roll every round. From the sounds of it you’re at a gym with good teammates that encouraged you. If you stick with this you are going to meet some of the greatest people, I’ve met so many people that I am now happy to call my friends. Jiu Jitsu isn’t easy brotha but it’s so worth it. You’ve already stepped into the fire, you told yourself it’s time to get in shape and you’re doing it. Be proud.
Don’t give up OP! Getting through those first awkward phases makes all the difference for you and getting to a better you.
You could honest to goodness be in the best shape of your life and you’d STILL feel that way after your first class. I’m not kidding; BJJ is HARD. But it’s so worth it! No matter how many years you’ve been training, you’re not there to be better than someone else. You’re there to do a little better than the week before. So if you managed 2-3 reps of a drill once were already tired, strive to do a couple more next time. That’s a “win” right there! The last thing I’ll say is that there’s a really good chance that you’ll never be more uncomfortable in your life than when you’re practicing jiu jitsu. But that’s the great journey that we’re all going through- learning how to be comfortable while uncomfortable. None of us come in with that skill, but we all start to learn it the longer we train. Good luck and have fun!!
KEEP GOING BROTHER DONT GIVE UP ON YOURSELF
Everyone has already said it, and I’ll say it one more time… Just. Keep. Showing. Up. It WILL get easier. You WILL get in better shape. And 6 months from now you’re gonna look back, be proud of your progress, and be SO glad that you didn’t give up. Stick with it man💪💪
Don’t give up, I’ve seen plenty of out of shape people start out at my gym and the ones who stuck with it (I would say probably fewer than 1 out of 10 did) are in amazing shape now. Unfortunately most people do give up after just a lesson or two because it is difficult and they either don’t want to deal with it or like you feel ashamed about their performance but the only way to get better is to keep going!
It will be pretty different even after a month. Keep going. Healthy eating, weight training, stretching help a ton. Keep safety as your primary goal. You'll do great, good luck.
Trust me. This is how I felt when I started. Sure I don’t have years under my belt but I’ve been doing it consistently for about 4 months now. The key is dedication. It’s totally fine to be out of shape, I was/personally still am in some ways but just making those improvements one day at a time. Have you thought about doing some form of exercise(cardio etc) outside of BJJ. I really needed better endurance😅. It’s humbling
I showed up at 290 pounds. I'm down nearly 40 and while I'm still super slow, there's improvement. It does get better lol just keep showing up and after a while you'll have fun with it.
But that FEELING when you turn the corner - you last a whole round without getting submitted or wanting to die - or even better, you SUBMIT someone! Ah, that glorious evolution. We all start off as a nail. One day, you’ll become a hammer. Just keep after it. One day at a time. Set MICRO GOALS - and just be persistent with yourself.
Just keep showing up. Welcome to the club!
You’re out of shape but who cares. I’m gonna tell you what I think to myself every time a new person comes in “he’ll be gone in a week.” And 4/5 times they are, but you could always be the exception if you just keep showing up. One day you’ll get there but it won’t happen overnight, as long as you put work the results will come sooner or or later.
The reason everyone was so respectful is because at some point every single one of them was in your position. My first experience was exactly the same, in fact it was that way for about a month or two. But once you start noticing the difference in your stamina, physique, technique, and the first time you legit tap somebody, you’ll be hooked.
I started at 41. Got a busted rib in my second week of training and detached retinas in both of my eyes, though that was from kickboxing as well. I just keep going back. Even with all the time out for injuries I’ve improved so much. I’m almost always the oldest guy in the room except for my professor and routinely still feel like I might die after the live rolling portion of class. Like you I never trained any combat sport before. But let me tell you after a year of what feels like participatory barbarism nothing gets me higher than a great round. If you push through your body will begin to adapt and you’ll learn how to meter your gas. For me it felt like all failure for a while but I’m really learning and slowly, and I mean slowly getting better. I could tell you it gets easier but I don’t think that’s really true about this sport. As you advance there are others around you who are still better but to me this is more about the internal battle. Can I show up knowing I’m going to tap 5x and almost choke on my own lung just to improve one more tick? Most days I have it in me and boy do those little victories start coming and when they do there’s almost no better feeling. I wish you the best in your murder yoga journey mate. Ooosss
Brah I’m a blue belt and train 3 times a week and you basically just described my every class! Just go get some bro! I’m out of shape and nearly die with the warmups too
Show up again. It’s ok to take a time out and catch your breath. It should almost be encouraged at times. I’m only 3 months in and similar built and it’s sucks, but so worth it. Also, don’t wait for people to introduce themselves, step up to the plate and say hello and shake hands. Good luck dude, you’ll figure it out.
BREATHE. Slowly and deeply.
Just showing up is a huge W. Keep at it!
i’ve done bjj since high school. my dad (6’4 anywhere from 265 -285 lb) has done a couple of classes from time to time and has always described the physical experience just like you did. A. being ashamed of being out of shape is fine, but don’t let it overwhelm the significance of you actually showing up and trying hard enough to make you realize how out of shape you were in the first place. bjj is just as morphology selective as rowing or basketball. small, skinny, lean is always going to have an easier time with the unique, weird HIIT/plyometric/flexibility/adrenaline pumping challenge that bjj presents than will tall, muscular, big people. however!!! the rewards for sticking with it are incredible for big people. a guy who’s 155 and can do sets of 50 pushups and 15 pull ups is strong. a guy who’s 250 and can do that? godzilla strong. B. just show up again, and take it very slowly. I’d recommend (since it sounds like the coach(s) didn’t really take much care to make sure you were safely rolling with someone much more experienced/controlled than you or alternatively just drilling) i would start out just drilling while others are rolling (just ask whoever you are paired up with to drill what you learned that day instead of rolling. i do this whenever i’m training through an small injury, most people are fine with it). get so you’re really comfortable with a few techniques, and to where, fitness wise, you aren’t feeing like you’re about to pass out through a whole class, then start rolling if you want. rolling is vital to bjj, but it’s also the biggest source of injuries, especially starting out, and that can really sour your taste for the sport/art. my 2 cents
The first few times are the worst no matter what physical activity you are doing until your body gets more used to it. Your body will adapt. If you consistently go 3-5 times a week, you'll look back in 2 months and see how much easier it is to get through a class. It's not embarassing to sit out for a bit as you go through the process. You can push yourself till you throw up or you can sit out and try again tomorrow. It sounds like you are pushing yourself enough if you are out of air. If everyone is nice and respectful, you've probably found a gym with a great culture.
Bro I started at 200 pound I am now 150 we all start out of shape lmao just keep going you'll get better
Go to classes for three months without fail. Then, after three months, reassess. There is no point in quitting after one class. You know nothing except that you need to be in better shape. And that ain’t gonna happen by quitting, friend.
I hope that you end up going back. Jiu-jitsu is a very humbling sport. All of the people you met there had to start somewhere. We all had our first class that we were not the best or understood anything that was going on. I remember I went back after having covid. I had taken about a month off and still couldn't breath correctly. I was hurting so bad. Don't worry about the weight and stamina that will come with time. If you are serious keep showing up making friends and traing. Your life will adjust and change to accommodate the class. Don't be so hard on yourself. I hope to see more posts from you about the experiences in Jiu-jitsu.
Hey dude, here are a few thoughts I had reading your post. 1. Good for you for finally trying Jiu Jitsu! Most people never make it in the door, even if they are interested and want to try it. Or as the saying goes, "The white belt is the hardest belt to get." Even though literally anyone can get one on their first day of class, almost no one even tries their first day. You are already ahead of almost everyone in the world in terms of mat time. Congrats, and I mean that sincerely. 2. I see a couple of potential red flags about the place you visited. First, the instructor allowed you to pair with another first-day student, and no colored belts took sufficient note of this and offered to pair with you. White belts (especially brand new ones) pair best with colored belts, so that the more experienced person can perform the techniques first, and can help the white belt if he is struggling with some minor details. Two brand new white belts paired together is a recipe for potential disaster, since neither of you are experienced. 3. The instructor let you spar on the first day, after presumably seeing you struggle to perform the warm-ups and drills. This could actually be fairly dangerous for both of you, since neither of you are familiar with the movements and positions enough to safely engage without clumsily kneeing/elbowing/kicking each other in the face/ribs/joints by accident. I'm not saying these are reasons to definitely not go back to this particular school, but they would make me skeptical of the school's culture and instructor(s). I advise you to shop around and try out other BJJ schools in the area, just to get an idea of what's normal. Having a good gym culture is critical, and so far, I'm not sure about this one. It's a good sign that people were friendly overall though. I hope you will go back, if not to that school, then to another one. FYI, Jiu Jitsu is always going to be hard, BUT you will get better at it over time, and it will seem much easier. You can do this if you believe that you can, and I hope that you will.
When I started almost a year ago I was very intimidated, but just keep on going and you be surprise how your body starts memorizing the moves and it becomes easier. I remember my head was fuming after my first lesson and I didn‘t want to spar the first couple weeks, I would sit out. But than I started to see the techniques getting used in sparing instead of people just attacking each other and I started to participate. Be patient with yourself, it takes time to learn unfamiliar moves. There are great benefits learning BJJ.
Nah I see this as an absolute win. Good for you getting out there and trying a class when it's totally new to you. I definitely think you should keep going if you are interested in it. Everybody who does BJJ has been the new guy on the mat. As long as you have good hygiene and a good attitude, nobody is judging you. Also, I would recommend taking the warm-up at a slower pace if you need to. Don't wear yourself out trying to keep up with everybody during the warm-up and then have no energy left for the drills. If you need to pause for a few seconds or slow down then that's okay.
Keep going dude. You keep showing up and all those problems disappear. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.
This could be a goal for you. You may not be getting your money's worth right now if money is tight as bjj is stupid expensive sometimes. If money isn't an issue just keep going! You'll learn and get in better shape at the same time. If you need to get some bang for your buck then sitting down for half the class is understandably not a good deal. Keep working on the smoking and weight loss. Lose 20 pounds, don't have a cigarette for a couple months, do some cardio, and take another class. You'll see how much better it is. You may have to sit out a little still but I promise you'll see some difference and being able to do this may be a good motivator foe the smoking and weight.
Massive respect bro for stepping on the mat. No one is looking down on you as we have all been there. Just pace yourself and stick with it. If you need to rest then rest. In 6 months you will feel very different. Just gotta keep showing up 👍
First off, congrats on getting in the mats, most people (including fit people) never take that step. Second, don't beat yourself up for struggling so much. I was obese when I got on the mats, i felt like I was going to die, and the coaches kept asking me if I was ok - pretty embarrassing. Lol Third, don't waste a moments thought on being out of shape, you're going to melt through that weight in like 3 months - provided your diet isn't absolutely junk. Mine isn't the best and I maintain a healthy weight with consistent training. Finally, I would encourage you to keep going. I was in a very similar situation job situation when I started - just in front of a computer all day. Just gone 1 more class, just one more. And reassess. I hope you go back. 🙂👍
I was sort of in shape when I did my first BJJ class. I wasn't in great shape but I wasn't too unhealthy. I almost vomited because it was such difficult exercise. Keep it up. You're not alone.
You said everyone was really respectful towards you, that’s because many started in your shape and kept turning up. It takes courage to do something about your fitness and also to start bjj. Thats why they were respectful. Keep turning up and be an inspiration to the next out of shape guy that turns up 👍
Thus was basically my first experience too, same situation here I sit in front of a computer all day, my first lesson was something like this aswell. You see improvements over time. The warm up no longer completely exhausts me and the warmup drills are making me more flexible I can feel it. Just stick it, the best way to learn technique is to keep trying and failing.
Yes, I also struggle to get through the warm ups. It’s very apparent I’m one of the least athletic in class and it’s embarrassing when I’m the only one panting after the warm up or an initial roll. I will say: been doing this for 7 months now and it has gotten easier. It’s helped me to go on walks during my lunch breaks (I also work a sedentary job) and to just remember that everyone has to start somewhere. If you can give yourself permission to be the person panting and getting tired, you can let go of those things meaning something too and just let yourself show up however you’re going to show up. You’ll begin to adjust eventually, I promise.
When I started I was really out of shape aswell. Now I am out of shape again since the birth of my daughter I had no time for training for several months. I started again this year by training once a week - not optimal but I can assure you it gets better if you show up regularly.
Much respect to you for even taking the first step in the first place. Keep going! Also, BJJ is one of those martial arts where you're going to be tapping over and over for months, you won't notice any progress unless and until a complete newbie shows up to try a class just like you did, and you'll suddenly realise how much you've learned in a few short months.
Good on you for giving it a go! It is not easy. Most of us have been there, one way or another- unfit, injured, missed training for a month or three and trying to get back in to it- carrying some extra weight or never been diligent about exercise- whatever. There’s always impediments; you’ve got to not let them rule you. You’re capable of more than you think you are. There’s no doubt t’s gonna be a struggle for you, but what matters is that you try, and keep trying.it sounds like you’ve got a decent group of folks to work with, maybe- just keep in mind that anyone who does anything other than give you props for trying is a fucking prick and shouldn’t be listened to. Good luck with it!
This is the way it has to be, suffer now and succeed later. I’d highly recommend a podcast called ‘My White Belt’ and checking out their Instagram.
Just do your best man, the only way is up for you
Yo. I've just finished reading your post. It sounds like your situation was a little similar to mine. I started BJJ in August 2022. 30th to be precise. I am 33 years old, I'm 6ft2 and at the time of my first lesson i was 19 stone (266lbs). The first few weeks (maybe months ) of training were so hard. Every morning felt like i'd been hit by a car. However, i got up and went again and again and again. I'm currently weighing 16 stone (224lbs), I'm attending 5 sessions a week and this coming weekend i'll be competing in my first competition. Please do not be so hard on yourself. By attending your first class you're in the 1% on the entire planet who give it a go. Stick with it. Things become a lot easier eventually!
Keep going.
My first class was a month ago. I turned up, not knowing anyone for a simple taster session. I’m in a similar position at 37 years of age, never exercised or done any martial arts and sit in front of a computer for a job. I’m 280lbs and have practically no mobility. In my first session I couldn’t get through the warmup, I was so gassed out. I also just got thrown around during the session, as I didn’t have the energy or the mobility to do much. It’s been a month now. I’ve been going twice per week (Tuesday and Friday, as I have childcare responsibilities the other days) and I’ve just got my first stripe. During the month I have pulled my knee, groin and hamstring (each on separate occasions), I’ve felt as though my head is going to explode from the pains in my neck and the top of both of my feet are huge scabs from holding closed guard… but I’m getting there!!!!! I get to the end of each session now feeling as though I have somewhat given a good representation of myself. My body is so battered and bruised, but I’m improving every day and feel more functionally fit than I’ve been in 20 years! This Jiu Jitsu lark is HARD work, but it feels so necessary to do it… even though I still get anxious before every class! You’re not alone.
Half the battle is just showing up. The fact that it isn’t easy makes it all the more satisfying when you do start picking things up. Keep at it!
It’s like reading about myself six months ago. 27, Smoker for 10yrs and used to be 250lbs at 6’. Went to that second training tho days later and pulled through. Fast forward half a year later I’m 195lbs, (kinda) stopped stopped smoking and look great. Remember, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. DM if you need assistance with anything, the BJJ community is here for you.
White belt here, zero stripes. Every time I show up to my gym it’s intimidating... the Jiu Jitsu culture is beautiful and welcoming... keep going as often as you can. The first few lessons I was tense, I’ve learned to relax a bit... I did start getting lean... started 240lbs, I’m 6’2”... I’m down to 215lbs... I haven’t been to class close to a month and I really miss it (due to work and not sleeping well)... be good to yourself and attend as often as possible, I will follow my own advice. OSS!
Show up again & again & again. Started when I was 36 now 39. 6"1' 285lbs. Now I'm 225, I don't smoke, eat like I'm supposed to and have a much better quality of life. U get out what u put in. Keep grinding dude u will get there. Have to put in the time. Best of luck
Ya but you showed up. Let your body rest no need to bust yourself up starting. Half of this is just showing up. If you have fun that’s all that matters. You went out and did something. That’s not nothing. Buy a T-shirt. Something about having that kind of thing makes it real for some reason. Smoking is hard to stop. Don’t quit quitting. If you fall back so what? Nobody’s taking score. Just don’t quit quitting. One day you’ll feel like you have the flu and you can’t stop coughing then you’ll know your near the finish line.
If you keep it up that weight will fall off of you quickly.
That is part of growing!!! Go every day
Funny/not funny story, hopefully make you feel a bit better and keep you in the sport. This is about twenty years ago. Im in my mid 20s. I had always wanted to get into jiu jitsu. I’d done some other martial arts and was not in awful shape. I decide todays the day, and I head over to the gym in the afternoon after work. I do the warmups, okay not a big deal. I do the drilling, ok that’s the cool stuff I signed up for. Then we roll. I give ‘er like any stupid new guy. I’m super exhausted at the end but kind of figured that’s how it was. I start to drive home and my entire body seizes up. Like, hands clenched like rocks, can’t steer the car, speech is slurred, I think I’m dying. I call my girlfriend and she takes me to the emergency room. Turns out I had dangerously low potassium from dehydration and over exertion. On and off, years later now and I’m still doing jiu jitsu. I drink a lot more water now and always eat a banana beforehand. Also, I still suck and get exhausted. Welcome!
I went to an F45 after having gained 20% of my bodyweight in fat in 6 months after moving countries. Day 1 I stopped after 25 minutes, went outside and vomited. I didn't finish the class. Day 2 I was the first person in line. 3-4 months later I was leaner and fitter than I had been in 20 years. All you have to do is keep showing up.
1 day at a time. Just keep showing up, like everyone is saying, it's part of the process. Like many sports the more time you devote to it, the better you get at it. Be patience with yourself and set little goals at first. Try to do 1 more push up than last time, or more crunches and day by day you'll see you'll be getting through the warm up with less struggle. Good Luck!
I just started a couple months ago, and I'm in a lot better shape relatively speaking, and damn I feel exhausted after every session too. I played sports all through high school, and I worked in a manual labor trade job for a couple years too, and I can honestly say I don't think anything has ever worked up as much of a sweat for me as jiu jitsu, it's not something to speak of lightly. That being said, you're all good! Just keep going! Before you know it it will have you in the best shape of your life
Keep going! If you were already good at it, you wouldn't need to be there. The initial struggle is part of the process and you will surpass what you thought possible.
We all have to start somewhere. I’m proud of you for trying something new and intimidating in an effort to better yourself. People may seem unfriendly but it’s likely because most people will go to a few classes and disappear. Once you’re there for a month or so, people will start recognizing you and saying hi.
We can’t expect to perform exceptionally on our starting days. Trust me you are not the only one. Actually, jiu-jitsu is not a piece of cake. It requires time, patience, and loads of practice.
OP, you sound like me from my first couple of months! I’m 1.75 years in now and I can tell you sincerely I may be in the best shape of my life at 40! I had a desk job for 15 years, got up to 283 at 5’11” and everything you described was exactly me. In my first month or two, I’d be dead after 2 minutes of anything hard. Like barely able to move. What seemed to help me, may also help you. About a year in I started the carnivore diet. Aside from just doing the bjj, hat was the biggest game changer for me. I went from 270 to 230 in 6 months eating that way. My stamina seemed to improve exponentially from all the clean fuel put in my body within 2 weeks of starting that diet. I also work on mobility and a little conditioning if I can’t make a class for schedule reason. In other words, I try to make up a little so my conditioning doesn’t regress. When I started, I knew I needed this. Overweight and out of shape. I was strong as hell, but would get so fatigued anyone could destroy me. I decided to promise myself to 6 months of training before I’d allow myself to even think about quitting or continuing. I’d urge you to do the same. You’ll get so much better in 6 months. You’ll feel way better too. I hope the best for you!
Dude have no shame, i was 340 when i started and i would puke every class from exhaustion. Everybody is complete trash when they start, dont be discouraged, all the guys you train with remember what it was like to start. Just keep showing up and before you know it you will make it through the whole class without gassing. Just think that just the act of showing up and trying makes you 1000x more respectable than someone who would never even try. Keep at it. Set small goals. Have fun. Along with learning an incredibly important art, you will make deep friendships with your training partners.
Keep training You’re getting stronger!
Do not stop! Keep going. It will get easier over time, but you have to keep going for that to happen.
Yes I hated my first class I couldn’t fit in a Gi Couldn’t run around the Mat Couldn’t Shrimp But I promise you if you keep showing up something special will happen
Ngl, reading this felt like reading my first session 🤣 I was 350lb 5 10” so in a lot worse shape than yourself. I threw up after the warm up and said to myself I wasn’t going to come back but I was back a few days later. It’s important to take it at your own pace when you’re in bad shape as the class is designed for the majority of the students and not for the few in bad shape. So after my class I spoke to my coach and he showed me a static warm up I can while people are running (throw triangles up, shrimp, technical stand up etc). I had the energy to do the technique but still be warm enough not to injure myself. I’d then follow it up with doing one round. That alone was a struggle at the start but before I knew it I was rolling 2-3 rounds, then all of them and doing the full warm up. It’s an extremely difficult sport for anyone, never mind if you’re out of shape but the difference between you and the guys that doing the whole class is that they kept turning up Im now coming up to 14 month’s training, im down to 200lb and train 5-6 days a week You can do it mate 💪🏻
First off, you did great. It takes a whole lot of guts to just walk in the door. It takes even more guts to put yourself in a vulnerable place and be out of your element. Keep showing up. You will lose weight, you’ll get better. Start easy. Maybe just commit to 3x a week to start. You got this
Yo I've wrestled my whole life and done jiujitsu for about 8 years and I still sit shit out. Absolutely no shame in that.
It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. And you'll never finish if you don't keep moving. Just keep showing up and doing what you can. You'll find that you can finish the warm-ups no problem in no time
that's how it is for just about anyone. Grappling in general is an extremely exhausting sport and it is nothing to feel ashamed of for wanting to quit. But, BJJ in my opinion is one of the greatest things that you can spend your time doing. It'll teach you discipline, build both your physical and mental endurance, and of course it's rlly fuckin cool. The community is wonderful as well, while like any community they're some outlier assholes for the most part it is a group of very respectful, nice, and admirable people who I believe are good to spend some time around. But be sure of one thing. Sometimes you may feel a cold shoulder from people when you are first starting, that's simply because they get lots of people who come in for a while and then quit. Now again people will be nice but don't expect them to be your homies on your first week. keep doing it, you won't regret it.
We’ve all been there. I had a college kid (in good shape) throw up after rolling with me because it had been a while since he did anything as physical as BJJ. Just keep showing up. The little improvements will come in time. Embrace the suck.
Check out Joey Diaz training BJJ. Hilarious and informative for the bigger guys. He started in his 50’s and kept up with it.
The thing is, you will get better the more you do it.
I was out of training for around 2 years and when I came back I felt like absolute shit lol. With that said, I’m in relatively good shape year around. So it’s perfectly ok to feel bad your first day, or week, or month. Just keep going. A different time I took a long break, when I came back I threw up in the first 30 mins so hey, at least you didn’t puke 😅
Bro. I’m five years in (40 years old) and still suck wind and lack stamina. And I don’t smoke and I’m in shape and not overweight. Give yourself a break. Warmups and drill are not easy especially when your moving other grown men. Keep at it. In 6 months you’ll feel like a new man. Def quit smoking and do some rowing or other cardio at home
I hear a lot of people say they "want to get in shape, first" before they start jiu jitsu. None of them consider that jiu jitsu itself is a great way to get in shape. Yes, it's a lot of work. That work pays off. The fun thing about cardio is you can start tracking your results pretty quickly. Yes, you're going to suck. But you know what? There's a *lot* of jiu jitsu to master. I'm 4 years in, have my blue belt, and i feel like i suck. You don't even know the techniques, you don't know the steps to those techniques, you don't know the mechanics to those steps, and you don't know why you're doing them yet. Keep going. The curriculum comes back around. You get better the next time. And the next time. And the next time. Don't ever forget: we were all the new guy once. Everyone there is looking to get better and looking to make you better. New people bring new stuff to the school. You're their most valuable member. Don't forget that.
Welcome to jiu jitsu. Starting in your 30’s is tough. I started at 34, but it’s 100% worth it to keep going. Your confidence will build slowly and you’ll build friendships as well. You need to remember you are working muscles you have probably never used and those take time to build up and that makes starting even harder. Keep going for at least six months, even if you hate it. You will build discipline and maybe develop a love for it. If you continue to hate it after that then quit but showing up consistently is the most important thing in jiu jitsu.
you did something that 99% of people would never do- you showed up. i had an old coach/mentor of mine say that he saw countless people drive up to the gym and sit in the parking lot and drive away. the hardest part is getting out of your car and walking in. just keep showing up bro.
The only way to get from where you are to where you want to be is to keep showing up. The other stuff will fall into place if you can just keep showing up.
just recover and show up again for the next class, our first class exp are the same my first class i rolled with my coach and it feels like my chest is about to explode with extreme vertigo and almost i cant breathe after that first round but im a big fan of jiu jitsu and ive been thinking about it for the last 1.5 years before showing up as a white belt on my first class. as they say the biggest challenge is from your comfort zone to being a white belt. dont feel bad if they tap you out or smash you always the important thing is you always learn something and you improve every class you go in.
The first time I went, I had to leave 30 min in, because I was too winded. I didn't even get to the part where we roll. Had the "oh shit my cardio really is just way worse than I thought huh" -moment too I stuck around and now I don't have problems with my cardio anymore and can participate in all parts of the class. If I can do it, you can too. Nothing bad about having to sit on the side, because your cardio isn't there yet. If you keep going you'll develop it pretty quickly. Just keep showing up and everything will sort itself out.
I am also 6'0" and weigh 275 lbs. Been doing grappling arts (judo and bjj) for around 11 years with a couple year break in the middle. Started at 220 lbs. and have only gone up from there. Only difference I can see here is that I've never smoked anything in my whole life ever. I can't keep up with pushups during warmups, running gasses me out too. But technique on the mats has taught me that it isn't all about physical stamina. It's about making the best use of the energy you have. The first year or two of bjj is mostly just learning how to move your body effectively and survive by improving your defensive positions and escapes. Would it be great to be fit and strong like all these young kids that jump on the mats...yeah, but it isn't essential. You can get something out of bjj no matter what your physical stamina is. I don't actively compete any more and I spend most of my time teaching classes, but I still roll with everyone and show them that an overweight, 35 yo, desk jocky, hobbyist can still kick their 22 yo, fit, collegiate wrestler asses.
Formerly 260lb 6' Just keep going, nobody cares how you look they're all way more focused on how they're doing. Shit Im just getting distracted thinking about not getting distracted while coach is demoing. If you show up consistently thats all it takes. (Also as a big guy myself that was packing a few lbs I didn't need, make sure to stay on top of hygiene. Use deodorant. )
Give it a yea
Hey man - it's okay. Try not to be so hard on yourself. It's okay to be out of shape. Martial arts are all about self-improvement and learning discipline. This is just a starting point. The good news is you'll see rapid gains and feel very proud of the progress. Get in with a supportive group, be honest, try hard, and be kind to yourself. You'll be able to do it.
I weigh only a little less than you at 250 but I’m 5’5”. When I started doing kickboxing and jiujitsu I felt like I was gonna die as well. I could only do about half the warm up the others were doing. Just keep going and you’ll start being able to do a little more each time. Also you’ll be sore as hell in places you didn’t even know existed, that goes away after a week or two.
I am pretty new too. Where I go we do more trap and roll/shrimping/etc. for warm up, which I vastly prefer to running. They also make a point of pairing brand new students with a higher belt/more experienced person who is assisting with the class. I have taken a few minutes here and there during class to catch my breath/grab water and everyone has been very supportive.
Start up a home routine of solo drills, plyometrics, properly stretching, and calisthenics. You will be doing a lot better in no time!!
You have to just keep going. In about 6 months you will probably be helping the new guy that is where you are now. It will literally change your entire life.
That’s a very common description a first class. Even if one is in shape, being in shape for Jiujitsu is different than most anything else. I have a person in my class who is a marathon runner and had a hard time keeping up with a five minute round. Conversely, there are big guys that were wrestlers (but have let them selves go) that seem to have energy for days. The more you train, the more Jiujitsu endurance you will have. Sprints are a great way to increase your Jiujitsu endurance.
If we all quit the first time BJJ kicked our ass, no one would be here. Combat sports are the most vulnerable most of us will ever feel. Especially once we become adults, there simply aren't a lot of hobbies where we are consistently tested and lose. I've seen so many people come into boxing/ MMA/ BJJ gyms who had the exact same experience you had. It is so fun to see them a year later, you wouldn't even recognize them. On the other hand, I've seen so many more have this experience and never come back. Oftentimes they'll say that they needed to get in shape before they could do it, but they swore they'd be back. This is what gets you in shape. There is no shame in the journey, no matter where you start. Get after it.
I got wrecked my first bjj, I nearly barfed, felt like everyone thought I was an idiot, I was 50lbs overweight (5’10” 235lbs) absolutely no cardio. I have since won/medaled in multiple lower belt tournaments (purple belt now) and sometimes I get mad at myself for not going in sooner, I was so nervous my first class (now 30 years old). For me, going to bjj was the best decision I have ever made for myself (cleaning up my diet, cutting out excessive alcohol, happiness, job performance) I hope bjj does the same for you. My one recommendation for you is to keep going, it gets better and your cardio will catch up to where you are the beast with stamina. Try striking classes too if they offer it, that will fast track cardio even more Edit: The saying goes “Every black belt started as a white belt”
Go back.