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Cross training is it good or bad
6 year(s) ago • 5384 views • 24 replies
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I though this was a great site for this as with it being affiliated with BJJ Globetrotters a lot of like minded people may be here.. I always disliked the idea of discouraging cross training.. When I increased the size of my school and the hours back eastI bought in another coach to help teach grappling so I chose the most complete grappler I knew Vlad Koulikov
Cross training is it good or bad.... Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge advocate of cross training and I believe if you coach tells you not to cross train it’s time for a new coach....
We are all on a journey and the goal is to be the best we can each be and find what works best for us... Cross training helps accomplish this and expose you to different approaches and methods.... The same approach does not work for everyone..
Heck the gym we are in Silver Wolf training center is based on cross training,, With MMA alone you have myself , Stephen Bonner and Rudy Morales all teaching different approaches..Not only that but we have everything else from capoeira to Kali and JKD..,
In Vegas I have friends like Gokor and Steve Feeka both great instructors who run schools I consider part of the family and encourage people to check out... We are in a mecca of great BJJ with Drysdale, Cobra Kai, Cascao and Sergio Penha just to name a few.. To discourage people from also checking them out would be irresponsible as a coach.
I welcome people from other schools all the time who either want to get rolls in with different people or want to pick my brain on things from my game they can incorporate in theirs..
I work with independent fighters and guys from other teams.. All that matters is leave politics and BS at the door as I have no interest in it..
Of course you need a “home” school and hopefully you feel it is your team or family but you are not betraying anyone or being disloyal getting extra work in.. In fact if your coach tells you not too he is not interested in YOUR progress just his own self interests...
Sorry for the rant but this came up yesterday and I thought it was a good topic...
Cross training is it good or bad.... Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge advocate of cross training and I believe if you coach tells you not to cross train it’s time for a new coach....
We are all on a journey and the goal is to be the best we can each be and find what works best for us... Cross training helps accomplish this and expose you to different approaches and methods.... The same approach does not work for everyone..
Heck the gym we are in Silver Wolf training center is based on cross training,, With MMA alone you have myself , Stephen Bonner and Rudy Morales all teaching different approaches..Not only that but we have everything else from capoeira to Kali and JKD..,
In Vegas I have friends like Gokor and Steve Feeka both great instructors who run schools I consider part of the family and encourage people to check out... We are in a mecca of great BJJ with Drysdale, Cobra Kai, Cascao and Sergio Penha just to name a few.. To discourage people from also checking them out would be irresponsible as a coach.
I welcome people from other schools all the time who either want to get rolls in with different people or want to pick my brain on things from my game they can incorporate in theirs..
I work with independent fighters and guys from other teams.. All that matters is leave politics and BS at the door as I have no interest in it..
Of course you need a “home” school and hopefully you feel it is your team or family but you are not betraying anyone or being disloyal getting extra work in.. In fact if your coach tells you not too he is not interested in YOUR progress just his own self interests...
Sorry for the rant but this came up yesterday and I thought it was a good topic...
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SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Of course: why would you want LESS knowledge? Cross training is great. :D
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Of course: why would you want LESS knowledge? Cross training is great. :D
I agree but many coaches discourage it
SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I agree but many coaches discourage it
I'm not sure how true that is these days, but it could be I'm spoiled by hanging out with a lot of BJJ Globetrotters. I very rarely encounter the old school "You have to fly one flag, everybody else is the enemy" type mentality. Then again, I've actively avoided those kind of people for so long, I forget they exist sometimes. ;)
PDBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I still see the mentality especially when travelling.. I see 2 types of schools those that embrace cross training and those that are threatened by it
JJBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
I agree but many coaches discourage it
All the places I have seen that discourage it try to either:
#1. Make as much money as possible by selling merchandise they must wear or are encouraged to buy or long-term memberships.
#2. It's kind of like a cult or they have the mindset that our way is the best and only way things should be done.
#3. Are so concerned about competition that they are afraid to train with those they might compete against. See everyone else as the enemy.
#4. The coach is really insecure.
#1. Make as much money as possible by selling merchandise they must wear or are encouraged to buy or long-term memberships.
#2. It's kind of like a cult or they have the mindset that our way is the best and only way things should be done.
#3. Are so concerned about competition that they are afraid to train with those they might compete against. See everyone else as the enemy.
#4. The coach is really insecure.
Edited 6 year(s) ago
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I agree but many coaches discourage it
I don't think you'd find many of those coaches among BJJ Globetrotters
DBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
Porra lotsa creontes here! :)
Yes cross training is great but to play the devils advocate, you put your heart and soul into a student, raise him from white to purple/brown, then he just dumps you for another school where they offer him something you couldn't. Worse, he competes against his former teammates in tournaments and you think of all the times that you were in his corner. For anyone that's been there, it sucks, no matter how magnanimous and open minded you are. Coaches got feelings too lol, especially when you try to build a family atmosphere.
Anyone who's been in the game long enough has felt this and it sucks. Then again, life goes on. Just adding a bit of perspective as to why the mentality exists.
Yes cross training is great but to play the devils advocate, you put your heart and soul into a student, raise him from white to purple/brown, then he just dumps you for another school where they offer him something you couldn't. Worse, he competes against his former teammates in tournaments and you think of all the times that you were in his corner. For anyone that's been there, it sucks, no matter how magnanimous and open minded you are. Coaches got feelings too lol, especially when you try to build a family atmosphere.
Anyone who's been in the game long enough has felt this and it sucks. Then again, life goes on. Just adding a bit of perspective as to why the mentality exists.
SJBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
Porra lotsa creontes here! :) Yes cross training is great but to play the devils advocate, you put your heart and soul into a student, raise him from white to purple/brown, then he just dumps you for another school where they offer him something you couldn't. Worse, he competes against his former teammates in tournaments and you think of all the times that you were in his corner. For anyone that's been there, it sucks, no matter how magnanimous and open minded you are. Coaches got feelings too lol, especially when you try to build a family atmosphere. Anyone who's been in the game long enough has felt this and it sucks. Then again, life goes on. Just adding a bit of perspective as to why the mentality exists.
Sure, it's not fun when a student leaves, but as instructors we don't own them. If what I'm offering isn't enough for them to want to stay a member of my school, banning cross training certainly isn't going to make the offering any better. ;)
The ideal situation for me is when my students train at multiple gyms, I encourage that. There have always been a certain number of my students who train both at my gym and at other local schools (one of the advantages of my rates being low).
I don't care if they want to compete under my banner or not, competition success is not a focus for me. Though naturally it's nice when students win medals repping the school, from a marketing perspective, meh. Main thing is to see my students improving and happy). .
The ideal situation for me is when my students train at multiple gyms, I encourage that. There have always been a certain number of my students who train both at my gym and at other local schools (one of the advantages of my rates being low).
I don't care if they want to compete under my banner or not, competition success is not a focus for me. Though naturally it's nice when students win medals repping the school, from a marketing perspective, meh. Main thing is to see my students improving and happy). .
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
I definitely encourage cross training. My only rule is please do not bring ringworm or any kind of skin ailments back with you.
DBlack beltVerified
6 year(s) ago
How about now with Covid?
SZBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
6 year(s) ago
How about now with Covid?
TMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
When I first started, my gym taught "MMA". I was drawn to the grappling, so I looked for a BJJ school. The first one I went to was only for a year because they would not allow cross training. My Kickboxing coach was a 23 time world champ so I wasn't about to give him up for an 18 year old instructor. If it wasn't for that, I probably would have stayed at that gym for a long time and thought that was the norm. Some training partners that stayed for years told me stories of how they won trips to worlds, Abu Dhabi, etc and when they went they were not allowed to associate with people outside their lineage. They really regret missing those opportunities.
Thankfully, the gym I ended up at and I'm still with today was and is open with cross training and works with other gyms in the area. I think it's an integral part of making a successful BJJ gym. Some people don't want to compete or can't so the only exposure they get to different styles would be through cross training. I also like it because when you make good relationships with other gyms in the area it allows you to train more. For a while I wasn't able to make saturday classes at lunch at my gym, but a school my coach was cross training with had one at a time I could go so.i got to train Saturdays.
I got to get exposed to different body types and styles, different training methods and philosophies and made some friends.
Imo not allowing cross training is a red flag.
Thankfully, the gym I ended up at and I'm still with today was and is open with cross training and works with other gyms in the area. I think it's an integral part of making a successful BJJ gym. Some people don't want to compete or can't so the only exposure they get to different styles would be through cross training. I also like it because when you make good relationships with other gyms in the area it allows you to train more. For a while I wasn't able to make saturday classes at lunch at my gym, but a school my coach was cross training with had one at a time I could go so.i got to train Saturdays.
I got to get exposed to different body types and styles, different training methods and philosophies and made some friends.
Imo not allowing cross training is a red flag.
KLBlack beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
I don’t know where I’d be without cross training and I highly recommend it to all my students!
OHBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
yeah ,for me crosstraining is part of the thing...i can't see it without...
i was doing MMA back in early 2000's
in my area in belgium the stand up (kickboxing, muaythai, kyoikushin) was well develloped with world class champ and team, but the grappling/wreslting was inexistant...
i was a "good" blue belt under shaolin ribeiro and also the main referee for the shooto belgium federation, so i decided to provide some grappling class, open for everybody and every team..the goal was to level-up grappling for amateur mma fighting in the area.
this idea led to creating a grappling/BJJ club 13 years ago.
long story short :-D ... for me cross training is "the normal" way
i was doing MMA back in early 2000's
in my area in belgium the stand up (kickboxing, muaythai, kyoikushin) was well develloped with world class champ and team, but the grappling/wreslting was inexistant...
i was a "good" blue belt under shaolin ribeiro and also the main referee for the shooto belgium federation, so i decided to provide some grappling class, open for everybody and every team..the goal was to level-up grappling for amateur mma fighting in the area.
this idea led to creating a grappling/BJJ club 13 years ago.
long story short :-D ... for me cross training is "the normal" way
Edited 5 year(s) ago
JMBlack belt 2nd degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
play the devils advocate, you put your heart and soul into a student, raise him from white to purple/brown, then he just dumps you for another school where they offer him something you couldn't.
You don't own people and are not entitled to them. Be happy you were a part of their journey. :)
DBBlack belt 3rd degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
Training with different folks, cool.
But I am of the unpopulair opinion one should FIRST become reasonably decent at ONE particular style, before you start adding other styles & crosstraining in different arts.
Go through the fire once, learn how to not suck, then go it again with another aspect of the game, or another style. Then repeat.
Little padawans wanting the full force experience without knowing how to hold a lightsaber first, and whatnot.
But I am of the unpopulair opinion one should FIRST become reasonably decent at ONE particular style, before you start adding other styles & crosstraining in different arts.
Go through the fire once, learn how to not suck, then go it again with another aspect of the game, or another style. Then repeat.
Little padawans wanting the full force experience without knowing how to hold a lightsaber first, and whatnot.
Edited 5 year(s) ago
OHBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
Little padawans wanting the full force experience without knowing how to hold a lightsaber first, and whatnot.
:-D this one made my day
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
You don't own people and are not entitled to them.
It is sad that many instructors do not understand this simple point.
Paying customers/students can do what they like. Imagine if Walmart banned you or called you out for shopping at Costco.
The mentality in Martial Arts can be ridiculous sometimes.
Paying customers/students can do what they like. Imagine if Walmart banned you or called you out for shopping at Costco.
The mentality in Martial Arts can be ridiculous sometimes.
RDBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
But I am of the unpopulair opinion one should FIRST become reasonably decent at ONE particular style, before you start adding other styles & crosstraining in different arts.
I agree with this although ultimately it is up to the person. Eventually they will figure this out.
JBlack belt 4th degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
Here's my (controversial) take on this. The "creonte" culture in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu makes sense as Rio and some of the other large cities have gang problems. Without even realizing it, that gang culture is rife within the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community.
IBBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
I encourage cross training at other BJJ gyms after you have color on your belt. This is for a few reasons. First it shows the gym you are cross training at that at least you kind of know what you are doing and fundamentals don’t need to be addressed. Next it lets us build your fundamentals and get you to a point that when you are not rolling with the same folks that you recognize this shit works.
This thing has so many summits and valleys. When I find myself struggling with my training partners I roll up into another gym and make sure Jiu jitsu still works. The 2 or 3 guys that have trained with me since the start know when I move this way, this next thing happens. And vice versa.
This thing has so many summits and valleys. When I find myself struggling with my training partners I roll up into another gym and make sure Jiu jitsu still works. The 2 or 3 guys that have trained with me since the start know when I move this way, this next thing happens. And vice versa.
BMBlack belt 1st degreeVerified
5 year(s) ago
Just let people train however and with whomever they want. Holy crap. Lol.
PCBlack beltVerified
5 year(s) ago
I used to do a ton of cross training. Largely because in South Africa there just weren't alot of Jiu Jitsu competition when I started.
There were lots of MMA events, so we went and tested our Jiu Jitsu in MMA fights. This naturally meant we needed to become more well rounded.
I do believe that there are positives in crossing over, but if the goal is to become better at jiu jitsu, then more of it will make you better. Cross training does have its benefits as well, but largely in terms of fitness, co-ordination, speed, agility. Although there are some parallels in technique when you knowledge base increases.
Also if the goal is to use jiu-jitsu as a primary source of self defense and not only for fitness and jiu jitsu competition, it definitely helps to know what to do when someone wants to take your head off.
There were lots of MMA events, so we went and tested our Jiu Jitsu in MMA fights. This naturally meant we needed to become more well rounded.
I do believe that there are positives in crossing over, but if the goal is to become better at jiu jitsu, then more of it will make you better. Cross training does have its benefits as well, but largely in terms of fitness, co-ordination, speed, agility. Although there are some parallels in technique when you knowledge base increases.
Also if the goal is to use jiu-jitsu as a primary source of self defense and not only for fitness and jiu jitsu competition, it definitely helps to know what to do when someone wants to take your head off.
