How important are privates in Bjj?

[wardancer]

My first language is French.
I don't spellcheck my inputs and usually write as I speak which is pretty lame.


However, do you have any opinions about the topic?

[jubaji]

My first language is French.
I don't spellcheck my inputs and usually write as I speak which is pretty lame.

I see. Are you from Quebec or well, you know, that other place?


If English is your second language, then I'd say you are doing just fine with it.

[wardancer]

I see. Are you from Quebec or well, you know, that other place?


If English is your second language, then I'd say you are doing just fine with it.

I am French bu tI am based in New Zealand now: living the live of 'the Lord of the rings' so to speak (that were the movies were shot) Hum big fan!
My 'spoken' english is ok but as you know my 'written' english sucks especially when I post in the forum: long day at work and i get sloppy.

[jubaji]

My 'spoken' english is ok but as you know my 'written' english sucks.

That's not uncommon. At least you've got a good excuse!

[wardancer]

That's not uncommon. At least you've got a good excuse!

Point taken but to get back to the topic!
what is yout opinion about BJJ instructors giving extra classes, should they charge extra for something you have paid for?

[jubaji]

Point taken but to get back to the topic!
what is yout opinion about BJJ instructors giving extra classes, should they charge extra for something you have paid for?

If its "extra" its not part of what you paid for, right?

[wardancer]

If its "extra" its not part of what you paid for, right?

Yep, the problem I have with privates classes is that instructors offers privates as extra for existing paying students but I feel strongly that they should teach the right stuff at the first place. Why pay extra if he could not pass on his knowledge correctly at the first place!
Some rumors has that certains instructors will treat their 'privates' students differently from the rest of the classes!
I am ok with an instructor that charges private rates to an individual that does not attend the 'normal' classes schedule.

[jubaji]

Yep, the problem I have with privates classes is that instructors offers privates as extra for existing paying students but I feel strongly that they should teach the right stuff at the first place. Why pay extra if he could not pass on his knowledge correctly at the first place!
Some rumors has that certains instructors will treat their 'privates' students differently from the rest of the classes!
I am ok with an instructor that charges private rates to an individual that does not attend the 'normal' classes schedule.

Private class doesn't equal 'secret information no one else gets'. It means more direct time with an instructor and greater personal attention.

[wardancer]

Does anyone there take private lessons? If so, did the private lessons substantially elevate your game? On the flip side is there anyone out there that feels that they have made real progress without ever taking a private? My instructor says that the only way to fine tune your game and to find your own game is with privates.

I think it is wrong as if an instructor cannot give what is needed at the first place, you should not pay for a second turn.

[jubaji]

I think it is wrong as if an instructor cannot give what is needed at the first place, you should not pay for a second turn.

If a professor gives a lecture to a hall full of students it will have a different effect than if he describes it privately to one student.

[chalambok]

Seems to me that when the Gracie family first brought their style of Brazilian Jujutsu to the Americas a student was required to take something like 47 private lessons before he was allowed to join the class.

[wardancer]

Seems to me that when the Gracie family first brought their style of Brazilian Jujutsu to the Americas a student was required to take something like 47 private lessons before he was allowed to join the class.

Don't know, i am not affiliated to the Gracie.
But lot of BJJ instructors offers privates compare to other MA, I think.
i guess it is so popular and BJJ instructors are much more 'service' oriented compare to other MA.

[newbie2MA]

what is wrong with private?

I'm curious why one would think an instructor should be able to give you the same attention and learning curve in a class with 5-10-25 students as he could/would one on one? Granted their are advantages to having 5-10-25 other bodies/levels to practice with, but to have a sifu/master concentrate on your form/skills excusively is priceless. If you can afford it why not?

[Penance]

From Carlos Gracie Jr.:

RY: Did you train with your father when you were young?

CGJ: No, when I was born my father was already 60 years old, he lived in the mountains and had retired from teaching. He had a school in downtown Rio de Janeiro and my Uncle, Helio was head instuctor there with Rolles and Rorion. I learnt most of my bjj from Rolles who was my head instructor and some from Rorion,but everybody helped everybody. Helio would sometimes come and give us classes on how to teach different people, how the technique should be and the mentality of bjj. It is very importnat that you know how to teach bjj properly because there are many different types of students. You have guys who are fighters and others who just want to learn techniques, play jiu-jitsu and develop themselves. When you see a student you have to know what part of bjj will suit them best. At the time I was learning, most of the teaching was done privately, the group class was mostly for sparring but a lot of the students were taught privately. It was a lot different from nowadays. That is why I think most of the people who learnt then have more details in their technique than people learning now, though they may be better fighters. Now the fighters have a lot of endurance and strength. The people we taught were just average people, not athletes, but they were still good because we kept training the technique all the time.

RYo you think that nowadays fighters put more emphasis on power and speed than technique?

CGJ: Yes, cus now we have the group class in which it is harder to show the small details. when you have a private class you fix any problems right away. In the groups classyou can become good by rolling, sweating and learning some techniques, but it is not the same as a private class. One of the hardest things for me in my academy is that I have a lot of fighters but not so many teachers. Some people ask me to send a teacher to their area, but I do not know if I have somebody I can send. The fighters, I have many, but I have to know if they can teach properly. Now I want to start an instructors class just for instructors so I can show these guys how to teach properly. They will have to learn how to run an academy and how to deal with different kinds of students. You cannot give every student the same programme. So how you teach him is the way he learnds to teach. In the group class it is more difficult cus they learn one move then spar and spar and spar, and then get taught another technique. Sometimes the techniques do not connect cus the group has different people in it and some people miss classes, so then you have to give a position eveybody can do. You cannot say tomorrow this, the day after we will be doing that, because people can miss a step out of their training. Ina group it is hard to give the details. In private you can take the guy 1-2-3-4 steps and make him grow where he sees the connections and understands bjj at a more deeper level.

http://www.shazbot.com/cgi-bin/YaBB/YaBB.pl?board=general&action=display&num=1098574625

My opinion is this: TALK to your teacher. Tell them what you think you need to work on and ask for advice. That's what your paying them for. I've never taken a private class but I think private students advance faster because one-on-one attention helps them progress faster. They get the details, as Carlos puts it.

[wardancer]

Good input.
So you do not think private is a failure on the instructor not able to teach you in a group class and must charge extra for privates.