I need help with 3 problems. my BJJ sucks.

[Jason Koh]

Problem # 1
I need help applying the rear naked choke. I know the steps but i get stuck at the last part where you have to squeeze. Scott the instructor at 10th planet HQ told me after i sneak my hand behind the other guys head, i have to pull my shoulder away from each other. I also looed up videos on youtube showing how to apply rear naked chokes but i still had trouble. So i tried it on my friend. The first time i tried to apply it, I was squeezing while trying to make my elbows touch each other. That didn't work. So i tried the one that Scott taught me, i pulled away my shoulders away from each other but i ended up squeezing his windpipe. I'm really confused, am i supposed to pull it away from each other or towards each other?

Problem # 2
I'm new to grappling so I don't know how to breathe in grappling. Usually after a couple minutes of hard rolling, i gas out. When should I breathe?

Problem # 3
I feel like I'm using pure strength instead of technique sometimes. On Mondays, Eric runs the class and he spends 1/3 of the time warming up so we have a very limited time in practicing techniques and after the class is over, I can't practice because it's the advanced class. He is a good teacher but I feel like he should focus more on techniques. On Wednesdays Scott runs the class and he goes over techniques the whole class so I do have a little more time to practice techniques. Ok, we do live drills after a couple techniques are taught and sometimes i end up in weird positions and I transition by pushing with my knee, leg, or arm. EX: I was in the other guy's guard and he got me into the kung fu move and then an armbar, I stood up walked past him and managed to slip my arm out. I'm put into situations where I wasn't taught and i have a hard time on drilling the techniques into my head. I forget sweeps and transitions that I end up using explosive hip movement or just pure arm strength.


Can anyone give suggestions? Thanks.

[Brian Debes]

#1 Trust your instructor over random youtube videos and ask questions
#2 and #3 Relax and breath all the time. Focus on technique and let go of the desperate urge to win that causes you not to work on what your taught.

Just my recommendations….

[Kurzy]

You're in no rush either. No one started Jiu Jitsu and was awesome at it right away. Your instructors should let you slap a RNC on them and they can coach you on what you need to change.
As far as gassing out is concerned, that'll come with time.

[Charlemange August K.]

hug your knee like a head and choke, squeeze the fuck out of it

[Rob Cavinii]

Breathing I think is the most important piece of all. Try in through the nose and out through the mouth and breath from your stomach,not your chest.Focus hard on breathing and it will be 2nd nature in no time. get as much mat time as you can and put in those reps.it all takes time and consistence.

[Andrew T]

Problem 1-Do what Eddie did. He said he would squeeze the shit out of his bent knee when he watching tv and chillin. Some guys have such a strong squeeze that they don't even need the neck cuz they can dislocate your jaw. Instead of sparring during open mat you should drill with a blue or purple and ask them to critique your choke. Ask them if you can drill the choke. Start in closed guard and do a basic arm drag, grab the lat, and drill that choke son.
Problem 2-stay clam, explode during certain points instead of going balls to wall for 5 straight min, never hold your breath (especially during sub attempts) put in your rounds and you will be good. Do you wear a mouthpiece? It can inhibit your oxygen intake to certain degree but you should get used to training with one if you don't.
3-as a white belt sometimes I forget the proper way to escape or sweep or transition but I guess that will come with time. There have been so many times when I will be showering after practice and I'll think oh shit that truck position or that sweep was staring me in the face and I didn't seize the opportunity...

[Greg W]

#1 you'll get it after 1000 reps of trying to bring your elbows together and pulling the choke tight to your chest.
#2 as soon as you start to breath above normal, reduce your energy expenditure, sometimes all the way to minimum defense, t-rex arms, move hips. that minimum energy output won't get you breathing heavy unless the guy is 220 lbs. And yes, You will get tapped out a whole bunch. That is OK!!
that leads to #3 , learning to tap and being a good training partner are very important that first year. When your partner throws the kung fu, give him some resistance( t-rex, move hips) but get ready to tap, same with armbar, if everything is tight, resist the urge to go berserk and use muscle power, he should slowly apply the lock, tap as soon as you feel some discomfort. Your partner learns by getting some good reps, and you learn what being caught feels like, everybody learns!!!. You will begin to learn what is tight and what is not, you will get comfortable how far you can go and start to feel loose spots/openings in techniques and just give little bursts of energy to keep your partner honest. If he does a tight armbar 20 times, then gets sloppy on the 21st you can just tug a little and slip it past your elbow. Eventually your instructor will teach you the proper escapes for the techniques(might be a while) and you will have solid ground work in place to best utilise it. In the case of armbar, you can move you hips the correct way, use little energy, just weight, stacking your opponent wait for an error or some space, give a tug, bingo your out, very little energy expenditure. If your a dangerous, berserker, ass, knowbody higher up is going to want to roll with you(bad for learning). You want to learn to be the best grappling dummy you can so everyone loves to roll with you. Getting submitted by a black belt is an awsome learning experience. That doesn't imply being a push over dummy either, you need to provide appropriate resistance, and use the techniques you have learned when the oppourtunitys arise. Higher level pratitioners will respect this and when you finally get the RNC properly on one of them they will tap if it is tight. Might be #1001!

[Greg W]

and one more very important rule I learned from Eddie for chokes that has been a HUGE help, "squeeze to 10". can't stess enough how mindblowing this simple tip has been to me and my students!!!!!

[Tyler Larsen]

Mat time

[Jason Koh]

ok thanks guys but one question. When i do the rear naked choke am I supposed to try to touch my elbows together and i have to pull my shoulders away from each other?, and I have to stick my chest out while doing this?