Introduction and request for advice

[Mike Bushby]

I tried to search function my way through this, but didn't see anything about this.

Quick introduction, I'm writing from Iowa and am from what until recently has been a more traditional bjj school. When our instructor had to leave town rather suddenly and unexpectedly, I began teaching classes. At first, we continued to put in reps on the curriculum we knew, and meanwhile we looked for other schools that could help us get going. When a local 10th planet affiliate indicated some interest in helping us get going, we pulled our resources together and I began teaching from Eddie's books and DVD's. I'm a white belt (hardly ideal, I openly admit) but have been around the block for a while. I also work as a therapist and "analyzing and teaching movement patterns" is something I do professionally, so I'm doing my best. We hope to affiliate in the future and I plan to pursue belting either through the local moon (Derek Stewart, please be my Obi-Wan) or through the online options that I've read about, but at the moment we're just trying to get in reps.

So here I am. So far we're working our way through rubber guard dvd's, with the twister one left to go. We have the books for reference as well, and I've gotten the HQ warm-ups from the internet and we're working on those too, trying to get our heads wrapped around a new system.

My question is this: Until such time as we get properly affiliated, and have access to direct instruction again, is there ANYTHING else we can or should be working on at this point? Any particular positions, techniques, etc that are not part of the DVD series or the warm-ups that are essential?

We have a seriously dedicated crew, and none of us want the bjj program to die. Please help us.

Please, folks, don't advise any of the following:
1. Get to a moon. (It's obvious, and I have already started doing this and will do it every chance I get)
2. Stop letting white belts teach (TRUST ME, I want to be a student, not a teacher. But for now I'm all we've got. It's me or nobody until we can take the proper/official step.
3. Train at other local schools. We're loyal to our team, and also there are no other great options in the area to begin with.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to help us out.

Also, to be clear, we do understand the rules and are very careful about following them. Nothing indicating 10th planet is in any way a part of our advertising or how we represent ourselves, nor do we represent me as any kind of ranked instructor. Right now, new students are just told exactly what I've told you all in this thread.
-Mike

[Joe Mayall]

Who owns the school that you train at?

[Mike Bushby]

Who owns the school that you train at?

It's right there in my profile, Joe. Since I'm usually pretty anonymous on forums and pretty new to putting all my business out there, I'm slightly uncomfortable throwing other people's names around, forgive me. However, I can say that they are in contact with a local moon and are working on whatever steps need to happen. So whatever it will be will come officially from them.
I'm not a gym owner, and that stuff is really outside my question, although I understand your reason for asking it. I'm just interested in how best to spend our time training, if future affiliation with 10P is a goal of ours. Also, by beginning to post on this forum, I'm also starting my own personal path with 10th planet, and I figured this was a good newbie question to ask. I train 3 times a week, and I'm an old fart. Don't want to waste my time.

[Chris Herzog]

It's right there in my profile, Joe. Since I'm usually pretty anonymous on forums and pretty new to putting all my business out there, I'm slightly uncomfortable throwing other people's names around, forgive me. However, I can say that they are in contact with a local moon and are working on whatever steps need to happen. So whatever it will be will come officially from them.
I'm not a gym owner, and that stuff is really outside my question, although I understand your reason for asking it. I'm just interested in how best to spend our time training, if future affiliation with 10P is a goal of ours. Also, by beginning to post on this forum, I'm also starting my own personal path with 10th planet, and I figured this was a good newbie question to ask. I train 3 times a week, and I'm an old fart. Don't want to waste my time.

Nothing wrong with asking who owns the gym, its not something that should be hidden.

However I will say if you are working towards affiliation only training 3 days a week won't cut it.

[Mike Bushby]

Chris, that makes sense. I just don't want to say something wrong, and/or speak for anyone else. I'm happy to be accountable for my own words, but I don't want to put words in someone else's mouth.
How many days per week do you think is appropriate? How many times a week do you train?
So, guys, is the CONTENT of what we're doing at least reasonable? Look, I know it's minimal, but I really want to be doing as much as I can. I'll never be as good as a qualified instructor (until maybe the point where I *am* one, years down the line) but if I could be doing something better, I don't think that's an unreasonable question to ask.
Thanks again in advance.

[Chris Herzog]

If you are serious about affiliation and becoming an instructor in the 10th Planet System 5 days a week minimum. Id say most do more.

[Mike Bushby]

If you are serious about affiliation and becoming an instructor in the 10th Planet System 5 days a week minimum. Id say most do more.

Do most do that choose that path do it as a full time job? Also, what if the market here wouldn't support it?

Right now I'm a white belt with a 9-5 so I'm far, FAR away from worrying about that. In the meantime, though, thanks for the advice.

[Chris Herzog]

Do most do that choose that path do it as a full time job? Also, what if the market here wouldn't support it?

Right now I'm a white belt with a 9-5 so I'm far, FAR away from worrying about that. In the meantime, though, thanks for the advice.

I worked 50= hours a week for 15 years while teaching every night and weekends. Its pretty much the norm. . Becoming a 10P moon head requires that level of dedication.

I do currently teach full time, but not all affiliates do.

[Mike Bushby]

Well at least for now, that isn't in the cards. But in the time that we do have, are we working on the stuff we should be?

[Chris Herzog]

You should be focusing on the 10th Planet warm ups.