Training in a 'traditional' school and getting hate for 10P moves

[john borland]

avoid the naysayers

[HerbChao]

For me getting started I sort of had the benefit of knowing there were haters/doubters/uninformed well meaning folks out there on the System, so when I'd scout out a school I would be upfront and say I was a fan, but that I was also looking to explore all perspectives and views on grappling (some instructors will tend to relax when you present it that way so that they don't feel like you're the kid who comes to class and half heartedly goes through drills so that you can get to rolling and try to hit another electric chair or truck on the other students).

When I went to class if it was nogi I would wear a generic rashguard, I would have my 10th Planet patch on the shorts but I wouldn't try to come across as "only wanting to do 10thpjj techs". Once I got comfortable with a school or club that I was visiting I would then wear my mix of 10thpjj rashguards and start to open up with lockdown truck more. I think once you establish yourself that way even the naysayers will give you some room to work with and actually watch to see if you're able to make the moves work for you.

With regards to the higher belt who got upset with you, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he might've had a bad day prior going in, and then having you (a lower blood oh no!) pass his guard with the sweep and take top may have just him off, and/or maybe he's heard the stereotypes on lockdown or stoner control being tough on the knees (perhaps he had a prior injury, or maybe is just a bit older and trying to watch his health). I personally think if he had something to say it would've been better served in private to you instead of in the open during class based on what I read.

Either way, at the end of the day you're a student and customer at the school too, and you have a right (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone) to discover your path, and if there are higher belts or students who can't accept that then maybe they just aren't folks you want to be rolling with at least in the short term until they cool down. I think one other benefit I've had is the wide array of clubs and schools I'm able to visit, so if things ever get heated at one place (which is rare) I can always visit the other place or two to gt fresh exposure to other teammates and let things cool down.

Hope that helps a bit, keep the faith in the system, don't limit your perspectives, and I think one day you'll have your moment to shine on the big stage too

[Bryan Wong]

I actually thought for a second I posted this! haha. I'm the exact situation as you. I field endless 10th Planet jokes relating to me. I have short legs so sometimes my rubber guard gets called out because its harder to get the top leg in mission control as far around a broader opponent and I'm told that I'm unable to play rubber guard. I get told to work on the fundamentals all the time as well...literally I'm identical to you. I would just recommend staying with your traditional school for the time being and learning those fundamentals and slipping in some of the 10P stuff when you can. I doubt there is a 10P location in your area, otherwise I'm sure you would have made the switch. Just continue to do your thing, you're doing the best you can in the given situation and it sounds like your game is rounding out nicely with traditional BJJ coupled with 10P.

[Cora Sek]

I train in what you would call a traditional mainstream BJJ school but I've always had an affinity to the 10P system. So I signed up to MTS and have been studying the system an using it in my sparring sessions. What I really like is that the moves are unorthodox and I find their success rate much higher than using the cookie cutter BJJ moves that everyone in class knows, so I do catch a lot of people off guard. The instructor is actually very supportive of me and doesn't have a problem with me using the techniques but a small percentage of the students seem to take exception even though I try to avoid leg locks and only use what would be considered legal under IBJJF rules.

I particularly like the lockdown position because a lot of my training partners don't know the correct escape and attempt the usual half guard passes to no avail. I can tell they get frustrated and I receive a lot of comments like "you're stalling", "that is not going to work", "you should be working on (insert traditional move here)" etc. Despite all this I march forward and continue with my study of the the 10P system.

The situation got heated the other day when we were sparring hard and I managed to hit and electric chair. As Eddie says I got him in the position, tested his flexibility for about 10 seconds (no tap so assumed he was flexible) so I passed to stoner control. He immediately got up pushed me and accused me of trying to destroy his knee which I refuted. I attempted to explain that it was a banana split type submission but he wasn't having any of it. He proceeded to lecture me about how I should no not attempt 'advanced techniques' and focus on fundamentals. (He was a higher belt which compounded the problem I'm assuming, egos etc). The odd thing is if that was his arm getting crank he would have tapped and there would be no further discussion.

The whole situation has left a sour taste in my mouth. Do any of you train at a traditional BJJ school and have these problems? If so how do you go about working on your 10P techniques. I do enjoy the school and have fun training but I wish I could express myself on the mat without feeling like some sort of infidel.

Welcome to our world. For 2.5 years we were just like you, secretly training 10thplanet system on our own, in our garage. But things also compound the problem because you see, I don't even train. So ALL of Houston, people still trying to figure us out. My daughter start doing 10thplanet techniques at 10 years old and she is being taught this brand of jiu jitsu by a guy who doesn't even train.....which is me. So do you think people laugh at us behind our back at the gym and at tournaments, yes they do. We just keep the pace. But once she starts beating everyone that stands in front of her, the laughing and side talking and the smirk all starting to disappear. Although she trains at a traditional gym, my daughter is known as "that 10thplanet girl" everywhere we go in Texas. Its not an easy route to take but its what we chose. Keep the pace bro. Keep the pace.

[Arman Fathi]

It was a mixed bag for me early on but over time, the better you get at it, the less "stall-y" it'll seem. Catch every guy in that move and believe me, it will become accepted and even welcomed in due time.

[Brandon Mccaghren]

It was a mixed bag for me early on but over time, the better you get at it, the less "stall-y" it'll seem. Catch every guy in that move and believe me, it will become accepted and even welcomed in due time.

Arman knows what's up.

[HerbChao]

So do you think people laugh at us behind our back at the gym and at tournaments, yes they do. We just keep the pace. But once she starts beating everyone that stands in front of her, the laughing and side talking and the smirk all starting to disappear.

Heck yeah, in time we prove ourselves right

[P.O.R Stunts]

I used to get hate from my traditional BJJ school I attend, until I started using the 10p techniques effectively against my training partners. I still get an occasional joking reference from some of them. The other day I was instructed to drill my 'favorite jiu jitsu submission' after my coach instructed me to do the drill he rephrased what he said & said 'Do a move that actually works, I don't want to see a twister or anything like that, that shit don't work.'

I competed recently for my first time & basically used all 10p techniques & flows to take the silver medal in my division. My biggest motivation going into the competition was to prove to some of my training partners that the 10p system works. Next class I had some of the same people that have made remarks in the past ask me what I did in competition, & I showed them vasrious techniques like the Meat Hook Triangle, electric chair, etc. My point is slowly but surely the 10p system will speak for itself, because it works.

[sean applegate]

The electric chair can injure the knee if you aren't careful. Just pay attention to what you are doing for the sake of yourself and your training partners.

[Eddie Bravo]

I love hearing ronin stories :-)