I've been training in jiu-jitsu for about 3 years. After training for about 2.5 years, and trying a few different schools/instructors, I thought I was getting pretty good for a beginner. I had gotten my blue belt, and was doing well in sparring. I started to get burnt out on training and thought I'd take a short break. Well, that break turned into about 2 years off because I got lazy, and now I've started training again. I've been back for about 6 months, and I feel like maybe I was shitty even when I was training 2 years ago... The more I learn, the more I find out I don't know. I'm one of the bigger guys, at 205#, and I'm still having trouble with the smaller guys because of the basics. I've got a decent guard pass, and some other tools, but I feel like my basics aren't sound enough to apply anything I know. I'm constantly getting my guard passed and side mounted, and find myself having absolutely no tools to get out. Same with the mount. I've got like 2 escapes (attempts) from the mount that rarely work, and nothing from the side mount (which is extremely frustrating, and I sometimes try to muscle out...that's never the right answer).
In the 6 months I've been back, I've never seen the same technique twice. The instructor is an frikkin' encyclopedia of jiujitsu, and is extremely skilled, but I feel like I'm building on a shaky foundation.
The classes are large, and I only come 3 times a week, so it's tough to get any one-on-one time with the instructor to get my game in order. In class, the students are divided up into a whitebelt side and a colored belt side. Basic techniques are taught to the
whitebelts, and advanced techniques are taught to the colored belts. Since I have a blue belt (which I feel should be taken away at this point), I am training with the more advanced students during class, learning new and exciting techniques (but they're useless given my predicamenet of having shitty basics).
I'm constantly asking the guys I roll with for advice, and a couple guys have been helping me out with my game here and there, but they're there to train, not to coach me, and I feel like a nag, always asking
them "Is there something I could be doing better? Do you have any tips on this position? etc" Some guys are helpful, other guys are like "WTF? Just roll, dude."
What I would like to go back and train with the white belts and re-learn the basics, so I can have a strong foundation rather than keep stacking new techniques on when my basics suck. It seems easy...ask to train with the white belts, so I can relearn the basics.
Herein lies the problem... I think the instructor would view it as "sandbagging" and avoiding rolling with the colored belts because I'm always getting my ass kicked in class.
What would you guys do if at this stage in your training you found out that the very basics of your jiujitsu knowledge sucked? Is it time to evaluate whether I should keep training or if I'm destined to
perpetually suck at jiujitsu? Should I take some private lessong from the instructor to see if he can help me fix my game? Should I just hang it up and take up knitting?
(gearing up for the flames that are certain to follow)