I'm more of a creature of habit but lately I've left my comfort zone and went to another school (closer by an hour) to roll some. I'm a purple and I guess okay technically in my own gym but admittedly have two left feet and learn slow. I roll well though, I think. Tough to beat, tunnel vision on a few techniques that work well and catch lower belts as expected. However, when visiting another school, every technique they show either I've never done (drills) or I do them awkward as fuck. It fucks with my mind and humbles me for sure, but is this normal? Does this put a bad light on my own school? At purple should I just be able to see something and naturally adapt and do it well? I have seen blues and higher just see something new and do it perfect.
Opinions? When you see someone else at your gym equal or higher belt doing techniques a little sketchy does it make you question them?
I'm an introvert so I'm just wondering. 
Depends, are you completely lost when doing technique at this other place? Or is it just that you've never been exposed to those techniques? 
Not lost at all, but movement wise I do a lot of things wrong and need correction. If it's something I've never really done, like a drill or something fast paced, I definitely never just do it right. You'd think I'd adapt from just being around things for so long.
You're probably (like me) just not a natural athlete. You can get to purple and beyond not being a natural athlete. You just have to work at it harder than others is what it sounds like.
joe_mama - You're probably (like me) just not a natural athlete. You can get to purple and beyond not being a natural athlete. You just have to work at it harder than others is what it sounds like.Yea, it feels shitty being promoted when you know your technique isn't sharp. I'm hard to deal with live rolling so I advance but I my mind would click on movement and details.
It depends on your style and how quick you can pick things
I show some purples and up the more modern style game I play and they fumble through it a lot
Sometimes blues will pick it up quicker than browns depending on athleticism or what type of game they're already playing
rockfists -I think it comes down to coordination and athleticism. I'm the opposite of you. Generally, I'm shown something once and I can drill the shit out of it. Will I make it work in rolling or even remember it later? Can't say, maybe not... But I can mimic the movement right then and there to drill it. But I played all sports growing up, Skateboarded for almost 15 years, and have been involved in something athletic my whole life.joe_mama - You're probably (like me) just not a natural athlete. You can get to purple and beyond not being a natural athlete. You just have to work at it harder than others is what it sounds like.Yea, it feels shitty being promoted when you know your technique isn't sharp. I'm hard to deal with live rolling so I advance but I my mind would click on movement and details.
I have zero inversion stuff in my bjj. I never do it. But when I go somewhere that does inverted drills I can do them. Some people are just more coordinated and have better body awareness then others. I don't think it says anything about belt level. I know dudes that are so unathletic they can barely jog in a straight line without almost tripping over themselves. cough cough Cole Miller. But they are straight killers on the mat and seem like the most athletic and coordinated dudes once you start rolling.
youre a purple belt. you arent expected to be an expert. with that said not even black belts are flawless.
I'm the opposite, I can pick up things quickly and remember them. But have trouble applying a lot of things, including a standard Armbar from guard.
I'm a new blue belt though, so....
It can also be a style issue. You get used to your gyms style so you pick up fast. When you visit the other gym you have to adapt to their style
I actually visited an outside gym for the first time a couple of months ago to train with TAMMY GREIGO. It was an awesome experience. She is so cool and she teaching if very similar to that of my fiancé. I had a blast.
Don't sweat it.
"youre a purple belt. you arent expected to be an expert. with that said not even black belts are flawless."
I'm a black belt and last night I was teaching class.
I had our judo instructor show a reverse triangle that I wanted to practice.
I proceeded to totally butcher it and confuse everyone in the process until I figured it out after 10 tries. I looked worse than a white belt.
Awesome!
Why didn't you question the techniques validity or the instructors credentials immediately? That's the only way to save face! John smith is teaching all those okie state boys HIS low single but how good was he, really?!
Lol @ wrestling sucks.
Na man don't beat your self up. At one point or another I have been on both sides of the coin. I have traveled a lot in my ju jitsu career, many schools do things way differently than other schools.
Sometimes I go full retard on moves. Sometimes I pick me right up.
I trained at open mats at other schools and some guys are drilling moves. They try and show me and I may or may not quite get the technique, but not so much anymore. What I do notice is that recently for example, I was around a slew of blue belts from another school. They were great at certain defenses and attack efforts, but were remarkably easy to sweep for some reason from the closed guard, in this example. The sensibilities and timing for certain defenses were good, but the balance for other positions just wasn't there yet. Different schools, different strengths and weaknesses. Yes it can mess with your head a bit. When I show stuff, it's after I used it and someone asked me what I was doing, or if I teach at my school, I make sure to use it when rolling to prove that it's not something I thought looked cool on YouTube!
Same boat OP. I'm pretty slick at my own game, but I'm clumsy and a slow learner when I try to learn something completely new. (I can improvise very well during a roll)
I'm a purple belt and went to a new school, they train ALOT of X-guard. So I looked like a newb learning it from the ground up... Then we rolled and they changed their opinion haha. Now I know the movements and do well with it.
What gets me is when you drill a move that you do differently than what is being taught and not doing it your own way. Its hard to break habits I guess.
MarsMan nailed it.
You're too worried about doing a good job to relax and do a good job.
Good advice everyone.
Seat taken, I had to make sure I didn't type that.