Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Dardenne Prairie, MO

Open Mat Jiu Jitsu near Dardenne Prairie, MO. Good Brazilian jiu jitsu students in Dardenne Prairie, MO shouldn’t limit their hours practicing martial arts to competition or classes. Time spent trying out new submissions, situational and positional drills, and live sparring greatly benefits not only your skill as a martial artist, but also your enjoyment of jiu jitsu and personal fitness. It’s also a great way to build relationships with other BJJ players and help them become better jiu jitsu players, too.

At Gracie Barra O’Fallon, our mission has always been to make Brazilian jiu jitsu accessible and rewarding to all Dardenne Prairie, MO residents who practice it. In addition to our full schedule of jiu jitsu classes for all ages and abilities, we offer multiple open mat sessions every week for adult Gracie Barra BJJ players at the blue belt level or above in Dardenne Prairie, MO looking to come in, roll with other grapplers, and improve their skills in a free, fun setting. Conveniently located off Interstate 64 and Highway 364, our O’Fallon Brazilian jiu jitsu gym is easily accessible for Dardenne Prairie, MO BJJ players who want to better themselves. View our schedule for weekly dates and times, or call us at 636-544-3655 for more details about Dardenne Prairie, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions at Gracie Barra O’Fallon.

Why Come To Open Mat Jiu Jitsu?

Since martial arts have been established, it has long been recognized that structured drills and practice under a professor, while important, are only one element in becoming a fully-skilled martial arts practitioner in Dardenne Prairie, MO. Different martial arts have different terms for free sparring or practice of new skills. Judo, for example, calls these sessions randori, karate practitioners often speak of kumite, while in Brazilian jiu jitsu the sparring at open mat sessions is called rolling.

The benefits of open mat jiu jitsu sessions in Dardenne Prairie, MO are diverse, and include:

• Getting to try out new moves you may have seen in instructionals, while watching MMA or submission grappling matches, or seen performed by higher-ranking students
• Allowing other Dardenne Prairie Gracie Barra students to better their skills alongside yourself
• Getting feedback from higher-ranking students about your technique
• Preparing for competitions
• Meeting other jiu-jitsu students and getting to know them in and out of the gym
• No two sessions are alike — one week could allow you to focus on situational grappling or work from mount, while another week may have a black belt from a Gracie Barra gym in another city coming through Dardenne Prairie, MO and wanting to roll

What To Expect At An Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Session

Coming to an open mat jiu jitsu session may seem fairly scary, especially if you’re a newly-promoted student or someone only in Dardenne Prairie for a few days and not a regular at one particular Gracie Barra gym. However, most open mats are welcoming and accessible. Remember this advice when heading to open mat jiu jitsu in Dardenne Prairie, MO:

• Expect to roll. Most people at any given open mat are there to get good, solid grappling time in. There will often be some small-group drilling or instructional sessions, but one-on-one grappling is most common.
• Don’t forget the benefits of drilling. Even with most people at open mat focusing on rolling, being able to work with another person on guard passes or moves from mount has multiple benefits, especially for less experienced grapplers.
• Don’t be afraid of rolling with a senior grappler. Even if you are a blue belt and get asked to roll with a black belt, don’t hesitate to do it. You’ll be surprised what you can learn from one-on-one sparring or drilling with an older BJJ player.
• Use your time wisely. Especially if you are preparing for an upcoming BJJ tournament or other competition, just coming to an open mat to roll is not the most intelligent decision. Working on guard passes, anticipating certain situations, and takedown drills are all important things you can do at open mat.
• Change what you’re doing based on your partner. It’s good practice not only for higher level belts to roll with many of the younger students at an open mat, but also to use that time for good reasons. Higher belts should look to practice newer skills or experiment with unusual techniques against lower belts, mastering those skills, and then use them against equally skilled or superior partners.
• Have fun and enjoy the atmosphere! Open mat is an ideal opportunity to meet other Gracie Barra martial artists, talk about BJJ, MMA, or anything else, and boost your skills in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s fairly common for a group of people to go out and grab a bite to eat or a few beverages after an open mat session to build on the camaraderie of open mat.

Open Mat Jiu Jitsu in Dardenne Prairie, MO | Gracie Barra O’Fallon

Gracie Barra O’Fallon strives to offer the best in Dardenne Prairie martial arts training as well as fellowship and camaraderie, regardless of your experience or current skill level. As well as Brazilian jiu jitsu, we offer Dardenne Prairie, MO kickboxing and self-defense classes, as well as Barra Fit, which melds high-intensity interval training with martial arts fundamentals.

Since Carlos Gracie, Jr. started the first Gracie Barra gym more than three decades ago in Rio de Janeiro, the Gracie Barra mission has always been to make Brazilian jiu jitsu accessible to anyone who wants to learn it, as well as instilling positive values like honor, discipline, and respect for oneself and others. Gracie Barra O’Fallon has brought this mission to many people from all around Dardenne Prairie, MO, nurturing the new student while improving the veteran. Our Dardenne Prairie, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions are intended for serious Brazilian jiu jitsu players who are searching to further their martial arts abilities, and as such they are open only to Gracie Barra BJJ practitioners at the blue belt level or above. If you are interested in stopping by for a Dardenne Prairie, MO open mat jiu jitsu session at Gracie Barra O’Fallon, or for more information on any one of our programs, call us at 636-544-3655 or contact us online.