Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Gilmore, MO

Open Mat Jiu Jitsu near Gilmore, MO. Skilled Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners in Gilmore, MO shouldn’t limit their hours practicing martial arts to competition or classes. Time spent testing out new submissions, positional and situational drills, and live rolling greatly benefits not only your ability as a martial artist, but also your enjoyment of jiu jitsu and wellness. It’s also an optimal 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 Gilmore, 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 Gilmore, MO looking to swing by, roll with other grapplers, and practice their skills in an unstructured, enjoyable environment. Conveniently located off Interstate 64 and Highway 364, our O’Fallon Brazilian jiu jitsu gym is easy to access for Gilmore, MO BJJ players who want to sharpen their game. Check our schedule for weekly dates and times, or give us a call at 636-544-3655 for more information about Gilmore, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions at Gracie Barra O’Fallon.

Why Come To Open Mat Jiu Jitsu?

Since the beginnings of recorded martial arts, it has been well known that structured drills and practice under a professor, while important, are simply not enough to become a well-rounded martial artist in Gilmore, MO. Different martial arts have their own terms for free sparring or practice of new techniques. Judo, for instance, calls these sessions randori, karate practitioners often talk about kumite, while in Brazilian jiu jitsu the sparring at open mat sessions is called rolling.

The benefits of open mat jiu jitsu sessions in Gilmore, 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 done by higher-ranking belts
• Allowing other Gilmore Gracie Barra students to better their abilities along with you
• Getting feedback from higher-ranking students about your technique
• Practicing for competitions
• Meeting other jiu-jitsu students and getting to know them in and out of the gym
• Every session is different — one week could allow you to focus on situational grappling or work from guard, while another week may have a black belt from a Gracie Barra gym in another city in Gilmore for a few days and wanting to roll

What To Expect At An Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Session

Visiting an open mat jiu jitsu session may seem rather scary, especially if you’ve just been promoted to a new belt level or someone only visiting Gilmore for a short period of time and not a regular at one particular Gracie Barra gym. However, most open mats are friendly and accessible. Keep these tips in mind when heading to open mat jiu jitsu in Gilmore, MO:

• Expect to roll. Many 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 so many people at open mat wanting to roll, being able to work with another person on sweeps or moves from guard pays dividends, 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, go ahead and do it. You’ll be shocked at what you can learn from one-on-one sparring or drilling with a BJJ player with more experience.
• Use your time wisely. Especially if you are readying yourself for an upcoming BJJ tournament or other competition, simply coming to an open mat to roll is not the most intelligent decision. Takedown drills, working on guard passes, and situational exercises are all important things you can do at open mat.
• Adjust what you’re doing based on your partner. It’s a good idea 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 the right purposes. Higher belts should look to practice recently-acquired skills or experiment with different techniques against lower belts, gaining mastery of those skills, and then put them to use against equally skilled or superior partners.
• Have fun and enjoy the atmosphere! Open mat is an ideal chance to get to knoww other Gracie Barra martial artists, talk about BJJ, MMA, or anything else, and improve your skills in a unstructured atmosphere. It’s not uncommon for a group of people to go out and grab something to eat or a drink after an open mat session to build on the camaraderie of open mat.

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

Gracie Barra O’Fallon strives to offer the finest in Gilmore martial arts training as well as fellowship and camaraderie, regardless of your experience or current skill level. In addition to Brazilian jiu jitsu, we offer Gilmore, MO kickboxing and self-defense classes, as well as Barra Fit, which merges 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 philosophy has always been to make Brazilian jiu jitsu available to anyone insterested in it, as well as instilling positive values like self-respect, discipline, and honor. Gracie Barra O’Fallon has brought this mission to many people from all around Gilmore, MO, supporting the new student while improving the veteran. Our Gilmore, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions are designed for experienced Brazilian jiu jitsu players who are searching to grow their mastery of martial arts, and as such they are open only to Gracie Barra BJJ practitioners at the blue belt level or above. If you are think about stopping by for a Gilmore, 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.