Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Saint Charles, MO

Open Mat Jiu Jitsu near Saint Charles, MO. Skilled Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners in Saint Charles, MO shouldn’t limit their time practicing martial arts to competition or classes. Time spent trying out new techniques, situational and positional drills, and live sparring greatly benefits not only your skill as a martial artist, but also your personal health and enjoyment of jiu jitsu. It’s also a great way to meet new friends and help them improve their skills, too.

At Gracie Barra O’Fallon, our mission has always been to make Brazilian jiu jitsu accessible and rewarding to all Saint Charles, 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 Saint Charles, MO looking to drop 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 Saint Charles, MO BJJ players who want to sharpen their game. View our schedule for weekly dates and times, or give us a call at 636-544-3655 for more details about Saint Charles, 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 regarded that structured drills and practice under a teacher, while crucial, are only one element in becoming a well-rounded martial arts practitioner in Saint Charles, MO. Different martial arts have unique terms for free sparring or practice of new techniques. Judo, for instance, refers to these sessions as randori, karatekas often talk about kumite, while in Brazilian jiu jitsu the sparring at open mat sessions is referred to as rolling.

The benefits of open mat jiu jitsu sessions in Saint Charles, MO are many, and include:

• Getting to experiment with new moves you may have seen in instructionals, while watching MMA or submission grappling matches, or seen performed by higher-ranking students
• Allowing other Saint Charles Gracie Barra students to better their abilities along with you
• Getting advice from higher-ranking students about your skills
• Preparing for competitions
• Meeting other jiu-jitsu students and getting to know them both on the mat and off
• Every session is different — one week could allow you to focus on situational grappling or work from bottom position, while another week may have a black belt from a Gracie Barra gym in another city in Saint Charles 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 quite intimidating, especially if you’ve just been promoted to a new belt level or someone only in Saint Charles 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 Saint Charles, 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 importance of drilling. Even with most people at open mat wanting to roll, being able to work with another person on guard passes or moves from guard has multiple benefits, especially for those with less experience.
• Don’t be afraid of rolling with a senior grappler. Even if you are a blue belt and get asked to spar with a black belt, go ahead and do it. You’ll be shocked at what you can expect 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, just coming to an open mat to roll is not the smartest 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 newer students at an open mat, but also to use that time for good reasons. Higher belts should look to practice newly-acquired skills or experiment with different techniques against lower belts, mastering 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 opportunity to meet other Gracie Barra martial artists, talk about anything relating to Brazilian jiu jitsu, MMA, or indeed other topics, and improve your skills in a unstructured setting. It’s not uncommon for a group of people to go out and grab dinner and drinks after an open mat session to continue that team spirit and friendship.

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

Gracie Barra O’Fallon strives to offer the finest in Saint Charles martial arts training as well as team spirit and friendship, regardless of your experience or current skill level. Along with Brazilian jiu jitsu, we offer Saint Charles, MO kickboxing and self-defense classes, as well as Barra Fit, which merges high-intensity interval training with martial arts principles.

Since Carlos Gracie, Jr. started the first Gracie Barra gym more than 30 years 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 honor, discipline, and respect for oneself and others. Gracie Barra O’Fallon has brought this mission to many people from all around Saint Charles, MO, nurturing the new student while building the veteran. Our Saint Charles, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions are intended for serious Brazilian jiu jitsu players who are seeking to grow 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 Saint Charles, MO open mat jiu jitsu session at Gracie Barra O’Fallon, or for more details on any one of our programs, call us at 636-544-3655 or contact us online.