Open Mat Jiu Jitsu Weldon Springs, MO

Open Mat Jiu Jitsu near Weldon Springs, MO. Good Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners in Weldon Springs, MO shouldn’t limit their hours practicing martial arts to classes or competition. Time spent testing out new techniques, situational and positional drills, and live sparring greatly benefits not only your ability as a martial artist, but also your personal health and enjoyment of jiu jitsu. It’s also an optimal way to build relationships with other BJJ players and help them along their martial arts journey, as well.

At Gracie Barra O’Fallon, our mission has always been to make Brazilian jiu jitsu accessible and rewarding to all Weldon Springs, MO residents interested in 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 Weldon Springs, MO looking to drop in, roll with other grapplers, and practice 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 Weldon Springs, MO BJJ players who want to sharpen their game. Check our schedule for weekly dates and times, or call us at 636-544-3655 for more details about Weldon Springs, 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 been well known that structured drills and practice under a trainer, while important, are simply not enough to become a fully-skilled martial artist in Weldon Springs, MO. Different martial arts have unique terms for free sparring or practice of new techniques. Judo, for example, refers to these sessions as randori, karatekas 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 Weldon Springs, 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 Weldon Springs Gracie Barra students to improve their skills along with you
• Receiving feedback 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
• No two sessions are alike — 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 coming through Weldon Springs, 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 quite scary, especially if you’re a newly-promoted student or someone only in Weldon Springs for a short period of time and not a regular at one particular Gracie Barra gym. However, most open mats are welcoming and accessible. Keep these tips in mind when heading to open mat jiu jitsu in Weldon Springs, MO:

• Expect to roll. Most people at any given open mat are there to get serious 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 a partner on sweeps or moves from mount has multiple benefits, especially for less experienced grapplers.
• Don’t be afraid of rolling with a higher level belt. Even if you are a blue belt and get asked to roll with a black belt, go ahead and do it. You’ll be surprised what you can learn from one-on-one sparring or drilling with a more experienced BJJ player.
• 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 most intelligent decision. Working on guard passes, anticipating certain situations, and takedown drills are all important things you can do at open mat.
• Adjust 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 purposes. Higher belts should look to practice recently-acquired skills or experiment with unusual techniques against lower belts, gaining mastery of those skills, and then try them out against equally skilled or superior partners.
• Have fun and enjoy the atmosphere! Open mat is a great opportunity to get to knoww other Gracie Barra martial artists, talk about MMA, grappling, or any other topic, and sharpen your skills in a loose 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 camaraderie and team spirit.

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

Gracie Barra O’Fallon strives to offer the finest in Weldon Springs martial arts instruction as well as team spirit and friendship, regardless of your experience or current skill level. As well as Brazilian jiu jitsu, we offer Weldon Springs, 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. opened 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, respect for others, and discipline. Gracie Barra O’Fallon has brought this mission to many people from all around Weldon Springs, MO, supporting the new student while improving the veteran. Our Weldon Springs, MO open mat jiu jitsu sessions are designed for committed Brazilian jiu jitsu players who are seeking 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 interested in stopping by for a Weldon Springs, 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.