What is open mat in bjj and judo?

Judo open mat for kids

Open mat sessions are dedicated times at BJJ schools for children to train without any scheduled classes. These kid-friendly training slots are typically held on weekends or during holiday closures of the gym.

An ordinary open mat session spans around 1 to 2 hours, providing ample time for a solid workout before the kids head back to their families.

These sessions lack a formal structure or lessons, granting the children the freedom to practice in their preferred manner. However, there is usually a presence of a skilled black belt or high-ranking belt to ensure adherence to gym regulations.

Benefits of Open Mat:

There are numerous advantages to kids participating in open mat sessions. Here are the primary reasons why children engaging in these training periods is highly recommended:

1. Additional Training Opportunity

Participating in open mat offers the obvious advantage of extra training for kids. Even on days without official Jiu Jitsu classes, many children remain eager to practice. This is precisely why nearly every gym designates a day each week for open training. This allows students to engage in free sparring or hone their techniques. If your child’s commitment to improving their Jiu Jitsu skills is serious, attending these sessions is highly encouraged.

2. Competition Preparation

Open mat proves immensely valuable when kids are in the midst of preparing for a BJJ competition. During these unrestricted training sessions, those children gearing up for a competition can go all out. They can train relentlessly, rolling with various teammates, breaking a sweat, and pushing their limits. Integrating open mat sessions into kids’ regular weekly training routine readies them for the upcoming competition, possibly enhancing their chances of clinching a gold medal.

3. Drilling Opportunities

While many children come to open mat for sparring, others attend these sessions specifically for drilling. This extra drilling time can significantly enhance kids’ game by concentrating on diverse movements. Some of the drills feasible during an open mat comprise guard passing, positional escapes, takedowns, submissions, submission defenses, transitions, and sweeps.

4. Experimenting with Novel Moves

The added training time during open mat provides an ideal environment for expanding children’s skill set and attempting unfamiliar techniques. It enables kids to experiment with moves that might not be part of their usual BJJ repertoire. Whether it is focusing on improving their guard as a guard passer or vice versa, or even attempting novel submissions or sweeps, the possibilities are boundless. Capitalizing on this extra time can introduce a new dimension to their game.

What is an open mat in BJJ?

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) open mat session occurs within any BJJ gym, affording youngsters the chance to engage in skill refinement alongside fellow students. Children of varying proficiencies are wholeheartedly invited to partake in collaborative training. Throughout these gatherings, the mats are unrestricted, permitting kids to engage in activities according to their preferences.

Open mats are known for their informal nature, enabling students to concentrate on particular techniques or engage in controlled sparring with peers. These sessions provide a valuable avenue for BJJ learners to enhance their abilities, maintain their physical fitness, and cultivate camaraderie, thereby fostering a profound sense of community within the gym.

The structure of these gatherings is often unhindered, allowing children to hone their skills and techniques with diverse training partners. Open mats serve as a fantastic mechanism for BJJ enthusiasts to elevate their skills, exchange knowledge amongst themselves, and partake in a robust workout regimen.

BJJ open mat for kids

Children can join open mat sessions without the need for any specific prior experience, as long as they have the desire to learn. These sessions warmly invite young athletes to share their moves and techniques. Beyond just physical training, open mat serves as a wellspring of motivation. It offers the opportunity for kids to connect with diverse individuals, listen to their stories, and glean wisdom from their experiences. Plenty of advantages await in kids’ open mat endeavors.

Participating in open mat sessions offers children extra time dedicated to their BJJ training. This opportunity extends equally to kids and their parents, allowing them to cultivate a shared interest in martial arts. However, children and adults may train on separate mats and often follow distinct schedules.

During open mat sessions, the need for additional fees for rolling is eliminated. This means kids can freely practice their techniques without the burden of extra charges.

As their techniques and sparring styles progress, children’s training time can substantially grow during these open mat sessions. For adults, instances of missed training due to business trips or workloads can be compensated for within the framework of open mat BJJ. It offers a way to make up for lost training time.

Consistently attending open mat sessions, engaging in sparring and rolling with fellow BJJ practitioners, contributes significantly to kids’ readiness for BJJ competitions.

Experimenting with techniques on diverse BJJ athletes proves invaluable for mastering the execution of submissions, escapes, and reversals. The diverse weight categories of practice partners are at both kids’ and adults’ disposal, allowing you to test your skills against a variety of opponents.

Enrolling in classes at BJJ academies and participating in BJJ open mat sessions every weekend undoubtedly elevates your and your children’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu performance. Engaging in brief sparring and drilling rounds with intermittent breaks enhances the cardiovascular endurance and dramatically advances your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu aptitude. Rolling bolsters and conditions the body, and open mat BJJ in general serves as an excellent workout platform for both kids and adults alike.