I have started something i like...

I am lucky enough to have plenty of brown and black belts at my school to straight up kick my ass.

But when i'm going with blue belts, or purples that i can beat i USED to simply do everything in my power to beat them any way i could. i honestly never wanted to tap to someone i felt i was "better" than.

But a few weeks ago i realized how much that was slowing me down.

Now whenever i roll with anyone i feel i can beat i always start with them in a dominant position (mounted on top, North South, or them on my back.)

i did this every now and then, but i never did it all the time. Now i don't think i could ever go back because i can see the improvement in my game.

Who does this? and who should?

I obviously do it without being disrespectful. At the same time it's made me work (a lot more) on positions i never get put in. Seems common sense, but again, who does it?

 

I do it, but not only in BJJ but Boxing and Kali too.

There's no point in beating up people for the sake of beating them up. I've been trying to get this through peoples skulls for years

Congratulations, you've taken a step towards becoming more skilled You're right about how it can stunt peoples development.

 

Thats a great idea.
I think I'm going to have to steal it.

 

:cry: My problem is I have a hella time beating anyone I roll with, so I'm seldom in a dominate position

 

J, I have the same problem. 6 months off isn't going to do me much good either.
I'm gonna get murdered on Saturday

 

the next step is to stop thinking in terms of "beating" people.

 

Just chill. Some people spend ages stopping a choke by grabbing the arm, or defend and armbar by holding onto the arm, for minutes at a time doing nothing else. Give it up man. Tap and go back to work on whatever you want to work on.

 

True. You're all there to get better, if you keep mashing the people you're 'better' than, then they won't develop.

If they don't develop they won't be able to push you and then you will stagnate.

 

I'm surprised you don't just drill this way. We always do positional drills (ie one person in mount trying to sub, other person trying to sweep) all the time, work at it for 5mins, then swop over.

One thing i've found when working with a smaller/less experienced person is that it's a good way to work good form for subs etc. because I know I really don't have to struggle, I can concerntrate on the technique and less on the struggle to get there.
sadly though... they learn fast!

Clearly you are forgetting it's great fun!

That's loser talk...

 

I've been trying to do this - as a big fella, I can often pin and hold someone just through bulk - but just sitting there is pointless. Better to keep trying stuff at risk.

 

You should pop along to my club sometime, there are few big boys there that might give you a run for your money...

 

You training with Andy Roberts?

I'm with Carlsons in Camberley at the moment but should Andy get his academy up, I'll be looking to get there

 

Carlsons? BOO! BOO! THEY SUCK!!

 

I had fondly imagined I could spend time between the two clubs (my schedule is making evenings a nightmare at the moment), but as I want to compete I may be forced to choose

Or I could give up and take up macrame (pretty tempting right now)

 

In what terms do you think?

i understand the idea behind training for "self improvement."

But for me to be goal oriented i need to literally make a list of everyone in class... put them in order from worst to best... realistically place myself on the list... then work to move up the list, one person at a time.

I need empirical evidence of improvement. I know myself well enough to know that if i don't, i won't work as hard and in the end will not improve as much.

Don't get me wrong, i'm CARE about improving myself/my jiu jitsu. But i get the most of my training by thinking about JJ with a competitive mindset.

 

While this is a good idea, a better use for that list is to list each persons strengths and weaknesses ie john doe - 85kg - killer side control / billy the kid - 110 kg awesome mount and good choke setups / fanny adams - 45 kg - exellent escapes and nice movement etc etc

Then when you want to improve say your side control escapes simply go with john doe whereas if you want to practise your pinning/control go with fanny adams.

If youy work to their strengths you are improving yourself massively rather than having some random win/lose chart/idea and also as a side effect you are training to negate the strengths of the people you wish to improve against/beat
just an idea

 

Also, the idea of the 'educational loss' (ie playing to your weaknesses against 'less skilled' opponents) will improve you quicker than going out and looking for the 'quick kill' against those you can 'already beat' or 'barely surviving' against those you can't.

Most guys don't take this approach and go balls out all the time, you can train in the methods suggested here if you don't care about what people think (e.g. you have a huge ego).

But because most guys go balls out all the time, if you ever want to 'check your ranking', you can do so whenever you like by going balls out too. And you should too, because otherwise you can become lazy and at the end of the day training is all about performance.

Please bear in mind that none of us are advocating the 'Tai Chi -esque' self improvement through not really fighting, we're trying to show a shortcut to athletic improvement

 

Some tai chi guys spar regularly and even have the odd bloody lip or black eye

 

I refuse to believe this!!!! no where in the world is there any tai chi guys who are sparring!!!!111!!! and even if they were i bet they all hit really really slow and soft

























disclaimer-In case anyone cant tell im joking, let me tell you from personal experience none of the above is true and infact it is quite the reverse, they can generate bloody good power (the bastards :woo

 

ROFL!

the problem with taiji guys who fight is that when other taiji guys see them fighting they say "oh thats not the real taiji, he didn't deflect 1000 pounds with four ounces"

Back to bjj, I've been trying to focus on escapes from all kinds of positions in class and its super fun, since before that I really didn't know what to do from certain positions (like escaping side mount, or how to counteract all the different leg positions from guard etc...)