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I keep telling the guys I train with two things
#1 Don't force it. If you trust the technique and focus on timing then everything will work so much better. Just relax.
#2 They can't submit/pass/reverse you if you're not there.
I know they sound a little superfluous; however, they really seem to be the key to taking Jiu-Jitsu to the next level. Let me explain a little further.
#1 Just Relax
You have to roll enough to know when you need to exert force and when you can or even when you MUST relax.
Just last night we had a guy come into the school who is 6'5" - 6'6" and 330 pounds, former high school runner up at the state championships (I think he said he was from New Jersey). He actually didn't want to participate in class, he just wanted to spar. I talked him into participating and I knew fairly quickly that while he was definitely a super-noob he also had some athletic ability.
After class I felt obligated to roll with this guy because I am the only guy anywhere near his size. Asthma issues or not, I honestly felt that it was necessary.
We rolled three times, starting from our knees, and each time he gained the initial top position before I swept him and worked for the finish. During the final session he actually managed to get a guillotine on relatively tight. When it happened I felt my lungs starting to shut down as my asthma began to kick into gear (I was diagnosed with it about a month ago). I could have just tapped, and probably would have tapped as a purple belt, but I relaxed, defended, and escaped.
The first session I finished him with a face crank. The last two sessions were submissions via-exhaustion. I was able to relax and finish even as I experienced the initial moments of an asthma attack.
My partner/opponent was going 110% trying to force everything, trying to muscle it all the way which might work against other noobs but the more experienced guys who have learned to trust their technique and relax will take advantage of his full-force mentality and use it to their advantage.
#2 They can't submit/pass/reverse you if you're not there.
ITs a simple thought that's not so easy to put into practice. You have to train enough to know what options your opponent has next and you have to deny them those options by moving on to something else.
For example, You have your opponent in your guard but he is about to pass your guard and you know he is going to pass your guard.
The noob will sit there and try to force a block hoping for a miracle as they overstrain every muscle in their body in an attempt to deny the inevitible.
The advanced guy will recognize that the position is already lost and move onto something else. Whether they move directly into a sweep, a submission, kick over to turtle position . . . whatever, they know the position is lost so they move before their opponent can establish anything.
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That was really more than I had planned on saying . . . take care guys and enjoy your training.
#1 Don't force it. If you trust the technique and focus on timing then everything will work so much better. Just relax.
#2 They can't submit/pass/reverse you if you're not there.
I know they sound a little superfluous; however, they really seem to be the key to taking Jiu-Jitsu to the next level. Let me explain a little further.
#1 Just Relax
You have to roll enough to know when you need to exert force and when you can or even when you MUST relax.
Just last night we had a guy come into the school who is 6'5" - 6'6" and 330 pounds, former high school runner up at the state championships (I think he said he was from New Jersey). He actually didn't want to participate in class, he just wanted to spar. I talked him into participating and I knew fairly quickly that while he was definitely a super-noob he also had some athletic ability.
After class I felt obligated to roll with this guy because I am the only guy anywhere near his size. Asthma issues or not, I honestly felt that it was necessary.
We rolled three times, starting from our knees, and each time he gained the initial top position before I swept him and worked for the finish. During the final session he actually managed to get a guillotine on relatively tight. When it happened I felt my lungs starting to shut down as my asthma began to kick into gear (I was diagnosed with it about a month ago). I could have just tapped, and probably would have tapped as a purple belt, but I relaxed, defended, and escaped.
The first session I finished him with a face crank. The last two sessions were submissions via-exhaustion. I was able to relax and finish even as I experienced the initial moments of an asthma attack.
My partner/opponent was going 110% trying to force everything, trying to muscle it all the way which might work against other noobs but the more experienced guys who have learned to trust their technique and relax will take advantage of his full-force mentality and use it to their advantage.
#2 They can't submit/pass/reverse you if you're not there.
ITs a simple thought that's not so easy to put into practice. You have to train enough to know what options your opponent has next and you have to deny them those options by moving on to something else.
For example, You have your opponent in your guard but he is about to pass your guard and you know he is going to pass your guard.
The noob will sit there and try to force a block hoping for a miracle as they overstrain every muscle in their body in an attempt to deny the inevitible.
The advanced guy will recognize that the position is already lost and move onto something else. Whether they move directly into a sweep, a submission, kick over to turtle position . . . whatever, they know the position is lost so they move before their opponent can establish anything.
-------------------------------------------------------------
That was really more than I had planned on saying . . . take care guys and enjoy your training.
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