Training Partners Part 2 (Take Control of Your Training)

In Training Partners Part 1 I said I would share some examples of how I plan my rolling strategy. There is no one size fits all plan. It depends on what I want/need to work on in any given week (so of course your plan may look completely different). Here are some examples:

Heavier/Stronger Training Partners
When I'm rolling someone 10-30lbs heavier I might try and match their technique and power. I can try to challenge their weight/strength advantage by going head to head against their strength with my grips, frames, and pressure.  I might play a guard that invites them to crush me, hopefully improving that guard and my survival and comfort under that extra weight. Alternatively, I might specifically work a strategy that tries to neutralize their size/strength advantage as much as possible - even if it takes me away from my preferred game and technique set (which is where we have a tendency to go against someone who is bigger - it's a natural reaction/survival instinct).

If someone has 40lbs or more on me, I might work on a game that keeps me outside and on top so that they never get a chance to use that weight directly or I might decide to play inside and fast to work on speed and scrambling against their strength and weight. For example, I might play an open guard where I've got a foot on their hip keeping their weight off looking for an opportunity to arm drag or scramble to the back rather than chasing a sweep.

Lighter/Smaller Training Partners
With smaller guys I want to try and match their technique and speed. Can I out-scramble them, can I move as fast or faster, can I feel when they want to move and work on my timing, can I beat them to the shot or getting grips? Alternatively, I might concentrate on what I can do to slow the game down. Can I neutralize their speed using grips and position without having to use my size/strength advantage?


Equal Size Training Partners
If I am rolling with someone my size but at a lesser skill level, I like to work on new techniques until I have it down and learn to "trust" the technique (once I think I have it down I want a variety of body types short/tall, thick/thin, strong/fast to really get the feel of the technique). At my level and above, I often swap between running my "A Game" and experimenting with new techniques (tournament time is almost all "A  Game"). Sometimes I choose not to go for subs and just see how well I can change between positions and advance positions. Other times I might hunt for only one particular submission ("It's kimura night - GET EXCITED") or combination working on how effectively I set it up and lock it in.


Sometimes I  "just roll" and there is nothing wrong with that. BUT if I want to take charge of my training I want to spend some mental energy on rolling with a plan. Remember, gym taps don't count. These are learning/training opportunities to be exploited for that purpose, not fights to the death. Experiment, tap, try again.

On the flip side, remember your training partners need to work on their plan(s) too. Be an asset to your school. Roll with everybody. Help the new guys. Be cannon fodder for the really good guys. Have fun.

Training Partners Part 1 (Take Control of Your Training)

Your instructor/coach may pair you up for some or most of your drilling and rolling. This post is for those other times when you have a "choice." Many BJJers seem to have this idealized picture of the "perfect training partner" - they would literally spend one of their three genie wishes to aquire this mythical beastie.

I have a slightly different take. I'm not looking for a perfect training partner. One perfect training partner isn't going to cut it. Here's why. Until a fairly advanced level almost everyone really only has one "style" (aggressive/grinder/tactican/loose/tight) or "game" (wrestiling/judo/guard puller/closed guard/half guard/knee passer/standup passer). This means the available training partners at your weight may only be presenting you a small subset of the things you need to work against.

It is vitally important that you have a good partner "mix." It is crazy to train with the same guy/girl every practice. When you hit the mat you want to line up your training partners for maximum effect. You don't need to roll with a dozen different people every practice. You might work it so that you "target" rolls with two or three different guys on Monday, "target" two different guys on Tuesday and Wednesday, and "target" a different group the end of the week. (and of course it depends on when you train and they train. If you typically train on M/W/F and only see the same guys each session try and throw in a T/Th or Sat. session when you can to expand your opportunities)

If you are like me, your favorite person to roll is usually the guy who gives you a good fight but that you can still beat fairly handily. It is only natural, but that is likely NOT the guy you are going to face in competition. Work with guys that stop your favorite takedown/throw so that you have to work alternatives or the guys that usually take you down so that you work your defense. If you are a guard puller, work with guys who really give you trouble and pass effectively. Be proactive to make sure you get a good training partner mix every session and across sessions. I'm not saying you need to get your backside handed to you every roll but make sure you are not coasting and ducking the guys that give you a hard time.

I want to get rolls in with guys who are heavier/stonger, lighter/faster, more advanced, less advanced (do you see a trend). Even on nights that I roll everybody, I try to have a strategy/plan of what I want to work on with each opponent. I will try and share some examples in future posts.

Until then, take control of your training by getting a good mix of partners (make sure you include a healthy dose of guys that frustrate you or take you out of your comfort zone) and try to have an idea of what you want to work on with each one.

Time is Not On Your Side

Georgette recently posted some interesting thoughts on belts, promotions, and some potential differences in learning styles/capabilities between genders, sizes, and ages HERE (There's Always Time to Fill in the Holes).

I'll take a different spin on the title and say - There may be TIME to fill in the holes but do you have a PLAN to fill in the holes? Without a plan, time is not on your side.

If you don't feel like you "own" your belt or that you are progressing like your peers, it is time for some serious evaluation. Note I said evaluation not whining. What have they got that you do not - where are the holes. Make a list - is it size, strength, aggressiveness, a technique that always works, a lot of techniques that always work (what are they - is it their execution that is superior or your defense that is lacking). Helpful hint: do your evaluation only against your peers or those a little ahead of you - evaluation against those way ahead of you creates a list way too big to manage.

This will give you a list of some of the holes in your game - THEN you have to do some more work to come up with a PLAN to start filling those holes in. You can't just go to class and expect it to magically happen - most instructors structure their classes for "everybody" not you specifically. You need to be responsible for structuring things for YOU.

You need to look at your list and set some priorities. What do you think will give you the biggest bang for your buck - there is only so much time in the day and stress that can be put on the body. You also have to recognize and assess some realities.  For example, if you are small/lightweight/female you have to recognize and accept that there are some inherent disadvantages and then work like hell to mitigate them (you can't just say I'm smaller and therefore weaker than everyone else and never hit the weights).

A common problem is not feeling like you know "enough" jiu jitsu so you attend every class and collect technique after technique, but all those techniques are not working for you. You might need to set some priorities on selecting a few techniques to spend time on - getting to know them more deeply. You don't have to know every sweep but you need a couple of strong sweeps from each position. You don't have to know every submission but you need a couple of strong options from multiple positions. You don't have to know every pass but you need a couple of strong options. Until you have those strong sweep/submit/pass options collecting more techniques isn't moving you forward. Your job is to prioritize and pick the one or two sweeps, submissions, passes you are going to concentrate on.

Then you need to get to work. Decide how are you going to attack your priorities and get started.

It might be scheduling some privates with a very specific agenda of techniques/problem areas to cover. It might be only working certain techniques when rolling (passing up an easy armbar to get to the back). It might be only playing guard if your guard is weak (maybe for a couple of weeks, maybe for months - whatever it takes). It might be passing on rolling during open mat to just drill-drill-drill something you need to work on. It might be working on your strength and conditioning. I don't know - but you should.