Consistency and Keeping the Flow Question

[Slick Rick]

Thanks! Someday I hope we get to roll and meet, you seem like a very standup guy!

I have been to Adlai's seminars twice now, saw him at great lakes camp. Very knowledgeable, nice guy. Nasty crucifix I added to my game. He is 8 hours away from where I live, which is a bit far.

This week I am 75% sure I am headed back to Chicago North which sponsors our hotbox. Josh was recently promoted to brown and is a baaad dude! I have trained with him once and have never felt top pressure quite like his pound for pound. I thought my conditioning was on point but his pressure is absolutely lung crushing! I will be also tring to visit Eddie at HQ before February and possibly make a trip to visit Nathan Wallner and Nathan Orchard to see what the area is like (may move there)

too awesome brotha! Josh at 10p Chicago is super knowledgeable about the system and wrestling. I know what you mean about the pressure. He's a beast. You're lucky to be sponsored by him. A trip to Oregon will be beneficial for you. Hey you may even shack up there. It's very green up there. And yes, if you ever get to HQ, I'd love to meet up with ya and get some rolls in. Always good to roll w new people and put a name to a face. The forums get us talking but it's a different story meeting in person. It's kinda cool!

[stan myaskovskiy]

Try to focus on principles while you are moving your body. Find the ones that make the chains you like work, and strive to improve your entire game on them. I used to try to move in some choreographed paths when I first started. It can get frustrating if your entire game is linear and someone breaks your path. I know this will sound cliché, but be like water. Move based on principle and the techniques will follow.

Thanks Sean, I will definitely focus on that. Thanks always for the advice!

On a separate note, I also noticed that sometimes I lose my chain because I focus too much on finishing a good submission and then forget to always know instantly what my backup is when I bail. of course a lot of this is more time on the mats as well.

[Isaac Atley]

Thanks Sean, I will definitely focus on that. Thanks always for the advice!

On a separate note, I also noticed that sometimes I lose my chain because I focus too much on finishing a good submission and then forget to always know instantly what my backup is when I bail. of course a lot of this is more time on the mats as well.

I train with a flavio behring purple belt and we work on a lot of speed. to explain better. it feels like everything moves a lot faster because neither of us really sit in one position for too long. At the start I found that I was making a lot of mistakes and being sloppy but after training like that for a while, I've tightened my game up a whole bunch and everythign feels slower now.

On a side note, people talk about position before submission and vice versa but I have afeeling that its position with submission. when you sweep someone, you should aim to fall into a submission immediately and when you have a submission, use it to get a better position. I'm working on blending the two into my game a lot more at the moment. I'm noticing with one of my other training partners that it is really helping.

So anyway maybe trying to increase your speed and never stop moving will help. ID also suggest stopping all this thinking. you wont flow if you think every step through. trust your body to do what is right, if you get it wrong then all you do is tap and keep on trying.

good luck mate

[JHouse]

I am strongly considering a move to Oregon, Colorado, or another strong 10th planet school to further my "career".

I've lived and been to many places, but Colorado is the best thus far. It's gorgeous and the people are cool, plus there are tons of simple beautiful women here, not saturated with make-up. And Boulder, damn, it's an awesome area with plenty to do. The only other state I've seriously considered moving to is Oregon. You can't really go wrong with either move.

[stan myaskovskiy]

ID also suggest stopping all this thinking. you wont flow if you think every step through. trust your body to do what is right, if you get it wrong then all you do is tap and keep on trying.

good luck mate

Isaac, i appreciate the reply. A lot of good observations.

One thing I wanted to touch on was the last comment. I would say that in the first couple years of rolling, especially with lower level opponents I used to not "think" too much. You get away with a lot when you aren't dealing with killers every day, which I personally wasn't in the beginning. In the last year or two, since I have been REALLY paying attention to flow charts, paths, and really dealing with higher level opponents, my game has increased 10 fold. I feel like you have to do everything with purpose to start seeing massive improvements in your game. I used to just go roll, not think too much. Now, every class I drive and decide what 2-3 things I really want to work on and improve, and also what submission chains I want to use that day to get to my favorite finishes.

(IMO). With beginners and lower level comp you can throw a leg up and threaten a triangle, armbar, see what happens. Sure your mind can go to other places. The second you just throw up a leg without thinking on a high level grappler, you get passed, and sometimes smashed in the process. I do agree that the ULTIMATE GOAL is to flow through every single transition without HAVING to think about the moves and where what goes. But still I am then just thinking in different ways. In that case, you REALLY fully dive in and focus on the mental aspect of jiu jitsu and start setting traps and thinking 5, 10 moves ahead of your opponent. If you aren't thinking in this particular sport (again in my own opinion) you are going to constantly walk into traps yourself.

[stan myaskovskiy]

I've lived and been to many places, but Colorado is the best thus far. It's gorgeous and the people are cool, plus there are tons of simple beautiful women here, not saturated with make-up. And Boulder, damn, it's an awesome area with plenty to do. The only other state I've seriously considered moving to is Oregon. You can't really go wrong with either move.

Making it sound like a good choice ;p