Ego battle via footlocks

[Ariel Nunez]

I'm a blue belt been doing BJJ since July of 2012. So I went for a drop in at my old academy and ran by a BJJ brown belt and sambo black belt teaching a hybrid style to students who are in there 1st 6-18 months so this white belt hits me with a straight ankle into a heel hook in the first 2:30 in a 6 min round and he has the nerve to fake a injury and not go the rest of the round but turns into a leaping kangaroo when the bell goes off. Andim doing my best to not be pissed but my ego is crushed and more pissed I couldnt return the favor by smashing his guard and be extra aggressive on top half and side. So I ask when rolling with strangers do You always bring your A GAME? Or flow with the go

[Rhys]

Flow with the go

[Ross Davidson]

The first time I roll with someone, especially my skill or lower, I always go to my best stuff. The way I look at it is there's a very strong possibility that they will be overtaken by their instinctive drive to establish dominance early, so I need to be ready. If I go to my a game I know exactly how I'm going to play and have enough practice implementing it that I can rely on that programming, yet if I see that their intensity level is low, ei they're not treating it like an actual fight, then I can adjust my intensity level accordingly and flow with the go within my a game, without using too much force. But regardless, I think that they need to know exactly what I can do. I know ego is something we're trying to overcome and avoid, but it's still right below the surface, and the last thing I need is a white belt thinking that he can rag doll me because I was playing nice the first time we rolled.

But then again, I'm just a blue belt so I'm probably many degrees off center on this one.

[rdouglas]

As a white belt, I would like to think that the higher belts are giving me their a-game not to try and destroy me but to help make me better. When rolling with a stranger I also like to just go with the flow and kinda feel the person out at first but if they start putting me in shit i don't try to sink deeper, my "A-game" are my instincts kicking in when i sense danger. Just train the way you like to train but be respectful and the other person probably won't get the wrong idea about it. If its seems like they got a problem then you can ask them how they like to train.

[Chris Garry]

Just try stuff out. What's the worst that could happen? It's training.

[stan myaskovskiy]

Personally, I always start defensive and slow. See what they have and what pace they want to set. I do stick to my game and what I know still. Just don't enforce it. Last thing I want to do is go too hard on someone who isn't expecting it. I always expect beast mode from them and come mentally ready. But I'll even let people tap me (with proper technique) to let them know there is no ego at play, and we flow roll in the beginning. Im all about flow though and play. When you come in with something on the line more I juries can happen, sour feelings. Once you warm up though, if you both wanna roll hard go for it! Just communicate intentions

[Ariel Nunez]

Nah but of all the responses I agree with you the most

[Dylan Ehrnreiter]

Put the ego in check. The problem isn't that you got tapped by a white belt, it's that you wanted to smash him afterwards.

[Slick Rick]

I'm a blue belt been doing BJJ since July of 2012. So I went for a drop in at my old academy and ran by a BJJ brown belt and sambo black belt teaching a hybrid style to students who are in there 1st 6-18 months so this white belt hits me with a straight ankle into a heel hook in the first 2:30 in a 6 min round and he has the nerve to fake a injury and not go the rest of the round but turns into a leaping kangaroo when the bell goes off. Andim doing my best to not be pissed but my ego is crushed and more pissed I couldnt return the favor by smashing his guard and be extra aggressive on top half and side. So I ask when rolling with strangers do You always bring your A GAME? Or flow with the go

Yeah Ariel, just as you can get subbed by someone of lower rank, so too can an mma figther with 20 wins get one-punched KO'd by an up-and-comer with a less than stellar record. But regardless, it's just practice. That's where you get to find and fill your holes, for free. Using tournaments to find the areas that you need to work in can get pricey. So embrace the fact that you don't know everything, and even when you think you do know everything about a technique, someone comes at you with more fire or more experience and subs you. Jiu Jitsu is an art by the way. The dictionary defines art as, 'skill acquired by experience, study, or observation.' We are all progressing and moving forward with new techniques, but always remember to rep the things you already know or you'll forget them or won't be as polished at it as you once were.

[Justin W.]

Put the ego in check. The problem isn't that you got tapped by a white belt, it's that you wanted to smash him afterwards.

lol So true. I'm not gonna lie, I've been there. These days, I really don't care what happens in the gym. You got something to prove, compete. It's as simple as that. You can't win at training. Caring about tapping at the gym is like competing at a crossfit tournament. The only time I go hard in the gym, is against another competitor who wants hard training. Other than that, Idc if you're a white or black belt, I'm gonna roll light and work on whatever it is I'm working on and I could care less if you tap me 1,000 times and are going 100%.