Ego battle via footlocks

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

Flow with the go :)

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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Originally Posted by 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

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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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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%.

when I roll with someone new, I usually start slow and defensive, hoping they will bring their A game so I can maybe learn something new from them by watching their A game.

“Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?”
Friedrich Nietzsche

I used to be all for the idea that rolls in practice didn't matter. Until I realized that come tournament time I want to be the monster. And you must practice what you want to perform otherwise at some level you're fooling yourself. So there's nothing but love before and after the roll, but regardless if you're my main training partner or we just met, you're gonna see the same level of intensity.

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Originally Posted by Sam Davis

“Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?”
Friedrich Nietzsche

I used to be all for the idea that rolls in practice didn't matter. Until I realized that come tournament time I want to be the monster. And you must practice what you want to perform otherwise at some level you're fooling yourself. So there's nothing but love before and after the roll, but regardless if you're my main training partner or we just met, you're gonna see the same level of intensity.

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Yes x1000000

If your anything like the rest of us the fact that you got submitted by a lower belt in training means nothing. It happens to EVERYONE if you have been in this sport long enough. Concentrate more on how to prevent it from happening again or how to escape the submission vs. getting revenge :)

Flow with the go...its training...tap early and tap often and learn from the experience.

You got tapped by a white belt. Guess what - nobody cares! You shouldn't either. The only important thing is that you tapped and didn't get injured.

It's going to happen, especially if you're trying new things. It's a little lame that he wouldn't roll after that, but life goes on. Chances are that you'll roll with him again sometime and you'll know what to expect.

I'm not a gym bully by any means but as a guest of the dojo I want to leave a good impression on my game and school I come from

Always bring your A game. The only time I flow with someone new is if there's a huge disparity in size/skill.

Flowing in my opinion is for your main training partners 2 times a week tops. Other than that, you should be busting your ass to tap them and them also trying to tap you as well. Taking it easy on your partners all the time only hurts you and them, because come competition time your body and mind are not ready for what you're about to embark on.

word

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Originally Posted by Ariel Nunez

I'm not a gym bully by any means but as a guest of the dojo I want to leave a good impression on my game and school I come from

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That's understandable. It's likely the white belt is feeling a little smug. He can go f*ck himself. That's his problem, not yours. If that entire school underestimates you, you'll murder them in a competition. Underestimating people is a common mistake. That having been said, I absolutely understand your desire to rep your school and yourself.

John Mejia has a good point about rolling hard in general. You need to train the way you compete. If the other person requests a light roll, by all means, oblige them...but otherwise, bring it. You can't always bring your A-game in your own school though. You need to develop your game and sometimes that means you will get caught by lower belts. That doesn't mean you are rolling light, it just means that you don't go straight for your bread and butter techniques.

So at another school, with people you haven't rolled with ever before - or in a long time, A-game is appropriate. Unless you have an itch to try something new - in which case, it's okay to get tapped.

I think it all depends on your goal set. If you plan to compete, you better have a few smashing practices each week at the least.

If you have no plans on competing, roll light all you want.