Higher level helping out the lower level

Hello all , I am gonna start off saying over the past year or 2 maybe , I have been the on/off , and more off person in BJJ , either from getting lazy , or heath or injury . So basically , I would get into it , learn some stuff , then be off and forget shit , and basically everytime I start again , it is as if its my first class again . So in saying that , I am a beginner .
So my question is , as a beginner who goes to class , and has to roll with someone in a higher level , and in my case , i feel like i know nothing , so when it comes to rolling , I get caught stalling because I dont know what to do, should that higher level person kind of guide the beginner ??should they help them understand what to do next ? or , should they let that person kinda figure it out on their own on the way ?

Personally I think there should be a bit of both. I find that I remember things for much longer when I figure it out on my own. However its always great when the higher level person helps me out, because I never would have thought of what they told me (if that makes sense)

Try to learn concepts.

What helped me most was when I stopped looking for techniques and started to pick up concepts:

Always go for the underhook when in 1/2.
Always look to isolate an arm when in mount.
Always look to get under your opponent when sweeping.
Always take a post out of the game when playing butterfly.

Not only are these applicable to more situations than 'arm bar', but they are harder to forget once you begin using them.

Begin to analyse why you got tapped / smashed in sparring. You will rapidly find that it helps you create / find concepts. Your training partners shouldn't need to talk you through it... it is achievable through reflection/analysis and deep thought.

At our gym you have to be a 3 striped white belt before you can roll. If I was rolling with you I wouldn't throw my A game at you. I would try and work my weakest techniques and try and get better with you. Allow you an opportunity to work your technique and see if I can pick something up from you.

Hmm. I'm not sure what I would do if you attended our school like that. I still roll really hard with people even when they're out for awhile. I agree with trying to learn concepts, best way to learn.. Concepts and principals. I think that no, they should not help you out when rolling, but at the end of the roll maybe ask for tips on how to get better. Or ask where you really messed up...why you got submitted so fast. But. Really don't enjoy people talking to me when rolling. But am happy to help after.

If I have questions I usually wait until after the roll is over. Same for if I notice somebody struggling or if someone makes the same mistake a couple times, I wait until we're done rolling and then I will go back and recreate the position and help them work through it. I find it annoying when somebody wants to stop mid-roll to ask questions.

I don't think rolling hard 100% of the time is smart. Especially when I'm rolling with a good purple or brown belt. When I know I'm out classed I treat it like a private lesson and really try and pick up what there doing. I don't really care if I get submitted by anyone as long as I know why and or I'm learning from it. When I roll with my own rank I like to go hard and polish my A game. If it's a white belt I play and try new things. I don't care for a lot of talking either. I'm trying concentrate and outside of saying good pass or sweet move...

All great answers . I really like the idea you suggested Apperz , and it's something I will definitely incorporate into my training .

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Originally Posted by Nick Tiganis

Hello all , I am gonna start off saying over the past year or 2 maybe , I have been the on/off , and more off person in BJJ , either from getting lazy , or heath or injury . So basically , I would get into it , learn some stuff , then be off and forget shit , and basically everytime I start again , it is as if its my first class again . So in saying that , I am a beginner .
So my question is , as a beginner who goes to class , and has to roll with someone in a higher level , and in my case , i feel like i know nothing , so when it comes to rolling , I get caught stalling because I dont know what to do, should that higher level person kind of guide the beginner ??should they help them understand what to do next ? or , should they let that person kinda figure it out on their own on the way ?

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Hi, awesome you continue to come back against the grain. When you come back, you may only know that one stall technique/escape/submission("x"). Start with that. Get really good at just that, since that's all you'll know. After a while you will have so many reps on that "x" that you'll pick up another, say "y". "y" is all you'll rep over and over again, and in times of trouble go back to your "x", your familiar spot.

For some the journey is longer than others. I know a guy that took 18 years to achieve his black belt. The point is he never gave up, through the slow times and the fast times, a rule of thumb is to always build on something small.

Thanks Slick Rick !

I have a question its kind of off the topic but its about being new. I just started a week ago, I have no experience but I'm learning fast and some of the instructors want me to try a local comp sub only. I don't have any gear... is it frowned upon for me to buy myself some sick spats and a 10th planet rash guard. I mean 1/2 is representing 10th planet and well I don't have any real spats. My question is would people make fun of me for pretty much being a white belt wearing gear? or should i just wait until I've come up in the game a little?
to clarify I'm not trying to "look all sick" its about getting better, and having proper attire at events and training. opinion?

[QUOTE]Begin to analyse why you got tapped / smashed in sparring. You will rapidly find that it helps you create / find concepts. Your training partners shouldn't need to talk you through it... it is achievable through reflection/analysis and deep thought./QUOTE]

THIS

Keep a journal or make mental note of where you usually find yourself or how you're getting submitted. In the beginning all I worked on was how to become comfortable and as untappable as possible while mounted. Then I saw I could catch a leg and work half-guard bottom relatively easy instead of getting mounted. Now I'm working on my sweeps from half. As for my top game, I was always finding myself inside people's closed guard and getting triangled and armbarred, so I started obsessing about not getting caught inside people's closed guards. This led to me bugging higher belts about their best strategies for takedowns to avoid landing in closed guard. Now I'm finding myself much more in side control.

So you set little goals for yourself based on what your opportunities are and keep working on them. When you solve those opportunities, other opportunities for growth will present themselves. I also find that higher belts are very gracious with their time right after class or before, especially if your questions are specific. They usually enjoy the opportunity to show you some cool stuff.

I think it would be cool if higher belts rolled easier and lighter with lower belts. Maybe start the roll in a bad position and thereby giving the lower belt a chance to work on submissions. Or maybe each time he submits the lower belt, the higher belt person would pass on a tip about what the lower belt can do to avoid that situation in the future. When I trained in karate, many of the sparring sessions were along those lines.

In BJJ, I don't find much of that. I've had guys submit me 10 times in a 5 minute roll and not offer a bit of advice. Even Eddie states that you should seek out the lower belts and prey on them like wounded gazelles to practice your submissions (he also says you should seek out the higher belts to work your defense). The bottom line is, in BJJ, you're sort of gonna get your ass kicked until you get your skills up.

However, it is important to note that if you talk to guys after training, 99% of them will give you any information you ask. Just about anyone will tell you their go-to move and even how to escape it. And somehow, in the end, you make it through white belt and you eventually become decent at BJJ. So while I wouldn't mind the sparring sessions being a bit different, I have to admit that the current system used in the BJJ academies I've trained at, does indeed work.

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Originally Posted by Ric

I think it would be cool if higher belts rolled easier and lighter with lower belts. Maybe start the roll in a bad position and thereby giving the lower belt a chance to work on submissions. Or maybe each time he submits the lower belt, the higher belt person would pass on a tip about what the lower belt can do to avoid that situation in the future. When I trained in karate, many of the sparring sessions were along those lines.

In BJJ, I don't find much of that. I've had guys submit me 10 times in a 5 minute roll and not offer a bit of advice. Even Eddie states that you should seek out the lower belts and prey on them like wounded gazelles to practice your submissions (he also says you should seek out the higher belts to work your defense). The bottom line is, in BJJ, you're sort of gonna get your ass kicked until you get your skills up.

However, it is important to note that if you talk to guys after training, 99% of them will give you any information you ask. Just about anyone will tell you their go-to move and even how to escape it. And somehow, in the end, you make it through white belt and you eventually become decent at BJJ. So while I wouldn't mind the sparring sessions being a bit different, I have to admit that the current system used in the BJJ academies I've trained at, does indeed work.

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At the end of the day , it looks like everyone is on their own and you learn your way up by getting smashed over and over again . It does make big sense I suppose

Whether you decide to help them or just smash them, I think it's important to be encouraging and make new students feel welcome so they don't quit before they give it a real chance. The noob you smash today could be a phenom tomorrow that makes everyone in your gym better

I help. If someone is repeatedly making a fundamental mistake, it isn't enjoyable at all for me to keep capitalizing, when small adjustments could make the roll completely different. I'll show and explain a single principle that they can look for during the roll. Just principles, techs are for class. I have been known to tech out as well tho.

I do this for multiple reasons. The main one being I want students to critically think about jj, realize why proper tech is so effective, and come to me and talk about jj. Where they're getting stuck, what they're having success with, something that they would like to drill, etc. I don't see free rolling as this inflexible time where you only spar as hard as you can. It should be mostly that, but in the end, it's whatever makes you a better grappler tomorrow. Being tough and in shape is huge, but knowing the game is everything. If I walked out onto a cricket pitch right now, I would be running around and not playing at all. I know jackshit about cricket. You can't play till you know the rules and develop a strategy. I help with that.

Smash'em white belts aren't real people! ;)

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Originally Posted by Chris Herzog

Smash'em white belts aren't real people! ;)

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So basically, we're gingers coach?

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