Crappy day on the mats? All about perspective

I had a crappy couple of sessions this week, rolling like shit. A buddy of mine came over we started drinking beer and he was telling me he had a shitty week rolling at his gym. No matter what he did, everything just fell apart. I told him I had the same, getting in dominant positions and not being able to finish only to get reversed. We toasted and both agreed it's fucking awesome haha. So no matter how shitty you do, just look at the silver lining, you're learning and most importantly; you are doing Jiu Jitsu. Cheers to our bad days!

I find it helpful to switch up and do something new when you have a bad day. I got into leg locks, because I kept being smashed from within my rubber guard during one of the advanced classes, so decided to see what happens if I go for a heel hook. It was a terrible heel hook, but I am glad I went for it!

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Originally Posted by ErikLavigne

I had a crappy couple of sessions this week, rolling like shit. A buddy of mine came over we started drinking beer and he was telling me he had a shitty week rolling at his gym. No matter what he did, everything just fell apart. I told him I had the same, getting in dominant positions and not being able to finish only to get reversed. We toasted and both agreed it's fucking awesome haha. So no matter how shitty you do, just look at the silver lining, you're learning and most importantly; you are doing Jiu Jitsu. Cheers to our bad days!

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I have so many bad day's its not even funny. I keep a log of when I have them and then break it down like this:

1)Food consumed
2)Amount of Food Consumed
3)Amount of Sleep
4)General Stress
5) Emotion prior to training
6)Day's trained prior
7)Activities prior
8)Rashguard and Short combo

You'll laugh, but there's certain rashguards and shorts I won't wear together because of multiple shitty days wearing them. I'm fucking mental I know...

I spend less time thinking about the wave I just missed or wasted and more on looking forward to the next wave. The good thing is the longer you roll the less failures you have because you recognize it for what it is...a valuable learning experience.

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Originally Posted by kevinculp

the longer you roll the less failures you have because you recognize it for what it is...a valuable learning experience.

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beautifully iterated good sir

Man. There are some tough days.

You know what my worst day in BJJ was?

Things were going really well, I was executing my gameplan. I was making decisions I thought were pretty good and I was executing without hesitation.

And I was still getting creamed by blue and purple belts.

Wow. Humbling.

I don't mind at all getting smashed since it's all a learning experience. The only really bad days I think I've had on the mats are with people who spaz out or not know how far/fast to use a submission so that they get the tap without injuring their partner. Oh, and I don't know the etiquette on this, but someone stacking me during a non competition roll by using his forehead into my mouth/teeth makes it less fun. Or maybe I just need to toughen the hell up when it comes to that.

If you had to fight an imaginary version of yourself, do you think this weeks version could still beat previous versions of yourself? If so, you are improving. Every time I get dominated and smashed it motivates me to learn more about that weakness, it fuels me to watch hours of videos and do extra reps that I normally would not be able to motivate myself to do. I also pick one thing I did really well and one thing I need to improve after a rolling session. I visualize that feeling of doing things well and visualize doing the correct things in that feeling where I needed to improve. I find most people I roll against with consistently, requires constant evolution because they are growing too, often at a faster pace than myself.

A healthy perspective, a postive attitude, and no ego will all keep you on the mat longer: I've noticed that the people who quit are the ones that can not come to terms with their failures on the mat. Eddie said on a podcast once that jiu jitsu is the ultimate douchebag filter, which makes perfect sense. It almost makes sense that the people that grew up with rough childhoods and/or were bullied turn out to stick it through and achieve the black belt. Another way it can be said is that those who are so used to getting crapped on all their lives don't seem to see getting choked out as a big deal. But great post. I think along this journey, it's important to take inventory of your perspective. The best guys are the ones that have failed the most.

It is all about perspective and realistic expectations. When I don't have major victories I look for mini victories. When I get completely destroyed I will usually ask what my number one flaw was for the roll, not looking for a complete breakdown just one thing my opponent noticed, or if I like a technique they used with success over and over I will ask them to show it to me real quick. At least then you come away with something to think about.

Are the below things true?:

1. you got to do jiu-jitsu today. Nothing came in the way of that. There was no flat tire on your way to the gym or flood this time and you were not too injured to roll.

2. Neither you or your training partners got substantially injured on the mats today.

Then CONGRATS, you had a GREAT day on the mats! Probably better then like at least 20% of mine JUST BASED ON THOSE TWO THINGS. While I don't think Johns note thing is a bad idea, don't forget how lucky you are to be there today AND nothing bad happened. How great is that? Have good one guys!

P.S. I would say at least 20% of my career I have been unable to train, at least train hard due to injury's... and it could be more than that. Just letting you know I don't have chronic tire trouble or something :)

I still have bad days. Even bad weeks. There's been a couple of times where I've had bad months. It doesn't stop as you progress.

What does stop (for me, at least) is the idea that your self worth is somehow tied in to your performance on the mat. I figured out not too long ago that NOBODY CARES. Relax and enjoy training for what it is. Don't allow yourself to be convinced that you matter more or less because of the outcome.

Divorce yourself from the results and Jiu Jitsu is way more fun.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Mccaghren

I still have bad days. Even bad weeks. There's been a couple of times where I've had bad months. It doesn't stop as you progress.

What does stop (for me, at least) is the idea that your self worth is somehow tied in to your performance on the mat. I figured out not too long ago that NOBODY CARES. Relax and enjoy training for what it is. Don't allow yourself to be convinced that you matter more or less because of the outcome.

Divorce yourself from the results and Jiu Jitsu is way more fun.

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All of this.

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Originally Posted by Enrique "Kiko"

I don't mind at all getting smashed since it's all a learning experience. The only really bad days I think I've had on the mats are with people who spaz out or not know how far/fast to use a submission so that they get the tap without injuring their partner. Oh, and I don't know the etiquette on this, but someone stacking me during a non competition roll by using his forehead into my mouth/teeth makes it less fun. Or maybe I just need to toughen the hell up when it comes to that.

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Just as bad if not worse are those guys that spaz out when they get tapped out and make a scene. I've shared the mats several times with guys (not necessarily on my rolls) that make it a point to go "Ahhh man why did you do that seriously come on man..." loud enough for the world to hear, when in fact greater than 90% of the time they are t injured at all and just got out-classed. Instead of figuring out the defense and tapping early, their ego gets the best of them and THEY in fact fight with the intensity of a competition and it comes out in their spirit in the manner in which they handle defeat. It's another aspect of etiquete to not put people on blast, especially during the vast majority of the time that it was a safe sub and the guy just overreacted. That was definitely me for a spell. Now I'm pretty damn grateful for anytime I can share the mat with someone who can tap me at will. People that have malintent in their rolls don't last very long. Plus, getting tougher and dealing with adversity by getting tapped is all part of the game.