Competitive Training Partners

[Jesse Bell]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some insight on an issue that recently came up in training. Apparently, (without knowing it) there is a "race" in our gym for purple belts. It seems that within the family some guys are becoming very competitive with each other. I could care less about belts or being the best in my gym. In fact I wish everyday that I'm not the top dog because I need guys better then me to kick my ass so that I can get better. I don't have an ego when it comes to tapping, winning, etc... It doesn't really cross my mind. I just love grappling, and if it took me 5 years or 25 years to get a belt it doesn't bother me, as long as I know I'm trying my best. What's important to me is the journey. For some guys it really does bother them. They can't seem to get over it. Even if they say they do, deep down it eats them alive when they have a bad day in training. My only issue with it is the increased risk of injury. For example, in certain positions it appears that some people become very stubborn or aggressive. Like the thought of losing the position or not finishing is so devastating that they will turn up the violence just to win. I didn't think it was happening in house but, it is. I love my team. I'd take bullets for them. It kind of hurts knowing that some of them are willing to risk injury to beat a family member. I give up a lot of positions and submissions and I rarely treat a roll like a real fight. I thought learning was more important then winning.

Is this common in most of our schools?

[Jesse Bell]

I guess its in our nature to be the Alpha Male. I understand it. I just don't know if its a healthy competitiveness in the long run.

[bobby rivers]

Yes it is common, and most good gym's have it. When i say good im talking about competitive reputation. Sometimes it seems like pointless egodriven misguided ambition. But the more tough rolls you have the better you get at dealing with it. To the point it doesnt even matter how hard they're goin long as you're doin your jobs and techs, correctly. As long as y'all are drilling proper tech as well, I would say you're lucky to have other motivated, passionate training partners.

A high tide rises all ships.

[Jesse Bell]

Once again Bobby Rivers is the voice of reason. Thanks Brother, I actually agree with your point.

[Scott Philips]

Once again Bobby Rivers is the voice of reason. Thanks Brother, I actually agree with your point.

I live with this dude. The "wisdom" never stops. Until I slap on a gillotine.

[Jason Hyatt]

I think a healthy competitive spirit is a good thing, but never at the risk of you or your training partners' health.

It does eat at me when I have a "bad day" training. It pisses me off. I'm always out of sorts until I can get back and have a "good" day. But I don't define "bad" as getting tapped or not tapping anyone. I approach every class with several goals in mind.

When it comes to rolling I have several goals in descending order of priority. Right now, my primary goal is to chain together the longest string of transitions/positions I can think of before committing to a sub. For example, X-guard sweep to twister side control; TSC to fishnet; roll to the truck; truck to the back; back to spiderweb; finish. There are a LOT of submissions available along that path but my goal right now is to see how much I can put together. That seems like the best way to get reps on having options to me.

If I can't do that for whatever reason, then my goal is to gain a dominant position and hold it. If I can transition, then I go back to my first goal but chances are I'm working on position because the guy is a better wrestler and/or stronger than me and I'm not going to get to keep the position long. In that case, my third goal depends on my mood. I'll take whatever options are presented to me. Might work on my clinch; maybe it's Rubber Guard night; whatever. I might end up on defense the whole round, in which case my goal is to be as technical as I can in my escapes, sweeps, and counters. My very last priority is to not get tapped in the process of working those other goals.

All of my goals are about improving my game. Hopefully in the process I'm helping to improve my partners' games as well. I know I can snatch up a heel hook on >90% of the guys at 10P St. Paul. I've had a lot of time with Herzog and they haven't. I can grab up a far less technical leg lock in St. Paul than I could ever get away with at Rochester. But that doesn't help my game at all, does it? So what does it prove if I go in every night and take home a knee from a shitty position? Destroying my training partners isn't going to get me my purple belt. It's counterproductive. For one, I haven't worked on my technique, I've just spazzed out on a technique I know I'm better at. Now I'm also the dick nobody wants to roll with because they're not risking a knee so I can feel tough. I'm also diminishing the available number of training partners for the whole gym, not just me. Perhaps worst of all, I'd be exposing the gym to liability that could result in not having a place to train at all.

I want my purple bad too, but I see a path to get there that doesn't require me to "beat" everybody at the gym. I'm obsessed with jitz. I think about it almost all the time. Keith Owen got me thinking seriously and Cade Nelson sealed it for me -- I want my black belt. To get there, I want to improve my technical ability and in the process stay in good shape. Neither of those two goals requires me to hurt anybody. I could make it all the way to black belt and never tear anyone's ACL.

[Chris Herzog]

I think a healthy competitive spirit is a good thing, but never at the risk of you or your training partners' health.

It does eat at me when I have a "bad day" training. It pisses me off. I'm always out of sorts until I can get back and have a "good" day. But I don't define "bad" as getting tapped or not tapping anyone. I approach every class with several goals in mind.

When it comes to rolling I have several goals in descending order of priority. Right now, my primary goal is to chain together the longest string of transitions/positions I can think of before committing to a sub. For example, X-guard sweep to twister side control; TSC to fishnet; roll to the truck; truck to the back; back to spiderweb; finish. There are a LOT of submissions available along that path but my goal right now is to see how much I can put together. That seems like the best way to get reps on having options to me.

If I can't do that for whatever reason, then my goal is to gain a dominant position and hold it. If I can transition, then I go back to my first goal but chances are I'm working on position because the guy is a better wrestler and/or stronger than me and I'm not going to get to keep the position long. In that case, my third goal depends on my mood. I'll take whatever options are presented to me. Might work on my clinch; maybe it's Rubber Guard night; whatever. I might end up on defense the whole round, in which case my goal is to be as technical as I can in my escapes, sweeps, and counters. My very last priority is to not get tapped in the process of working those other goals.

All of my goals are about improving my game. Hopefully in the process I'm helping to improve my partners' games as well. I know I can snatch up a heel hook on >90% of the guys at 10P St. Paul. I've had a lot of time with Herzog and they haven't. I can grab up a far less technical leg lock in St. Paul than I could ever get away with at Rochester. But that doesn't help my game at all, does it? So what does it prove if I go in every night and take home a knee from a shitty position? Destroying my training partners isn't going to get me my purple belt. It's counterproductive. For one, I haven't worked on my technique, I've just spazzed out on a technique I know I'm better at. Now I'm also the dick nobody wants to roll with because they're not risking a knee so I can feel tough. I'm also diminishing the available number of training partners for the whole gym, not just me. Perhaps worst of all, I'd be exposing the gym to liability that could result in not having a place to train at all.

I want my purple bad too, but I see a path to get there that doesn't require me to "beat" everybody at the gym. I'm obsessed with jitz. I think about it almost all the time. Keith Owen got me thinking seriously and Cade Nelson sealed it for me -- I want my black belt. To get there, I want to improve my technical ability and in the process stay in good shape. Neither of those two goals requires me to hurt anybody. I could make it all the way to black belt and never tear anyone's ACL.

....and you will brotha!