Getting Good At BJJ

[Pat Campagnola]

I'm going to sound like a grumpy old man but I think some of this stuff is overthought. If you show up and train often with tough training partners, and you work hard with goals in mind. You're going to get a lot better at all aspects of the game. And if you're at a decent sized gym then you'll just automatically roll with people worse, equal, and better than you. I see people saying that you need to train with people worse, equal, and better than you to improve the most. It's true but it's also not some huge secret. It should just happen by itself if you train at a decent size academy.

I try my offense on everyone. Better than me, worse than me, doesn't matter. I work my defense on everyone if I have to. Clearly it happens a lot against people better than me, sometimes against people about the same as me, and not much against people worse than me. I realize I'm probably coming across like an asshole.

I don't think you are being an asshole at all. I'm a small guy but I always try to train with everybody regardless of size and rank. I think there is value and lessons to be learned when rolling with everybody.

[David Rosado]

You are far from a bully if you tap out white belts. Very far from it. If it's not someone's first couple of weeks, it's important to roll against them. Otherwise you aren't really giving them the most benefit. They need someone rolling against them for real in order to best improve. Again, not for someone in their first month, but if someone has trained for 6 months, I think it's doing them a disservice to not roll for real against them. Does that mean you have to be a bully, or crossface the shit out of them, or body surf them when they turtle? No, but rolling against them with intent is far from being a bully. It's going to help your offense and it's going to help them improve faster.

Also, white belts don't always react in a predictable way. They don't always "play the game" so sometimes rolling against white belts especially when they're big, strong, and athletic can be a bit challenging. Sometimes it's hard to work certain techniques on those kinds of people and it's good to give it your all.

Oh yeah man, I hear you. I don't know how else I can clarify that I FEEL like a bully. Not necessarily that I am being a bully or think that tapping fresh whites is bullying. I just remember a few rolls I've had where I felt bad. I still remember the look in one of those guy's faces. I was rolling light too. I just felt terrible. So I wasn't being a bully, but I felt like it. I agree with everything you're saying for sure. I would not have improved if the top dog didn't tool me when I first started.

I don't think you are being an asshole at all. I'm a small guy but I always try to train with everybody regardless of size and rank. I think there is value and lessons to be learned when rolling with everybody.

Yeah I agree.

[Chris Herzog]

Oh yeah man, I hear you. I don't know how else I can clarify that I FEEL like a bully. Not necessarily that I am being a bully or think that tapping fresh whites is bullying. I just remember a few rolls I've had where I felt bad. I still remember the look in one of those guy's faces. I was rolling light too. I just felt terrible. So I wasn't being a bully, but I felt like it. I agree with everything you're saying for sure. I would not have improved if the top dog didn't tool me when I first started.






Yeah I agree.

I almost feel bad now for owning the exclusive rights to 3/4 of David's soul.

[Joseph Hachey]

I almost feel bad now for owning the exclusive rights to 3/4 of David's soul.

I think what David is trying to say is that you should give him his blue belt so he can stop feeling like a bully that has to smash white belts. #HumbleBrag

[David Rosado]

I almost feel bad now for owning the exclusive rights to 3/4 of David's soul.

LMAO.

I think what David is trying to say is that you should give him his blue belt so he can stop feeling like a bully that has to smash white belts. #HumbleBrag

Oh this motherfucker. LMAO. Is it really a humble brag to be able to beat up on fresh whites? Cmaaaaan guy. Your trolling is better than that. You've lost a step.

[Patt Holloman]

It dependz on the person; how they take in/soak in info. I learn from higher ranked belts, and when i eff up/ get smashed, i ask: What/Where/How did i not handle the situation in the correct way.. Such az, was i too jumpy, too whatever; one cannot learn from some1 that hazzent been through it.