Trying to be more competitive against brown belts

[BADBOYKILLA]

So I've been training no gi for years I did no gi and wrestling but wasn't facing higher level guys who train in gi . I'm tapping all the white belts and match up great with the blues but higher level purple and brown are running through me. I need some advice of how I can do better I was thinking do I need to slow down the pace against them and focus on position more I stead of working for the sub?

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

i find that when rolling with someone who outclasses me, it's really helpful to sometimes roll for the win, but other times, roll to really observe what theyre doing to you that is effective.

for me, when i roll hard and am trying pretty hard to get the tap in a roll, I get into this competitive mindset where there's a lot of instinctual thinking going on, and in part because of that, i cant even remember half of what happened during those rolls. so if im really trying to absorb from someone better than me, I need to make a conscious thought to remember what they did that just fucked me up.

and a lot of the times, ill try the same techniques they do against me against them to see how they would react to it and tease out what details im missing.


i think psychologically, you shouldnt be thinking so much about being competitive against people who outclass you so much as just getting better, and one day being able to handle them.

 

[FatherSauce]

To get better than someone who is a better grappler than you is simple. Practice well more often than them over a significant period of time.

If your goal is to beat them now, then my suggestion is to challenge them to a competition that you are better than them at. Not gi jiujitsu.

 

[CFGroup]

Focus on observing there strategy. Go for this same escape or offense so you can mentally document how they respond. So you doing X = them doing Y. Eventually you'll learn all their sneaky tricks.

My experience is mostly from standing, but that's how I learned the higher ranked guys games.

Grappling Bill Murray Groundhog Day!

LOL!

 

[lechien]

So I've been training no gi for years I did no gi and wrestling but wasn't facing higher level guys who train in gi . I'm tapping all the white belts and match up great with the blues but higher level purple and brown are running through me. I need some advice of how I can do better I was thinking do I need to slow down the pace against them and focus on position more I stead of working for the sub?

You need to be a bit more specific.

What do you mean by working on position before submissions?

Do you actually score any points on the higher belts?

 

[Dirty Holt]

Get em tired

 

[SubmissionarY]

Get em tired

Yes avoid them when they are fresh, then after they have had some wars with black/brown belts just jump in and take what is yours.

 

[QingTian]

Coming from Judo, I also ran into a wall against high purples/brown. At that level people have tight guards so it's not easy to use your previous experience or attributes to go on the offensive. Had to learn some jiujitsu

 

[RJ Green]

Coming from Judo, I also ran into a wall against high purples/brown. At that level people have tight guards so it's not easy to use your previous experience or attributes to go on the offensive. Had to learn some jiujitsu

competitive purps are hungry and really, really get after rolls.

by brown belt, they've developed most of the nuance and knowledge to be a black belt, it's just more reps and more wins. at that point it's a continued commitment. with the exception of people in med school i've never known anyone at brown belt who isn't training almost daily...

 

[dmwalking]

Oil check

 

[Jagcorps_esq]

Aren't we all?

Joking aside, if you're having trouble against high level purples and browns, sounds like you are a a high blue, low purple.

Why are you outclassed by them? How do they get you? Do they work harder, move faster, catch you with submissions, dominate you positionally?

The answer to your question isn't a single thing...it is an advancement of your technique overall, across the board. Otherwise, you'd be talking about a single brown belt that just always....

Sure, there are individuals that I have issues with in regards to specific things (getting out of this person's guard, getting out from under this person's side control, matching this person's pace), but those are personal goals that focus on fixing a single technical issue.

When you feel outmatched by a group of people all in the same general skill range, that means your entire game has to progress.

 

[JosephDredd]

practise off-balancing them. Get them reacting to you. I'm slowly figuring out this is the entire point of BJJ. At the lighter belts, fighters will off-balance themselves. In purple and brown, you need to off-balance them. And the entire fight in black belt is whoever can force the error.

This is why spazzy newbs do so well: you're reacting to them instead of implementing your game.

 

[2008]

Maybe your not a brown/black belt level grappler yet? You could be a high level blue or purple, if that is the case, your not going to beat brown/black belt level yet or even be competitive

 

[Bullheaded]

The way I've had the most success with, is by making them react and anticipating their reactions. In other words, you have to think several moves ahead and try to keep that advantage, that one or two steps forward at all cost. It's when you react to their game that you lose. As Holt says it does involve some physicality.

 

[anhedonia]

There is nothing magical about brown belts. Just keep improving your jiu jitsu. People that are better than you will probably stay better than you but you may close the gap over time.

I think people are joking about the catch them while they are tired stuff.. but If you tap someone like that that you normally can't tap they are still better than you lol They will also beat the shit out of you next time when they are fresh most likely.

 

[jcandoitbig]

you will never catch high level folks without chaining things together. even then, they're probably still thinking 3 moves ahead of you.

 

[mataleaos]

i think psychologically, you shouldnt be thinking so much about being competitive against people who outclass you so much as just getting better, and one day being able to handle them.

This. getting good enough at BJJ/submission grappling to hold your own with brown belts often means becoming one, and it definitely means falling in love with the process of improvement, yet not being overly attached on the outcome.

 

[BADBOYKILLA]

I find myself having alot more success from top positions against higher belt levels. From side control I'm most comfortable it's when I'm attacking from guard that I'm having zero success they know my plays 3 steps ahead but I guess that's how it goes. I've got a wrestling background so I revert back to that which works better for me

 

[Gandhi]

i find that when rolling with someone who outclasses me, it's really helpful to sometimes roll for the win, but other times, roll to really observe what theyre doing to you that is effective.

for me, when i roll hard and am trying pretty hard to get the tap in a roll, I get into this competitive mindset where there's a lot of instinctual thinking going on, and in part because of that, i cant even remember half of what happened during those rolls. so if im really trying to absorb from someone better than me, I need to make a conscious thought to remember what they did that just fucked me up.

and a lot of the times, ill try the same techniques they do against me against them to see how they would react to it and tease out what details im missing.


i think psychologically, you shouldnt be thinking so much about being competitive against people who outclass you so much as just getting better, and one day being able to handle them.

I honestly look at it kind of the same way. The better guys have styles. Start figuring out if they have a specific style and learn to counter it/ just survive. I.e. There is this dude that used to always tap me with headlocks from side mount aka like some catch wrestling thing. Studied the defenses for it and now he just mauls me for a round but I don't get tapped as often. Baby steps.