I'm looking to get a sense of how people perceive the level of intensity in their training--specifically, the degree of resistance that you normally train at. One of the best things about grappling (as we all know) is that it can be trained with a fully "alive" & resisting opponent, but even with that in mind, there can still be distinctions.

Obviously it should vary depending on whether you're drilling, rolling, or competing, as well as who you're paired with. But on a 1-10 scale, or with descriptive terms like light-medium-heavy, how hard do you grapple?

Depends. On who i'm rolling w (white vs higher belt), if I want to work on new things, etc.

What is your real question? This one is not going to go anywhere since it is totally subjective and unclear.

I roll 10 when I have someone in my guard. I roll 1 when I am pinned in mount.

What does curling up in the fetal position and praying count as? I feel like that's a 3. So I usually grapple at about a 2.

Is this just in regards to rolling, or sparring? Competing?

I roll at a 1.2. Get it? LOLOLOL!!!!11

I'll rephrase the question. For a regular Tuesday night sparring/rolling session, how hard do you resist compared to the all-out effort you'd be gunning for if you were competing against Skeletor for Master of the Universe?

How fast you move, how hard do you crank their joints, how long you wait to tap out, do you resist until choked unconscious, do you put your partner to sleep with your chokes?

I ask since I'm trying to get a sense of whether most people go all-out in their school, or instead try a more "we could both go harder, but let's only go 75% today because I don't want to snap an elbow by accident."

I generally go about 6ish, unless they're even more of a noob than me, in which case 3 or 2. I save balls-to-the-wall for the 260 lb guys who are faster than me.

I roll pretty much the same as you. I don't go all out because I would get very exhausted very fast and I'd end up using more muscle than technique, while likely injuring myself and my training partners. In other words, don't go all out all the time. Do it sometimes, and just try and work your techniques when rolling casually.

Edit: I should also mention that I roll about 5-7 times a week, so going really hard would ruin me for the rest of the week. For example, we had an in-school tournament on Tuesday and I was exhausted by Thursday and am taking Friday off.

How fast you move,

As fast as I need to to get to the position I am shooting for.

how hard do you crank their joints,

I'm not a douchebag to my teammates, so I don't CRANK anything. If a sub is getting too close to being cranked I either stop and let them work out of it or I transition to a new position.

how long you wait to tap out,

I tap when I feel I am in danger.

do you resist until choked unconscious,

No, why the **** would I do that?

do you put your partner to sleep with your chokes?

Not purposefully. A good carotid hits quick and can result in lights out in less than 5 seconds. If I have a choke on and my guy starts to girgle I usually loosen up; or if my carotid is not spot on and it becomes more of a neck crank I loosen up.

I tend to match the level of my opponent unless I am training for comp. then I try to be more aggressive.

In training I have never rolled harder than an 8.

If i am getting to the point of cranking someone and they know better then oh well for them. For noobs, I tell them: "Hey this is a submission"...if they are a dick i just keep on applying pressure until they tap...yeah, some ppl are a little sore for a few days, but I told them.

I had one guy in half guard lockdown which was turning into an ankle lock. I told him this is a submission he assured me he was fine...a few days later he was limping with an ankle brace on. He's fine...just hyperextended.

How fast you move,

As fast as I need to to get to the position I am shooting for.

how hard do you crank their joints,

I'm not a douchebag to my teammates, so I don't CRANK anything. If a sub is getting too close to being cranked I either stop and let them work out of it or I transition to a new position.

how long you wait to tap out,

I tap when I feel I am in danger.

do you resist until choked unconscious,

No, why the **** would I do that?

do you put your partner to sleep with your chokes?

Not purposefully. A good carotid hits quick and can result in lights out in less than 5 seconds. If I have a choke on and my guy starts to girgle I usually loosen up; or if my carotid is not spot on and it becomes more of a neck crank I loosen up.

I tend to match the level of my opponent unless I am training for comp. then I try to be more aggressive.

In training I have never rolled harder than an 8.

For da truth

^ seconded. Though sometimes I am lazy and don't move as fast to get to the position I should be shooting for and end up settling. And, I (usually) never roll harder than my opponent does.

My main grappling partner alost always roll at a 9 or 10 including all leg locks and kneck cranks. I only feel comfortable doing that with a few people though. I generally let my partner dictate the pace of rolling and go with it. If he is rolling at a 1-5 I wont go over that, if he is rolling 6-10 I won't go under. Whats most important I think is ego, I won't roll with high intensisty with people who refuse to tap or are just trying to get their strut on on the mat.

I guess this really answers nothing.

i'm in the same boat.

but in regular tuesday night training i tend to roll at 3 or 4, the reason being is that i am fairly large, not monstrous, but large enough that if i roll at a 6 i am unsure if i swept the guy because of brute strength or technique.

that being said, i don't want to roll at at a 1 because i don't want to build bad habits like settling for a position, or not fighting hard enough.

when it's time for competition, i roll at an 8 or 9, i go easy on the subs, but all out on takedowns, guard passes, and escapes.

So, looks like common sense wins the thread?