Open Mat Advice

**Katriona1992** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 6:33pm

I am going to quit judo as I am no longer free on Saturday mornings (got myself a job at Hungry Jack's from 6am-2pm). This leaves me with only one session (7:30-9:00 on Tuesday) a week which the instructor honestly admits is not sufficient to retain a significant amount of knowledge from class to class, let alone compete at ANY level.

So I decided to go to submission wrestling at my university. Tuesday's class (4-5:30pm) was great. I cannot put it another way. My judo coach was an Olympian- the wrestling instructor here was on par with him as a national champion and at $5 a pop was the best value I have ever seen.

Then there was open mat.

I have never been to open mat before and basically what we did yesterday (after fifteen mintues of warm up) was form two circles- one inner and one outer. The person from the outer circle would spar with the person that was face to face with them on the inner circle for 5 minutes. The preset timer then sounded, there was a one minute break, and the person on the inner circle will move clockwise and the cycle will start again.

I honestly can say for sure I did not learn anything that lesson. I was paired up with people that was 9 inches/20 centimetres taller than I was, I was paired up with people that was double my weight and...you get the point, right? I tried setting myself goals like I was taught to on forums such as these (e.g. try submissions other than pins, try not to turtle) but to no avail. The guys/girls tried to cooperate best with me as they could, but physical/skill differences (most of them had been training for 1+ year) made them visibly bored or embarassed to be pwning me so bad.

In reality, I was counting on open mat to be as good as sparring in normal class time because I cannot add another session on. I knew that, counting open mat, 4 hours a week was enough to at least give me a fair go at progressing but it is simply not happening...

Any suggestons?

**Katriona1992** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 6:38pm

BTW, I knew enough not to use raw strength or have that I-am-going-to-murder-you attitude that beginners have during randori/open mat yesterday. I was trying my best to remain technical (using the few skills I have) but it was still not working out :(

The second option is to go to judo at another club- I only get 2.5 hours max there every week though although that 2.5 hours consist of nothing but classes.

**KiwiPhil889** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 7:30pm

Since i'm on the puter, thought i'd throw my 2c in here as well.

Open mat. Not sure on your skill level,but from the post it sounds like you've only had 1 open mat session?? If so,then perhaps you're being too hard on yourself,or expecting too much. Granted you probably won't be any threat to the ppl who have been going there for 1+ yrs,but you ARE learning.

Continuously gettin pwned sucks,big time!! but you also won't get any better at it by not going.

I would continue personally, maybe get 1/2 dozen open mat sessions under your belt before forming too many opinions. Set your goals lower too maybe?? If you get taken down,then did you fall right?? did you land in as good a position as poss??,could you do better??

Are you losing due to skill disparity?? because if so then sparring is a better way to sharpen the skills you've been taught than doing nothing,( and often better than drilling lots)

Not entirely sure of your reasons for training either.(if self defense then you prolly want to be in as worse a position as poss,because you don't often get attacked by ppl who are smaller or less of a threat than yourself)

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 7:50pm

Yeah no.

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 8:19pm

Chill, girl. Open mat is not a lesson, it is to apply what you have learnt in previous lessons. In that respect, you applied things you have learnt, however limited you think they are.

You haven't rolled enough yet to know that every roll is doing you some form of good, whether owning or getting owned, it doesn't matter, it is a form of training, not competition. Whether it is something as simple as remembering to breathe while someone is crushing your chest, every roll is doing you good. Go to open mats as often as you can. Eventually people will give you pointers.

Better yet, you are down the road from me. Give me a call and we'll roll.

**Evergrey** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 8:34pm

Just have fun and leave your ego at the door. Be safe, but go with an open mind.

We have an open sparring day every couple of months at my dojo, where all different styles of fighters come and play. The one thing that most of them have in common is that they are quite advanced martial artists, and they can easily kick my ass.

I go, get my ass kicked, and learn a hell of a lot! :D

**yli** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 8:44pm

Originally Posted by Katriona1992

*snip*

Are there any instructors or very senior students watching this occur? If so, they can probably give you some advice by watching you.

**Ciderbone** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 9:03pm

A truism in martial arts is that to become a hammer you must first be a nail. Keep attending classes, keep attending open mat, and over time you will suck less.

**mrh80** · Posted On: 6/26/2011 11:04pm

Get your instructor to make sure you have a fundamental technique/concept down and get someone to drill it with. Google search for solo drills you can do at home, which will improve your mat work. Finally, try some positional sparring (get the better people to start in a disadvantaged position).

No matter how good you are there are always people who will kick your arse, good luck.