Open Mat Advice

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 10:27am

Being beat up by people who are better than you is awfull,embarassing and frustrating. You need to accept that and do it anyway.

Me. I sometimes dread my sparring sessions but I want to become better not have my ego stroked. If i hate it and am getting frustrated then I am opperating outside my comfort zone. This is where I am learning the most.

So from what you are saying it looks like you are on the right track

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 3:48pm

Are you really worried about not tapping anyone on your first open mat? Wait a bout a year. If you haven't tapped anyone by then try this post again.

**judoka_uk** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 4:33pm

Open mat no good for noob. Noob need structured developmental training programme.

Noob stick with Judo 1x a week or just do boxing, else noob not learn anything except bad habits.

**Danno997** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 5:26pm

But eventually you will be the person with 1+ years and will find that the newer people can't hold you down or stop your submission attempts. Just keep training and it all works out, and at this level actual classes are better than open mat time if you have the choice of fitting one or the other in your schedule.

**CheeksWWAC** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 6:56pm

Heres something that helped me at open mats a year ago.

If you dont feel like you know enough to free roll with people but you do want to train at open mats, just ask your training partners roll from a starting position that you want to get better at. Situational rolling (i.e. you start in someones side control). If your side control escapes suck just work that with everyone with full resistance until you have enough basic skills to start from the knees or standing like the more experienced people.

**Katriona1992** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 7:27pm

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

Are you really worried about not tapping anyone on your first open mat? Wait a bout a year. If you haven't tapped anyone by then try this post again.

Its not that I am not tapping anyone- heck, I'd been thrown like a ragdoll most of the time back in judo. Its just that I actually felt that I've got a chance (artificial chance, but still it is some sort of hope) back then that I might be able to last more than 20-30 second before losing as I am paired up with someone the same size and build as me.

Here, it feels literally feels like midget vs giant. Before it was eye to eye with an opponent before a match...now it is eye to chest...

But yeah, I apologise for complaning so soon and I'd hang in there for two or more sessions to get a proper feeling of open mat.

**KiwiPhil889** · Posted On: 6/27/2011 7:53pm

Originally Posted by judoka_uk

Open mat no good for noob. Noob need structured developmental training programme.

Noob stick with Judo 1x a week or just do boxing, else noob not learn anything except bad habits.

Yanno?? i think this is a good sentiment. I'm not saying give up on open mat,but approach it with a more structured plan in place maybe??? (gonna depend of the ppl there too).

Situational rolling/Positional Rolling, all done at the appropriate resistance of course. Not sure on what the ppl are like there,but for myself i don't have any probs backing off a bit against a noob in a free sparring,or rolling session, just so long as i'm still getting a good go with the other folks,then one slightly less intense or slightly more structured roll aint gonna stress me. Maybe discuss that with the coach.

Improvements will happen any ways,but focussing on one area,or one area at a time might help you feel like you're making detectable progress lol.