Just found out what spazzing in BJJ was.

[PointyShinyBurn]

Just tossing in guys with no or very limited skill into randori or rolling is a recipe for disaster.

Kind of disagree, for rolling at least. They shouldn't go with each other, obviously, but if you pair them with someone who can casually tap dance on them while they have to quit from exhaustion you can show them thrashing about like a grounded fish is a bad idea, which tends to take a lot quicker than just telling them.

I also kind of like getting reality checked ever so often by someone who'll try to squeeze my head off from under side control.

[Auszi]

I don't think its a problem for newbs rolling as long as they dont act like tards. If he stayed calm we both could have had fun and learnt something. I was lot stronger than him and could have kept pinning and holding him but I didn't see the point in that. I have made concious effort since I started, to not go spastic.

But lesson learned, I will approach newbs in future with caution. I have had a headache for the last two days (*Resentment growing)

[antonyneal]

I recently started Judo and noticed a distinct lack of spaztardery when we practiced newaza which surprised me after all the stories I have read. I thought to my self lawl all other dojo's suck our Judo is teh deadly and has amazing anti-spaztard properties.

After a few months of this I had I terrible realization that I am the spaztard. In my defense though I never did any thing as stupid as headbutting any one or going for a rolling heel hook.

How long did it take every one else to realize they where spazing? What is the normal length of time?

[submessenger]

I think we pretty much have it down by the 18th post :)


(edit) what's with the weird 'Z' characters in your post?

[antonyneal]

what's with the weird 'Z' characters in your post?

The 'Z' key is broken on my keyboard so I copied and pasted all the 'Z' in my post from a word document. For some reason that made them weird.

[jnp]

After a few months of this I had I terrible realization that I am the spaztard. In my defense though I never did any thing as stupid as headbutting any one or going for a rolling heel hook.

How long did it take every one else to realize they where spazing? What is the normal length of time?

Realizing you're a spaz on the mat is the first step toward not being one. After one to two years of committed work, most people become proficient with at least a few fundamental moves. Once you, as a student of martial arts, reach a certain comfort level, it's a bit of a catch 22 that part of growing beyond that basic proficiency is being willing to step outside your comfort zone, and work on either new or weak areas of your game. Of course refining your existing game also plays a part, but being willing to put yourself in unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable (note, I did not say dangerous) positions is an integral aspect becoming a higher level grappler.

A classic example of this is the wrestler, training BJJ, who realizes at some point that he'll never be a "BJJ guy" if he never develops a guard game. In order to learn the guard he must put himself on his back, a position he's been vigorously trained to avoid. So he goes to his back and is both uncomfortable and unfamiliar with voluntarily maintaining the position. He gets crushed for a time, and then learns how to deal with it if he's a good student.


In your case antonyneal, the first step was realizing that randori is not meant to be an Olympic level competition. The second step is being willing to go slow enough that your better training partners will sometimes be able to submit you. However, you will see and learn more when you're not at the "I'm fighting for my life" speed.

You must decide what's in your best interest when sparring. "Winning" or learning.

Hint, there is no such thing as winning or losing during sparring. There is only those who learn, and those who are stagnant.

[jnp]

Here's an example of a slow learner. I knew this guy, a wrestler (same guy who reluctantly realized he really did have to learn the guard to get his blue belt), who had zero choke defense when he started out as a white belt. Naturally he began at the same time as a guy who was already a Sandan in Judo. Needless to say, those were days of heavy gurgling and very little glory.

Eventually others, including even the Sandan, took pity and taught him basic choke defense. Still later, the poor slob stopped being so blind to chokes. Unfortunately it took probably a thousand submissions before our lovable blockhead realized that maybe, just maybe, he couldn't ignore his opponent's hands and power out of the choke every time.

Not to mention, nowadays my choke defense is pretty good.

[diducdat?]

That is because you are young and or terrible at grappling. The problem with newb spazzes isn't that we can't beat them it is that we feel bad beating the hell out of them. I can go straight for a sub and murder every newb spazz I come across but that wouldn't teach either of us anything now would it?

Yeah it would. It have a strict policy when dealing with these types; give them a good ass-kicking or two. Worked for me. And seems to work on others.

[ermghoti]

Here's an example of a slow learner. I knew this guy, a wrestler (same guy who reluctantly realized he really did have to learn the guard to get his blue belt), who had zero choke defense when he started out as a white belt. Naturally he began at the same time as a guy who was already a Sandan in Judo. Needless to say, those were days of heavy gurgling and very little glory.

Eventually others, including even the Sandan, took pity and taught him basic choke defense. Still later, the poor slob stopped being so blind to chokes. Unfortunately it took probably a thousand submissions before our lovable blockhead realized that maybe, just maybe, he couldn't ignore his opponent's hands and power out of the choke every time.

Not to mention, nowadays my choke defense is pretty good.