Branch out or start from Scratch?

**franginho** · Posted On: 3/07/2013 10:32am

I have a rather odd issue.

This is not about technique! This is all about mindset/how to approach my goal!

Right now my game (for competition and in general as well) is based on pulling guard or getting to guard since I am very strong of my back (I get mainly armbars and triangles - honestly that is what I get 98%). When I roll/compete I am "too relaxed" I seldom push for things, I just wait for my opponent to move and then I capitalize on their mistakes. And it works well for me.

This all is mainly due to me being small and since I started (I never really rolled with a bunch of white belts or people of my weight) I was afraid of getting my guard passed and end up being smothered. So I play it "save".

But I don't want to be like this anymore!
In the long run you play for subs from your back, you will get passed and/or you just lose on points if you won't get the sub.

So I thought, I want to be a different kind of grappler.
I want a strong dominant top game, going for passes and focusing on what I call "neck control" (look at marcello garcia - he manipulates his opponents via neck control) with a focus on arm chokes.

The question is, how do I get there?

I tried to go for my regular game and branch out but I end up doing the same old pattern, not pushing, just waiting and I seem to find the subs even if I am looking for a sweep. The only thing I can do is use the sub to sweep but this doesn't feel like what I am looking for since I only get top time when I actually already "could have ended it right there".

How do I approach this best? How do I get into that mindset of forcing my game on people? How do I avoid falling back on my old jits?

Thank you guys in advance...

**CrackFox** · Posted On: 3/07/2013 11:15am

It's not an "odd issue" at all. You have a game you're comfortable with, but which you're not happy with. You've identified something you need to change your game, but you are not able to move out of your comfort zone.

You're going to have to go for those sweeps, even though you feel that the sub is more viable. If you never try the sweeps, you'll never get good at them.

**judojeff** · Posted On: 3/07/2013 3:01pm

My best advice is for you to fail. Pass up the subs and try the sweeps and in all likely hood fail. Screwing it up and learning when and how you did is what makes you learn. The more you attack with your new moves the better.

This same thing happened to me when I decided that I was gonna start playing guard. The trick is that even though it's frustrating you have to force yourself to play the new way. For a while this will mean passing up subs you see in favor of attempting sweeps that you will fail at for a while.

Experimenting is one of the hardest things to do in grappling because it feels like you are going backwards for a while, but in the long run its what makes you a better grappler.

***jnp*** · Posted On: 3/10/2013 5:54am

Changing your habits when you roll is no easy task. I suffer from lazy guard syndrome as well. I started trying to change this three years ago, and I'm still not aggressive enough in my opinion.

Start by avoiding the guard initially. Tell your training partners that you want to work on your top game and ask them to pull guard to help you out. Go to the turtle position instead of going to the guard when you're sparring.

It won't be easy, but if you stick with it, your top game will get much better in a matter of months.

After a month or three of playing top game as much as possible, re-introduce the guard. What works for me is to maintain focus on always attacking their posture. I don't necessarily look for subs as much as breaking them down to the point that they're vulnerable to subs or sweeps.

For you, since your bottom submission game is already developed, look to sweep instead of submitting. Now you're on top and are working on your top game again. Concentrating on sweeps instead of subs should increase the amount of training time that you're on top and in control.

**Lv1Sierpinski** · Posted On: 3/10/2013 12:48pm

I never tried to overhaul things as much as you are, but I always found telling the guys I was rolling with what I wanted to do (or not do as the case may be) was very helpful.

Forcing yourself to go for a sweep can be hard, I found it easier with a higher rank yelling at me to quit stalling and do something.

**franginho** · Posted On: 3/12/2013 1:41am

Some nice advice here... Thank you guys.

I am new at this school (I am there for less than a month) and I don't feel comfortable asking them to train something they might not had in mind... Maybe when I get to know the regulars a bit...

Last class I rolled with almost only lower belts. I tried to force them into guard (mainly by stuffing their take-down attempts) and then pass to mount, where I would slap on a weak cross collar choke and let them upa me back to guard, sweep, pass and repeat...
It actually worked quite nice but mainly due to them being not on my level.

Then I had the first roll with my new coach. I don't know why but he gave me top position from the start and we had a nice roll for a while where I focused on just staying in top position rather then looking for anything... at one point he was turtleing up and I, the asshole that I am, didn't go for the hooks but knee on hip. He rolled and I accompanied him ending up in a retarded inverted triangle/armbar mix... he rolled to his belly, I bailed and I was gassed by then.
After that he decided he gave the new guy enough fun for a day and went on to try pass my guard.
At this point I didn't look for any sweep I just tried to stay in guard and slap on an armbar/triangle... at one point he passed me and with my last energy I went back to guard where my calf cramped and I had to stop...(have to get back to rolling hard!)

To sum up: I can work my stuff with the lower ranks but I can't seem to do much when the pressure comes one. I go back to default and forget all about my goal.

**judojeff** · Posted On: 3/13/2013 1:23pm

Originally Posted by franginho

To sum up: I can work my stuff with the lower ranks but I can't seem to do much when the pressure comes one. I go back to default and forget all about my goal.

This used to happen to me a fair bit, it still does now just not nearly as often, what I found helped was when the pressure started to come to just focus on breathing. Doing this helped me to remain a bit calmer and continue to work towards my goal, it also helped me not gas out as much.

**Bencnymma** · Posted On: 3/15/2013 10:28am

I would really concentrate on sweeping people. Even if it means that you have to give up postion just trying for it. Worst case scenario you get great guard replacement. If not you can always ask them if you could start on top instead of pulling guard. Good luck

**Team Python** · Posted On: 3/29/2013 2:28am

Originally Posted by franginho

I have a rather odd issue.

This is not about technique! This is all about mindset/how to approach my goal!

Right now my game (for competition and in general as well) is based on pulling guard or getting to guard since I am very strong of my back (I get mainly armbars and triangles - honestly that is what I get 98%). When I roll/compete I am "too relaxed" I seldom push for things, I just wait for my opponent to move and then I capitalize on their mistakes. And it works well for me.

This all is mainly due to me being small and since I started (I never really rolled with a bunch of white belts or people of my weight) I was afraid of getting my guard passed and end up being smothered. So I play it "save".

But I don't want to be like this anymore!
In the long run you play for subs from your back, you will get passed and/or you just lose on points if you won't get the sub.

So I thought, I want to be a different kind of grappler.
I want a strong dominant top game, going for passes and focusing on what I call "neck control" (look at marcello garcia - he manipulates his opponents via neck control) with a focus on arm chokes.

The question is, how do I get there?

I tried to go for my regular game and branch out but I end up doing the same old pattern, not pushing, just waiting and I seem to find the subs even if I am looking for a sweep. The only thing I can do is use the sub to sweep but this doesn't feel like what I am looking for since I only get top time when I actually already "could have ended it right there".

How do I approach this best? How do I get into that mindset of forcing my game on people? How do I avoid falling back on my old jits?

Thank you guys in advance...

Stop PULLING GUARD.....learn take downs if you fail a take down then you can always fall back on your guard. Why do people neglect take downs? Anyway also learn better sweeps to get the top position. Focus on four good sweeps and four good TD's so during training only focus on these techniques unit you get them down. I have a sweep that I pull off all the time and my guys already know I am going to do it but they still cant stop it....why because I have spent many hours perfecting it. Also try using a sit up guard when your opponent is on the knees....that means sit up and keep your feet on their hips with one hand deep inside the collar and the other hand on the sleeve near the elbow. I sweep all day from the sit up guard because dummies stay are on their knees instead of standing and passing.

**Zapruder** · Posted On: 3/29/2013 4:20pm

Originally Posted by jnp

Changing your habits when you roll is no easy task. I suffer from lazy guard syndrome as well. I started trying to change this three years ago, and I'm still not aggressive enough in my opinion.

Start by avoiding the guard initially. Tell your training partners that you want to work on your top game and ask them to pull guard to help you out. Go to the turtle position instead of going to the guard when you're sparring.

It won't be easy, but if you stick with it, your top game will get much better in a matter of months.

After a month or three of playing top game as much as possible, re-introduce the guard. What works for me is to maintain focus on always attacking their posture. I don't necessarily look for subs as much as breaking them down to the point that they're vulnerable to subs or sweeps.

For you, since your bottom submission game is already developed, look to sweep instead of submitting. Now you're on top and are working on your top game again. Concentrating on sweeps instead of subs should increase the amount of training time that you're on top and in control.

This x 4. I too am a lazy guard player and the only thing I would add to this would be drilling...endless mindFUL drilling. Only perfect practice makes perfect