Good/Sloppy Grappling or How I Learned to Love the Bomb

[Aesopian]

The jokes on him for not knowing he has like 10 times the experience of the average grappler on Bullshido.

[Red Elvis]

1. Safety: If you're always playing it by ear, you might put yourself in a tactically bad position when facing a more experienced grappler….

Don’t get me wrong, I can play safely and that’s what I do against more experienced people most of the time but one of my attributes is that I am extremely fast and “slippery.” I tend to use this to my advantage by moving around my opponents (who are usually way bigger than me) as opposed to letting them dictate where I go but I can play that way to. Either or is no big deal to me. Funny thing is that I do better against more experienced grapplers by being unpredictable. I think I use more bread and butter with noobs.

2. Consistency: If you can never repeat it, then it's worthless. In a fight you have to go with what you know and play your game; it's not the time to be trying new ****.

I will agree and disagree with this one. When grappling (sparring) I just let myself flow and see how it works out. If I have to tap then it’s no big deal. I’m not afraid to experiment with new moves or different concepts. In a fight my philosophy is completely different as I have made mistakes in street fights. The good thing is you learn from your mistakes.

3. Bad Habits: People tend to develop shortcuts in anything you do…

Let me explain more what I meant. When going for a basic textbook armbar or triangle from the guard for example one generally puts a foot on the hip to spin into the proper angle/bite to apply the finish. (i.e. foot used to help shrimp) I can get my opponent into the armbar without using my foot because I’ve done it so many thousand times. The technique is there only condensed and much faster.

4. Economy: By this I mean conserving strength and energy, while also executing techniques as fast…

Same as above… this is economy for me.

With ALL that said though, I believe that there's no accounting for genius.

Nope, I wish it were so! No genius here. :icon_neut

[Red Elvis]

It's because you are fighting chumps. I can make almost any damn thing work on a newb but only by doing everything right can you sub people that are "better" than you. I realize I'm making a big assumption but it definately sounds like you are fighting newbs.

Actually I go real slow with noobs and let them sub me most of the time while telling them what to do. I am more unpredictable with better guys because they know my response for their move from my response to their last move so on and so forth. By taking myslef outside the normal loop of chess moves I again have a chance. If that makes sense?

I grapple and so do some other people with whom I was talking about this thread. None of us felt qualified to answer, so we didn't.
Aesopian and I will be publishing a paper on this phenomenon.

Considering people doing what Elvis is talking about, do it to me. I too feel unqualified to answer beyond the fact that it is probably a very, very good sign.

Come on guys! I want opinions from people who grapple. Anyone? Bueller?

[Strong Machine]

In the beginning of grappling you should stick to a more technical methodical style.Because you don't have your own style yet, you learn basics and get comfortable with them THEN you learn what type of grappler you are and it becomes more fun.
Another way to look at it is a first year science student doesnt try to break new ground.He learns what came before.Then at a certain point he is knowledgable enough to find his own way.
Here's another metaphor(I mix em like no one else!) a really good musician who has mastered his instrument can improvise and it still sounds good.
I'd say that as long as you are aware and confortable with the fundamentals, then by all means feel free to break new ground and find your own way.
HOWEVER I wouldn't try moves in competition that hadn't worked for me in sparring many times.
You say you will suddenly try a new and unique guardpass?
Whats wrong with that?
Sparring is not just for developing what you know.It is also for experimentation.

[Shuma-Gorath]

The jokes on him for not knowing he has like 10 times the experience of the average grappler on Bullshido.

My instructor got his black belt in ten years. He came up with his own killer arm bar in the process, so I don't think you should worry about making up a crazy new guard pass.

[Red Elvis]

HOWEVER I wouldn't try moves in competition that hadn't worked for me in sparring many times.
You say you will suddenly try a new and unique guardpass?
Whats wrong with that?

I agree 100% with the competition statement. I tend to play it more safe in competitions although I haven't competed in years. The guard pass just kinda happened because he was countering my move and I saw an opening and took it. My intent was to get side control or knee on the belly but his reaction was just as quick only in the process he ended up giving me an armbar. I guess in reality it is just a series of techniques that were just strung together but it makes me feel like I'm doing sloppy grappling when I do stuff like that.

My instructor got his black belt in ten years. He came up with his own killer arm bar in the process, so I don't think you should worry about making up a crazy new guard pass.

I'd like to hear about his new armbar! From what position does it work?


:XXmonkey:

[Roidie McDouchebag]

If you can't combine techniques, or perform them differently than instructed...can you combine cuisines? Can you eat them differently than instructed? I figure it's on the same level.

Experience isn't required to comment on something so basic, IMO. I'm not trying to sound offensive here, but I think this whole thread is an exercise in mental masturbation/stating the obvious.