Is the skill level of training partners important?

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 1:22pm

How important is the skill level of training partners? Is it better to be the at the top of the food chain or the bottom? Does it pay to train at a gym where everyone is a noob?

I really don't think you'd get as good training, if your the best in the class.

**Matt Bernius** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 1:35pm

The place you want to be is to be constantly training with people who are primarily just a bit better than you. Not tons better, though it's great to have a very experienced partner. Also you don't want to many people to be far behind either.

In general when sparring, other than times when you just need a slice of humble pie, it's good to be constantly challenged, but not absolutely outclassed.

The most important thing is a good teTacher or coach who can ensure the above occurs.

- Matt

***Plasma*** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 1:37pm

Healthy mix. You want people better to challenge you. But you want n00bs who haven't been trained becuase they probably will do something you don't expect.

**BSDaemon** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 1:38pm

No, you don't want to train at a gym where everyone is a noob.

I like the deep water analogy. Some people dabble their toes, some get their feet wet, some wade. But if you want to become a truly strong you need to be in a big pool with deep water. It will be a struggle to keep your head above the water to keep from drowning, but it's that struggle that makes you grow the fastest.

I believe that you can only approach the skill level of those you train with. Or perhaps if you are a singularity you might be able to exceed it by a small margin. So unless you are resigned to mediocrity, you should find the very best training partners and instructors you can.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 1:43pm

Originally Posted by ojgsxr6

How important is the skill level of training partners? Is it better to be the at the top of the food chain or the bottom? Does it pay to train at a gym where everyone is a noob?

You get better by training with pple better than you. If everyone is a noob or your top dog then you may need to seek other means to help you improve like competition. I look at it this way: Develop the techniques on the noobs then fine tune the application on thos at your skill level or better.

I really don't think you'd get as good training, if your the best in the class.

Save for the instructors I am the best at my gym. I continue to develop because I compete. I develop my game in class and work with the instructors to fine tune it then test it out in competition.

Being topdog should also insipre others to develop as well and at least at my gym the guys like to keep me on my toes. The same tricks I used before won't always work so it forces me to adapt and dvelop new ones.

**Goju - Joe** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 2:10pm

I much prefer training with people who are way better than me. I feel a lot more comfortable sparring a BB or whatever since I know I don't have to hold back and if I loose no big deal.

**DaChinkOfSteel** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 2:37pm

There's the analogy "Steel sharpens steel"...and I agree with it...what good is it to train with people you can constantly and consistently beat? I don't necessarily think that you should dive in with freaking black belts (advanced students) all the time because learning from your mistakes can only get you so far, if you don't have the opportunity to apply your learning on someone of equal (or as close as it gets) skill...

I also agree that it's good to train with a variety of people, with less skill, equal skill, and more skill than you...

When training with someone with either less skill or weaker, it allows you opportunities to work on things you're not good at; like in BJJ, I suck playing from my back, so when I train with newer people, I'll go to my back and work from there because I generally can focus more on form and won't have to use as much strength...

With people of equal skill/strength, I'll just train as hard as they are willing to...I view these as learning opportunities as well as "mini competitions"...

And of course training with people of greater skill because you're forced to work that much harder, both athletically and skill-wise, just to even survive...obviously, I train a lot more defensively (in BJJ, at least) because I simply won't have as many variations and whatnot of moves...but it helps me sharpen my basics more and be more mindful of what I ALREADY know, not to make mistakes...it's always nice to also pick up a thing or two that you can't see (just by observing), but you can subtly feel when you're grappling/training with someone better than you...

I also believe in variety of training partners because if you just train with the same people over and over again, you get used to their habits/weaknesses/strengths, and vice versa...so you'll know how to counter/deal with them...with different training partners, it's almost like a tournament where you can test your own personal skills/attributes/strategies against someone who doesn't necessarily know yours and you their's...

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 2:38pm

Asia, how can you prepare for competition if your training partners aren't at your level. I mean to the point where there either not sparring yet or you have to hold back alot when you do.

**Gezere** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 2:46pm

Originally Posted by ojgsxr6

Asia, how can you prepare for competition if your training partners aren't at your level. I mean to the point where there either not sparring yet or you have to hold back alot when you do.

Not everyone I train with are noobs plus you have the instructors. They don't need to be at the exact same level to get a training effect.

**Nate1481** · Posted On: 9/06/2006 6:47pm

Personally I like it when you spend most of the time with you trying something & getting countered then he does so you spend the entier time excperimenting.
This is the better type of even match then where you just end up in stalemate or muscle out of everyting. For this you want someone around your skill level or a bit better, or a bit worse & stronger I think this where you learn the most.

On the swiming ananlogy this would be at that point where you can put your feet down but are up to your neck & it's faster to swim if you want to get anywhere, in too deep & you just drown & have to be fished out which gets boring (getting owned by someone so fast you knever knew what you did wrong).