I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong...

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 9:12am

Flamingo: Yeah, I've asked him three times to show me what I'm doing wrong or at least tell me what he's subbing me with. He just grins at me and shrugs.

***jnp*** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 9:38am

As previously mentioned, your instructor is most qualified to answer your question.

In the meantime, based on your response to Pizdoff's clip, can we assume that he's trapping both your neck and your arm? Is he off to the your side when he does this?

Most likely Golden Jonas already gave you the advice you need. That being don't go for the old school sweep, or even try to get closer to his his legs, while in half-guard if he has the whizzer.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 11:06am

Yeah, my next issue becomes, WTF do I do with him from my halfguard now? lol. That's a whole 'nother set of problems though. The guy outclasses me to a degree which is slightly annoying since he keeps subbing me with the same move. The other guys that dominate me that badly are kind enough to switch it up and sub me with different things, or point out what I should be doing instead of handing them submissions openings.

**ViciousFlamingo** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 11:15am

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Flamingo: Yeah, I've asked him three times to show me what I'm doing wrong or at least tell me what he's subbing me with. He just grins at me and shrugs.

He's a dick then. I remember reading a good article about why training partners should always reveal how they do certain moves to their partners. It keeps people from stagnating in this kind of situation. After reading that, I've made myself not keep any secret moves. Once I teach a counter to my sub, I can start working on my recounter, y'know? Although obviously you're not the one who needs to be told this.

Go find somebody who's as good and ask this guy, definitely your instructor if you can.

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Yeah, my next issue becomes, WTF do I do with him from my halfguard now? lol. That's a whole 'nother set of problems though. The guy outclasses me to a degree which is slightly annoying since he keeps subbing me with the same move. The other guys that dominate me that badly are kind enough to switch it up and sub me with different things, or point out what I should be doing instead of handing them submissions openings.

One thing to keep in mind: I find that a lot of my learning from rolling comes after we're done, when my partner goes over what I need to improve on and how to improve it. If the guy's that good and you keep getting owned by the same move, how much is that really helping you? You might consider just not rolling with him until you figure out how to counter that sub, if that's at all possible without creating drama. Your goal is to learn in training, not to beat one guy.

**M1K3** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 11:23am

Originally Posted by ViciousFlamingo

You might consider just not rolling with him until you figure out how to counter that sub, if that's at all possible without creating drama. Your goal is to learn in training, not to beat one guy.

I agree here with VF. Your are there to learn and improve your game, not to stroke his ego. If he doesn't want to explain in the future simply say, "Dude, your too good for me, I need to work more at my own level" and find someone else. The counter to that move will come in time.

**GoldenJonas** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 11:55am

Originally Posted by M1K3

I agree here with VF. Your are there to learn and improve your game, not to stroke his ego. If he doesn't want to explain in the future simply say, "Dude, your too good for me, I need to work more at my own level" and find someone else. The counter to that move will come in time.

The underlined quote is a perfect response. It will avoid the "hey, that guy don't want to roll wit me 'cause he is afraid of me" ****; this guy obviously has a shitty ego.

VF's advice is correct in that you are not learning **** if he has subbed you 9 fucking times with a brabo-like choke in 2 damn rolls. The "not learning" is not really your fault, its the asshole who keeps doing to you without helping you.

Its just shitty training on that guys part. My triangle is pretty sharp against guys my level or lower. Typically, on a guy who is newer or not quite as good I'll simply lock the triangle and let him work out of it rather than grab the leg, get the angle, and choke him out.

My instructor does the same with me. I know when I fucked, but he will usually ease up to let me work out and he usually does not submit me with the same thing over and over again.

It sucks for you because you know that if you get paired up with this idiot he's just gonna crank the brabo from half-guard. You could also work on other parts of your game, i.e., sweeps from guard or try to secure, maintain and play a top-game.

Good luck.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 2:01pm

Thanks for all the advice guys. I don't think it will be too hard to avoid rolling with the guy for a while and now that I have a better idea of what he's doing I can work on it with some of the other guys and at least figure out what I need to do to stop it.

**golsa** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 2:26pm

I'm about as rusty as they come in bjj, but this is the first thing that comes to mind from your description http://www.nottinghambjj.co.uk/images/twister1.jpg

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 6:16pm

Nah, I know the twister from my wrestling days. Anyways. Updates for everyone, apparently Adam is Psychic, or reads the boards or something. Cause we were working escapes from under side control and in the process of him pointing out that I was halfassing the escape by just wedging my knee in he mentioned Brian subbing me every time I stuck in the half guard. Proceeded to tell me it was a Darce choke, and explain that I shouldn't be giving him the underhook from there, instead I should be trying to get back to full guard unless I am very good at protecting my head/neck. So I'm going to work on that and work on getting back to full guard instead.

**EternalRage** · Posted On: 10/29/2007 8:29pm

Yep. D'Arce = Brabo.

If you are able to do the whip up correctly and be in position for the old school, one thing you could try is coming up to your knees instead (Bravo calls this the "Dogfight"). GoldenJonas already mentioned the spaghetti arm against the strong whizzer, Bravo's got a bunch of moves utilizing the same thing (though he calls it the "limp arm" or something like that).

Edit: nvm he already covered all that.

In addition to full guard, if you're butterfly guard game is ok, you could try transitioning to that too.