Being a Good Training Partner Part 3: Controlling your Physical Output

Continued from part 2, available here.

Controlling your physical output is a critical component of being a good BJJ training partner. This doesn’t mean that you never roll hard or competitively in the training room. Rather, it means that you're in control of your body, your movements are fluid, and you’re aware of your space. No one wants to be know as the “spaz” at their jiu jitsu gym. The following tips will help you assess your physical output and make any necessary modifications to become a better training partner.

Slow things down if you’re breathing too hard or shaking. Jiu jitsu is physically demanding. It’s normal to breathe hard, particularly if you’re newer to the sport. But if you’re gasping for breaths or completely winded, you’re probably expending too much energy. Similarly, if you’re exerting yourself so much that your body is visibly shaking, slow down and focus on technique and fluidity of movement. If you’re a newer student and your technical knowledge is limited, confine your live training to positions you’ve worked on in class.

Make sure you’re in control of your body movements. If you’re regularly hitting people with unintentional knees and elbows, or dropping your weight in an uncontrolled manner, slow down and focus on body awareness and applying the jiu jitsu techniques you know. While unintentional bumps are inevitable given the close-contact nature of Brazilian jiu jitsu, they shouldn’t be happening on a regular basis.

Focus on grappling at a pace that allows you to roll for the entirety of the training session. In general, with some modifications based on age and health, you should be able to roll at least multiple consecutive rounds without getting too tired. If you exert yourself so hard that you need a break after each round you roll, this is another indicator that you need to focus on efficiency and fluidity. Unless they’re preparing for a competition, most advanced BJJ students have a controlled pace in the training room, which allows them to maintain a higher training volume and focus on skill-building.

Be aware of the space you’re using on the mats. Always be on the lookout for others when you’re rolling and move if you and your partner are getting too close to another group. If the mats are full, don’t do takedowns or other moves that require more space until there are fewer groups rolling.

If you notice that other students are reluctant to roll with you, ask yourself if you're following the preceding recommendations. Some students are more selective when choosing training partners for live rounds, and their reasons may have nothing to do with your jiu jitsu. They may prefer rolling with students their own size, for example. But if you’re noticing that your teammates are regularly avoiding doing rounds with you, it could be that your intensity is too high or you’re not sufficiently in control of your movements.

-OGA Staff

Oregon Grappling Arts offers adult and kids’ jiu jitsu classes six days a week in Portland, OR. All classes are led by black belt head instructors Hannah Sharp and Eddie Jamrog. If you or your child is interested in checking out Brazilian jiu jitsu, feel free to reach out to us. All prospective students receive a three-day free trial.

You can read more about our adult jiu jitsu classes here.

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