I was looking for everyones thoughts on how you spar with someone who is preparing for a competition.
The reason I was wondering is that I have been sparring with a couple people from my gym who are competing this weekend (I am not competing myself on this occasion).
My thoughts on this situation have always been to let them win. Of course we are not keeping score but I mean let them get their positions and I never sub them. I do my best to not make it obvious but I always felt like it is good for their confidence in the last few sessions.
At any rate one of the coaches was upset with me yesterday for doing this. I was helping someone who I don't normally train with and was doing my normal thing but of course the coach knew what I was doing because he sees me all the time and he was adamant that I should be trying to crush them because that is what they will be facing.
Anyways sorry for the long rant just wondered how everyone else felt about it.
(For the record I did turn it up in this case because I am there to help and I do what I am told.)
mix it up.
if you are better than them, push the pace. dominate positionally, keep it moving. rapid fire submission attacks. when they defend, sweep, transition, make sure they are working. you don't need to tap them each time, but don't make it a cake walk.
if you are not as good, do your best, your a-game.
this is just grappling, right?
if mma or striking, you need to balance real hard workouts/sparring further out from fight and don't go for the headhunting closer to fight.
you should train hard with people who are going to compete, but if you are a lot better than them dont smash them the whole time. if the level is equal or close to it then you should train hard.
This is grappling, they are getting ready for a no-gi tournament and I am better than the people I was working with on this occasion.
As far as training I am really wondering about the very last stages, this was yesterday, Thursday for me, and they are competing on Sunday.
I have been training hardish, making them work just making sure I don't dominate them or finish them but in this case I was told to smash.
Give it everything you got. If you can get to a dominate position, take it. If a submission presents itself, tap them. A large part of tournament success comes from being able to overcome adversity and always being able to stay in a match mentally.
Getting beat in practice serves two very important purposes, it helps identify your weaknesses and helps you become mentally tougher.
Going easy on your training partners is not doing them any favors.
thanks Mike.
Would you say this is still true even in the last few sessions?
At that point we are generally not working weaknesses etc more like dialing it in.
Me personally I always like to have a good performance in training the last couple sessions, really the only time I care about winning a roll in training, so I always assumed that a lot of people were like me and made sure that I didn't dominate someone who is just about to compete.
So far looks like I was wrong
Saku12 - This is grappling, they are getting ready for a no-gi tournament and I am better than the people I was working with on this occasion.
As far as training I am really wondering about the very last stages, this was yesterday, Thursday for me, and they are competing on Sunday.
I have been training hardish, making them work just making sure I don't dominate them or finish them but in this case I was told to smash.
I say train hard all the way up to the last couple training sessions- I think throwing a bone always helps mentally esp if they are beginners. I agree with your training methods.
Going easy on your training partners is not doing them any favors.
So much this.
Tango_MF -Going easy on your training partners is not doing them any favors.
So much this.
Yes but...not so hard you're injuring them. I like situational rolls/drills in the days immediately prior to competing.
Yes but...not so hard you're injuring them. I like situational rolls/drills in the days immediately prior to competing.
Exactly. I`m really careful with my training partners before a comp. I like to roll with higher belts and bigger guys that push me, but only ones that I know have good control.
Empire - mix it up.
if you are better than them, push the pace. dominate positionally, keep it moving. rapid fire submission attacks. when they defend, sweep, transition, make sure they are working. you don't need to tap them each time, but don't make it a cake walk.
if you are not as good, do your best, your a-game.
this is just grappling, right?
if mma or striking, you need to balance real hard workouts/sparring further out from fight and don't go for the headhunting closer to fight.
^ I do agree.....
just make sure the pace is high and you don't injure them. that should be your main concern
^^
didnt i say that already dickace?
No, you didn't mention anything about injuries, moronic asshole
Thanks for the replies.
It seems like some of them are more for training a little farther out but appreciated all the same.
In the weeks /months leading up to the event, I roll hard enough to push the person, but I taper it off and will throw them a bone as we get closer to the comp. No sense in crushing someone's confidence a few days before a competition.
I agree with your approach Saku. I think smashing them on Thursday when they have a comp over the weekend is a BAD IDEA. if you can give them a hard time but also kind of let them get a tap without them realizing that's what's going on you are helping them to feel confident. ask MMA guys, they do that shit all the time.
Thanks again for the replies.
The harder you go with them, the more it benefits them. Chances are that their opponents at the competition will be going even harder than what you can give them - the opponents' pride is on the line, and I would wager that they'd rather break your guy's arm then lose a match. Most people in their first few comps are not prepared for the pace and intensity that competition grappling entails. They stand to benefit greatly from you trying to smash them in the gym.
I should have clarified, this is not there first match, or even their first couple, they are not new.
Also I agree wholeheartedly about going hard in training but like I said in the last couple of sessions I happen to think that smashing them just for the sake of it is not overly beneficial and keeping their confidence high is important.
The reason being that at that point you are not going to be picking up anything new, you are not going to be improving your cardio etc. What you are doing is gearing up, refining your game for your competition and likely working on very specific things so your not rolling like you typically would in a training session, at least I don't. With this in mind I have always seen myself more as a live resistance dummy than an opponent meant to give them reps on things and make obvious counters etc so that they aren't getting sloppy as opposed to really laying in to them.
At any rate it seems that I am in the minority in this opinion