Just wondering what some of you guys/ladies do to grind though eventual training, for lack of a better term, "slump."
Been training pretty steadily for a few years now, got through the beginning tedium of just absolutely sucking, and at a point now where I don't totally suck (but sill not too far from removed).
The worry is not necessarily getting tapped by higher/lower belts, or just a day or two of just fucking up a new technique or variation. It's also not about having a competition record above .500.
The worry is the failure to catch those few inches we need to play specific positions, pulling the trigger on being first to an essential position and getting beat to it more often than not, dealing with injuries etc. This all after stringing together a few months of being first to positions, being able to pull the trigger faster, showing up at a competition and doing well, etc.
I've been just embracing the, "I'll get better by showing up and doing the work with out fail 2-3 times a week," mindset.
What do you all do to bust through the slump these days and/or months of what you would consider a bit of a slump?
thanks UG, in advance.
Just keep showing up.
just keep going, we all go through this.
Break down the expectations - just pick one technique and aim to hit it at least once a session.
Personally i like to take time off now and then just to mentally reset and refocus on where I'm at and what i want to improve 
I've found that the "slump" I believe you're describing is often the result of what I consider a backwards (but natural) mental outlook when it comes to training.
The nature of BJJ (or any combat sport) sparring is such that we automatically tend to focus on the things that went *wrong.* When you end up failing to hit moves because you just couldn't quite catch those extra few inches, or you waited just a bit too long to pull the trigger, etc., it's only natural to focus on those failings and their painful or uncomfortable consequences. And as you go on in training, you'll naturally become more aware and notice more of the things you're failing to do. As a result, it's easy to start to feel overwhelmed or like you're going backwards.
However . . . while you can't help but see the things you do wrong and spend time thinking about how to improve them, something that has helped me a great deal is simultaneously *forcing* myself to also focus an equal amount of energy on my successes. On the ride home from class, I don't allow myself to think solely about missing this or that technique, or being late for this or that move. Rather, I make sure I spend an EQUAL amount of mental energy also thinking about the things I did RIGHT. I force myself to pat myself on the back for hitting this or that armbar, getting that sweep, escaping that position, defending all attacks from this or that really tough guy, etc.
What I've found in doing that is that there are all sorts of things I do well, and I am getting better at all the time. Recognizing that has helped me (and others I've had similar discussions with) avoid the psychological "slump" you're presently dealing with.
Think about it like this: Over the years in BJJ, you can get better in one of two ways. You can either focus on EXPANDING the scope of things you're good at, or you can focus on SHRINKING the scope of things you're bad at. In theory, both routes lead to basically the same place. The key difference is that expending mental energy toward expanding the things you're good at is an inherently POSITIVE thought process, while expending mental energy toward shrinking the things you're bad at is an inherently NEGATIVE thought process.
By taking on the POSITIVE view, I think you'll find it psychologically easier to deal with and, frankly, more fun.
also, its important to think about what you may have learned that will overall help your game. who cares if you get tapped. Its training and happens, thats the point.
I play defense and put myself into weak positions. It takes the pressure to win off me, shores up my defenses and makes me work on positions I'm weak in. Soon enough the slump passes. 
Heck yeah, all. Thanks. Looks like my mindset is on track and I (and others in this position) should probably take a little week or so break. Woke up this morning dead (open mat last night that inspired the post).
Kuddos to all for the responses, especially the expanding of what I'm doing well, e.g. last night I passed guard a lot more than usual but didn't give enough credence to that as I didn't hit some arbitrary number of sweeps or subs.
Thanks to all.
I was thinking about this the other day, "What's a slump?"
The conclusion that I came to was that often there must be some specific performance area, some movement or some technique, that isn't what it should be and it keeps being repeated.
Is there some specific movement or position that is giving you trouble? If so, I think the best approach is to identify that one thing and then try to correct it.
If it's something else (not a position or movement) like conditioning or injury, then I think the same approach works. Diagnose the problem, then try to come up with a solution.
Often asking your coach is a good idea.
Of course, maybe you need a vacation... I know that I do.
when i feel uninspired i usually work something exotic like tornado guard to break up the monotony.
that being said, i just returned to training and competing. after 6 years of grinding pretty hard, i took 6 months off, june- december of last year. i trained twice in december, 6 times in january, and 20 times in february and I'm almost better than ever. so maybe time off can help.
i competed last saturday and did really well.
There are no slumps; only plateaus. Your understanding-application-skill doesn’t decline even though it may feel like it. You just may not be progressing at the rate you once had.
Change up your game a bit. Your team mates are figuring out what you have been doing in your progress phase becoming more acclimated to defense & counters for your game. I find that after 2 months my new stuff starts being less effective
Start your sparring with a goal in mind. Pick a strategy or technique that you want to hit for each training session & make it a goal of the training session to attempt it. You still have the info you gathered the past 2 months but now these attacks are coming from a different place because you initiate differently or as a 2nd-3rd-4th option for the new technique you go for 1st.
Ask your instructor questions about what you are having trouble with after training when it’s fresh in your head. Be brief & act direct questions. Ask a partner to help you demonstrate your question. My guy always seems to know how to answer & provides insight that I would have never considered.
After training take some time & review your memory of the session. I sit in the shower after training & just go back through the training session in my head trying to remember how things went. What did I do well? Did I get the techniques I had planned before class? What worked this time v last time due to tweaks in the technique? What went wrong? Why? You would be surprised how many details of your matches you will remember for self-analysis.
You are aware of the plateau in your jiu jitsu journey. That is the 1st step
entter a competition. or go visit another school.. exposing yourself to a different game....compare what you do that works....and what does not work. what ever does not work...thats what you need to focus on to get out of your slump.