A few times at class (over the course of a month) a few of the guys that have a little more experience say that I'm "using to much muscle".
One guy tonight said I was breathing to hard and he knew I was tired. But I really wasn't and I was thinking clearly. When I'm gassed, my brain goes to shit (something I have to work on for sure). So I know I wasn't gassed. He said he knew I was using to much muscle and not focusing on technique.
What is to much muscle? It's a very hard mindset to get out of. To not use muscle and such... sometimes you just have to it seems.
I'm somewhat new, but do others hear this? If you do, what do you do to overcome it? I mean, these guys wouldn't be talking out of their ass, so there has to be something to it. Maybe it's because I'm new and I just have to focus more on technique.. but it's hard when you are rolling. Hell, they even said sometimes they see me a little tensed up and not relaxed. How does one overcome this type of thing?
How does one overcome this type of thing?
MATT TIME, and making a concentrated effort to change the mentality.
Don't take sparring in classes or any training time to be a win or lose endeavor, take it as a LEARNING experience, the only time you lose is when you don't learn from it.
If you are training BJJ, then use the BJJ techniques as tools to sparr with ( this sounds obvious but for newer people or no lose ego types its not).
"there is always somebody stronger than you"
Always somebody more technical too.
When people say: "You're using too much muscle" what they mean is: "I'm having a hard time controlling you, go easier so I can beat you".
shen is somewhat correct
When people say you are using too much muscle, what they really mean is considering how little you are getting out of your flailing around, why don't you try to put that muscle to good use by adding some technique?
Shen is correct.
I was rolling with a brown belt, i am a blue; I went right through his guard and had him pinned north/south for the rest of our roll. After, he said I need to "relax more" and not spaz so much.
I was kinda pissed because the last thing I did was spaz. I wrestled in jr.high, highschool,college along with Judo training with one of the best instructors in Pennslvania. being explosive and spazzing are 2 different things but sometimes get confused by higher belts who get the ego's damaged by lower belts.
But I do understand using proper technique without being a total meathead.
What did you gain from pinning him for the rest of the roll, Ozz? Maybe that's what he meant by 'you need to relax more' - take more chances?
^^Maybe, I was looking for openings but I did not get anything. To say that I was spazzing implies that I have no control and just flailing around but that jsut not true.
It definitely doesn't sound like a spaz thing. And cool that you were looking for openings. Some people, when you're wrestling them, you can just sense that at the end of the roll, they'll say something bla bla this that strength bla bla do this bla.
LOL @ BJJ being the only sport where if someone calls you strong they're insulting you. The other thing I love is, "How much do you weigh?"
Both are excuses that they can't help but say.
Ozzi- I'd take that as a compliment. He might being saying that you're too good just to pass and lay on north/south now. It's time to start attacking and not just pin them. It's not wrestling.
lol@the BJJ Apologists coming out of the Woodwork.
What's the Matter? Sick of being battered around by NOOB Wrestlers in Class? It's the BOTTOM Man's Fault that he isn't skilled enough to escape to a better Position.
Too much muscle means there isn't a balance between your skills level and physical force you are using. Usually it is to compensate for lack of skill level in the beginning. And bigger guys do not like losing to smaller guys who are more skilled so they muscle. Haven't your instructors (Browns/blacks) repeated in class this is not a muscling exercise but a skill developement? It helps build into our nervous system the proper fighting responses to attacks. thanks
^"What's the Matter? Sick of being battered around by NOOB Wrestlers in Class? It's the BOTTOM Man's Fault that he isn't skilled enough to escape to a better Position."
Rudely put, but so very, very true.
It's ironic that a lot of people come to BJJ because it's a REAL martial art, based on results not on belt colors and exams, but when a high school (or worse, college) wrestler tools upper belts positionally, using explosive athletics to gain position and strength (hard earned strength, from all those workouts) suddenly the BJJ people start talking about technique etc.
Of course it's also true that you probably won't learn much BJJ technique if you are falling back on wrestling movess too much. Better to blend the two.
And slow down sometimes to keep the injury rate low. How many wrestling academies do you see? It's a high school/college sport precisely because it is hard to keep up that level of intensity thereafter.
"Too much muscle means there isn't a balance between your skills level and physical force you are using. Usually it is to compensate for lack of skill level in the beginning. And bigger guys do not like losing to smaller guys who are more skilled so they muscle. Haven't your instructors (Browns/blacks) repeated in class this is not a muscling exercise but a skill developement? It helps build into our nervous system the proper fighting responses to attacks. thanks"
I think this hits the nail on the head for me. The other posters were great.. thank you! I think I have to concentrate on more techniques and less on my brute physical strength. I will be doing that. I am going to slow down in class and try to think, "What do I know on what to do here" and try to do it.
I have also been told, "You're strong." So I guess, from these posts, I'm getting insulted. =( I'm really not that strong.. and the guy that says it actually weighs more than me.
Go to a competitive judo club and muscle them around.
"Go to a competitive judo club and muscle them around."
What does this mean?
^LOL^
And Little mick is correct
Great comments by everyone but lets keep in mind the relative safety factor when a much stronger guy ( after spending all that time in the weight room) uses it and injures a training partner who is much weaker. What is true spirit of training and developing controlled aggression? Competition is another thing. Thanks,
"Rudely put...."
That was only rude if you are a hypersensitive Crybaby. There was nothing insulting in it at all. Please point out what was rude about it?!?!
?!?!?
"It's a high school/college sport precisely because it is hard to keep up that level of intensity thereafter. "
Don't forget Olympic as well. Anyhow I completely disagree. I have been wrestling since 1985 and am 37 right now. I am Injury free. You know how many old Timers can still kick Ass in the Gym? Guys that are in their 60s tossing young Kids around.