# Grappling with instructor



## Bake (Feb 12, 2002)

This forum has been slow, so I'll post a question that comes up for me from time to time..

Suppose you're rolling with someone a lot better than you and he tells you ahead of time that he is only going for one particular sub.  What should you do with that information?  I figure there are two basic lines of thought:

1)  Try to ignore the info 'cause if you focus on defending just one sub it could result in bad habbits - like leaving other things open.

2)  Take that opportunity to work on defending that sub, and focus on not getting caught in that particular sub.   At its extreme this is a bad idea.   I mean, if I only have to defend straight arm bars, I could flop to my stomach, and lay on my arm at the start of the round.  That wouldn't do anybody any good.  So, it seems like you have to try to ignore it to some extent.

I usually try to ignore it completely - not the sub attempt when it comes, but the fact that I know ahead of time that he's going for that particular sub.   However then I feel like an idiot when, 10 seconds later, I'm tapping to the one sub that I had to defend.  Whereas if I had focused on defending that sub, I'm sure that I could have lasted at least 12-15 seconds.


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## Icepick (Feb 12, 2002)

I always view this as a chance to push my teacher a little bit.  He's doing this to make it more difficult for himself, so I think if you ignore the info totally, you defeat the purpose.  In the example you gave, I may try to pass guard with 1 arm in and 1 out, knowing he can't triangle me.  With this extra information, maybe I can put Kyle in a position that he would never end up in otherwise (at least not with me).  He doesn't do it so often that I could develop habits, and I stay aware of my obvious mistakes...


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## Kyle (Feb 12, 2002)

Good question.

As Icepick indicated, to ignore that information, if it's provided to you, is to defeat the purpose somewhat.  If I wanted you to grapple normally, I would not have told you. 

So, if I say, "only chokes are coming", you know that everything I'm doing is to get your neck.  Use this information wisely :asian:  I want you to make it more difficult, forcing me to work "further ahead", if you will, in order to get the desired result.

    - Kyle


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## Bake (Feb 12, 2002)

Cool, that makes sense.   

Thanks Icepick and Kyle!


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## Andrew Green (Feb 17, 2006)

Bump, what does everyone think about this now, seeing as the only people that have posted in this thread are now gone


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## Makalakumu (Feb 19, 2006)

If someone wants to work a particular sub, I'm going to grapple normally and be wary of opportunities to use that sub.  I figure that by going for my own subs or pins, I'm giving myself a good round and by giving a little extra defense to the specified sub, I'm really pushing the person I'm grappling.


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## SAVAGE (Feb 19, 2006)

Icepick said:
			
		

> I always view this as a chance to push my teacher a little bit. He's doing this to make it more difficult for himself, so I think if you ignore the info totally, you defeat the purpose. In the example you gave, I may try to pass guard with 1 arm in and 1 out, knowing he can't triangle me. With this extra information, maybe I can put Kyle in a position that he would never end up in otherwise (at least not with me). He doesn't do it so often that I could develop habits, and I stay aware of my obvious mistakes...


 
yep!


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