It feels so shameful. I'm not just bad, I'm boring. Awesome.
I'm not beating myself up about it too bad though... I am a white belt and I bored a black belt. I think that is pretty standard. Oh well. Sorry I am a bore.
In other news.... On a recent post about letting submissions go, I was given some really great advice. When I have a submission, I should hold the position and wait for the person to do the inevitable freak out and capitalize on their mid freakout mistakes. Not shockingly this works. Well.
I have also vowed to go for and finish at least one submission per grapple, and with my new tactic, I have been largely successful against other white belts... Super failing with the higher belts, as expected but I am at least going for them now, which I think is a mark in the win department. Even on the bored black belt... my submission attempt was swatted away as though it was a feeble half dead one winged fly... but hey, the attempt was there, and I tried as though I would have finished it... for the duration of the attempt... which was brief. I am still viewing it as a win though.
On the contrary, you are the antithesis of boring! You show up. You are in the midst of the very NOT boring process of learning BJJ. But the black belt, in my garish opinion, was lacking in manners. When a less experienced person spars with all their might, the higher belt owes that person the respect of paying attention.
ReplyDeleteI like the way that sounds. haha I am going to go with that instead. =)
ReplyDeleteI will say though, the black belt wasn't acting bored or having a conversation with someone else (Which has happened in the past.. lol) It was just clear he could have kept me at bay with his eyes closed half asleeping no arms. Which is almost worse then being discourteous... bored without even having to try and look bored. hehe
One of my teachers has rolled us over to the edge of the mat, picked up the stopwatch to check how much time was left, and rolled us back to the center of the mat.
ReplyDeleteThe only solace I have in being demoralized by boredom is that one day I too will have the ability to tool someone and be bored at the same time. Though, hopefully I will never find any grapple boring.. but just that I might one day have that option seems nice. lol
ReplyDeleteI know the pain of feeling like an "active rest" during a grapple. lol. But don't sweat it. Just try to give hell to everyone you grapple--even if it is Satan (lol)--and embrace your inner blue darkness!!
ReplyDeleteahahaha! I started to read your comment before I saw who posted it, and saw "active rest". I was like.. HEY! Someone else says that! ...Oh never mind. lol
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm grappling, some higher belts just stop fighting, stop resisting, like they're giving me a chance to try something or take their back, make it even, whatever. Instinctively I just stop fighting and they're usually like, "What are you waiting for?" Dude, I'm waiting for a fight! They don't have to steamroll me, but I want to feel like I'm doing something. There's nothing more demoralizing to me than feeling like the charity roll.
ReplyDeleteIve always felt lucky that the blue and brown belts I roll with offer just enough resistance and an abundance of immediate feedback. It makes this 2 month W.B. Feel a little better
ReplyDeleteHave to say, this sort of thing demoralized me, as well. I can't help not knowing enough, because I am a beginner and am trying my best to learn. You are not supposed to spazz and go at it like a crazed thing either. You are supposed to use the limited moves you have. By nature, I suppose white belts are boring. But it doesn't help your motivation to show up if you don't feel a committment among your fellow members to bringing white belts up through the ranks. That is, in order to progress, we need fellow members to assist and challenge us, and give us a chance to learn from them without feeling embarrassed that they'd clearly rather be doing some other thing. I'd have to say that if I ever stopped this sport, this kind of thing would be the main reason why.
ReplyDeleteI agree
ReplyDeleteI hate when you roll with someone higher ranked and twice your size and they lay on you and smother you out, before they use their strenght to kimora or gi choke you. I am a small bluebelt and have this problem still. Thats when you learn Bjj is BS for the street if a big guy knows alittle, so I just go to the range and have a handgun carriers permit. I can now defeat all belts at a 5 meter and beyond range.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that. Conceal and carry beats all.
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