If you’re lucky you’ll like everybody on your Jiu-Jitsu team. If you’re unlucky you’ll like everybody on you’re Jiu-Jitsu team.
We know that we shouldn’t compete with out teammates. It won’t help any of us get better. We won’t learn much, and we’ll probably end up getting injured. How do we work with our teammates to get the best possible acquisition of skill?
We have two different modes in which to work outside of drilling technique. The first mode involves more give and take. It’s like dancing.
This technique, sometimes referred to as flow rolling, is all about give and take. You aren’t going for a kill so much. You are slowing things down with your partner to start examining the nuance of transitions. You can even verbally talk out the move as you go about this flow. You can even rewind, and replay. This can be very helpful. When we roll more bombastically we lose the lessons. Things can move too fast for us to catch the hidden lessons.
The second way of rolling is sparring. This is where we go for the kill. This is not to be confused with being a prick, or a spaz. That’s not the aim at all. It is about going for it. This is tough when you really like your teammates. It is a challenge unto itself to bring on the smashing. You have to do it though. You need to push yourself, and them to grow. We didn’t sign up for “flying a kite” class. We signed up for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We signed up for a combat sport. It doesn’t make it any easier when you have a deep bond of friendship, camaraderie, and history. It needs to get done though. How do we come to terms with beating on a teammate? Look at the long game, and not the short game. You may be helping them in the short term. You decide to hold back, and go easy. Now, they feel like a superhero. Now, they have a false sense of their ability. The outcome of this is not good. One level is that it isn’t honest. How can they push through life without inner knowledge? The next level is competition. How will they do in tournament when they haven’t felt real pressure? The third level is street. What happens when they need to protect themselves in life or death? They die! Do you want your teammate to die? Well do yah? Hell no you don’t. So, what should we do to remedy this problem?
Serve them a shit sandwich. Yes, you read that right. Serve up a nice, freshly made, beautiful steaming patty, and add relish if you like. Make them eat that shit sandwich. If you really care about the wellbeing and future of your buddy then serve it up real nice. Think of the long term. Don’t be pleasant in the short term, and lead them down an avenue of no return. Be a good ally, and serve it up your way not their way.
I know it’s difficult, but we didn’t sign up for a class in macramé! We signed up for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Look at the long term, and don’t try to make the short term so damn pleasant. So when they come up to your counter you know what they are looking for. They are looking for a shit sandwich with a side of pressure, and rear naked choke! Serve it up with a smile, and they’ll be happy you did. Have it your way now, because somebody else will have it their way later.