BJJ / Grappling tips: Rolling with Beginners

I taught Saturday's No-Gi session at the LABS, covering for Anna. Traditionally, these sessions have a free sparring portion even though some beginners come to them and it's a great chance to roll with complete newbies. I showed two techniques to transition from side control / Reverse Kesa Gatame to mount and the Kimura option if the hand presents itself.

During a roll with a very tall, strong beginner I got to mount using exactly the techniques showed earlier, except he reached up and got me in a headlock. I made sure I thank him after the session and here's why. Only a beginner will do that.


Anyone with a few months of BJJ / Grappling / MMA under their belt will know not to. Which means if you never roll with complete beginners, you'll never work your headlock counters from the mount. Even if you're not training for self-defence, you need to know what to do when someone bigger and stronger puts you in one with full intent to reverse you. Enter Mr Beginner. Thanks!




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2 comments:

BJJ Rob said...

Awwww...because of the cartoon I though this was about grappling hotties in bikinis!

Well said. Going against beginners keeps your basic defenses sharp and tests your spaz control too.

Liam H Wandi said...

Haha now I know how to reel readers in :o)

Yep you hit the nail on the head Rob. It tests you: Physically, techynically but above all mentally :)