What makes a good training partner in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Training jiu jitsu requires us to work in pairs to learn and grow. Finding a great training partner can really accelerate your learning, motivate you, and keep you having fun while you train. Here are a few key elements to remember so that everyone wants to train with you!
Communicate clearly - Before sparring decide on how hard you both want to go. Competition training speed is very different from light sparring and flow rolling. It is a good idea to let the lower belt decide how hard to go because they cannot always match the pace of the upper belt.
Respect the agreement! - It's very common for training partners to say they want to go light and then come at you like it's the World Championships Finals. If you say you are going light, it doesn't mean go light until you start losing. You build trust with other students when you stick to what you said you would do.
Respect the tap - Everyone wants to train with the best students on the mat, but no one wants to get hurt. Go slow when you apply a submission and let go when your opponent taps. This is another important way to build trust and make your partner feel safe. If you don't respect the tap, they may not feel comfortable rolling hard for fear of injury.
Don't go too hard in drilling - When you learn a new move, it takes practice to learn the steps and execute it on your partner. If your partner gives you too much resistance this will make it hard for you to perform the technique correctly. Frequently, students resort to using strength and speed to try to accomplish the goal instead of using technique. It can also be demotivating for a student to not be able to execute the move even in a drill.
Don't go too easy when you drill - If you offer no resistance and are flopping and falling all over your partner when they try to do the move you are not helping. The moves in jiu jitsu are all for specific scenarios and require a specific response. If you don't give your partner the proper reaction and just lay there like a corpse this becomes too far from reality-based training.
Use "just right" resistance when drilling - Proper resistance is when a student is challenged trying to do the technique but is able to accomplish the move. It's making your partner work and mimicking realism while you slowly increase resistance to find that sweet spot.
Don't get overly emotional - Students should feel comfortable and safe with their training partners. When someone gets really mad, upset, or excited, this can detract from a good round of sparring. Make people trust you by being emotionally calm when you train. Emotional regulation is something all jiu jitsu athletes should be working on as emotions and logic are like oil and water. Good jiu jitsu technique is best done when we keep our egos in check.
Be happy to train with them! - Training is fun and should be treated as such. Show and express appreciation and gratitude for your training partners.
Have fun! - Always approach training with a positive attitude and try to leave your mental baggage on the side of the mat. Having fun is contagious and your training partners will enjoy training more just because of your attitude.
Offer feedback - If it's appropriate, try to give your training partners feedback on your experience training with them. Don't just criticize them. Make sure you tell them what they are doing well, not just what they can improve on.
Author: Professor Mikyo Riggs; 4th degree Black Belt
