Are you considered "technical"?

sha

sha

Geekjitsu Black Belt
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I get told I'm technical a lot, and I used to think it was a good thing. But I'm not so sure anymore. Why?

If you use very good technique and pressure to completely control your opponent, people will remark on how "strong" you are.

On the other hand if you use perfect timing and speed to overwhelm your training partner, they'll say that you're "explosive".

It's only when you get your ass kicked by a faster, stronger, heavier, or generally better opponent that they compliment you on how "technical" you were
 
I totally agree with you.

sometimes, the term technical is used for people that only use techniques and do not rely on strengh.

people that use speed are called spazzers.

if you use proper techniques and leverage without having to grind away or speed away, then you have good Jiu Jitsu.
 
I think people assume I'm more technical than I am because I'm one of the smaller guys in the gym.
 
haha, i get called technical a lot, maybe i need to hit the gym.
 
Also, the whole strength vs technique debate is flawed because only the person applying pressure can know for sure if they are in fact using pure strength, or just good leverage.

For the person experiencing the pressure, it can be hard to tell the difference between raw power or very good placement. I believe this is why people always say that high level grapplers have insane strength. Sure, they're strong, but a lot of it is also superior angles and leverage.
 
lol i've always been on the receiving end of the "technical" comment and it's usually said after i get my ass kicked. being "technical" is some crappy consolation prize!
 
My old instructor told me I am a "technician" for my weight. I think it's just because I use open guard a lot more than most big guys do. I took it as a compliment. I learned all my open guard skills from him, after all. But I do need to work on my scrambling and top game, they are not nearly as good as my guard is.

My current instructor doesn't really say stuff like that but he always pairs me up with the super/ultra heavyweights and doesn't really ever let me roll with guys who are lighter than me.
 
Uh, no.

Maybe on top, but my bottom game is far from it. When I have top position I usually have better timing because I know how people tend to react, but on bottom it's just a different world then I'm used to so I just (for now at least) tend to try and explode more than capitalize on poor timing.
 
redaxe said:
My old instructor told me I am a "technician" for my weight. I think it's just because I use open guard a lot more than most big guys do. I took it as a compliment. I learned all my open guard skills from him, after all. But I do need to work on my scrambling and top game, they are not nearly as good as my guard is.

My current instructor doesn't really say stuff like that but he always pairs me up with the super/ultra heavyweights and doesn't really ever let me roll with guys who are lighter than me.
Click to expand...

haha... your current instructor sounds like mine. Ive known him since he came to the united states, am one of his highest belts, i teach classes at his academy and he has only given me one compliment ever...


adding to the convo, I never take a technical comment as a bad thing. To me, there is no greater compliment.

I really dislike it when people say I have strong grips however.
 
I most often get told I'm 'strong' and that my technique is getting better.

This thread is interesting because now that I think about it I rarely describe people as technical. I usually use the terms like so-and-so has a 'nice game' or is 'good' or is 'strong' or 'explosive'. I never thought of technical as a pejorative, but I guess in some ways it can be.

I always thought it was a bit insulting when people would only comment on my strength as if my strength was the ONLY positive of my game or the only reason I was able to tap them out.
 
I always get told 'You're so strong' or 'You're just so heavy'. It's pretty annoying actually, seeing as most times when I roll I pull guard and try and sweep before I work on my top game. Espescially when I am rolling with guys as big or bigger than me.
 
sha said:
I get told I'm technical a lot, and I used to think it was a good thing. But I'm not so sure anymore. Why?

If you use very good technique and pressure to completely control your opponent, people will remark on how "strong" you are.

On the other hand if you use perfect timing and speed to overwhelm your training partner, they'll say that you're "explosive".

It's only when you get your ass kicked by a faster, stronger, heavier, or generally better opponent that they compliment you on how "technical" you were
Click to expand...
 
I always got "tough kid". Idk what that means, but we were drilling ground and pound.
 
No. Blue and white belts maybe think I do, but I doubt anyone who actually knows what they're looking at does. I have good instincts, a great understanding of the physics of bodies and the fundamentals of grappling, and I have decent timing and creativity, but I'm definitely not as technical as I could/should be. I know and use plenty of moves. I even understand many of the moves out there that I don't actually know or use. But I really don't think I execute most of the techniques I know in a way that could be described as 'excellent technique.' I have numerous little flaws with many of them - even the ones that I consider 'go to moves' - and whether or not other people notice it, I definitely do. I really need to dedicate more effort to patching these little holes up, but sometimes it's hard to find the mental energy and discipline to undertake such a detailed project when I'm scrambling just to fit a little condensed training into my already busy schedule.
 
TrumpetDan said:
haha... your current instructor sounds like mine. Ive known him since he came to the united states, am one of his highest belts, i teach classes at his academy and he has only given me one compliment ever...


adding to the convo, I never take a technical comment as a bad thing. To me, there is no greater compliment.

I really dislike it when people say I have strong grips however.
Click to expand...

Why would you dislike someone saying you have strong grips?? I think if I had a choice of being stronger overall or having insane grip id choose the grips.

Anyway to get back on topic, my instructor once told me I was his most technical student, I dont think I could ask for a better compliment.
 
Since I am a lightweight, people say I'm technical all the time. It's pretty hard to be a lightweight and not be known for your technique. It is the same as how all the heavyweights are known for being big and strong regardless of what their game actually is.
 
It's weird. I get the "you're really strong" thing a lot.

One day I'm training with one J-dude and he says "you're arms are so strong. No one can hold an armbar grip against you." And than I show him how I break the grip and he's like "wow. That's so easy. Maybe you're not as strong as I thought you were. :D"

He meant it in a good way, but that's the way a lot of my jiu jitsu conversations tend to go since I don't talk much during class.
 
I get:

Really strong legs
Really flexible
Move well

IE: I'm a flexible spazz.
 
My training partners don't sugar coat much...
The purple, brown, and black belts in my class, if they destroy me, just say "keep working..." If I put up a fight they say, "Good defense..."

Even if I lose, I'm usually told I'm strong and explosive. Not every part of my game is technical... in fact, only a few parts probably are.
 
Oh yeah. I get "wow your legs are really long!" more than anything else these days.
 
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