tapping out higher belts

I let newer guys catch me in subs heaps, so I can practise my escapes.
I know what you mean though about it being a little upsetting when someone catches you. It's a lot easier said then done to leave all your ego at the door.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it though. It's more annoying than upsetting
 
One thing I learned is when you train, you will get tapped since you are working on your weaknessess, which means you are at a disadvantage. Just enjoy and keep learning.
 
It's ok to train without pressure but If you get tapped by lower belts often you should worry.
 
Brad said:
Generally when I work with new belts, I'll let them practice on me some, and I'll give them taps. They know that I'm giving it to them because I'm explaining as we go, but still, most white belts are absolutely elated that they got a tap, and also they learn alot about positioning and what to look for during a "real roll". I do this because I've been the new guy in class before, and I know how frustrating and just generally discouraging it can be to go 2-3 weeks without getting a tap. After I give them a few tips, I'll usually go with something like "Ok, let's really try now, ok?" The white belt is amped, and they really give their all, usually I'll let them get to a point and say "ok good, now when a guy gets you here, you can do this." and then move on to something and catch them.

IMHO it's sort of asshat-ish to tap white belts just to get taps in. I try to teach them what I know in hopes that they'll improve and I'll have another quality partner to roll with somewhere down the line.
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good post. i just started BJJ, and im thankful quite a few of you arent at my school. does it make you guys feel tough to dominate white belts all day long? you learn nothing, and the white belt learns nothing, lose lose situation.
 
Tapping > Injury.
It's cool to tap higher belts when you're sparring 100% 'cause it means you did something good.
For higher belts it also might expose something they must work on. Win win imo.
 
1.Tapping in training doesn't mean anything. Its training and its the perfect time to try stuff out.
2.Once you get on the mat, leave the ego off the mat.
3.Its a club, help each other out. If your friend's down because of what happened, help him out. He's your teammate.
4. Fight to learn in training but fight to win in a tournament..
 
Thank you for all your posts guys. I will turn it up a notch against the guys that tap me and the guys I tap, hopefully this will make my jiu-jitsu better.
 
This would be a bit confusing for us lower belt guys though. I mean, how do I know if I am ready for my blue? Right now I am a white with one stripe, but I regularly tap a blues at our school, probably about a 60-40 ratio, with me on the 40 side. So I would assume I am close to getting a blue, if I can get to where I am tapping blues 50-50. But if everyone is going easy, then am I really ready?

I think it's easy to say I go easy, but once you hit the mat, it's on. I, too, try things in training, otherwise I would never get better. That's how I get caught all the time, but eventually it clicks, and I move on the next technique I am trying to get proficient at.
 
Whenever a White or Blue taps me, I have to teach him a lesson- the lesson being that you won't tap me unless I allow you to.

I do always get into weak positions for the sake of practice, and in such a case, I just take what I can get.

Also, when working with much less experienced people, you should use virtually no muscle strength- only technique and speed is what you should carefully work on.
 
So how are we supposed to get better if the higher belts "give" us positions? I've learned a lot from some of the battles I have had, as opposed to the times when I can tell the other guy is simply playing defense.

And what's up with "teaching him a lesson"? Can't anyone just man up and admit that once in awhile someone will beat you, or catch you in a bad position? Unless by teach a lesson you mean explain afterwards what happened or critique the rolling session. I always enjoy a higher belt telling me what I did good and how I screwed up, rather than letting me have something I didn't earn (i.e. a tap). Make me earn it, and tell me why I lost, don't "give" me anything.
 
whenever i get tapped by a white belt, i just think of how i fucked up and how not to do it next time. its not a good feeling to get tapped by a lower rank, but it happens. however, if i don't get tapped a couple times every class by someone better than me, i feel like ive wasted a training session.
 
Training is about sharing knowledge. WOUld it be better to simply dominate a white belt, so much so that they get to try absolutely no moves and they only are in defense mode?

It really depends on the skill level. If they are closer to me in skill, I will not give them leniency, but if they are new, I will let them try things. That is how one learns: they try it on someone, and if it works, great, if not, I'll tell you what you did wrong.

Total domination usually does not help your skill level at the same rate as being with someone who is considerably better, but who you can still perform techniques on.

And no, I don't let people tap me unless they have earned it. I am not a bad-ass. I just try to help people learn judo/BJJ through my experience.


trfcrugby said:
So how are we supposed to get better if the higher belts "give" us positions? I've learned a lot from some of the battles I have had, as opposed to the times when I can tell the other guy is simply playing defense.

And what's up with "teaching him a lesson"? Can't anyone just man up and admit that once in awhile someone will beat you, or catch you in a bad position? Unless by teach a lesson you mean explain afterwards what happened or critique the rolling session. I always enjoy a higher belt telling me what I did good and how I screwed up, rather than letting me have something I didn't earn (i.e. a tap). Make me earn it, and tell me why I lost, don't "give" me anything.
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I'm a white belt with 9 months training, I have tapped blues and purples, and it means nothing. The plus about my school is that we put a ton of clout on tapping a guy. For instance there is a blue belt at my school who out wieghs me by 40 lbs and seems to always get top position, the other night he was working on something very specific, and we kept starting in my guard, a very good spot for me, I tapped 3x in 3 minutes, do I think I'm better than him, no, I think he was working stuff and learned from me what he needs to watch out for.
 
hmm...interesting points gentlemen. Is training all out for you or is it a less intense thing for you? For me it is intense I try my best all the time, but it isn't as intense as fighting in a tourney for the reason that there are guys there that I have never met and it becomes a bigger adrenaline rush for me. In the gym I almost never feel real fear, I am not a coward- but some of my opponents have made me get very aware of how intnese this game is.
 
Training is still very intense, but we also do a competition training when a tourny in near so its obviously a step down. Competition is a whole nother world.
 
Who cares.

- You are on the same team (nobody seems to realize this) and trying to help each other get better.
- Weight matters - I get overpowered a lot, it doesn't bother me. Against smaller opponents(a rarity) I never use strength in place of technique.
- You come to practice to practice, not to compete.
- If you encounter a white or blue with an ego, that basically means you don't have enough browns/blacks at your academy. They will force humility upon everyone.
- You are on the same team
- You are on the same team
 
Commissar said:
No. Tapping a higher belt in sparring means nothing. I try out moves I'm not good at, I give bad positions out like candies, and I just practice.

Now, if you did it convincingly in a tournament situation, when you battle his A game...
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bullshit, if you tap a higher belt in training it means you are doing something right.

sure you can give up bad positions and try out moves ur not good at, but unless the higher belt obviously gave you the submission or wasnt trying, if you tap out the higher belt, all the more power to you because it means ur doing something right.
 
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