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What you should do if you gas in a competition or training

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ozyabbas

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Just wondering peoples opinions in the circumstances in which you are gassed and the opponent is fresh. Examples of opinions or advice I would appreciate would be something like use closed guard or lock them down etc

Advice I don't want is obvious stuff like 'train harder so you don't gas' which doesn't really help me and isn't what this thread is about.
 
Ok, finally a topic I am an expert in :icon_conf. Obviously, a lot has to do with the sport and the specific techniques of that sport. Personally, when ever I got really tired in a match, I started to play the defensive game a bit. I countered rather than initiated. The reasoning was that I could suck wind until he attacked and a lot of the time the counter takes less effort (for example a sprawl is easier the trying to pick someone up). Does it always work? NO. That is why you train harder so you don't gas. :icon_twis

The other thing I did was become very deliberate when I did go on the offensive. In BJJ for example, I am gasing pretty quickly right now because my body just isn't in grappling shape. So when I get top position, I use my weight and take my time setting up attempts to gain better position or work a sub. I really have to concentrate on technique and efficiency because I can't explode into techniques right now. Which is another tip. Use technique rather than athleticism.
 
Sometimes people waste a lot of time going for takedowns, which happens when you get in the bigger weight divisions b/c guys aren't dominate guard guys. This can be very tiring so i try to get the fight on the ground as soon as possible. However, if I tire on the ground I try to pull half guard or a dominate top position where I can catch my breath and still not get called for stalling. Practice some good holds and pins.
 
I have found jumping into guard or using the de la riva guard especially usefull for slowing down the fight to catch your breath.

Although some people have so much power and are so aggressive in their guard passing that even being on the defensive takes up quite alot of energy.

Trying to escape from bad positions is definately what will gas you most apart from trying to get the takedown each time.
 
I would probably say i use less energy on top then in a gaurd (and i play gaurd alot). I also agree with being a patient counter player, as long as your opponent is not ahead on points and stalling the match!
 
I guess all depends on what your style is. Some people are more comfortible in certain positions.

In general its the takedowns that deplete your energy the most and the scrambles were ever they occur.

If you can dictate the pace of the fight then you are less likely to gas. If you have them in a guard you feel comfortable with then you are less likely to gas, but if you are having mad scrambles where both people are trying to go for top position then you are going to wear each other out.

I think its even harder in competition if you are on your back and you are down on points, you are more likely to bump like crazy to get those points and makes it easier for you to make a mistake and for the other person to capitalize on it.
 
The answer is stall without looking like you're stalling. Acting helps. In wrestling, shitty fake shots from neutral, tying up 'hard' then forcefully breaking the ties while making loud noises helps. any cross body and leg ride while tugging at a leg or arm without much intent looks like you're being busy too.

In sub grappling, sitting in closed guard while periodically jumping to your feet for a moment and circling a bit /pushing down on the leg a bit makes it look like you're trying to pass when you're really just trying to breathe. If you start losing your posture, just return to your knees safely again. Within guard, just keep it closed and periodically rotate your hips to an angle, underhook a leg or foot, and 'try' to sweep.

And of course, injury time/equipment time is always there as a last resort as well.

Basically, I try to look busy, I make a few periodic violent/quick movements without much intent, and I might even ham it up with some intensity or frustration noises to make it look like I'm the one pushing and the opponent is the one stalling. It's not the prettiest part of the sport or the part that any of us are most proud of, but we've all hit the wall at some point, and it's good to know how to preserve what little energy you have left without getting hit for passivity so you can hold on to a lead or make one last push at the end of the match. I'm not exactly proud of this stuff, but I certainly don't lose sleep over any of it if I manage to pull out a win because of it.
 
One of the things that works for me is just relaxing. I'm a bit older...a bit heavier (read: out of shape) when compared to some of the other, younger, fitter guys. One thing that helped me in comps or just in class is to relax. Breathe. Think. A lot of guys get nervous (especially in competition) and this will cause them to spaz a bit, dump some adrenaline, breathe harder than they normally would, try to be more explosive, etc. If you are the more relaxed of the 2 you will tend to last a bit longer all other things being equal. Just relaxing won't win you any matches, however, but it may help you last a bit longer, get out of that one bad spot, not tap when the sub is close but not quite there, etc.
 
DaRuckus337 said:
The answer is stall without looking like you're stalling. Acting helps. In wrestling, shitty fake shots from neutral, tying up 'hard' then forcefully breaking the ties while making loud noises helps. any cross body and leg ride while tugging at a leg or arm without much intent looks like you're being busy too.

In sub grappling, sitting in closed guard while periodically jumping to your feet for a moment and circling a bit /pushing down on the leg a bit makes it look like you're trying to pass when you're really just trying to breathe. If you start losing your posture, just return to your knees safely again. Within guard, just keep it closed and periodically rotate your hips to an angle, underhook a leg or foot, and 'try' to sweep.

And of course, injury time/equipment time is always there as a last resort as well.

Basically, I try to look busy, I make a few periodic violent/quick movements without much intent, and I might even ham it up with some intensity or frustration noises to make it look like I'm the one pushing and the opponent is the one stalling. It's not the prettiest part of the sport or the part that any of us are most proud of, but we've all hit the wall at some point, and it's good to know how to preserve what little energy you have left without getting hit for passivity so you can hold on to a lead or make one last push at the end of the match. I'm not exactly proud of this stuff, but I certainly don't lose sleep over any of it if I manage to pull out a win because of it.
Click to expand...
Great post.
 
Just another thing about training hard. One thing ingrained in my head in college wrestling. Coach "I want you guys to blow out your lungs and feel the pain. This won't get you in better shape but it will help you deal with that mental pain easier"

I always took that to heart. Its all mental and you have to say to yourself 5 min of pain for a lifetime of pride ;]
 
In wrestling if you're losing then use every last bit of your energy to try to try to get some points. If neutral go for a takedown no matter how tired you are. On top do SOMETHING I'm a leg rider so I try to turn them (also riding legs helps me catch my breath a little). On bottom do everything you can to escape and then reshoot. If your gassed it's very hard to finish anything but you HAVE to try.

If you're winning then in neutral take bad/fake shots to make it look like your doing something. Also circle around alot. On bottom stall but fight for hand control and try to stand up and get to your base but don't do much make sure they don't sink legs either. On top also make sure you make it look like you're doing something, keep the person down and do crappy fake arm bars, tilts, turks etc and crappy power halves with legs.

I actually lost a match 7-5 yesterday because I couldn't get anymore backers on a kid when I had legs in. All third period I was on top and gassed trying to powerhalf or jump over (not sure the real name) a kid but he just stayed flat and defensive and wouldn't let me score so I lost the match.
 
I have found getting the body triangle whilst you have their back an excellent way to get a bit of a breather. Its damn hard for the person to shake you of if they can at all. You can keep going for submission attempts which even if they are defending it don't make you expend that much energy. Although my forearms very occasionally get a bit burnt from pulling their gi collar accross their neck.
 
One thing to always remember, focus on your breathing and don't just let your opponent lean on you in side mount.
 
If you're talking about in the club, where you end up rolling with a lot of people, the trick is to relax, let them get mount if you have to, and just defend the submission until you get your strength back.

If you're talking about competition, you have to start training specifically for endurance - there's a whole science out there on endurance training, a lot of it online.
 
if you're on top, a good way to stall out is to get double underhooks legs in his open guard and just rest your head on his stomach. especially in no gi, this is pretty safe.
if you're on the bottom break his posture and cross grab your opposite ankles over his shoulders, ie

right hand to your left ankle, left hand to your right ankle, forming this great X' of stallage.

on top in close guard, just try to block his biceps and rest your head on his chest.
 
Travis Lutter said:
Fatigue makes cowards of us all.
Click to expand...

So true...

I guess i'll find out first hand on Saturday when i compete for the first time!

My answer will probably be "i tapped"

:icon_chee
 
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