Working strengths or weaknesses?

[P10o10]

Is it more important to have a well rounded game or being exceptional in some areas?

Logic tells us that when one area of your game becomes better, other areas will become relatively weaker. When that happens, is that the time to work on those weaker areas or do you work even more on your strengths? It feels like my guard has improved drastically in the last month and I'm finally tapping other whites belts regularly with armbars and triangles, and the occasional omaplata. If the opponent is small the basic armbar is very high percentage. Anyway, I could easily see myself getting addicted to this and working guard every class the next six months, which would probably give me a pretty good guard for a white belt. I would also end up with a pretty weak top game, probably. If I work on getting more well rounded skills I'd probably lose that edge that I feel my guard has at the moment, but I might not lose the mount as easily as I do now for example.

How do the more experienced guys approach this dilemma?

 

[Jdonw]

I think its best to be well rounded. If you have a good guard, somebody may pull guard faster, then you're screwed.

I had a better guard game and sucked on top so I worked from the top only for about 1.5 months. If I was in guard I would only look for sweeps to get back on top. My guard passing and sweeps improved a ton.

Anyway, if your game is too one dimensional, people will beat you at your weak point. And in the long run you'll need a good game all around to advance in rank.

 

[DaRuckus337]

We had a pretty good discussion on this a while ago, check it out and bump it if need be.

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f12/w...competition-based-sparring-748065/index3.html

 

[BJJ Beginner]

Here's what I think:

When you're first starting out, don't worry about working on any one particular aspect of the game. Just concentrate on absorbing the fundamentals as best you can and getting used to the different positions and situations that come up during a roll.

Once you're comfortable with the basics, pick a few moves/positions that appeal to you and focus on turning them into strengths. Maybe you like the triangle/armbar/omoplata series from closed guard, or perhaps you'd rather pull half guard and sweep to a dominant position. On top, maybe knee on belly is your thing, or a suffocating side control game. Whatever seems like it is the best fit for you physically and mentally, focus on making it your "go-to" game. Don't ignore the rest of what you're learning, of course, but spend the majority of your time refining those areas that work best for you. This allows you to have a clear idea of what you're looking for in each position when you roll, gives you a better chance of success should you decide to compete, and boosts your confidence by giving you at least a few things that work well for you. IMO, you're much better off at this stage being relatively good with a few techniques than mediocre at all of them.

Once you've established a basic game that works fairly well for you against other people at your level, branch out more. Focus on two key areas: techniques that complement your existing game, and techniques that you do poorly. You're basically adding to your strengths and improving on your weaknesses at the same time. Do this long enough and eventually you will develop a well rounded game.

At this point, go back to the previous step and focus on making a specific area of your game even better, looking at a position in even greater detail, etc.. Then work on complementary techniques and weaknesses, and so on. As you go through this cycle, your game will get tighter and tighter, your understanding of the techniques/positions and how they link together will become more complete, and you will continue to improve.

 

[codemonkey76]

Here's what I think:

When you're first starting out, don't worry about working on any one particular aspect of the game. Just concentrate on absorbing the fundamentals as best you can and getting used to the different positions and situations that come up during a roll.

Once you're comfortable with the basics, pick a few moves/positions that appeal to you and focus on turning them into strengths. Maybe you like the triangle/armbar/omoplata series from closed guard, or perhaps you'd rather pull half guard and sweep to a dominant position. On top, maybe knee on belly is your thing, or a suffocating side control game. Whatever seems like it is the best fit for you physically and mentally, focus on making it your "go-to" game. Don't ignore the rest of what you're learning, of course, but spend the majority of your time refining those areas that work best for you. This allows you to have a clear idea of what you're looking for in each position when you roll, gives you a better chance of success should you decide to compete, and boosts your confidence by giving you at least a few things that work well for you. IMO, you're much better off at this stage being relatively good with a few techniques than mediocre at all of them.

Once you've established a basic game that works fairly well for you against other people at your level, branch out more. Focus on two key areas: techniques that complement your existing game, and techniques that you do poorly. You're basically adding to your strengths and improving on your weaknesses at the same time. Do this long enough and eventually you will develop a well rounded game.

At this point, go back to the previous step and focus on making a specific area of your game even better, looking at a position in even greater detail, etc.. Then work on complementary techniques and weaknesses, and so on. As you go through this cycle, your game will get tighter and tighter, your understanding of the techniques/positions and how they link together will become more complete, and you will continue to improve.

your forum name is gonna suck for you in about 10 years :icon_chee

 

[blanko]

Is it more important to have a well rounded game or being exceptional in some areas?

Logic tells us that when one area of your game becomes better, other areas will become relatively weaker. When that happens, is that the time to work on those weaker areas or do you work even more on your strengths? It feels like my guard has improved drastically in the last month and I'm finally tapping other whites belts regularly with armbars and triangles, and the occasional omaplata. If the opponent is small the basic armbar is very high percentage. Anyway, I could easily see myself getting addicted to this and working guard every class the next six months, which would probably give me a pretty good guard for a white belt. I would also end up with a pretty weak top game, probably. If I work on getting more well rounded skills I'd probably lose that edge that I feel my guard has at the moment, but I might not lose the mount as easily as I do now for example.

How do the more experienced guys approach this dilemma?

There is no reason to master every guard and it's variant out there and there is no reasont o master every guardpass submission also.. however, you should always be able to TRANSITION to your strengths.

 

[georgejjr]

Yes. You should work on strengths and weaknesses.

 

[letsgotribe9]

In my opinion, you concentrate on weaknesses until you're a purple belt (proficient in all basics), then concentrate on strengths.

All in all, work on your strengths... you will always have weaknesses, and it's good to work them up to par, but it's your strengths that will get you to where you are.

To borrow a line from Tyler Durden, "Then again, I could be wrong, and it all leads to a terrible tragedy."