Who has a written game plan?

[xo-karate]

I started to update and write a game plan with a mind map software. Who uses a game plan to develop their grappling?

And what's the criteria - position, grips, posture, movement?

Do you write your combination attacks to your game plan?

How many options do you have from a position?

[tallgeese]

Personally, I don't use written game planning of any sort. It's just not how I learn/ operate on the mats. I'm not saying it's not valid, just that it doesn't work for me.

There are, again just for me, too many moving parts of a roll to ever account for everything that I might need to do in a single match. I kinda play the artist card on this one and work with the flow.

Now, I will have a general strategy outlined in my head, particularly for tournaments. For instance:

Jump guard

Sweep

Solidify Top

Work to Sub.

This has, with variable tools within those major points depending on where I've been feeling strong, been my general game plan for about a year now. Prior to that I've been thru takedown phases (where all I managed to do was get to bad spots and get hurt), and work for sub from guards phases (still not off the table). It's a pattern that's worked well for me. But they are guidelines only. I'll take what I get easiest based on the flow. The tools I use within each objective will depend on the movements the opponent gives me and I can initiate based on what he and I are creating together.

Try not to limit what you're training will allow you to create given the moment.

However, whatever learning model works best for you should be used. That's the great thing about jiu jitsu, it's your journey open to your creativity, artistry, and imagination.

[xo-karate]

Maybe a game plan is a beginners tool? Kind of having a first option to look for in a position. I just game from an open mat session where I worked for an 1,5 closed guard top/bottom. My game plan did not help at all, but it just means that I need to make adjustments:-)

It's difficult to make a game plan that works because in BJJ there are so many variables and they counter each other. Maybe game plan should be more of a training plan? Things that one is learning and trying to bring to own game?

[tallgeese]

I can see that translate much easier, xo. In fact, planning a course of training is something that we're all guilty of not doing a good enough job of in jits usually.

Open mat is fun, free roll is fun. But we don't often enough take time to really sort out:

-what new that we need to work on

-what's not working for us that we know well enough

-what my A game is and how do I sharpen it

Then, once identifed, we have to match that with the people we're partnered with on the open mat. Against whites and blues, I'll work the last couple of weeks material, espicially if it's new to me. That way I'm really forcing myself to expand.

With purples, I spend a lot of time in spots and techniques that I have experience with, but I'm not hitting with the consistancy that I should be. Also, the new material I now work against whites and blues I move to purples as well.

Once I get to other browns, I spend a lot of time sorting out specifics surprisingly and sharpening techinque. It's more mellow, more back and forth working out details.

Once I get with the black belts, unless I'm really working something specific (or moving something up the food chain that I'm now hitting consistently on purples), it's time to work my A game and sharpen that tool. I will make sure and continue to filter in new material as it's ready, but not before.

It's just guidelines, but that's how I usually think about my training sessions in open mat and "game plan" my improvement. You'll need to adjust, of course, for your situation and comfort level, but you get the idea. Going in with a handful of things in mind to work is good.

Don't be afraid to stop the roll, go back, and see where things get wrong for a movement. Also, start from negative positions and work from there. And let people go back to having you there when you get out. You'll be surprised how much you can learn this way.

A last couple of points, 1) NEVER get used to just doing the same handful of tactics over and over again because everything else lands you in a bad spot. You'll never expand your game. Keep trying all your new stuff, do it until you can't help but get it into your game. Who cares how long, or how many botched attempts it takes. 2) Don't assume that open mat means you have to start free rolling immediately. Take some reps to review the days material, and last weeks. Hit it perfectly a few times to keep it in your head. Then move into free roll. It's a great way to keep learning the material. Maybe not as much fun, but more effective training.

Just some thoughts on the subject. Hope it's helpful.

[sensei8]

Great topic!

I've no written game plan either. Shindokanists approach everything this way...

Study your opponent

Study yourself

Make a plan

Carry the plan out

[ShoriKid]

My ground work isn't advanced enough to call anything I'm doing "Game planned". What tallgeese out lines is pretty much what I try to do, just a much more basic level. There is always a submission I want to work on during a roll. A position I want to either work or escape from. Working to half guard or escaping side control right now for example. And usually, I try to hit one thing PittbullJudoka has shown us recently. For me it doesn't matter who I'm working with, that's my plan.

The only times I go straight toward the finish without regards to those things is when I'm being pushed for a drill or something similar where seeing what you can do exhausted is the point. Stand up training fallows a close parallel where there is always something I'm working towards. If you aren't directing your free rolling/sparring time toward a goal you won't make the kind of progress you could.

[xo-karate]

Lots of good stuff here. Thanks. Yesterday at the open mat. I did get to test some techniques -like we stoped and asked and uke taught me. He has a long judo background.(he also adviced me not to try drop down seoi nage...my technique is not good enough.)

I also got some comments after our rolliång session. Kind of "just before you tapped, I would have used this and this technique". It was nice, but not very helpful as could not remember the positions I was in or the grips my opponent had.

First idea was to take some rolling on video. I need to do it. I am a little afraid what it will look like