Going stale

Like any relationship, if you keep doing the same things, you’ll likely be getting the same results. The same principle can be applied to your training. If you find yourself doing the same moves against the same people and getting the same results, it might be time to change it up.

All of us want to improve. Some measure that through beating a certain training partner, while others measure it through the colour belt around their waist. But if we use other people as a guide for our improvement then it makes it hard to gauge as others are also making efforts to get better. Instead, I reckon a good strategy is to change things up. In all these situations you need at least a month to work the skills. The first week always sucks then it starts to improve after that, just don’t expect miracles right away. I’ll break it down in the three main areas of MMA.

BJJ: In the world of grappling set yourself a new sweep and a new submission to work. From there, there’s a couple of methods that can help you improve. First method is to move away from your strongest position and work something new. This is very difficult as you usually have a system of success, therefore, working an entirely new position will really challenge you. Let’s use an example. If you’re a top game person then work half guard from the bottom, get the sweep and a submission from that position. Then you need to work on effective entries to get into half guard so you can actually work the sweep and sub that you are planning on. By working new things, you begin to add new tools in your BJJ game.

Striking: There are always many things to change up. Improve your kicks, improve your punches, head movement, counters, footwork, and distance. In my striking experience, there was one change I made that helped a lot. Instead of using my gloves and body to defend punches and kicks, I used footwork to get in which took the sting out of the shot. When people would set up kicks with punches, I would move forward into the kick take all the sting out of the shot. If they land their kick on that bottom third of their shin that is where it will hurt the most. Whereas, if you move forward into the kick, the impact is a lot higher and it stuffs up their timing and distance. Consequently, taking all the sting out of the kick. This also backs them up and allows you to put the pressure on them by going forward. The hardest thing about changing anything with training is getting hit. Because striking happens so fast, when you make a mistake it hurts. Then you get frustrated and go back to your standard moves. You have to put the pride on the backburner and get the new reactions working, which, like anything, will take some drilling and practice.

Wrestling: Working a new position which leads to new takedowns. Very similar to the BJJ theory. Within this discipline, you have to drill the moves over and over until they become ingrained in your head. This is important in wrestling as when you are going live you don’t have time to be thinking about what is happening. Rather, it should be more of a reaction than a plan. This takes time to get, hence the month of training and drilling.

MMA: This is the easiest one as there is some many different things to work – stand up, takedowns, getting back to your feet, ground and pound, top control, getting off your back etc. These are all different in MMA than in the individual sports because your opponent doesn’t know what you are up to. When you are trying to work your sweep in BJJ, all that person is doing is trying to stop your BJJ. In MMA, if you are working that sweep from half guard, there is a good chance that your opponent will be trying to punch you which gives you more space to work with, allowing you more opportunity to get that sweep. Another reason you have a better chance to work that specific skill and get success in MMA than in the other individual sports is because in MMA we are not as good. This is nothing against MMA, we are just not going to be as good at BJJ as someone who trains it all the time – same goes for the other sports. We can still be good, just not as good as we would be if we focused on just one specific area. This means that our opponents are not as focused on that specific skill either giving us more chance to get success. Of course, there are people who are great wrestlers, grapplers, and strikers in MMA. Luckily for us there are very few people who are elite at all three.

If you’re feeling like you have hit a talent wall, or just seem to be doing the same routine over and over against your training partners then change it up. Get out of your comfort zone, which is hard as we all like wining. Looking to win the training is a short-term view that will slow your progression, however. Rather, take some grief for the short term to give you more skills in the long term. As the famous saying goes “If you change nothing then nothing changes” or Einstein: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result” – which we all do if we are honest, so change it up.

Gareth Lewis
Head MMA Instructor