Guest post by Belgian BJJ black belt Wim Deputter, head instructor at Brasa Team Belgium.  https://www.instagram.com/wimdeputterbjj/

Whenever I roll on training with someone I don’t know…

I like to start standing, let them get their grips and let them choose top or bottom.

Training for me is not to see if I can beat someone with my A game.
It’s to check if I can play your game, defend myself and still come out on top.

The harder people go, the calmer I go. When they go hard (and they often do 😊) they get tired in the first few minutes. I keep pushing the same pace. –
When it’s someone who goes slow as well, we have a nice technical roll. You build respect and trust for later, more higher paced rolls.

The author, Wim Deputter

If I can allow someone’s A game while rolling calm and still come out on top. I know I can do the same thing playing my A game.

I train seven days a week, never refuse a roll with anyone, never sit a round out and usually take the first roll with new students. This way you meet all kinds of people. Some aggressive, some calm, some heavy and some light.

This is the safest way to train and be ready for anyone facing you. Probably the only way you can train a lifetime with minimal injuries.

Along the way you might even convince some douches to take the same approach and ultimately make rolling safer for everyone. Creating an environment where you can safely take risks. Taking risks, allowing bad positions, getting out of your comfort zone are the only way to learn.

It sets an example for beginners. If we roll hard, they will copy that. If we roll slow and technical, they will copy that.

Before a hard roll, you have to build trust and respect first.

Competition is for testing yourself against people you haven’t build trust with yet.