As a fresh white belt, those blue belts in the room seemed unstoppable. They manipulated you at will, and seemed to be 4-5 steps ahead at all times. How did these people learn so much? How did they get soooo good?
Now, that’s you. You have come a long way. Within the incremental day to day hard work, it doesn’t always feel like progress, but you have unlocked a high level of achievement. Those fresh new white belts are now looking at you.
Let Them Play
You have now reached the point where rolling with new students is easy. You are a step ahead and can evaluate your opponent while also plotting your next move. You may even be making a grocery list up there. This is the time to let them play. Nothing is gained from conquering this new training partner with relentless submissions and pins. Let them work the position they think they are going to. Let them attempt to set up their submission.
Ultimately, this roll is primarily about them, and its about making sure they are having fun. You may recall, being a white belt is overwhelming, and trying to focus on anything at any time can be challenging. Now, you understand the game. Not only can you let them play, but you can also funnel them into where they need to be to accomplish their goals. The is guaranteed to level up the room faster, and create a better gym culture.
How To Learn From This
These white belt rolls are primarily about them, but not only about them. There is a lot to be learned here. When rolling with new students, put yourself in bad spots. Get pinned. Get into a submission. Then work your way out. You could even start every roll here, get out, and then let them work back into position.
This is also the time to work your new game. What are you studying? What are you focused on? Try it out. Hit your goal once or twice, and then let the rest of the round be funneling in and out of bad positions. A lot of progress can be made doing this. As a coach, virtually all of my progress is doing this with my students. As you continue to level up your game, you will find that the ratio of people better/worse than is shrinking. Learning how to utilize these rolls with less experienced grapplers is crucial to your long term development. Develop this skill now, and it will sling shot your development and ensure your long term success.