Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate

Fun affordable martial arts for kids

  • Home
  • About
    • Our Karate Success Stories
  • Why Karate?
  • Why Us?
  • Locations
  • Galleries
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Blog

COVIDSAFE SCHOOL

Copyright © 2009 to 2020 Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate

Home » Blog » How To Be a Great Martial Arts Training Partner

How To Be a Great Martial Arts Training Partner

March 11, 2012 By Sensei Matt Klein

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 Google+ 0 Pin It Share 0 StumbleUpon 0 LinkedIn 0 Filament.io 0 Flares ×
A black belt helping their martial arts training partner to learn

A good martial arts training partner will help their opponent taste success by letting them perform their escapes.

What Makes a Bad Martial Arts Training Partner?

A bad martial arts training partner is easy to spot:

“The big white belt was completely exhausted by the end of the three minutes of rolling. I held him in mounted position for almost the whole time, stifling his every attempt at escape. Gee, won’t the black belts be impressed.”

“I tapped the dude out seven times in three minutes. Man, I’m awesome. Wait until I tell everyone”.

“The guy did not score a single point on me. Wow, am I getting good! I wonder who was watching. Where is the teacher when you need them?”

Unfortunately, there is one in every academy, dojo, kwoon, or training hall. A big ego has gotten in the way again. One result: many of their martial arts training partners will quit before they have had a chance to develop their skills, out of frustration and a feeling of failure. A crying shame, and not only that, they will tell everyone they know about the “cruddy school where they took martial arts”. Another result: no one will want to spar with “that guy” anymore, and he will not progress.

Saulo Ribeiro, one of the world’s top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experts, puts it best in his book, Jiu-Jitsu University; “I cannot have a top student take the Mount and expect a white or blue belt to escape. This is because the school’s blue, purple, and brown belts all know the same techniques. With everyone sharing the same knowledge, the upper belts can stifle the progression of new and white belts! How can a white belt progress? By feeling how a good student can put him in danger and then working the escape. That’s the only way for him to train escapes as a white belt. The upper belt benefits by fine-tuning his timing and sharpening his submissions.”

John Will, one of Australia’s top BJJ coaches, added this; “Great partners are those kinds of people that will work with us to help us solve problems – and we are great partners when we respond in kind. Problem solving is more often than not, a collaboration. Two minds working on a problem are far more likely to come up with a workable solution than is a solitary effort. A great martial arts training partner has us leaving the mat with a smile on our face and looking forward to geting back there as soon as possible – a bad training partner has exactly the opposite effect”.

The moral of the story: put your ego aside and let your training partner taste success, and everyone will benefit. Even you.

Please read my post for more on ego in the martial arts.

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 Google+ 0 Pin It Share 0 StumbleUpon 0 LinkedIn 0 Filament.io 0 Flares ×

Filed Under: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, For the Martial Artist

Comments

  1. Reza Winandar says

    March 11, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Be honest to your partner, when you have to tap out, just tap, but when you didn’t feel anything, just go on so they know the right locks

  2. Sensei Matt Klein says

    March 11, 2012 at 3:28 pm

    Thanks Reza for you insights. Yes, sometimes you have to just move on. A good training partner will “revisit” the roll and help you make the adjustments so you will know next time.

  3. Didi Goodman says

    March 12, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    Great topic and good points!
    Years ago, an instructor at a training camp I attended said something that stuck with me; it comes at this same topic in a kind of back-handed way. It was a sparring seminar. He told the participants, “If you score a point on somebody, don’t let yourself think you’re better than they are. For all you know, they’re the best fighter in the house, and they’re just working on their weakest technique today.” He got two messages across: 1) scoring points doesn’t make you a hot-shot; and 2) the best students aren’t spending their energy trying to keep you from scoring on them; they’re spending their energy working to improve their skills.

  4. Sensei Matt Klein says

    March 12, 2012 at 9:01 pm

    Hi Didi and great to see you here! Your comment brings home the most important reason we spar or roll, to improve our skills, and to help our partner improve theirs. It is not to show who is dominant or “prove you are a hot shot” like you say. Thanks for your insights.

New Term Starts 16th October

September 24, 2020
Hey Kenpo Freestylers! The first week of classes for next term starts Friday, 16th October, through Thursday, 22nd October. The last week of term will end on Thursday, 17th December. It is a nine week term. Please mark your calendars! Times and dates are also posted on our website at http://www.karate-kids.com.au/locations/.

We are a COVID safe business!

July 24, 2020
All of our head instructors and a good many of our assistants have completed the MAIA course for qualification as a COVID safe business. Please be assured that we take your child’s health and safety as our highest priority. Our classes will be run safely in a clean environment. Please talk to your head instructor […]

Regular Classes Starting Soon!

July 18, 2020
Our regular classes are starting this Friday, the 24th of July through Thursday week the 30th of July. It will be a nine-week term and will continue through Thursday, 24th September. Please see our Locations page for times and dates. Welcome back returning students and we look forward to meeting all new students. Sensei Matt

Great Deals Online Kids Karate!

May 11, 2020
Great Deals Online Kids Karate! Welcome back Kenpo Freestylers! We now have pre pay options available on iKarate for our loyal students and families – with something extra… Our way of saying thank you We have been so touched by the overwhelming support for you all for our beloved Karate Club. The emails & facebook […]

Online Kids Martial Arts Starting New Term

May 3, 2020
We are pleased to announce that a new term of online kids martial arts classes is starting this week. We had an excellent turnout at the end of last term and through the school holidays and hundreds of our students were able to successfully grade to keep progressing on their martial arts journey. This has […]

More News

Testimonials

Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
mihir-joshi-kenpo-freestyle-sydneyOver the years, through Karate, I found that my confidence and self-esteem levels had sky rocketed to heights I never thought it would go. I thank Sensei Matt, and all those who have helped me in Karate, for helping me understand such values in a fun and social learning environment.
Mihir Joshi

See our Karate Success Stories Page for Mihir's story.
09/01/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
mihir-joshi-kenpo-freestyle-sydneyOver the years, through Karate, I found that my confidence and self-esteem levels had sky rocketed to heights I never thought it would go. I thank Sensei Matt, and all those who have helped me in Karate, for helping me understand such values in a fun and social learning environment.
Mihir Joshi

See our Karate Success Stories Page for Mihir's story.
09/01/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
Friendly yet disciplined approach towards karate at Australia’s Youth has helped enormously. It enabled Mihir to build a sense of belonging and improved his motivation to excel. It’s amazing how learning the Martial Arts helps build confidence and improve overall personality.
Yogendra Joshi, father of Mihir JoshiImage
09/01/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
I like Karate because it is really fun and I love going on the weekend to see all my friends and Senseis. Karate makes me feel safe because I don’t worry about bullies at school because I know they can’t really hurt me.Tyvian-Macfarlne-Kenpo-Freestyle-Sydney
Tyvian Macfarlane

See our Karate Success Stories Page for Tyvian's story.
09/08/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
The confidence karate has given Tyvian is amazing. He is takes pride in himself and he has matured. The focus, confidence and discipline he has gained through karate has transferred to other areas of his life such as educational tasks, looking after younger children both in and out of his family and demonstrating empathy for others.Robert-Macfarlane
Robert Macfarlane, father of Tyvian Macfarlane
09/08/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
I owe my confidence, strength, fitness and leadership skills to Karate. It has taught me to persist with everything and that the only way to improve is to try harder.Adam-Loader-Kenpo-Freestyle-Sydney
Adam Loader

See our Karate Success Stories Page for Adam's story.
09/01/2014
Australia's Youth Self Defence Karate
Look at what you have achieved Matt, we can’t thank you enough for your contribution to shaping these two young men. We are often complimented about the maturity of the boys and we know their Karate has played an important part in developing that maturity. Brings a tear to my eye!
loadersRobert Loader, father of Adam and Jacob Loader
09/01/2014

Sensei Matt’s Blog Topics

  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Bullying and Self Defence for Kids
  • For the Martial Artist
  • For the Martial Arts Instructor
  • Kenpo
  • Martial Arts Movies for Kids
  • Martial Arts Resources for Parents
  • MMA
  • Online Kids Karate
  • Sensei Matt Klein's Guest Posts
  • Stranger Danger
  • Teaching Martial Arts to Kids
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • All Schools Closing Due to Coronavirus
  • Coronavirus Measures
  • 17 Things I Learned as a Blue Belt In BJJ
  • Teaching Children Martial Arts: Silent Stretches as a Powerful Tool

Recent Comments

  • Sensei Matt Klein on All Schools Closing Due to Coronavirus
  • Russell Henderson on All Schools Closing Due to Coronavirus
  • Sensei Matt Klein on 17 Things I Learned as a Blue Belt In BJJ
  • Mick Parker on 17 Things I Learned as a Blue Belt In BJJ
  • Sensei Matt Klein on Teaching Children Martial Arts: Silent Stretches as a Powerful Tool

Friends

  • Just A Thought
  • Kid Town Sydney
  • My journey to black belt
  • My Self Defense Blog
  • TDA Training
  • The Kids' Karate Workbook