"Wanna flow roll?" or "let's go light" - How many times have you heard this before the sound of the bell, only to experience your once-trusted training partner breaking your verbal contract?
Consequently, they've passed your guard and applied maximum pressure from side control or any other dominant position for that matter. Now you're left scrambling to regain your bearings while grappling with the immediate betrayal that just occurred. What do you do now?
Since in a mere 30 seconds, you've developed trust issues that you'll most likely keep with you throughout your tenure on the mat. Well, I'll tell you: NEVER CONFORM TO THE META OF THE MAT. Naivety is no excuse for passivity. Your agreement to engage in a 'light roll' doesn't mean relinquish defense or offense. You set the tone. You are in control of your tempo and level of intensity.
When the announcement is made to go "50%-70%", you determine what those percentages mean in terms of exertion. Don't yield ground assuming your training partner will do the same. Reciprocate the level of force received, otherwise, your personal interpretation of what is to occur will continue to be exploited. Because "flow rolls" and "light rolls" are an ebb and flow of controlled violence between two practitioners. So next time the question comes up, don't forget to protect ya neck.
- TWBJJ Correspondent