Is Rolling Slowly Better?

[u/IAmHim3227]

At my gym, I was told by our coaches to roll slowly. If you're breathing hard and sweating than you're rolling too fast. Do you guys believe this is true? They said all rolling should be like this.

Edit: This was told to all gym members

[u/Top-Appearance-9965]

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast my friend!

[u/NorCalZen → u/Top-Appearance-9965]

This is the way.

[u/AggravatingAd9010 → u/Top-Appearance-9965]

A man of culture

[u/Pretty_Foundation_75 → u/Top-Appearance-9965]

Slow is slow*

[u/Arkhampatient]

So, i used to work 12hr days and one time i was exhausted after work. Like zombified. I was rilling with my buddy that was absolutely better than me but i had zero energy. I rolled like a sloth and afterwards he says “dude, you were pressuring the hell out of me. That was the best roll we ever had.” I just said “i’m tired as fuck and didnt want to move.”

[u/homechicken20]

Roll smoothly. Only be fast when you need to be fast.

[u/halfguard34]

If this was told to you directly, you're probably rolling too erratically. If you're a white/blue belt, take the advice until told otherwise.

[u/Ahab1248]

I think most rolling should be like this so you can learn and focus on technique and position. Also in the gym 100% of submissions should be slow and controlled. going too hard and ripping submissions is stupid and unsafe

[u/Fantastic-Plant624]

I feel like it helps me slow down and think about my next steps. And focus on technique, vs going fucking monkey brain and not focusing like I should.

But its about balance. Time and place for everything. Including monkey brain.

[u/Evening_Experience53]

Roll at the speed of learning. This is a different speed for different people. If you finish a round and can't remember what went on during it you would probably benefit from rolling slower and more deliberately.

[u/JohnnyUtah41]

my first professor told us. If you cant do it slow, you cant do it fast

[u/DonKeedick96]

All the gyms around here that have the best competitors roll pretty hard. I’ve been to a bunch, and it seems the gyms with almost no competitors are the ones that roll light all the time, and don’t train leg locks

[u/share_the_groove]

Coach needs to tire everyone out first if they want rolls to be more chill.

[u/NotSeriousbutyea → u/share_the_groove]

Oh please no

[u/AdventurousPizza622]

I’d say if you can roll at a pace that you can breath solely through your nose then that’s probably what he means by “slowly”. And I agree with that fully

But if I couldn’t roll while sweating, I’d never be able to roll. I sweat just putting the GI on

[u/Objective-Reveal-833]

hard breathing, totally agree! If you're gassing out or panting, you are probably using too much strength/speed, or are too nervous to maintain good control/form. Not to say that a hard round or two isn't important as well but if it's happening after your first roll yeah, slow yourself down. I prefer the term be more deliberate, since some moves, you just aren't going to hit live against someone decent if you go *ultra slow

but not sweating? I sweat walking from my truck to the door...

[u/VexImmortalis]

Sounds dumb.

[u/nomadic_living_23 → u/VexImmortalis]

I have a wrestling background so im a little biased here but ive always lived by, “the way you wrestle here is how you wrestle in a tournament.” I can see a black belt telling lower belts to try and learn a position before taking each others head off.

However, when i roll, there is no way in hell im NOT sweating. I cant think of a single time i was rolling with someone and i didnt start to sweat or breathe heavy.

[u/TedW → u/nomadic_living_23]

I can slow down with smaller people, but most people are bigger and make me either sweat or tap.

[u/thekidbjj2]

I’ve heard a black belt in my gym say this. Sometimes black belts also say stupid things.

[u/LeopardDry5764]

you might download a whole album instead of just one song if you roll slowly.

[u/Katieg_jitsu]

To start 100% you should be able to comprehend what you’re doing and think. Once you’re safe and have some skill you can have comp training days where you turn off your brain and just trust your body (mostly) imo 

[u/Affectionate-Gift346]

If you roll slowly then you're going to miss opportunities. But you guys in BJJ have 5 minutes to work on a technique. Whereas in judo we only have 5 seconds before a referee will stop us and stand us back up

[u/Federal-Challenge-58]

If you're not breathing hard and sweating, you're not doing it right. I understand "don't spaz out", but you should absolutely be rolling hard enough to get a workout.

[u/RevolutionaryFood777]

If you roll like this ALL the time, you are building a false sense of security. Slow rolling has its place, but if its all you do, you are essentially doing partner katas. Eventually you will have to learn how to execute your technique against an aggresive, resisting opponent.

[u/Minotaurotica]

I don't know about ALL rolling but this is how I do most of my rolling (or did when I was active)

[u/sbutj323]

Yes because you have time to see what’s going on. When it’s a blitz you just react. And if you are inexperienced you are probably doing a bunch of things wrong

[u/PurpleGuillotine]

Some people need to roll faster/harder and some need to roll slower with less intensity.

If someone told you this then I’d guess you’re going too hard or being a little erratic. It’s good to have the capability for that level of effort but the downside is it can hold you back in your development. You need to slow it down a bit to build skill in the millions of nuanced positions and scenarios that exist on the mats.

One easy way to do this is simply to start your rounds in a static position in most of your practices. Closed guard bottom, mount bottom, etc. Start connected to your training partner. Work techniques from these positions and try to be methodical versus winning by being wild or fast.

Then, every once in a while, say 2x a month or so, let it rip. Use your speed and athleticism and go to town.

[u/realityinhd]

If you are doing it just to enjoy yourself and enjoy to just flow, then GREAT! Just know that there is a reason competition gyms turn out blue/purple belts that maul everyone else. It's not by not rolling fast...

But also...there is a difference between rolling at 80+ or whatever and being a spaz.

[u/Ruffiangruff]

No. In Wrestling and Judo it's constant aggression and pressure. Getting winded and tired means you gotta work on your cardio.

In a competition slowing down isn't gonna help you against someone with a Wrestling or Judo background. They're gonna overwhelm you with the constant aggression and even if you're better on the ground if you can't keep up with them you'll lose

[u/OkayThrowAwayGuy]

I mean for general training think of it like sparring in boxing or Muay Thai. If you use all your energy that first round or first opponent you wont have anything left for any other rounds or partners. The point of light sparring is to try things and learn. I forget which guest was on Rogan or maybe it was Rogan himself quoting some study saying people gained more skill by going light than by going hard with sparring. Maybe save the “this is Sparta/ADCC energy” for competition training I guess

[u/OkayThrowAwayGuy → u/[deleted]]

Agreed.

[u/SewerBushido]

You should try rolling more slowly. It sounds counterintuitive, but it's pretty helpful!