Beware of Seminar Snipers in BJJ (How to Slow Rolling Down) 

I gotta come on the show soon boss. Thanks for coming to CJI and giving my antics a chance.

This happened last night. Guy said “ my foot is swollen so I’m going to go slow” he then attacked me like we were in a circle K parking lot.

I remember a boxer saying about boxing sparring. "They think sparring is a title match because that's all they have."

I was a 4-stripe white belt and some visiting brown belt was on the mat. I caught him with a choke and all my friends were like "WHOA you caught a brown belt." But really the dude was chilling and being generous so I could get some practice with him. Super nice guy, at no point did i have in something he couldn't get out of. It takes maturity to realize what's ACTUALLY happening on the mat.

Great advice. As a 74 yo blue belt, I experience people not understanding the differences my age makes, i.e. injured more easily. Because I am fit and reasonably strong, they think I can roll the way they do. It's really about communicating before the roll starts. I also tap sometimes when they don't even realize they are putting me in a bad position like pressure on my ribs. I'm not afraid of pain, but I don't want to be injured because it stops me from learning through rolling. There's a lot of difference between 40 or 50 and 70+.

I also think openly setting expectations is so under utilized in Jiu Jitsu and combat sports in general. There are so many unwritten rules that may seem obvious once you know them, but it's so much easier and less stressful for everyone to put things on the table. My gym has a very fledgling BJJ program and I brought in a bunch of brown and black belt friends from the area to roll with our students for an event, but I told everyone upfront, "Hey, these people are here to help you, to let you feel how good the game can be, to give you a cool experience and to start connecting you with the greater Jiu Jitsu community in our city. They are NOT here to have you wrench on their necks or crank on their joints because you think today is going to be the day you submit a black belt. They are donating their time and their bodies to your training, so respect that and roll safe and smart with them." Everyone had a great time, no injuries, no hard feelings from any exchanges, and the ranking belts all thanked me for setting things up so clearly from the jump.

Excellent advice I am over 66 years old and going thru Cancer Treatments experienced this a lot I just want to enjoy the experience and stay positive in training Jiu Jitsu Thank you again

I have started frequently asking people if it's okay if we don't roll to the death. It puts them at ease, is kinda funny, and lets them know I'm looking for a technical roll. I lift weights to get strong. I do various forms of cardio for my conditioning. I'm trying to get into the mindset that I'm at BJJ to learn technique. If I'm going to compete I'll stop asking for lighter rolls so I have reps at the higher intensity like I'll see in a competition. Otherwise, I need to focus on making the correct movement instead of relying on athleticism and strength.

When you're an older head instructor it gets even worse...so many want to roll with the instructor like it's the IBJJF finals...they have no idea the instructor has taught 2 privates, a kids class and adult class that day....they just want to "beat" the instructor. I personally just roll with safe rolls and ONLY roll hard in situational training if I'm preparing for competition. When you own a school and teach the number one priority is staying healthy.

Being a lifelong striker who just started training BJJ a few months ago, I was surprised etiquette is not ever discussed. For example, I only learned covering someone's mouth is kinda dirty in friendly rolls cuz I asked a purple belt the next day. In striking, it's super common to have the coach review banned techniques, weight bullying, etc. before sparring starts (unless you're at a meathead Dutch style gym). I still don't quite know what good rolling etiquette is in BJJ and what movements or techniques are banned or frowned upon. I even saw a 12 year old jump guard last night on another kid which I know John Danaher bans in his gym, no one said anything.

I rolled with a purple. He’s new at the gym. I’m very defensive and within 30 seconds of practice he ripped my knee and then laterally and tore my acl. Full force just yanked at it with his chest and hips where it doesn’t bend. I’m 1 month post op. Probably lost 20k this year in OT. It’s part of the game but also you don’t yank at the joint where it doesn’t bend.

I had a guy at a seminar I was teaching being really dangerous, both to me and himself. Spazzy cartwheels, flailing limbs, dropping into kneebars that aren’t there, but the worst was I had him in a locked in heel hook from backside 50 and he back steps as hard as he can. If I continued to crank it he would’ve blew out his ACL, I told him that and he said “that would be a me problem, not a you problem” 🤦‍♂️ he did the same thing the next heel hook and I had to stop rolling with him for his own safety. Nice enough guy, but not the best decision making.

Shit I rolled with Nicky Rod and he scrapped with me like he was literally rolling for a meal.

When you told everyone no oil checks at origin camp in 2022, it was a shocker. 😂

Lots of people dont even know the feeling of being jetlag tired eating junk food at the airport and going to roll.. thank you for that video 🙏🏼

I'm a hobbyist blackbelt and teach once a week at our dojo. We have a semi-regular guy that is a bluebelt in bjj but a black belt in Judo, exNFL player, a 250lbs behemoth. He rolls like a spazzy whitebelt, I rolled with him a couple times and realized he doesn't want or care for advice and is just looking to beat someone up, so I no longer roll with him. I've also told other students to not feel bad saying no. We all have lives to get back to after practice. I've also told the head instructor and am waiting to see when he's no longer welcome. From what I hear this guy isn't allowed in many of our local gyms anymore. There's always the possibility for accidents but when you know what you're doing, it can be a very technical death battle... like you vs jordan teaches jiujitsu.✊

Been doing jiujitsu for a couple decades. It’s a magnet for toxic assholes unfortunately.

Had this white belt boasted “I only do mean moves”. He then tried to smother me with his hands while in my guard. Said that I was “stalling” when he can’t get out of lockdown or put on a proper Darce, and still got swept by a dude 30lbs smaller than him. 💀

I was at a JT Torres seminar at your gym and saw a guy attempt to go hard with JT and he quickly started tossing the guy and submitting him like a child 😅

Just started a couple weeks ago. These videos are really helping me learn etiquette. I'm 35 and never thought I could do something like this, but it's helping me physically, mentally, and socially already. I feel like I am just doing mostly random stuff during rolls still, and I'll be in my head about it. It's hard to be bad at something new. Great class though. Some of my classmates will even slow down mid roll to help me work on something. I am still learning the right energy to bring to each roll, but I am so thankful I can be in a class of men and women who will tolerate and teach me 😂

That guy who screamed “Let’s go!” In Craig’s face then got his leg snapped. He had it coming.

Nine month 40 yo white belt, but wrestled into college. Academy owner had this conversation with me my third week of attending classes and it really changed my perspective and experience. Everybody is willing to roll with me and seems to have fun doing so, fun being a relative term. Going from that smash and hold mindset of wrestling, to understand grips and leverage instead Has really helped me understand I will be doing BJJ Long after I can no longer do a blast double!

Grand Master Renato Laranja never allows someone to submit him at a seminar because no one dares to even touch him. But other than that, great video perspective as always.

Great advice. This goes beyond just seminars, this is every day advice for rolling and staying safe. Everyone should watch this video.

Met you in Tucson at the hotel, you had done a seminar, wish i attended. You are a G, appreciate what you bring to BJJ and combat sports in general. Thank you homie.

This is something I really struggled with coming in as a young former wrestler who was used to higher intensity live in practice. What really helped me was the advice to only use as much strength and explosiveness as you need to do well in the roll. Match the energy☯️

i heard one of these types of "100% effort all the time" guys try to test a guy with a yellow belt who did Catch Wrestling for years and picked up gi BJJ to slow down. the Catch guy was no stranger to the fast tempo and ripping through submissions, so he shortened the aggressive guy's longevity by years.

This was an awesome video and very well said! It was very interesting and super helpful to hear your perspective on what it's like rolling with people at seminars as someone who is extremely well known in BJJ. Of course most people can Understand what it's like attending a seminar. But to actually explain from The perspective of The black belt / well-known person who is putting them on was extremely helpful to me and I found this to be one of the more insightful and interesting videos, Thank you so much for the content.

In my experience, whenever someone asks if they can record this roll on video shit is about to get real. haha.

I think if u get to roll with the person giving a seminar- if they are cool with it nothing wrong if you roll hard for a position - guard pass - side control ect..but NEVER crank a sub

Great video professor Chew jitsu. As a coach I explain to my students that BJJ is a self defense at the end of the day. When I'm teaching class I emphasize that we're not here to hurt each other. It's okay to tap out if it's a legitimate position and execution. I also emphasize that in the gym and even in a tournament we're here to learn have fun and grow. But the time to go all out is low and behold if you have to defend yourself in a street fight. Yes even tournaments are friendly competition at the end of the day. Anyways great video knowledge and education on dojo etiquette professor Chew BJJ OSS

I love the Iron Squirrel. This is something I started doing not knowing anything about your video's. Then I watched your Iron Squirrel video and was like Holy Crap this is my game. It is so fun to just be able to go anywhere and feel chilled out. Best way to squash the spaz.

This is very helpful to me as a beginner. I am coming from the opposite direction, where I would like to slow down the roll because I am not confident in my skills and want to learn.

I think a part that's frustrating about this sport is that, despite so many people posturing as bad asses with lions dressed up in gis and other weird shit, so many people are conflict avoidant. It seems that so few people will openly tell someone that they're being spazzy or rolling hazardously. They will just say no to rolling with the person without ever giving them corrective action that they can work on, and the problem continues.

I point out how they're breathing. "Do you hear how you're breathing? Notice that I'm not breathing hard at all? You can keep doing what you're doing but you're just gonna gas out."

I can absolutely attest that Lex let my white belt friend submit him. I had to convince my friend it was not legit. True gentleman.

BJJ is full of toxicity. It's strange too because the majority of people are casuals in it yet every gym is full of dudes obsessed with rank and hierarchy People just training to learn and have fun is NOT the norm.

Too many people never find the balance between going hard but NOT explosive.

I think people understimated the potencial of get injure in bjj. In my opinion we should mark the difference between hard and technical sparting, like most of the striking disciplines. Me personally always go 100% hard when it come to sweep or pass, and even in order to advance to a better position. But once i enter in a sumission hold i slow the pace almost to cero in order to not hurt somebody.

There are mfs who will try to snap your arm even when you’re just drilling. It’s absurd.

We have guy whos just rigid like steel beams. Hes skinny and it feels like hes cutting into you. Its wild

This is a great topic. I've experienced this at every seminar I've attended in BJJ and other martial arts.

Thank you for bringing this up, I do the same thing if you come hard at me, I’ll control the pace and neutralize the competition blue and purple belts at my academy. The other problem I face is even after all this time of training people still suck me because of my size, if I ever get my partner in a position wheee I know they wouldn’t be able to get out of I immediately back off just enough to where they can escape and we can keep things moving. I’ve been told by every person I roll with “Thanks for not crushing me and helping me work.” But I still get avoided for rolls.

The fun part of jiu-jitsu for me is passing or playing guard. I hate it when someone just gives you the side control because he wants to "practice" his defense, when really the fun part is rolling, passing guards, exchanging sweeps. Maybe even discussing about it after and exchanging ideas on what happened. I agree on the part where the intensity can be dialed down, or make it more of a flow-roll, but giving up guard just feels like coming to play-date and just sitting in the corner because "i'm a nice kid".

I love the highlander reference

I recently attended a seminar and the instructor came with four or five of his students. I thought it was a good way to avoid this problem by having his students roll with people rather than doing it himself.

i can't stand how high of a percentage of bjj practitioners approach non-competitive training scenarios competitively. i guess the vast majority of students are younger guys/lower belts, and they don't really have the long-term perspective yet, but there seems to be a larger issue of gym culture that over-emphasizes competition and under-emphasizes practice.

"I have ADCC things... you have nothing" 😂

I've really been struggling with this with one particular woman at my gym. Me (female blue belt) I've been training with her for 3 years since we both started. Shes a white belt still. Every time we roll together which is rarely since she doesnt come that often she treats me like a rag doll. Shes 50 pounds heavier that me and doesn't have good technique but I really have to exert myself to beat her. The first time I ever rolled with her she pulled my gi over my head and started swinging me around by it. Of course I accidently kicked her in the stomach (since my gi was pulled over my head). I stopped the roll and asked her to flow more but she got very offended and said "you want me to take it easy on you". I said yes I do want you to take it easy on me, this is just a hobby for me. This last time I rolled with her she immediately started out really intense and I decided to just relax and let her work but she literally hurt my shoulder from side control where I screamed out in pain. My shoulder hurt for a couple weeks. Ive never rolled with anyone like this. I weigh 115lbs and I roll with people 100lbs bigger than me all the time and they never hurt me but this woman does. She doesn't seem to know what shes doing so she doesn't get submissions and will accidently hurt me. I just don't know what to do because the coach at my gym assigns us rolls. And ass a woman theres only like 4 to 5 women in each of my classes so refusing to roll with her will be very noticeable. At this point if she shows up to the gym again I am just going to have to refuse even when coach tells me to roll with her but this will be very embarrassing to do in front of everyone.

Had a purple belt come up to me at a seminar moaning about how he is injured and even tho he told people they still went hard. I said no problem let's just chill and roll light....he threw me down like a crazy person and got side control....caught him with a nogi baseball bat choke from the bottom and he went out....I let go ...he was still on top. He came too and said all good keep going....he had no idea he was out cold. I still see him around. I was a brown belt at the time I think. Now when I roll with him it's self defense 1st then slow him down and sub him.....this was a few years ago....I was 50 yrs old or so...😂

I like a person to go crazy every once in a while. Just to keep me sharp for the streeetzzz

I totally disagree!! if I beat you, that means I've beaten anyone you've ever beaten - or ever *will* beat. This is math. 😫

Got a chance to do a chewjitsu comp and seminar and it was amazing chewy put on the best comps I have done hands down. Hid seminar was amazing and I use what he taught every time I roll. He is a super nice and smooth roll definitely recommend everyone try them out.

I was at a seminar recently with a famous guy. There was bjj youtuber there who I rolled with and THAT guy had this weird ego thing. We were going light and all of a sudden he goes hard when the famous guy started looking at us lol. I rolled with multiple people that day and the youtube guy was the only one who wasn't chill

I've been training for 4 years now. I'm a blue belt that goes to open mats on occasion and have had seminars at my home gym. If I'm rolling with a black belt or whatever 9/10 they just want to move around with me. They submit me like 2 times during the roll only because they don't wanna reset every 10 seconds. Knowing this I go at a moderate pace to see how my technique works against high level BJJ and rarely will attempt a submission.

That video of Jones snapping the guys ankle in the seminar was just brutal. I really don't understand why someone would do that (roll hard with a seminar guest, that is.) Not all BJJ guys are chill and calm.

I enjoy when people come at me with intensity and spazziness because I’m a chilled controlled roller and I tend to see the openings for immediate submissions. Happened recently with a two stripe blue belt. I’m a three stripe white belt. He came at me hard, trying to take my head off and he got put into my favourite, reverse triangle. I continued to dominate the roll and he slowed down and it became a more technical roll. He realised very quick I wasn’t an average white belt he could bully.

I always encourage my students to be confident and tough when rolling, but it's really important to note that if they are steps ahead or the submission is getting tight, they need to slow in order to preserve their training partners. It's important be tough, at least for me, and sometimes a little bit agressive... But it's more important take care of their friends e have a good time.

"it's not a competition but I'm winning" kind of guy

Aside from Craig’s public persona his advice on jiu jitsu is some of the best you will get.

I think the reluctance comes from it somewhat sounding "soft" plus when you find out midroll you'll probably be angry about it. Doesn't release the tension of anger. Takes self-control to just verbally end the round.

Comes down to mutual respect and using the roll to learn.. all about personal and gym culture

I must say that having the opportunity to train at your gym earlier this year, you set a great tone at your gym. The culture of a gym is truly set from the top down. I'm not any good but I do have certain partners at my home gym who I have mutual trust with that we can roll harder. But there are also some guys who I won't because for them, it's all about muscling moves and ripping. Like I say to someone I haven't rolled with before, "neither of us get paid to be here and we both have work tomorrow so let's not kill each other."

A very interesting topic. Frankly I let people tap me at times because why do I care. wtf do I care if I tap to something. My main goal is to not get injured and to be able to roll hopefully my whole life. I’m 56 now so injuries take forever to heal.

"We like you as a person ... possibly" had me in tears 🤣

I feel the same sometimes, I just do BJJ now but I was a local mma champ. But I'm almost 40 now and just trying to enjoy life and have fun.

I especially hate guys who practically beg to go easy and then try to kill me.

Had a guy like this at our gym. We would be flow rolling, relaxing and then the a hole would rip a submission. Like wtf where did that come from? He stopped coming after he got blue.

What’s funny to me is how I’ve never understood the “hierarchy” people try to instill in gyms. I’m 17, I’ve been training for about 6 years now. Never has someone disrespected me or “pulled rank” on me in a rude manner. I think if this happens to you at your gym and you aren’t enjoying it, I highly suggest you move gyms. Even though I’m younger than most people there, they still show me respect.

thanks for addressing this. Certainly reinforces what i was thinking my plan should be against guys that go too ridged and hard.

Hi there sir! it was nice to meet you at adcc.... your point is right on... i believe it is ego and immaturity issues...

Yes! Me: I haven't rolled in over 5 years and just want to go slow and work on some stuff Guy: Okay sounds good man. Roll begins I end up gettin half a choke in but not really and didn't want to force it so I let go. I let up and he gets in my guard and immediately crank as hard as he could on my neck. I get put he does it again. Happens one more time and I just tap and say I'm Good." We roll again and I (somehow) pull a head and arm triangle off. He is gagging so I let go. He rolls me and puts me in choke. I took his gagging as a verbal tap since it wasn't a tournament and we were just supposed to be slow rolling.

It sucks when you visit a gym to train and relax and when guys can’t submit you they go harder and try and rip subs. I always notice it and right when they go to rip it I just tap 😂 I do that over and over again after that seems to get through to them or make them more upset either way a win and saves me from injury

Literally, told a guy that we would go slow...was at bottom playing De La Hiva, X, etc...not 100% & The dude went for a Knee lock full force....SMH...great advice on measuring your partner intensity & dealing with it.

Im a white belt ex wrestler. I try to roll pretty easy to avoid straining or injury. I also try to use bjj, not win strictly on wrestling. My gym has a lot of space and often start standing. When someone is chill I try to use more bjj style takedowns the instructors show. But if someone is going super hard, I'll bust out a "real" wrestling move. I find that the best technique for me is to get someone into the air, compeltely out of their element as a non wrestler then slowly lay them down. Kind of shows my intention of " I could slam you so hard you'll pass out, but i want to play nice, now please do the equivalent for my whitebelt self on the ground"

I teach a kids class and sometimes I get a kid who is just being a bad partner (not allowing their partner to drill the move or going 100mph on other kids hurting them) I just tell them all I don't have medals for practice. Sometimes I wanna tell the adults the same thing. Their are no trophies in practice.

Thanks bro, so much excellent jiujitsu/life wisdom

My gym is balls to the wall, do or die every roll, every class. The instructor encourages it and actually makes it worse if you try a slow or flow roll. At 50... the beatings just get too much, whether I'm the one subbing or being subbed, it just gets too much.

My secret is im always tired… i don’t have the cardio to ever go wild so lowering the energy level is my sloth style jj

Great video Chewy.

The highlander saying had be dying laughing 🤣 he is so right though

This is the same problem. The average person faces in classes because some people that come to class are willing to break legs and knees and shoulders when they just do it as a hobby so a lot of people leave I think that’s why the Gracie university self-defence to blue belt was really appealing, I think there’s gonna be a lot of changes in jujitsu to make it more safe and attractive for people to learn the fundamentals without having a fight for their life and I’m not talking about an exhausting role. I’m talking about people who literally rip submissions on people and caused them to have lifelong injuries attending class on a Tuesday night.

I did BJJ in the army (along with boxing) took and 8 year lapse and got back in for 2 years. I realized that in that gap, bjj became the cult that it is. I realized that I was tearing my body up for literally no reason. I had all the skills I needed to defend myself, and I was literally paying to get injured and roll around in sweaty mats with all sorts of nasty skin infections on it. I will never make money doing it, and most of the black belts are just white belts who can afford the surgeries. But honestly, almost all you guys will be crippled when you get older. But at least you’ll have a wall full of fake medals. 😂

"Go to a Damm Competition" that made me laugh

Great message ! Thank you!

Somedays I just don't wanna be around anyone like literally not wanna be even 20 feet from someone. I just don't go roll.

I always hate coming back to the gym after competition ( when white and blue). You get 1st place. Then guys you have wars with really try to bring it amd submit you as if they are trying to say they'd have placed if they'd competed.

I’ve done BJJ since I was 16 starting in 2006, I always detested dudes who were overly aggressive in non-competition scenarios. Like sure my gym buddies intentionally push each other in our weak spots but it’s not malicious. I think it’s just aggro douches with something to prove. Hopefully someone humbles them, I hate that sh*t. I’ve been part of both wrestling and BJJ clubs where overly aggressive dudes (guys pulling neck vertebrae/neck cranks as a last resort, etc) were just outright kicked out by my coaches, thankfully.

So true and I can relate ill be 42 when I'm going to a class I'm trying to learn whatever specific thing they're teaching that day and that's across the board and every combat sport in a lot of physical athletic sports you have them training room or practice field heroes where everyone else is literally gone 70% and that guy over there you could tell he's going to 110 they need to calm down or get taught a lesson

There’s a guy at our gym, he seems like a cool guy and we seem to get on well. We’ve been there a similar amount of time (both 3-stripe white belts) we’re similar skill, strength and size I like rolling with anyone and I get on with this guy well but whenever we roll together I’m guaranteed to get elbowed in the chin, a knee to the face a slipped hand to the face like multiple times in a 5 minute roll. This basically never happens with anyone else so it must be him. What do I do about this? Sometimes I think it’s an accident but it happens that often I just think surely it can’t be. I noticed today this happens a lot when I’m in a more dominant position. If I get side control for instance , whilst framing his elbows are going to hit me in the chin like 5 times, guaranteed.

I love the Highlander analogy 😀

Sad thing is that the people who need to hear this don't watch these kind of videos

great video!!

thumbnail misled me into thinking don’t be like craig jones. like yeah i’ll try my best buddy😭

I quit training for 2 reasons one was because covid 2 was because other white belts were trying to kill me. I had somebody do a baseball choke or whatever it was called my first day and my throat hurt for a month. Second time dude got me in an arm bar and i tapped and he kept going so i tapped harder and said tap but my arm hurt for a couple weeks. Moral of the story roll with brown and black belts they are way nicer

The problem is that people that need this explained are so beyond lost to begin with...😅

As always jiu jitsu has a lot to learn from other arts. I mean , look at saenchai when doing seminars, if he feels you're being disrespectful, he will 100 percent punish you. A lot . So ... I guess that in BJJ that's harder cause submission . But

Thanks Chewy! Very helpful….

It's much more impressive to learn something from someone you're rolling with than to submit someone one time. I like to be able to tell people "I learned this from so and so" rather than "I beat so and so" because one makes you sound like a martial artist and the other makes you sound like a thug If you slow it down you're more likely to get positive feedback and useful criticisms and suggestions and you're just more likely to be taught something by someone who likes you rather than someone who doesn't

Honestly, I've kinda gotten to the point that if someone's going to go super hard then I''ll finish that roll and then stop rolling with them. It's just not worth it to me. As soon as someone touches me with that "going for the W" energy I kinda switch modes to being extremely defensive and I just work on escapes and taking top position. I either get to practice escapes or I get on top and just cook them until the roll is over. I don't go for a finish. I don't need the potential injury to either of us and I'm not here to be your therapist/punching bag. IME, nothing kills their ego/drive to go nuts more than a smaller guy (I'm ~140) who takes a top position and then just sits there with it not trying to finish but also not letting them get out of it. It's a good way to make clear who's in charge and who isn't with essentially no risk to either party. It's especially deflating for them if you start talking to them about inane stuff like local sports or cars or something while you're doing it. High mount, push-pull on the arms and "Have you seen the new WRX?" while they're struggling as hard as they can. For the lulz. When the round ends, I'll say "Good effort!" and just walk away. They tend to get the message.