One of the immediate things to keep in mind is that not every move works one hundred percent of the time. It's going to take a lot of practice to nail a move and be able to replicate the results regularly. By starting off with static drilling, an opponent showing no resistance, and working up to live rolling, you can be assured the repetitions will speak for themselves. Taking into consideration the nature of the art, no roll will ever be the same. By taking the opportunity to train with everyone you come across, you will vastly increase your knowledge base of what is possible and how to deal with the situation given. This a great reason to compete because your demeanor alone is enough to give yourself a deep look inside your game and where it's lacking under pressure.
If you don't train in an area that allows you to have a multitude of training partners, there are some other ways to help improve your progress on the mats. Drilling with variables can create the quick reactions that you need in a live roll, but in a more controlled environment. For example, say you are working on triangles from guard, your opponent can try different options for counters/escapes each time. Seeing where they releases their grips, how they transfer their weight, where they choose to post, how they stall for time, etc. can give you a better understanding of what you might see and several options to consider if you need to abandon the submission and transition to something more effective. Your opponent is one of your best teachers because they have an amazing ability to make you think. Nothing is more real than being forced to react to a split second.
Dealing with the lows of training can be difficult to overcome. Plateaus come at every belt level, multiple times, and in short or long durations alike. It should be noted that as you get better, so do your training partners. If you began to have a predictable game plan, your training partners will be the first ones to shine light on that. Practicing different positions is extremely important to evolve your game, even if you dislike playing from there and prefer another one. This creates some comfort to know how to defend the position because you began to realize what the person needs in order to pass or initiate an attack. The idea of reverse engineering only works because of the basic understanding of how the mechanics work. Breaking down each movement step-by-step opens up the door to many different solutions and gives a greater relaxed feel when it pops up during a round of randori.
Bridging the gap between what you know and what you don't starts with embracing the unknown. There is no guarantee that you'll see a certain position in a match and there is no guarantee that the side control escape you've been working on for the past five months is going to work the way you expect. Knowing this shouldn't upset you, but create a realization that it is important to know multiple ways to attack and defend in different positions. Certain positions also compliment each other in the flow between one another for alternative attacks or recovering positions. A good passer usually has a great guard and a good De La Riva player can easily transition to reverse DLR, deep half-guard, or X-guard. There are many possibilities for transitions, so always keep an eye out for new opportunities to flow into a new position.
The development of your own personal game begins at taking the foundational puzzle pieces and beginning to assemble them as the framework of your puzzle. You have a variety of tools to use throughout a match but knowing which ones that work best at the given moment will take awhile to discover. Your instructors are there to give you the blueprint, only you can build yourself and complete the puzzle of your game. Remember to not be afraid of taking a chance on a move because it might just be the key that unlocks the next level of your jiu jitsu!
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