Flow rolling is an important training method for grapplers that involves moving smoothly between techniques and positions in a cooperative manner. The goal is to be playful and experiment, not to dominate your partner. Flow rolling improves movement, reactions, transitions, and awareness. It’s about exploring and chaining techniques together fluidly, not “winning”.
When getting started with flow rolling, it’s important to keep things relaxed and controlled. Go at a pace where you can think and respond thoughtfully. The intensity should not be so high that you need to catch your breath. Give your partner time to work their escapes and counters. Take turns in the “driver’s seat” going through moves. Play and have fun discovering new movements and sequences.
Rules of Flow Rolling
There are a few key rules to follow when flow rolling:
- Relaxed pace where you can respond thoughtfully
- Give and take opportunities to work on moves
- Lose and get caught occasionally
- Avoid using strength or speed
- Prioritize positions over submissions
- Allow partners time to escape and counter
- Be playful and willing to experiment
Following these rules keeps flow rolling productive and enjoyable for both partners. The cooperative nature allows more exploration of techniques in a lower-risk setting.
Benefits of Flow Rolling
Dedicated flow rolling sessions provide many benefits for grapplers:
- Improves reactions, timing, and transitions
- Develops the ability to chain techniques together
- Promotes relaxation, rhythm, and flow
- Allows experimentation in lower pressure setting
- Builds awareness, vision, and feel for positions
- Provides an opportunity for large technical repetitions
- A fun way to warm up and develop skills
Flow rolling frequently will quickly improve your understanding of grappling as a whole. The constant motion forces you to work on connecting techniques smoothly.
Cultivating Flow Rolling Skills
It takes time and effort to become skilled at flowing smoothly. Be patient with yourself and your partners. Here are some tips for progressing:
- Start very slow and controlled
- Focus on clean technical movement
- Avoid using strength to force things
- Keep a relaxed grip and body
- Concentrate on sensing the opponent’s movement
- Work on making small adjustments and reactions
- Increase pace gradually as skills improve
- Troubleshoot issues as they arise
Flow rolling well requires developing key attributes like relaxation, rhythm, vision, and reactive speed. Allow time for abilities to develop. Address poor habits immediately. Flowing skills will transfer directly to live grappling.
Using Flow Drills
Specific flow drills can also help ingrain skills. For example, start standing and have one partner work takedowns while the other defends and then reverses. Or start from the knees passing guard back and forth. Position sparring starting from common spots like side control or turtle can be useful as well.
Coaches can provide a particular skill or sequence to focus on. Or allow students to freely flow, providing individual tips as needed. Structured flow drills let you safely repeat challenging techniques under pressure. The constant movement pattern grooves proper reactions.
Flow Drill Examples
Here are some useful flow drill ideas:
- Practice chaining takedowns together
- Work on linking passing to submissions
- Float between turtle reversals
- Chain single leg shots to finishes
- Practice guard retention to sweeps
- Flow between front headlock controls
- Move between leg entanglements
- Link half guard sweeps together
Flow drills build connections between the techniques you know. You will begin to see sequences and openings you missed previously. This allows you to grapple more reactively and intuitively.
Optimizing Flow Drills
To get the most out of flow drills:
- Use sparring intensity but lower speed
- Focus on proper positioning and leverage
- Work with partners of similar skill level
- Provide individual coaching and tips as needed
- Keep sessions short to maintain focus
- Use repetition to ingrain reactions
- Increase complexity slowly over time
- Ensure proper space and equipment
With well-designed flow drills and engaged training partners, skills can develop rapidly. Troubleshoot any bad habits or deteriorations into spazzing as soon as they appear. Keep things controlled and technical.
Developing a Flow Mindset
Beyond just incorporating flow rolling into training, working towards a flow mindset can be extremely beneficial. Strive to relax into the smooth rhythm and motion of flow. Don’t overthink or force techniques. React to what your partner provides. Allow submissions to happen naturally.
Pay close attention to angles, timing, and leverage. Feel how your and your partner’s bodies move together. Sense openings and opportunities as they arise. Chain techniques fluidly without hesitation or stalling. Embrace the transitionary process rather than just the end goal.
Traits of Flow State
Cultivating a flow rolling mindset involves developing the following traits:
- Relaxed and responsive
- Playful and exploratory
- Focused on motion and transition
- Not attached to outcomes
- Attentive and sensing
- Patient and unhurried
- Willing to experiment
- Trusting intuition
Make an effort to embrace these traits during flow training. Enjoy the process and discovery. With time, flowing intuition will increasingly permeate live grappling.
Reaching Flow State
Here are some tips for achieving flow state:
- Deep steady breathing
- Clear your mind
- Loosen your grip and limbs
- Relax your face and jaws
- Scan your body for tension
- Stay focused on sensations
- Don’t think, just react naturally
- Embrace improvisation
- Feel the rhythm and groove
Getting into flow is about letting go of conscious control and trusting your body. Eliminate distractions and be fully present. Lighten your movement and go with the momentum.
Incorporating Flow Rolling
To get the full benefits of flow training, devote specific time to unstructured flow rolling consistently. Warmups, cooldowns, and open mats are great opportunities. Shorter structured flow drills can complement normal technical training.
Avoid viewing flow as simply moving wildly and randomly. There should be purpose and progression underlying the motion. Start implementing flow rolling step-by-step. Troubleshoot issues like flopping, tightness, and stagnation. Flowing well requires relaxation, feel, and vision.
Tips for Productive Flow Rolling
Here are some tips to ensure productive flow sessions:
- Clearly communicate rules and intentions beforehand
- Use with partners of relatively equal skill
- Gradually increase pace and intensity over time
- Provide guidance if things deteriorate into spazzing
- Ensure proper space and environment
- Focus on clean technique, not unrealistic scrambles
- Encourage experimentation and creativity
- Keep sessions short initially
With good partners and habits, flow training can greatly accelerate learning. Flow often highlights weaknesses and areas for improvement. Address these, then return to flowing. Consistent flow practice will produce noticeable grappling improvements.
Integrating Flow Rolling
To integrate flow rolling:
- Schedule dedicated flow sessions weekly
- Use flow drills to reinforce class techniques
- Include flow rounds during open mats
- Warm-up and cool down with flowing
- View flow as developmental, not just fun
- Match intensity and complexity to skills
- Provide oversight to ensure productivity
- Use flow to work on weaknesses
Make flowing a consistent part of training cycles. Monitor progress and make adjustments as needed. Flowing skills will transfer to live grappling over time.
Developing Flow Rolling at Different Levels
The approach to flow rolling may vary depending on the grappling skill level. Tailor the complexity and intensity to the abilities of those involved.
Flow Rolling for Beginners
For beginners, focus on:
- Mastering basic positions first
- Simple situational flow drills
- Providing more guidance and rules
- Troubleshooting any spazzing issues
- Keeping things slow with minimal resistance
- Chaining 2-3 techniques together
- Emphasizing positional awareness
Don’t overwhelm beginners. Keep flows simple and controlled. Ensure good habits and reactions develop. Provide oversight and feedback.
Flow Rolling for Advanced Students
For advanced students, focus on:
- Chaining techniques seamlessly
- Shifting between various positions
- Increasing pace and resistance gradually
- Allowing free exploration and improvisation
- Cultivating intuitive flowing skills
- Emphasizing rhythm and reactions
- Sparking creativity and innovation
Advanced students can handle more complex and dynamic flowing. Take off the training wheels and allow them to experiment. Provide feedback only when needed.
The Art of Flow Rolling
Flow rolling provides a fun, educational way for grapplers to expand their skills. The cooperative nature encourages exploration. Flow drills ingrain technique sequences through repetition. Over time, flowing can become a state of mind permeating all training. Dedicate time to regularly flow with intent and purpose. Embrace the learning process rather than chasing taps. Flow rolling complements normal sparring. Together they provide balanced development. Consistent flow training will improve reactions, timing, chaining, transitions, vision, rhythm, and more.
