Help with ‘cheap shots’?
Hey y’all!
Two stripe white belt here, I’ve been at my gym for over a year and wanted to ask the group if this behavior is normal/something I can avoid during sparring:
Three times in the last month, separate instances with different white belt men, I’ve gotten my opponent into my closed guard.
Instead of them trying to stand, remove my legs, etc. - they’ll go straight into elbow/forearm across my neck and press their whole weight into it. The last opponent pulled one side of my lapel across my neck and pushed into the mat (not a ‘lapel choke’ like I’ve experienced before from turtle or in side control).
Not to mention it’s extremely unpleasant (physically and mentally) and I feel like it halts the roll.
I want advice because it seems to only come from when I roll with white belt men and I’m not super familiar with DQ behavior outside of being reckless with joints.
I mentioned the first instance to my coach just because the choke wasn’t part of the drill and felt out of place for what we were supposed to be practicing. But now it feels like a pattern in regular sparring? So maybe choking is fair game and I need to improve something in my closed guard?
My last opponent apologized afterward because he said he felt “cheap” doing it - so maybe these guys are just panicking? (Hopefully a sign I’m improving LOL)
I’m interested in any tips or advice yall have! Thank you guys!!