So, I'm learning locks, and I'm working with a pretty highly ranked partner. He's also in excellent shape, is very strong and powerful, and generally speaking, should be a great partner.
He locks me up, it hurts - maybe a little more than it should because he went a shade too far, but that happens - I tap, it's my turn.
I lock him up, going to the point before you actually injure someone, and he doesn't respond. I try again, thinking maybe my technique is wrong or he needs me to go deeper (different people have different tolerance for pain after all) and he doesn't respond.
I ask for help from the instructor (also a large and highly ranked guy), who comes over, does the lock, and my partner moves... a little, might even tap once. He asks me to do the lock to my partner, who again, doesn't respond at all. The instructor is perplexed.
I put the same lock on instructor, who taps immediately.
AHA! I was probably doing the lock right!
My partner was an Overly Macho Guy.
You see, Overly Macho Guy will not show any weakness, pain, or give any ground when training. He claims he does it to be "realistic", when in actuality, he's forcing a situation that will require you to do the real deal, and actually injure him, before he'll admit the technique works on him.
I know you grapplers know exactly who I'm talking about. Overly Macho Guy will let you dislocate a joint or break something rather than tap out.
Overly Macho Guy will avoid pairing with women or people much smaller than him whenever possible. Being seen at any point allowing such people to be successful in learning the technique on him makes him feel like he is weak and worthless.
And we can't have that, even at the cost of being a terrible training partner.
Overly Macho Guy will resist any technique before you get a chance to even figure it out how it works. Then claim that the technique doesn't work, because you couldn't figure out how to apply it correctly the first time against full resistance. Anything less is not being "alive" enough.
Overly Macho Guy will unrealistically resist (as some techniques require a distraction of some sort) in order to prevent you from successfully doing a technique. Yes, he will pretend that a punch to the throat or an eye rake (which will at least give you a flinch response) didn't work at all, ever.
Overly Macho Guy, when sparring, will go as hard as he can, and show no mercy in his or her attack (his defense is can pretty weak, though, as he's all attack more often than not). Overly Macho Guy will be angry when he loses in point sparring, often expressing his displeasure for all to see.
Overly Macho Guy doesn't understand that training requires safety, and a little give and take, and not always going full power and speed, so that you can understand what you are being told. Most of us don't want to be physically injured when we train!
Overly Macho Guy is the one trying to be the so-called "alpha male" in the group, to the detriment of his training partners and himself. You can't learn if you're always perfect and unbeatable to begin with, and you can't help others learn if nothing ever works on you.
Overly Macho Guy's training is 100% about HIM.
I've used mostly male pronouns in this post. In my personal experience, I've met one female Overly Macho Guy. Most I've ever met have been dudes, however.
So tell me about YOUR run-ins with Overly Macho Guy. Are YOU, or have you been, an Overly Macho Guy? I'd love to hear your stories!
Use the "THAT GUY" category to find all of the THAT GUY posts on TSC!
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