Chapter 7: Structure Your Own Gameplan

Building and improving upon a personal game plan involves reflecting on previous lessons and identifying movements that are most successful for individual physicality and preferences. Start by revisiting the list of preferred moves, ranking them from easiest to most difficult, and identifying which ones are most successful as standalone techniques or as intermediary movements within a sequence.

1. Label the movements to distinguish between successful standalone techniques and those better suited as intermediary movements within a sequence.
2. Organize the movements into subcategories: top, bottom, submissions, and standing positions. Look for patterns and combinations that naturally fit together.
3. If patterns are not immediately apparent, create a flowchart or diagram to visually map out potential chains and sequences.
4. Consider physical attributes and how they influence the game plan. For example, a wrestler with a strong double leg takedown might need to adapt their approach to avoid ending up in closed guard.
5. Identify obstacles within the game plan and strategize ways to bypass or overcome them, such as modifying the approach to a double leg takedown to set up for a leaping pass.
6. Examine personal experiences and recurring problems in matches to identify weak links in sequences that may need to be reconfigured or removed.
7. Use training sessions to test and refine sequences, identifying what is effective and what needs adjustment.
8. Be strategic and structured in the approach to building sequences, focusing on efficiency and effectiveness.
9. Recognize that not all techniques, even if preferred or encouraged, may fit into a competitive game plan. Prioritize moves that contribute to achieving set goals.

By methodically analyzing and structuring a game plan, one can identify the most effective sequences for their style and make necessary adjustments to optimize performance in competition.