How to deal with speed?!

Okay, this might not go down as a favourable idea but have you considered something like capoeira (sorry) or practicing / drilling to music so that you can get in the groove. I had 10yrs of capoeira before starting BJJ and it definitely helps me with speed and agility, even if it’s just learning a bit of jinga (the basic steps). Once you forget your stiffness and embarrassment of the unfamiliar moves and relax you start to move with a bit more ease. Put on some Marley and drill your backstep.

Bom Abraco, post: 63666, member: 34390

OK so little bit of background;

I'm 35 years old, 85kg, 175cm (5ft8ish), fresh blue belt after training maybe 18 months.
Strength wise I'm quite strong and CV is excellent as I've been in the military almost my entire life.
My flexibility isn't the best but I'm working on it. And I seem to get injuries quite a bit but nothing to drastic just yet (touch wood).

So onto my question;
I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall, I'm trying to focus on technique and keep going back to fundamentals when I get caught with something stupid but my main problem is, I just can't move as fast as some people. The lighter weights are moving running rings round me. For example, I'm try the stuff this week from the assignment (side control escapes) and when I feel like I'm making so progress. Wham they move so fast they are in a different place.

Is there a way to make myself faster? I feel like moving fast is how I've hurt my toes etc in the past. I see the purple belts in my gym and they can execute wheat they want at their own pace in a very deliberate manner. Anyone got any advice? Preferably someone with similar experience.

Thanks all.

In no gi it's slightly more difficult until you can grab a figure 4 bicep grip, kimura, tight overhook, or any other solid leg/arm entanglement. Once you can gain one of these they function the same as your gi grips in slowing the road runners to a grind where you can make deliberate and soul-crushing advances to impose your game on them.

I’d say if you’ve got your defensive structures down, then speed becomes less of an issue. Winning the grip fight is the first step, if you don’t then not being flat and having frames when you’re passed would be next. If you can learn to recognise when you’re past the point of no return and fall into defensive postures maybe that will give you the time/space to be applying the escaping techniques?

I agree with the advice above about grips and frames.
Another thing that can help you feel faster is timing and anticipation of their responses.
And that comes with time, drilling and mat time.

If this is in the gi then definitely a lapel-centered game. Very easy to negate/reduce movement then. No gi you could get really good at defensive positions. Its not 100% the same scenario but Neil Melanson said he developed his really good turtle offense when he was temporarily blind. He couldnt see anyone so he got really good at turtle because he could shell up and they would have to come to him on his terms and he could learn to attack once they locked themselves on to him. You could do something similar with your game. You limit their options so you can better predict and funnel their movements

You need to work on grips if you're doing gi, and the same thing would apply for nogi, but clinching without the kimono is a very effective way of slowing people down, in my opinion

Just keep rolling, man. The more rounds you get under your belt, the more you can anticipate the next move. Also understanding the basic concepts of controlling your opponent will help you understand what your opponent is trying to do with you.

Being able to control their movement will help slow them down, sounds obvious but it helps to think about it. Another thing to think about is if they're moving you are no longer needing to escape the position you were in. Use their movement to transition into a more advantageous position.