We all would like to be better....no matter how long you've been on the mat, it's likely that you wish you were better than you currently are. Presumably, this is why you continue to show up, day after day, in the never-ending pursuit of improvement. So what are some tangible steps you can take to see a noticeable improvement in your Jiu-jitsu? Here's a list of a few things I think may help. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but it's a good place to start.
Show Up
This one should be obvious, but above everything else, this is by far THE MOST IMPORTANT thing that you HAVE to do if you want to improve. You have to be in class. Everyone has a life outside of the mat, and yes, things are going to come up sometimes that prevent you from getting in to train. But, if you're serious about getting better at Jiu-jitsu you have to make it a priority to come to class consistently. And, those days where you just don't feel like it are the times that it is even more important to make the effort to show up. You don't need to be on the mat 5 days/week. What is more important is that you make your attendance consistent. If you are a 2 day/week person, make sure that you are there those days. Make it a regular part of your schedule, just like going to work or school. If it is an option or something you will do "if you have time", you won't. Nobody has "free time"....we make time for the things that are important. And, when life gets in the way and there are legitimate reasons you can't make it in to train, don't stress over it. It's not the end of the world if you have to take a week off. Just get back on the mat and get after it.
First On/Last Off
Showing up for class is one thing....but making the most of that time is up to you. If you really want to get better, take responsibility for your own development. Make an effort to be the first one on the mat, and the last one off the mat. Try to squeeze every bit you can out of every training session. This is especially important if you are only able to train a couple times/week. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish in the 10 minutes before class starts, or by staying after to drill the move a few more times, or ask your instructor a question about a position you're having trouble with.
Take Notes
Maintaining a notebook is a great way to keep track of what you're working on in class, and help you to remember the details of techniques. Jiu-jitsu is too big and too complicated, and the magic of Jiu-jitsu is really in the fine details. So, anything you can do to help you recall what you went over in class is a great benefit. Keep your notes organized in a way that makes sense to you, and review them from time to time. Each time you go over a technique, review your notes and see what details you can add that you may have overlooked before. Just the process of writing down the moves you're working on will help to create connections that will help you to better remember the details of the technique.
Set Personal Goals
Train with a purpose. Set realistic, tangible, and achievable goals, and take actionable steps to achieve them. It could be something as simple as improving your cardio conditioning, cleaning up your diet, or really trying to figure out that sweep you've been struggling with. Write your goals down, and hold yourself accountable. Maybe your overall goal is to one day be a black belt in Jiu-jitsu. That's great! However, it's too big. You need to break your bigger goals down into more easily achievable steps, so you can really see the progress you are making. But, you should always be actively working on something. No matter how long you're on the mat, EVERYONE has things that they can improve on.
Work on Your Weak Areas
Your training sessions should be focused on improving, not on "winning". Remember, there really is no "winning" in the academy anyway. It's always fun and easy to do what we already do well. What is more difficult, and more important, is to focus your time and energy on the areas that you don't feel as comfortable with. But, that is the only way to improve on those weak areas. If you're focused on "winning", you're likely only doing positions that you already like, are already confident in, and that are your "go-to" moves. Force yourself into the spots where you are uncomfortable, and really explore the positions that you don't like so much. If you do this consistently, you will likely find that these weak areas will become your strong areas!
Don't Be Afraid to Fail
Nobody has gotten good at Jiu-jitsu without failing....a lot! We learn through failure. So, when a position doesn't work like you anticipate, when you tap, when you end up in a bad spot, recognize the mistake, and take it as a learning opportunity. It simply means that there is something a little off and you have room for improvement. Don't get frustrated, but pay attention to the mistakes, as they are very valuable. Try to pinpoint why the move didn't work or why you got caught, and take the opportunity to fix it! Failure is not a bad thing, as it is ultimately the recipe for success. However, don't be content to make the same mistakes over and over again, without addressing it. If you don't know, ASK!
Ask Questions
Most likely, when your instructor finishes explaining a position, or maybe at the end of the class, they will ask if there are any questions. This is usually met with an awkward silence as the students kind of just look around at each other. Asking relevant questions at appropriate times is extremely valuable, not only for you, but also for others in the class. Chances are, someone else has the same question, but they were afraid to ask. It is ok to admit that you don't know or don't understand something. It is way better to risk looking ignorant, than to continue to let the question go unanswered. Remember, being ignorant about a position or detail simply means that you haven't acquired the information yet. It is not a bad thing. Be honest with yourself and if you don't understand something ASK! Now, having said that, please DON'T be the person who asks about endless "what if" scenarios or questions about unrelated positions, or asks a bunch of questions about a position before even trying it. Do it first, to the best of your ability, and you may even answer your own question. It's ok to screw it up, that's how you learn. After you have drilled the position, if you still don't understand, then ask the question. Trust me, your instructor loves questions!
Attention to Detail
As mentioned previously, the real magic of Jiu-jitsu lies in the details! As you are drilling your techniques in class, try to be hyper-vigilant about drilling the move exactly the way your instructor showed it, really trying to soak in all the details of the position. Don't just go through the motions. Really try to pull the position apart, and analyze each part of the movement, trying to make your movement as smooth and clean as possible. Pay attention to your posture, balance, your entry points, and your positioning relative to your opponent. You will find that if you really pay attention to the details, your understanding of the moves, even the ones that you think you know well, will continue to evolve and grow deeper. One of the coolest things in Jiu-jitsu is "re-learning" a technique that you may have done for years, with a little different perspective.
Drill
You've probably heard the expression "drillers make killers". There is a lot of truth to that! You may have also heard "practice makes perfect"....that is ALMOST true. PERFECT practice makes perfect. The only way to develop your technique to develop a conditioned, automatic, reflexive response that you can replicate even under stress or pressure is through repetition. So drilling is very important. But drilling with a high degree of focus and attention to detail is necessary, so as not to build bad habits. The purpose of drilling is not to learn techniques. Rather, it is to engrain the techniques that you already know well to develop an automatic, conditioned response; to develop reflex so that these techniques flow smoothly and seamlessly, without conscious thought. Take one position that you are working on, and just get reps. And, you don't have to devote a huge amount of time to make a difference. You'd be amazed what you can accomplish with 10 minutes of focused effort.
Focus on Fundamentals
Jiu-jitsu is big. There's too much to learn. So you have to break it down into small, manageable parts. Sometimes, the process of learning Jiu-jitsu can be overwhelming, especially in the beginning. There is so much more access to information these days with books, instructional dvd's, Youtube, etc. It is hard to know what to focus on. My advice is, focus on developing solid fundamentals. Everything is build around the basics. You can't understand the more complex positions, without a solid foundation in the fundamentals. The fundamentals are time-tested & proven, and they are what you will fall back on under stress. Learn them, practice them, try to apply them in training. These are the techniques you will work on as long as you are on the mat, so embrace them & really try to pull them apart and understand them at a deeper level.
Look for Concepts
The longer you train, the more you will start to recognize similarities in positions that often, at first, seem like completely divergent ideas. The details of the specific techniques are important. But, the techniques are really only a guide to teach you the concepts. There are only so many ways to move and manipulate the human body. If you strive to understand things at a a more conceptual level, you will start to tie things together and fill in the gaps. The specific techniques teach you the concepts. The concepts apply across the board. And the better you understand the specific details of the techniques, the more you will start to see the bigger picture, and things will start to make more sense.
Make the Most of Training Time
Most of us don't have the luxury of being on the mat every single day. As much as we may want to, we all have other responsibilities off the mat. So, if you're only able to train a couple times a week, it is vitally important that you make the most of those precious hours you have on the mat. Jiu-jitsu is a great way to escape from the stresses of everyday life. So, try not to bring those things into the academy. Come through the door ready to focus on learning Jiu-jitsu for that hour or two that you are there. Pay attention in class; really listen. Try to pick up on every detail that your instructor is explaining. And utilize the time you have to get as many quality reps of whatever you are working on. Don't stand around idly waiting for your instructor to show the next move. Don't do the move until you get it right; Do it until you can't get it wrong! Don't waste time with unnecessary talking. Of course, the social aspect of training is very important, and you should be having fun when you train. You can socialize after class. But, when it's time to train, train with a purpose. Just being physically present isn't enough. If you want to see real progress, it is on you to make the most of every moment on the mat.
Spar
Live training is one of the MOST important aspects of learning Jiu-jitsu. It is where you really start to understand the timing, sensitivity, and feel for the techniques. Training with a live partner under resistance is one of the primary things that makes Jiu-jitsu such an effective self defense art. There is no way around it. If you're not sparring, you're not really learning Jiu-jitsu. If you're new, start slow. Once you're able to start sparring, work with the more experienced students who can guide you and give you just the right amount of resistance in the beginning. Sparring doesn't mean you have to be going at 100% all out effort. In fact, this should not be the case most of the time. But you need to get the feel of live movement with some level of resistance. The pace and resistance can be adjusted as you have more experience. Be okay with "losing" in training (because really it's just learning), tap early and often, and try not to over exert yourself. Breathe, relax, and try to focus on making every movement matter. Efficiency is the key! Most of all, have fun! Often new students are very reluctant when it comes to live training. You can focus on simple, specific positional sparring at first until you feel more comfortable. You will likely find, after some time on the mat, that sparring is one of the most fun parts of training!
One More Round
An important part of training Jiu-jitsu is learning to push past your comfort zone, and to be able to relax, and be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Physical conditioning is an important aspect of being able to effectively defend yourself, and one of the best ways to improve your conditioning is through sparring. Everyone reaches the point eventually where they feel completely exhausted, and they're just done. When you get to that point, try to do one more round. You don't have to go fast, or hard, just try to survive. You get the most benefit, from a conditioning standpoint, when you're pushing past your perceived limit, and you're also conditioning yourself mentally to not give up when you're tired. It's a good idea to train when you're physically tired also, because it forces you to use better technique, because you don't have the physical capactiy to use brute force to get the job done. Just try to make yourself do one more round. You will find soon that you're able to relax more under pressure, and you will be able to do multiple rounds without exhausting so quickly. Remember, if you can't fight when you're tired, then you can't fight!
Trust
Trust in the process of learning Jiu-jitsu. It's not easy. It takes a long time to get "good". You will struggle. You will get frustrated. Just keep going. The only way you can fail is if you quit. All of the upper belts that you look up to were once beginners who were just as incompetent and confused as you may feel that you are. Just keep showing up. It does get easier and it does make more sense. Trust in your instructor. You may not understand the "why" of what they are telling you right now, but if you stick with it, it will make more sense later. They have your best interest at heart. So, especially in the beginning, you don't need to understand why. Just trust. Also, trust in yourself. Have the confidence to try, be willing to take the chance to fail, and learn from it. You're not as bad as you may think you are. Do you have room for improvement? Yes, absolutely, we all do, no matter how long you do this. But just trust in yourself, your teammates, your instructor, and trust in Jiu-jitsu!
Don't Be Satisfied
There is no finish line in Jiu-jitsu. You can always get better. Just as I said you're not as bad as you think, you're also not as good as you think either! There is someone out there who is better, and no matter how long you do this, there is likely someone who can make you feel like a complete beginner on the mat. Stay engaged, always be working towards your next goal, and stay hungry to improve. Don't become complacent and assume you're "good enough". Try to become a better version of yourself every single day, and the long term rewards will be immense. Train for you, and keep pushing forward!
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
White Belt Mindset
In many ways, the white belt is the best belt in Jiu-jitsu. It's a clean slate, there are no expectations. You're expected to mess things up and there is no pressure. In addition, everything is brand new, so the learning process is very engaging and exciting! Often when people start training, they are very eager to make it to the next belt so that they are no longer considered a "beginner". However, many new blue belts quickly discover that with that next belt comes added pressure to perform at a certain level of proficiency, and an expectation that they are familiar with fundamental techniques. A lot of this "pressure" is self-imposed, and it can be a good tool for further growth if approached with the right mentality. However, I think it is also a big part of the reason that many students end up quitting training around blue belt. It is a very common syndrome in many Jiu-jitsu academies.
As you progress in Jiu-jitsu, you will get to a point where you've seen most of it before. In the upper ranks, it will become rare to see something completely new that you've never been exposed to before. Some of the initial excitement you had as a new student can begin to fade as you get into the routine of training. Becoming proficient in Jiu-jitsu requires consistent drilling of the fundamental techniques over and over again to develop timing and reflex. So, how do you keep training fun and exciting and not get bored with the repetition of the daily grind? I believe that the key is in your mental approach to training. Try to maintain the white belt mindset.
When you are in class and the instructor is showing a technique that you are already familiar with, don't tune out and assume that you already know that move. Rather, take the approach of the white belt. Try to really focus on the details of the movement. If you've already done the move before and you have the general concept of the movement, you have more capacity to try to understand the movement at a much higher level of detail. The secret to the moves of Jiu-jitsu are in the fine details. Students will never understand these fine details the first few times that they do the move. But as you have a lot more experience with the technique, you can more easily start to understand the deeper concepts of the technique. Try it in live training, pull it apart, really analyze every part of the position. See where it fails, work on the entry points, the follow ups. When you can successfully replicate the technique in live training with every single person on the mat, then you know it pretty well. Don't assume that you already know it all. There is ALWAYS room for improvement!
One of the coolest things about Jiu-jitsu is how you can work on a move for 10 plus years, and one day, pick up another small detail that completely changes your perspective on the technique and makes it more efficient. I just got back from a weekend of training with Royce Gracie, Royler Gracie, Crosley Gracie, Leticia Ribeiro, Fabricio Camoes, and many other Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belts from all over the world during our annual Royce Gracie Jiu-jitsu Network gathering. This is such a valuable experience to share the mat with so many other like minded people. Outside of the opportunity to network and spend time with such an amazing group of people, every single time I attend an event like this, I walk away with just a few small details that make the entire trip worthwhile. These are like little nuggets of gold, and are invaluable! As you get more experience on the mat, it is easy to think that you already know it. This type of thinking will cause you to miss opportunities to pick up on these small details. Try to maintain a white belt mindset, be humble enough to look at things from a different perspective, and don't be hindered by your pre-conceived notions of a particular technique or concept. Jiu-jitsu is infinite! Learn from everyone, keep an open mind, pay attention to the details, and you can maintain the excitement of training Jiu-jitsu for your entire life!
As you progress in Jiu-jitsu, you will get to a point where you've seen most of it before. In the upper ranks, it will become rare to see something completely new that you've never been exposed to before. Some of the initial excitement you had as a new student can begin to fade as you get into the routine of training. Becoming proficient in Jiu-jitsu requires consistent drilling of the fundamental techniques over and over again to develop timing and reflex. So, how do you keep training fun and exciting and not get bored with the repetition of the daily grind? I believe that the key is in your mental approach to training. Try to maintain the white belt mindset.
When you are in class and the instructor is showing a technique that you are already familiar with, don't tune out and assume that you already know that move. Rather, take the approach of the white belt. Try to really focus on the details of the movement. If you've already done the move before and you have the general concept of the movement, you have more capacity to try to understand the movement at a much higher level of detail. The secret to the moves of Jiu-jitsu are in the fine details. Students will never understand these fine details the first few times that they do the move. But as you have a lot more experience with the technique, you can more easily start to understand the deeper concepts of the technique. Try it in live training, pull it apart, really analyze every part of the position. See where it fails, work on the entry points, the follow ups. When you can successfully replicate the technique in live training with every single person on the mat, then you know it pretty well. Don't assume that you already know it all. There is ALWAYS room for improvement!
One of the coolest things about Jiu-jitsu is how you can work on a move for 10 plus years, and one day, pick up another small detail that completely changes your perspective on the technique and makes it more efficient. I just got back from a weekend of training with Royce Gracie, Royler Gracie, Crosley Gracie, Leticia Ribeiro, Fabricio Camoes, and many other Gracie Jiu-jitsu black belts from all over the world during our annual Royce Gracie Jiu-jitsu Network gathering. This is such a valuable experience to share the mat with so many other like minded people. Outside of the opportunity to network and spend time with such an amazing group of people, every single time I attend an event like this, I walk away with just a few small details that make the entire trip worthwhile. These are like little nuggets of gold, and are invaluable! As you get more experience on the mat, it is easy to think that you already know it. This type of thinking will cause you to miss opportunities to pick up on these small details. Try to maintain a white belt mindset, be humble enough to look at things from a different perspective, and don't be hindered by your pre-conceived notions of a particular technique or concept. Jiu-jitsu is infinite! Learn from everyone, keep an open mind, pay attention to the details, and you can maintain the excitement of training Jiu-jitsu for your entire life!
Sunday, September 15, 2019
How to Make Lemonade....Dealing with Injuries in Jiu-jitsu
We all know that practicing Jiu-jitsu has some amazing benefits. However, nothing in this life is free, and you can't get the benefit from practicing Jiu-jitsu without some potential risk of injury. Of course, we do everything that we can to avoid taking injuries on the mat. However, if you do this long enough, chances are, you will, at some point, have to deal with the reality of an injury. Injuries can range from mildly annoying, to catastrophic. Hopefully we avoid any major injuries, but even a minor injury has the potential to have a detrimental effect on your training....if you let it. The reality is, MOST injuries should not take you off the mat entirely, and MOST injuries can easily be worked around. And, you will often find that, if you approach it with the right mindset, an injury can sometimes be a blessing in disguise. When life on the mat gives you lemons, learn how to make lemonade!
First, understand the difference between being SORE and being INJURED. Especially if you are newer to Jiu-jitsu, you WILL be sore. Even if you are in great physical shape, your body is not used to moving in the ways demanded by Jiu-jitsu practice. Even for those who have been training for a long time, occasional soreness, bumps, and bruises are a reality of training from time to time. If you are new, take it slow. Your body will naturally adapt to the training, and you will find that, in general, your overall soreness level should decrease the longer you train. Sometimes, the best way to deal with this soreness is to get back on the mat and train. This will usually reduce the duration of any residual soreness. However, you have to listen to your body. Overtraining is a thing. It is ok to take a day or two off from time to time. In some cases, you may need to take a week off to recoup. Try to avoid taking multiple weeks off the mat. The longer you are out of training, the harder it becomes to get back on the mat. Training is a habit. So is not training. All too often, I've seen students who take an extended "break" from training ultimately quit altogether, despite the best of intentions.
Now, if you are injured, you need to determine the severity of the injury. For minor injuries and soreness, use the RICE formula-Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation. A major injury will likely need to be seen by a medical professional. I recommend finding a good sports medicine doctor, who is familiar with these types of activities and injuries, and can give you a realistic expectation of what your limitations are and if you need to take time off completely or if you can work around the injured area. Keep in mind, most doctors lean towards being ultra conservative with regard to taking time off of training. More than anything, you know what you are capable of, so let common sense and experience guide you. A good general physical fitness regimen, proper hydration, supplementation and a proper stretching routine can help to prevent many injuries and manage chronic injuries.
If you do have a major injury, make sure to talk to your instructor and let them know, and see what recommendations they have. In most cases, you can still do something productive, so don't automatically assume you need to take weeks off of the mat. It is very likely, with most injuries, that your instructor can help guide you in ways that you can work around the injured area without further aggravating it, while still making progress and staying on the mat. If this is the case, make sure that you take reasonable measures to protect the injured area (tape, braces, etc) and make sure to inform your training partners, so that they know to help you protect the injured area as well. In some cases, it may not be prudent for you to participate in live sparring, but you can often still drill technique at a controlled pace. I personally have been on the mat in crutches; I've been on the mat in a cast... Obviously, use common sense and don't further aggravate an injury. However, don't let it become an excuse to miss training either. Show up to class, put your gi on, step on the mat, and do what you can, within reason.
It is very often the case that students who find a way to safely train through an injury will find that the injury actually benefits them in the long run. Sometimes if forces them to work on other areas that they may not be as comfortable with, or to work on the other side of the body. For example, if you have a leg injury, you may not be able to safely work on takedowns or guard work. But, you CAN work on defending from bottom side mount. Usually there is SOMETHING that you can do.
In the rare circumstance that you feel you are unable to physically participate at all, I HIGHLY recommend still showing up to class. Don't make it an excuse. Even if you can't physically train, you can still learn a tremendous amount by watching class and taking notes. Often, it will give you a different perspective. Watch how the instructor teaches the class, pay attention to the details. Sometimes only being able to watch and visualize yourself going through the move in your head will actually help you to pick up on small details you may have otherwise missed. Watch as the instructor goes around the room and makes corrections to other students during drilling. When you're on the mat physically practicing the move, you are usually only focusing on yourself and your partner. You probably won't see the small correction that the instructor gives to the people on the other side of the room that you may very well be able to benefit from as well. When you are watching class, you get to see all of this.
In addition, showing up when you are injured helps keep you engaged with the rest of the team, and keeps you in the habit of coming to the academy. Remember, you are not just training for yourself, you are training for your teammates as well. So don't skip class just because you're injured. We should always be training with a mindset of mutual welfare and benefit. Be there for your training partners. You may be able to help them out even if you are physically limited.
Roberto "Gordo" Correa, a well known Jiu-jitsu black belt, is widely credited for the development of the modern half guard position, to a much higher level than it had ever previously been utilized. What some people may not know, however, is that this development was actually due to an injury! When Gordo was a purple belt, he sustained a serious knee injury that could have kept him out of training entirely. However, he decided to return to the mat and make the best of his situation. Because he was not able to effectively utilize the full guard position, he instead adapted his training from the bottom position to focus on controlling only one of his opponent's legs, and thus developed a highly effective system of attack and defense from the half guard position, which is now a staple of most Jiu-jitsu practitioners arsenal. Without having sustained this injury, it is unlikely that he would have been forced to think outside the box in this way and developed this position to such a degree.
So, the next time life on the mat gives you a bunch of lemons in the form of an injury, try to find creative ways that you can adapt and overcome, and turn it into a positive. Learn to make lemonade!
Now, if you are injured, you need to determine the severity of the injury. For minor injuries and soreness, use the RICE formula-Rest, Ice, Compression, & Elevation. A major injury will likely need to be seen by a medical professional. I recommend finding a good sports medicine doctor, who is familiar with these types of activities and injuries, and can give you a realistic expectation of what your limitations are and if you need to take time off completely or if you can work around the injured area. Keep in mind, most doctors lean towards being ultra conservative with regard to taking time off of training. More than anything, you know what you are capable of, so let common sense and experience guide you. A good general physical fitness regimen, proper hydration, supplementation and a proper stretching routine can help to prevent many injuries and manage chronic injuries.
If you do have a major injury, make sure to talk to your instructor and let them know, and see what recommendations they have. In most cases, you can still do something productive, so don't automatically assume you need to take weeks off of the mat. It is very likely, with most injuries, that your instructor can help guide you in ways that you can work around the injured area without further aggravating it, while still making progress and staying on the mat. If this is the case, make sure that you take reasonable measures to protect the injured area (tape, braces, etc) and make sure to inform your training partners, so that they know to help you protect the injured area as well. In some cases, it may not be prudent for you to participate in live sparring, but you can often still drill technique at a controlled pace. I personally have been on the mat in crutches; I've been on the mat in a cast... Obviously, use common sense and don't further aggravate an injury. However, don't let it become an excuse to miss training either. Show up to class, put your gi on, step on the mat, and do what you can, within reason.
It is very often the case that students who find a way to safely train through an injury will find that the injury actually benefits them in the long run. Sometimes if forces them to work on other areas that they may not be as comfortable with, or to work on the other side of the body. For example, if you have a leg injury, you may not be able to safely work on takedowns or guard work. But, you CAN work on defending from bottom side mount. Usually there is SOMETHING that you can do.
In the rare circumstance that you feel you are unable to physically participate at all, I HIGHLY recommend still showing up to class. Don't make it an excuse. Even if you can't physically train, you can still learn a tremendous amount by watching class and taking notes. Often, it will give you a different perspective. Watch how the instructor teaches the class, pay attention to the details. Sometimes only being able to watch and visualize yourself going through the move in your head will actually help you to pick up on small details you may have otherwise missed. Watch as the instructor goes around the room and makes corrections to other students during drilling. When you're on the mat physically practicing the move, you are usually only focusing on yourself and your partner. You probably won't see the small correction that the instructor gives to the people on the other side of the room that you may very well be able to benefit from as well. When you are watching class, you get to see all of this.
In addition, showing up when you are injured helps keep you engaged with the rest of the team, and keeps you in the habit of coming to the academy. Remember, you are not just training for yourself, you are training for your teammates as well. So don't skip class just because you're injured. We should always be training with a mindset of mutual welfare and benefit. Be there for your training partners. You may be able to help them out even if you are physically limited.
Roberto "Gordo" Correa, a well known Jiu-jitsu black belt, is widely credited for the development of the modern half guard position, to a much higher level than it had ever previously been utilized. What some people may not know, however, is that this development was actually due to an injury! When Gordo was a purple belt, he sustained a serious knee injury that could have kept him out of training entirely. However, he decided to return to the mat and make the best of his situation. Because he was not able to effectively utilize the full guard position, he instead adapted his training from the bottom position to focus on controlling only one of his opponent's legs, and thus developed a highly effective system of attack and defense from the half guard position, which is now a staple of most Jiu-jitsu practitioners arsenal. Without having sustained this injury, it is unlikely that he would have been forced to think outside the box in this way and developed this position to such a degree.
So, the next time life on the mat gives you a bunch of lemons in the form of an injury, try to find creative ways that you can adapt and overcome, and turn it into a positive. Learn to make lemonade!
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Mutual Welfare & Benefit
There is a Japanese term, "Jita Kyoei", which translates as "mutual welfare & benefit". This is a fundamental principle of martial arts training, which was formally adopted and made doctrine by Judo founder Jigoro Kano. Judo, as you may know, is a form of martial arts that grew out of Jiu-jitsu, emphasizing more sportive practices, and a treatment of the practice of martial arts as a "way of life" or "Do" in Japanese. However, the philosophical principles that were formalized by Kano have always been a part of Jiu-jitsu practice. This concept can be understood in many different ways, both on and off the mat.
The reality is, for us to effectively practice Jiu-jitsu, we need training partners. Therefore, it is for everyone's welfare and benefit to cultivate good training partners, and to contribute to the overall well being of the training academy. There are many facets to the concept of "mutual welfare & benefit". A very rudimentary example can be seen in how we drill techniques. If you are working on drilling a new move with your partner and you apply full resistance, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for your partner to learn how to do the move correctly. Of course, one of the things that makes Jiu-jitsu so effective is live training with resistance. However, it is very difficult to learn techniques in this manner. We need to first learn the techniques working with a cooperative partner, who is feeding us the position, and giving good feedback so that we can make adjustments to the technique. This practice benefits both training partners.
You are on the mat to get better at Jiu-jitsu. But, you should also focus on trying to make your training partners as good at Jiu-jitsu as possible too. Remember what it was like to be a white belt. Help the people who are coming up below you. Yes, you are helping them, but you are also helping yourself! The new student who walks in the door today could become one of your best training partners in the future. It is your job to help cultivate this. Even if you are newer on the mat, you can help your training partners, and the academy, just by showing up! The more bodies we have on the mat, the more fun training is, and the more different training partners everyone has available. Regardless of how long you've been training, YOU are an integral part of the team.
Loyalty is an important, and often misunderstood concept in the martial arts. Loyalty is not something that is demanded, it is something that is freely given, out of gratitude. I have loyalty to my instructors and my team, not because it is asked of me, but because I am grateful for all that they have done for me. What I have been given through martial arts training can not be bought. Yes, I have personally invested countless thousands of dollars over the years for tuition, private classes, seminars, uniforms & equipment, etc. But, I cannot put a price on what I have gained through the years of training. I personally feel a tremendous sense of gratitude to those who have helped me along the way, and the best way to compensate them is to not only give them my loyalty, but also to pay forward to others the many valuable lessons that were given to me.
When former President John F. Kennedy said famously in one of his speeches, "Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country..." he was speaking of the concept of mutual welfare and benefit. I recommend everyone to take this approach within your academy. If you are training at an academy that you find to be a good environment for you and you value the instruction that you receive, make it your personal mission to make you academy the best training environment for everyone. Spread the word with your friends and invite them in to try out a class. Help out when you can, whether that means emptying a trash can when you see it needs it, staying after class to help clean the mats, helping greet a new prospective student who walks in the door, helping a new student on their first day of class, helping out with the kids classes, etc. Be an active participant in team functions and events. And most importantly, BE THERE. Make a real effort to be a consistent part of the team. Not because it is demanded, but because you want to. Ultimately, it will all come back to you with interest! I am constantly amazed by the quality of people that share our mats and the numerous examples of this type of behavior I see on a daily basis!
What you get out of training is directly proportional to what you put into it. You can certainly take the approach, as some people do, that being a member of the academy is simply paying your tuition and showing up when you want. After all, you are paying for a service that is being provided. While that is true, I have never seen people who take this type of an approach make is long term in Jiu-jitsu. I promise, if you go the extra step, and really make a concerted effort to not just support your academy and instructor financially so that they can continue to provide the type of training environment that you want, but also share your time and talents, as you are able to, with your academy and your teammates, you will reap great benefit in the long run. YOU are an important part of the team. An academy is not the building or the mats, it is not the instructor. It is the people that make up the team!
In any academy, there is a "core" group of students, and then there are also those who just show up occasionally. That is not determined by the instructor. It is up to the students. In any reputable academy, the instructor doesn't play favorites. Rather, they have the highest hopes that each and every student that walks through the door will fall in love with being on the mat, and they look forward to helping everyone achieve their individual goals and maximize their potential. It is up to you which group you want to be part of. Your time on the mat, can become part of that core group. Anyone, regardless of your time on the mat, can become part of that core group. All you have to do is put forth the effort. Show up regularly, help your training partners and help your academy, participate in team events and be a leader in your academy. If you don't feel you're ready yet to take on a leadership role, just be a good follower first. You will find that the more you become invested in your teammates and your academy, the more it will benefit you-Mutual Welfare & Benefit.
The concept of Jita Kyoei extends beyond the walls of the academy. It is important in any group of people with a common goal, from something as small as a family, to an entire nation, or even an entire planet! As true martial artists, we strive not only to develop effective fighting skills, but more importantly to become better humans. Become a positive influence in your academy, in your family, in your community, in your world. Be the person that picks up that piece of trash someone else left behind, the person that holds the door open for someone else, or returns their shopping cart, the person who lets someone merge in traffic; Be the person that goes out of their way to help someone else out, without expecting anything in return. But, if you make it your practice to do these types of little things that can benefit your fellow human beings, the return on your investment will be very rewarding, indeed!
The reality is, for us to effectively practice Jiu-jitsu, we need training partners. Therefore, it is for everyone's welfare and benefit to cultivate good training partners, and to contribute to the overall well being of the training academy. There are many facets to the concept of "mutual welfare & benefit". A very rudimentary example can be seen in how we drill techniques. If you are working on drilling a new move with your partner and you apply full resistance, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for your partner to learn how to do the move correctly. Of course, one of the things that makes Jiu-jitsu so effective is live training with resistance. However, it is very difficult to learn techniques in this manner. We need to first learn the techniques working with a cooperative partner, who is feeding us the position, and giving good feedback so that we can make adjustments to the technique. This practice benefits both training partners.
You are on the mat to get better at Jiu-jitsu. But, you should also focus on trying to make your training partners as good at Jiu-jitsu as possible too. Remember what it was like to be a white belt. Help the people who are coming up below you. Yes, you are helping them, but you are also helping yourself! The new student who walks in the door today could become one of your best training partners in the future. It is your job to help cultivate this. Even if you are newer on the mat, you can help your training partners, and the academy, just by showing up! The more bodies we have on the mat, the more fun training is, and the more different training partners everyone has available. Regardless of how long you've been training, YOU are an integral part of the team.
Loyalty is an important, and often misunderstood concept in the martial arts. Loyalty is not something that is demanded, it is something that is freely given, out of gratitude. I have loyalty to my instructors and my team, not because it is asked of me, but because I am grateful for all that they have done for me. What I have been given through martial arts training can not be bought. Yes, I have personally invested countless thousands of dollars over the years for tuition, private classes, seminars, uniforms & equipment, etc. But, I cannot put a price on what I have gained through the years of training. I personally feel a tremendous sense of gratitude to those who have helped me along the way, and the best way to compensate them is to not only give them my loyalty, but also to pay forward to others the many valuable lessons that were given to me.
When former President John F. Kennedy said famously in one of his speeches, "Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country..." he was speaking of the concept of mutual welfare and benefit. I recommend everyone to take this approach within your academy. If you are training at an academy that you find to be a good environment for you and you value the instruction that you receive, make it your personal mission to make you academy the best training environment for everyone. Spread the word with your friends and invite them in to try out a class. Help out when you can, whether that means emptying a trash can when you see it needs it, staying after class to help clean the mats, helping greet a new prospective student who walks in the door, helping a new student on their first day of class, helping out with the kids classes, etc. Be an active participant in team functions and events. And most importantly, BE THERE. Make a real effort to be a consistent part of the team. Not because it is demanded, but because you want to. Ultimately, it will all come back to you with interest! I am constantly amazed by the quality of people that share our mats and the numerous examples of this type of behavior I see on a daily basis!
What you get out of training is directly proportional to what you put into it. You can certainly take the approach, as some people do, that being a member of the academy is simply paying your tuition and showing up when you want. After all, you are paying for a service that is being provided. While that is true, I have never seen people who take this type of an approach make is long term in Jiu-jitsu. I promise, if you go the extra step, and really make a concerted effort to not just support your academy and instructor financially so that they can continue to provide the type of training environment that you want, but also share your time and talents, as you are able to, with your academy and your teammates, you will reap great benefit in the long run. YOU are an important part of the team. An academy is not the building or the mats, it is not the instructor. It is the people that make up the team!
In any academy, there is a "core" group of students, and then there are also those who just show up occasionally. That is not determined by the instructor. It is up to the students. In any reputable academy, the instructor doesn't play favorites. Rather, they have the highest hopes that each and every student that walks through the door will fall in love with being on the mat, and they look forward to helping everyone achieve their individual goals and maximize their potential. It is up to you which group you want to be part of. Your time on the mat, can become part of that core group. Anyone, regardless of your time on the mat, can become part of that core group. All you have to do is put forth the effort. Show up regularly, help your training partners and help your academy, participate in team events and be a leader in your academy. If you don't feel you're ready yet to take on a leadership role, just be a good follower first. You will find that the more you become invested in your teammates and your academy, the more it will benefit you-Mutual Welfare & Benefit.
The concept of Jita Kyoei extends beyond the walls of the academy. It is important in any group of people with a common goal, from something as small as a family, to an entire nation, or even an entire planet! As true martial artists, we strive not only to develop effective fighting skills, but more importantly to become better humans. Become a positive influence in your academy, in your family, in your community, in your world. Be the person that picks up that piece of trash someone else left behind, the person that holds the door open for someone else, or returns their shopping cart, the person who lets someone merge in traffic; Be the person that goes out of their way to help someone else out, without expecting anything in return. But, if you make it your practice to do these types of little things that can benefit your fellow human beings, the return on your investment will be very rewarding, indeed!
Monday, July 15, 2019
Mastery & the Value of Repetition
You may have heard the quote "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit". Regardless of the controversy surrounding where this saying actually got its origin, it still bears out a lot of truth. And so it is with Jiu-jitsu. After spending years, perhaps decades on the mat, Jiu-jitsu is not just something you do. It becomes a part of you. The art of Jiu-jitsu is extremely complex. It is for this reason that, many beginners struggle just to start to comprehend the basic positions. If you are going to truly devote yourself to learning Jiu-jitsu, you are committing yourself to a lifelong study. So how do you even start to approach something so potentially overwhelming? The answer for how you get "good" at a particular technique or position is the same, whether you just stepped on the mat for the first time, or have been training for many years-repetition.
One of the hardest things to develop in Jiu-jitsu is reflex; an automatic response to a given stimulus. This is the idea of "Mushin" (literally "no mind" in Japanese), a kind of a flow state where your body reacts without conscious thought. The ONLY way to ingrain this type of response is through thousands of repetitions. However, often times, students work on a move or a position at a much lower level, and that is simply learning how to perform the move. Often times, once they can perform the movement smoothly and completely, they feel that they "know it". While this may be true on a very rudimentary level, really knowing the move means developing not only the ability to perform it under stress with a variety of different body types and different levels of resistance, but having it become automatic, so that you can perform it with no thought. And understanding the details and concepts that make the move work, as well as all of the variations that can occur. And, understanding the move completely means also understand the counter to the move, and where to go when it fails!
One of my favorite quotes regarding Jiu-jitsu training comes from Rickson Gracie, when he said, "Don't do the move until you get it right....do the move until you can't get it wrong!" Herein lies the secret to getting "good" at a particular movement or sequence....it really isn't a secret at all. It's just that most people aren't willing to put in the work. It's all about repetitions. A good example is former UFC Champion and Judo Olympian Rhonda Rousey. She is very renowned for her ability to successfully apply the armbar on most of her opponents, to a point that it appears almost unstoppable. However, what many people don't know, is that her mother, who was also a Judo black belt, had her practice something like 100 armbars every single day, as a part of her daily routine, from the time she was a young child. It is almost impossible, then, for her NOT to have an awesome armbar.
This same mentality can be applied to almost any position or technique. If you want to be really good at a particular position, put in the time. Drilling is NOT the same as learning. Learning the move is the first phase. Drilling the move means repeating it over and over AFTER you have learned it well, in order to develop muscle memory & reflex, so that you can perform it automatically and seemlessly, even under stress. It is said that, in order to master any physical skill, it takes, on average, about 10,000 repetitions. This is why developing "mastery" of something as complicated as Jiu-jitsu takes a lifetime.
In the beginning stages of Jiu-jitsu, everything is very new and exciting. Every time you show up to the academy, you are learning some new move. However, if you stick with it long enough (and hopefully you will), that will start to wane. Over time, once you get into the upper ranks, it will be rare for you to see something completely new that you haven't ever seen before. However, if you can look at the techniques that you already know through new eyes, trying to always glean another detail and refine your understanding, training never gets boring. Approach training a move you already "know" more as drilling, to refine your technique and develop reflex.
There is no secret to getting good at Jiu-jitsu. Just show up consistently, train hard, and get lots of repetition. That's it. If you can do those things, everything else will fall into place. Oh, and one more thing....DON'T QUIT!!
One of the hardest things to develop in Jiu-jitsu is reflex; an automatic response to a given stimulus. This is the idea of "Mushin" (literally "no mind" in Japanese), a kind of a flow state where your body reacts without conscious thought. The ONLY way to ingrain this type of response is through thousands of repetitions. However, often times, students work on a move or a position at a much lower level, and that is simply learning how to perform the move. Often times, once they can perform the movement smoothly and completely, they feel that they "know it". While this may be true on a very rudimentary level, really knowing the move means developing not only the ability to perform it under stress with a variety of different body types and different levels of resistance, but having it become automatic, so that you can perform it with no thought. And understanding the details and concepts that make the move work, as well as all of the variations that can occur. And, understanding the move completely means also understand the counter to the move, and where to go when it fails!
One of my favorite quotes regarding Jiu-jitsu training comes from Rickson Gracie, when he said, "Don't do the move until you get it right....do the move until you can't get it wrong!" Herein lies the secret to getting "good" at a particular movement or sequence....it really isn't a secret at all. It's just that most people aren't willing to put in the work. It's all about repetitions. A good example is former UFC Champion and Judo Olympian Rhonda Rousey. She is very renowned for her ability to successfully apply the armbar on most of her opponents, to a point that it appears almost unstoppable. However, what many people don't know, is that her mother, who was also a Judo black belt, had her practice something like 100 armbars every single day, as a part of her daily routine, from the time she was a young child. It is almost impossible, then, for her NOT to have an awesome armbar.
This same mentality can be applied to almost any position or technique. If you want to be really good at a particular position, put in the time. Drilling is NOT the same as learning. Learning the move is the first phase. Drilling the move means repeating it over and over AFTER you have learned it well, in order to develop muscle memory & reflex, so that you can perform it automatically and seemlessly, even under stress. It is said that, in order to master any physical skill, it takes, on average, about 10,000 repetitions. This is why developing "mastery" of something as complicated as Jiu-jitsu takes a lifetime.
In the beginning stages of Jiu-jitsu, everything is very new and exciting. Every time you show up to the academy, you are learning some new move. However, if you stick with it long enough (and hopefully you will), that will start to wane. Over time, once you get into the upper ranks, it will be rare for you to see something completely new that you haven't ever seen before. However, if you can look at the techniques that you already know through new eyes, trying to always glean another detail and refine your understanding, training never gets boring. Approach training a move you already "know" more as drilling, to refine your technique and develop reflex.
There is no secret to getting good at Jiu-jitsu. Just show up consistently, train hard, and get lots of repetition. That's it. If you can do those things, everything else will fall into place. Oh, and one more thing....DON'T QUIT!!
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Ritual, Ceremony, and Culture in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Every Jiu-jitsu academy is different, and of course, every instructor is entitled to do as they best see fit for their students. This month, I wanted to talk a little bit about why we do things the way that we do at our academy, and the reasons for some of the way that our classes are structured.
The practice of martial arts has a rich history of respect & discipline. A lot of this can be attributed to the culture in which they developed. While fighting arts have been developed all over the world since the beginning of recorded history, they really were most highly developed, organized, and perpetuated by the Japanese, and it is here where Jiu-jitsu has its origins as well. The Japanese culture and the martial arts culture are inseparable. Since the Feudal era in Japan, the warrior class, known as Samurai, developed a moral and ethical code, known as Bushido, which determined the right course of action, not only in battle, but in everyday life. Even back then, it was recognized that possessing deadly fighting skills came with a responsibility to live in a righteous manner. This warrior code lives on today, through our Jiu-jitsu philosophy, represented in part by our 7-5-3 code.
As the Feudal era in Japan came to an end, the culture and philosophy in which these martial arts originated remained very much in tact, and is still very pervasive in Japanese society. It is a culture of order, structure, cleanliness, politeness, and respect.
As Jiu-jitsu made its way from Japan to Brazil, the culture of the art changed. Brazilian society is very different than that of Japan. The Brazilian culture, in large part, does not have the "formality" that Japanese society does. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, developed, in large part through "toughman" contests at carnivals, through fights on the streets and beaches of Brazil, and no holds barred challenge matches in the academies. This led to the infamous "Gracie Challenge" in which the family publicly called out anyone who was willing to accept a challenge match to test their metal against a family members or student of the Gracie clan. This was the predecessor of what would become the UFC. While this was crucial for the development of the art in its current form, it also came with some negative side effects.
The culture in many Jiu-jitsu academies became very "loose", with very little ritual or formality, and in many cases a complete lack of any structure. In many academies both in Brazil and in the United States, this is still very much the case. Again, this was a byproduct, in large part, of the culture in which the art developed. In Brazil, Jiu-jitsu started to earn a bad reputation, and many Jiu-jitsu students were looked at as "thugs". This became a part of the reason for the movement to rename Jiu-jitsu to Judo, with "Do" in Japanese, meaning "Way" signifying the practice as more of a philosophy and way of life, than simply a practice of fighting techniques. It was considered to be more dignified and refined.
At our academy, we have established certain rules, format, & structure specifically designed to keep the martial arts culture of discipline, respect, and order, as a part of our Jiu-jitsu training. We all wear the same uniform, classes run on time, with a set schedule and curriculum, we bow when entering/leaving the mat area and at the beginning and end of class. During technique instruction, students stand "on the line" at the edge of the mat. This level of formality is in place for several reasons. It makes sure that everyone can get the most out of the technical instruction, and provides the proper mindset for training. Training Jiu-jitsu is, and should always be, fun! It is fine for us to joke and laugh and have a good time while training. However, it is also something that should be taken very seriously. Remember, we are training techniques with our partners which can be very dangerous, if applied recklessly. I like to think of it like going to the shooting range. Going to the range with your friends can be a very fun activity. However, the first thing that you learn when going to the range is that there are rules and protocols that need to be followed, to ensure everyone's safety. Horseplay, carelessness, and inattention in that environment can have disastrous results. The same is true of the mat.
I don't believe in ritual for its own sake. There is a reason for the way that we do things in our academy. Bowing on/off the mat, lining up and maintaining proper posture and attention during technique instruction also helps us all to focus on what we are there to do. There are so many distractions in our everyday lives. Jiu-jitsu training is an opportunity to get away from all of that stuff, even just for a short time. Maintaining proper posture and attention helps to set the proper tone and mindset for training, to really focus on the details of what is being shown, and 100% focus on Jiu-jitsu. Never forget, we are training potentially deadly techniques. We are trusting our training partners to take care of us. Maintaining a culture on the mat of discipline, order, respect, and humility helps to ensure that we approach our training with a serious mindset. The techniques of Jiu-jitsu, if taught apart from its philosophy and focus on character development and self-improvement, can lead to creating dangerous people, who are more likely to use the techniques of Jiu-jitsu in an inappropriate manner. We want to not only develop ourselves as skilled fighters, but, even more importantly, as better people! These mat protocols also serve as a filter to ensure that we are attracting the right type of people into our program, who are going to be good representatives of our team, as well as Jiu-jitsu as a whole.
The culture of any academy is key in determining the type of clientele that it attracts, and the focus of the program. Jiu-jitsu has rightfully developed a reputation as one of the most effective and efficient fighting and self defense systems ever developed. However, at its core, it is much more than just fighting. To get the maximum benefit from training, we should strive to see how we can apply the principles of Jiu-jitsu to our everyday lives both on and off the mat. Jiu-jitsu ultimately is about self-improvement. The culture of our academy is set from the top down, and everyone of our students is a major part in maintaining and developing that culture, so that everyone who walks onto our mat feels welcome, and has the opportunity to gain the maximum benefit from their Jiu-jitsu training, in every aspect of their life!
The practice of martial arts has a rich history of respect & discipline. A lot of this can be attributed to the culture in which they developed. While fighting arts have been developed all over the world since the beginning of recorded history, they really were most highly developed, organized, and perpetuated by the Japanese, and it is here where Jiu-jitsu has its origins as well. The Japanese culture and the martial arts culture are inseparable. Since the Feudal era in Japan, the warrior class, known as Samurai, developed a moral and ethical code, known as Bushido, which determined the right course of action, not only in battle, but in everyday life. Even back then, it was recognized that possessing deadly fighting skills came with a responsibility to live in a righteous manner. This warrior code lives on today, through our Jiu-jitsu philosophy, represented in part by our 7-5-3 code.
As the Feudal era in Japan came to an end, the culture and philosophy in which these martial arts originated remained very much in tact, and is still very pervasive in Japanese society. It is a culture of order, structure, cleanliness, politeness, and respect.
As Jiu-jitsu made its way from Japan to Brazil, the culture of the art changed. Brazilian society is very different than that of Japan. The Brazilian culture, in large part, does not have the "formality" that Japanese society does. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, developed, in large part through "toughman" contests at carnivals, through fights on the streets and beaches of Brazil, and no holds barred challenge matches in the academies. This led to the infamous "Gracie Challenge" in which the family publicly called out anyone who was willing to accept a challenge match to test their metal against a family members or student of the Gracie clan. This was the predecessor of what would become the UFC. While this was crucial for the development of the art in its current form, it also came with some negative side effects.
The culture in many Jiu-jitsu academies became very "loose", with very little ritual or formality, and in many cases a complete lack of any structure. In many academies both in Brazil and in the United States, this is still very much the case. Again, this was a byproduct, in large part, of the culture in which the art developed. In Brazil, Jiu-jitsu started to earn a bad reputation, and many Jiu-jitsu students were looked at as "thugs". This became a part of the reason for the movement to rename Jiu-jitsu to Judo, with "Do" in Japanese, meaning "Way" signifying the practice as more of a philosophy and way of life, than simply a practice of fighting techniques. It was considered to be more dignified and refined.
At our academy, we have established certain rules, format, & structure specifically designed to keep the martial arts culture of discipline, respect, and order, as a part of our Jiu-jitsu training. We all wear the same uniform, classes run on time, with a set schedule and curriculum, we bow when entering/leaving the mat area and at the beginning and end of class. During technique instruction, students stand "on the line" at the edge of the mat. This level of formality is in place for several reasons. It makes sure that everyone can get the most out of the technical instruction, and provides the proper mindset for training. Training Jiu-jitsu is, and should always be, fun! It is fine for us to joke and laugh and have a good time while training. However, it is also something that should be taken very seriously. Remember, we are training techniques with our partners which can be very dangerous, if applied recklessly. I like to think of it like going to the shooting range. Going to the range with your friends can be a very fun activity. However, the first thing that you learn when going to the range is that there are rules and protocols that need to be followed, to ensure everyone's safety. Horseplay, carelessness, and inattention in that environment can have disastrous results. The same is true of the mat.
I don't believe in ritual for its own sake. There is a reason for the way that we do things in our academy. Bowing on/off the mat, lining up and maintaining proper posture and attention during technique instruction also helps us all to focus on what we are there to do. There are so many distractions in our everyday lives. Jiu-jitsu training is an opportunity to get away from all of that stuff, even just for a short time. Maintaining proper posture and attention helps to set the proper tone and mindset for training, to really focus on the details of what is being shown, and 100% focus on Jiu-jitsu. Never forget, we are training potentially deadly techniques. We are trusting our training partners to take care of us. Maintaining a culture on the mat of discipline, order, respect, and humility helps to ensure that we approach our training with a serious mindset. The techniques of Jiu-jitsu, if taught apart from its philosophy and focus on character development and self-improvement, can lead to creating dangerous people, who are more likely to use the techniques of Jiu-jitsu in an inappropriate manner. We want to not only develop ourselves as skilled fighters, but, even more importantly, as better people! These mat protocols also serve as a filter to ensure that we are attracting the right type of people into our program, who are going to be good representatives of our team, as well as Jiu-jitsu as a whole.
The culture of any academy is key in determining the type of clientele that it attracts, and the focus of the program. Jiu-jitsu has rightfully developed a reputation as one of the most effective and efficient fighting and self defense systems ever developed. However, at its core, it is much more than just fighting. To get the maximum benefit from training, we should strive to see how we can apply the principles of Jiu-jitsu to our everyday lives both on and off the mat. Jiu-jitsu ultimately is about self-improvement. The culture of our academy is set from the top down, and everyone of our students is a major part in maintaining and developing that culture, so that everyone who walks onto our mat feels welcome, and has the opportunity to gain the maximum benefit from their Jiu-jitsu training, in every aspect of their life!
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Enjoy the Ride!
While on vacation recently, I had the opportunity to take a road trip. It was one that had been on my bucket list for a while, driving the "Overseas Highway" from Miami Florida all the way to Key West. Of course, I had a destination in mind, there was a purpose for the trip. So I typed "Key West" into my GPS and hit the road. It isn't an overwhelmingly long trip; a couple of hours. But I noticed that a lot of people were in a hurry. There seemed to be a sense of urgency. I had the luxury of not having a set schedule that day, so I was able to take my time and enjoy the scenery.
As I was driving, noticing people weaving in and out of traffic to get ahead of the person in front of them and in a hurry to get to their next destination, it made me start thinking about the process of learning Jiu-jitsu. It seems to me that a lot of people are in a hurry to learn Jiu-jitsu. I don't really understand this mentality. You've probably heard the saying that Jiu-jitsu is a marathon. This is very true. And it is a much longer journey than my little road trip. But, the reality is, even a marathon has a finish line. In Jiu-jitsu, there really is no finish line. A lot of people look at the "ultimate" goal as getting to black belt. And while this is, no doubt a very admirable and difficult feat, that most who start down the path will never achieve, it is not an ending point. It is simply another mile marker along the way. How many people do you know that make it to black belt and then quit training? While there may be rare instances, it doesn't really happen. Because, by that point, Jiu-jitsu has become something that you've dedicated yourself to as a lifetime study.
We can think of the various colored belts as markers along the path. Sure, they hold some significance as reference points in our journey, but they themselves are not the goal. They only help us to keep track of how far we've come since we started. As new students, there is often a lot of enthusiasm towards learning Jiu-jitsu because everything is new and amazing. However, the newness will wear off. Eventually, you will have seen most of it before. But that doesn't stop it from being amazing! As long as I have done this, I am still intrigued by the beautiful simplicity and efficiency of the gentle art!
It is not uncommon for new students to be very motivated to learn and progress as fast as they can. Everyone wants to be good at Jiu-jitsu right away. The problem is, you just can't. The art is so complex and intricate, and yet at the same time so simple, that it takes a lifetime of study to truly master. So, I would encourage everyone who is on the path to slow down, and enjoy the process! There truly is no ultimate destination, so what are you in a hurry for? Most black belts that I know wish that they had more time at the lower belt ranks. Don't be in a hurry to get to the next mile marker, because what is really important is where you are at right now! You will never be as good as you would like to be and there will always be someone better. This is what keeps us coming back and wanting to learn more. So, take your time, get the most out of every moment on the mat, and enjoy the ride!
As I was driving, noticing people weaving in and out of traffic to get ahead of the person in front of them and in a hurry to get to their next destination, it made me start thinking about the process of learning Jiu-jitsu. It seems to me that a lot of people are in a hurry to learn Jiu-jitsu. I don't really understand this mentality. You've probably heard the saying that Jiu-jitsu is a marathon. This is very true. And it is a much longer journey than my little road trip. But, the reality is, even a marathon has a finish line. In Jiu-jitsu, there really is no finish line. A lot of people look at the "ultimate" goal as getting to black belt. And while this is, no doubt a very admirable and difficult feat, that most who start down the path will never achieve, it is not an ending point. It is simply another mile marker along the way. How many people do you know that make it to black belt and then quit training? While there may be rare instances, it doesn't really happen. Because, by that point, Jiu-jitsu has become something that you've dedicated yourself to as a lifetime study.
We can think of the various colored belts as markers along the path. Sure, they hold some significance as reference points in our journey, but they themselves are not the goal. They only help us to keep track of how far we've come since we started. As new students, there is often a lot of enthusiasm towards learning Jiu-jitsu because everything is new and amazing. However, the newness will wear off. Eventually, you will have seen most of it before. But that doesn't stop it from being amazing! As long as I have done this, I am still intrigued by the beautiful simplicity and efficiency of the gentle art!
It is not uncommon for new students to be very motivated to learn and progress as fast as they can. Everyone wants to be good at Jiu-jitsu right away. The problem is, you just can't. The art is so complex and intricate, and yet at the same time so simple, that it takes a lifetime of study to truly master. So, I would encourage everyone who is on the path to slow down, and enjoy the process! There truly is no ultimate destination, so what are you in a hurry for? Most black belts that I know wish that they had more time at the lower belt ranks. Don't be in a hurry to get to the next mile marker, because what is really important is where you are at right now! You will never be as good as you would like to be and there will always be someone better. This is what keeps us coming back and wanting to learn more. So, take your time, get the most out of every moment on the mat, and enjoy the ride!
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