A Perspective of Gratitude & Loyalty

Well, it has certainly been an interesting couple of months.  Everything was going along as normal, and then suddenly & unexpectedly, the world was thrown into chaos by a global pandemic that shut down businesses (including my own), and forced all of us to be quarantined inside their homes and limit their contact with the outside world. For many, this caused fear and panic.  Our lives were turned upside down and the only thing that was certain was more uncertainty.  However, from the beginning of this crisis, I tried to look at it as an opportunity, and try to find the positive in all the chaos.  Now, as we finally start to get back to training and back to our normal lives, I try to look for the lessons that we can take away from this chaotic situation.  For me, the one overwhelming thing that keeps coming to my mind is gratitude.

This situation hit my business (and many others) hard.  We were forced, due to a situation completely out of our control, to close our doors.  I will admit, while I knew that we had a very strong core of amazing students, it was very concerning....to think of the possibility that everything I had worked hard for over the past 10 years could just be taken away due to something that I had no control over at all.  I asked for the patience, understanding, and support of our students.  Even in the face of the uncertainty of the situation, and with the economy of the whole country in trouble and many people out of work, the vast majority have stood by us.  Of course, we lost some people.  This was understandable, and expected.  However, I was overwhelmed by the many people who stepped up, who sent messages of support and just checked in to see how I was doing.  Some even offered to help pay other people's tuition who might not be able to afford it, and several offered to even help cover the rent/expenses of the academy!  And while I did not take them up on these offers, the support and generosity did not go un-noticed!  We have a very solid group of loyal students, who have done everything that they could during this time to support the academy, because they see the value in what we are creating together.  It would be easy to just leave.  To take this opportunity as a convenient excuse to quit.  But the vast majority of our students stayed strong.  This, to me speaks volumes about the quality of the people that we have on our mat, and the strength of our program.  I am very grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my passion of teaching Jiu-jitsu, and it wouldn't be possible without the support of all of our students and families.  And I have received many messages from our students expressing the same sentiment of gratitude for the program that we have built.  I really believe that the success of our program, is build upon creating a culture of respect and loyalty, built upon a mutual feeling of gratitude!  And I believe that it is because of this culture, that our academy has survived this crisis, where some others have not.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, you don't know what you've got, until it's gone.  It is easy to take things for granted.  This forced shutdown certainly gave me the opportunity to gain a new appreciation for what we do as a team, and the people that I am fortunate to have surrounding me and supporting it.  As much as the time away gave me the opportunity to focus on spending some quality time with my family, and getting some projects done that I wouldn't have had time to do otherwise, I truly missed my mat family.  I missed seeing everyone on a daily basis, training with everyone, laughing together and choking each other!  There really is nothing like it and no substitute.  I'm sure that many of you feel the same way.  Hopefully, this has given us all the insight to refocus and rededicate ourselves to training.  It is easy to fall into a pattern of complacency.  "Maybe I'll just take tonight off, I can go anytime...".  Well, this situation clearly shows you, things can be unexpectedly taken from you at a moments notice.  It should be a reminder to all of us to live for today, because nothing is guaranteed in this life.

I appreciate the loyalty that you have shown towards me and towards our team and academy throughout this challenging time.  I know it hasn't been easy to sit on the sidelines, unsure of what the future holds.  Loyalty is a big and often misconstrued topic in the martial arts world.  To me, it is a two way street.  I have loyalty towards my teachers, my students, and my team, not because it is demanded of me.  Rather, it is because I have such gratitude for what my teachers and my team have done for me, and the opportunity that my students afford me to do what I love for a living.  If we operate in an environment of mutual respect and loyalty for each other based upon gratitude, we are all better off for it, and we all grow together.  All of you guys are the reason that I have the privlidge to get on the mat and teach everyday.  This year marks the 10th year since we opened our doors.  The academy has evolved and grown tremendously during this time.  Many have come and gone.  But to those who have made the decision walk the path along with me, you will always have my loyalty as long as you want to be part of what we are doing together.  You become the core of what our program is about.  This academy is way more than just me.  I can't do it alone.  Each and everyone of you plays an important role, and I want you to know that I am grateful for you.  We're not completely out of the woods yet.  There's still a lot of work to do to get back to where we were before.  And  I still have bigger goals and more plans in the works beyond that, that I can't wait for all of you to be a part of.  We will continue to grow the team and become stronger together everyday.  I encourage you to keep doing your part, keep showing up, not just for the team, but more importantly for yourself.  Realize the value of your place on the mat, and really make this YOUR team!  It is amazing what we can accomplish together!!  I appreciate all of you!  Thank you!

Dealing with a Crisis

This is a unique & unprecedented time.  The current hysteria going on regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, whether justified or not, has certainly created a situation that has never been seen before in recent history, certainly not in my lifetime.  Besides the obvious concerns people may have over the illness itself, this pandemic and the subsequent response to it, has brought with it a host of other issues.  From schools, and business being shut down, people being laid off of work, bare shelves at grocery stores, concerns over the accompanying sharp economic downturn, and the general uncertainty about how to continue our daily lives in this new era of "social distancing".  It is, by any definition, a crisis.

I will be the first to admit, like many others, this situation has me concerned.  My livelihood is based around teaching Jiu-jitsu, which, by its very nature, involves close personal contact.  Based on the best information available, and following recommendations from medical experts and government officials, I was forced to make the very difficult decision to close the doors to my academy, something that I have poured my heart & soul into for the past 10 years of my life.  Even though, I anticipate it to be a temporary situation, it is still very scary and has the potential to have an enormous and direct impact on myself, my family, and my business.

While I wish I had some definitive answers, the nature of this situation makes it very uncertain for all of us.  However, I am a strong believer that life is not how you make it, but how you take it.  So, here's how I'm choosing to deal with this crisis.  We talk often about how Jiu-jitsu is just a template for life, and how the many lessons we learn on the mat can be applied outside to our daily lives.  This couldn't be any more true than now.  Right now, we've just been knocked down on our back, with someone on top controlling us, smashing us, and trying to choke us out.  Even though this particular situation is unique, Jiu-jitsu has taught me that I've been in tough spots before, I've survived, I've escaped, and I've overcome those situations.  Generations before us have dealt with similar hardships, and they've survived.

I'm choosing a measured response to this crisis, based on the principles of the 7-5-3 code:

"Awareness"-staying up to date with the latest information on the evolving situation, and take prudent and responsible measures to keep myself, my family, and my students safe & healthy;

"Emotional Balance"-not underestimating, not overreacting, maintaining a calm mental state, not panicking;

"Flow"-staying engaged, finding ways to continue my daily life, work, and activities

I'm choosing to maintain a positive mindset.  I truly believe that while situations like this certainly will test our mental fortitude, and while they are not fun at the time, they have the potential to make us stronger if we view them in the right perspective.  The Japanese Kanji (character) for the word "Crisis" is composed of two other characters....one for "danger", and one for "opportunity".  I am choosing to use this crisis as an opportunity to grow, an opportunity to find new and creative solutions to problems I didn't even know were a possibility a few weeks ago.

In recent days, I have seen our families, our communities, and our nation, starting to come together, and to help each other in our time of need.  I have seen recently so many social media posts from people in the community extending their help & support to each other, and have received countless personal messages of support and encouragement. I know that we will get through this-my family, my team, and my academy will get through this, and we will all come out stronger and better for it on the other side.  While this situation is admittedly a little scary and daunting to say the least, it has already forced me to change my approach and come up with new ideas, that I think, in the long run, will continue to benefit me and my students long after this current situation is over.

I encourage you all to stay strong, stay positive, and keep supporting each other.  This is a temporary situation and a learning experience, and this too shall pass!

Winning Thru Loosing

If you've stepped foot in a Jiu-jitsu academy, you've probably heard the commonly uttered phrase, "leave your ego at the door".  It is a truth that is much easier said than done.  The reality is, if there wasn't SOME ego involved, none of us would be doing this.  After all, the goal is to tap the other guy, right?  Yes....and no.  Ironically, sometimes our greatest opportunities for growth come through failure.  Nobody gets good at Jiu-jitsu without tapping...a lot!  The best guys on the mat are the ones who have failed the most, but have persevered through and used those failures as a learning experience.

Sometimes, the goal is to win.  But not always.  Tapping the person in front of you is a short term goal.  But Jiu-jitsu is a long-term process.  Sometimes, it is helpful to look at the big picture.  Over the course of many many years of training, any one sparring session is relatively insignificant.  We have to put it into the proper context as well.  Don't be the "academy champion".  If you want to compete and focus on winning, there are venues for that.  The academy is not the right place.  It is not healthy for anyone if we start to create an ultra competitive environment within the walls of the academy.  The training mat is a sacred space, that should be treated as a laboratory, where the practitioner can have the freedom to explore Jiu-jitsu, without the fear, anxiety, or pressure of "loosing".  You may have heard the common expression, "In Jiu-jitsu, either you win or you learn".  This is very true.

Accept that you are going to tap.  It is always ok to tap.  It is part of the social contract that we accept when we step on the mat, and how we ensure that we are taking care of ourselves and our training partners.  It is never ok to risk a potential injury in training just to avoid having to tap.  Yes, it may sting a little, it may bruise your ego a little....especially when that tap comes to someone who may hold a lower rank than you, or who you think you should be better than.  But guess what?  That little shot to your ego is actually good for you, and if you address it in the proper mindset, can actually be a catalyst for growth.

It is always ok to tap.  It is NOT ok to keep tapping repeatedly in the same situation without addressing it.  Use that tap as a learning tool.  Ask the questions.  Figure out where you went wrong, and strive to fix it so you don't get caught the same way in the future.  The tap just means that there was some little mistake that your opponent was able to capitalize on.  Be grateful that you have training partners that are capable of exposing your weaknesses on the training mat, so that you can fix them and not get caught when it really matters!  Don't get mad or frustrated.  Your partner is doing their job.  Don't make excuses.  Don't take your partners moment away from them either.  Tell them "good job", own your mistakes and try to fix them!  If you are an upper belt or an instructor, and you get caught by one of your lower ranking teammates or students, that only means that you have done a good job helping to convey Jiu-jitsu to them!  Jiu-jitsu works, and it is a credit to your ability as a mentor or instructor when your students start to give you a hard time.  Plus, it keeps you on your toes, and should keep you hungry to continue to improve yourself as well!

Now, let's look at the other side of the coin.  Learning how to deal with getting tapped is one thing.  Learning how to deal with "winning" in training is another.  Get the tap, and move on.  It's that simple.  Don't offer your partner unsolicited advise.  Remember what its like to be on the other side of that equation.  Nobody likes to be forced to tap.  Don't celebrate your victory.  Don't hold onto it or talk about it outside of training.  You were able to submit your opponent.  Good job.  Now, move on.  Sometimes, you may have legitimately earned that "victory"....however, often times, lower belts may not even realize that their higher ranked training partners may be letting them work, giving them space to get into positions, or may be working on a new position or technique themselves that they are not yet comfortable with.  Sometimes it is hard to tell if you are the lower rank, when the upper belts are taking it easy on you and letting you work.  This is what a good upper belt should be doing MOST of the time when working with a newer training partner.  Just moving with them and giving them just enough resistance to make the training session productive for both people.  Jiu-jitsu is learned through movement.  Giving full resistance all the time often leads to spending the entire round stuck in one position with very little movement.  A little give and take is often much more productive.  Don't get me wrong.  There are times when we must push on each other and go hard.  We need to push our gas tank, work on developing our mental toughness, and push through the times when we may want to just quit.  But these hard rolls should be the exception, rather than the rule.

Just because you can simply dominate your training partner doesn't mean you should.  Usually, this isn't very productive for either person.  If you're working with a less experience training partner, try to give them just the right amount of resistance for them to understand the movement, without always trying to shut it out completely.  For example, if you teach someone how to do a scissor sweep, and then when they attempt it in sparring, you just completely shut it down and don't give them the chance to apply it successfully, all you're doing is taking away their confidence in the move.  Of course nothing works every time, but students need to see that the move does work when properly applied.  If you take away their belief in the technique they will never use it consistently enough to really master it so that they can utilize it when someone is fully resisting.  Use a "tiered" system, giving good feedback and gradually increasing the resistance as your training partners get better.

If you are better than your training partner, use it an opportunity to work on your weak areas.  Intentionally put yourself in tough positions, see how deep of a hole you can dig for yourself, and see if you can still recover.  This is very important, because there are people out there who can force you into those uncomfortable positions against your will, and if you haven't spent the necessary time there to sharpen your defensive skills, you will pay for it later.  And guess what, if you really do this, sometimes you won't get out.  Sometimes you will have to tap to that lower belt.  As a black belt, I've been put to sleep....unconscious....on the mat, by a blue belt.  Did they earn it?  Maybe they did, maybe they didn't.  You see that is the point.  It doesn't matter.  Be ok with "loosing", whether you gave the person the position or they legitimately earned it.  Be proud of your training partners accomplishments, even if it means having to sacrifice a little bit of your own ego!   Your job is to make them better so that they, in turn, will make you better!

In short, regardless of which side of the coin you find yourself on, put the tap into the proper context. It really doesn't matter that much in the grand scheme of things.  Tap to keep yourself safe, learn from it and move on.  Don't get mad, frustrated, or upset.  But don't ignore it either.  If you tap your partner, don't celebrate.  Shake hands and move on.  Try to take the winning and loosing out of the training environment, and just focus on learning and getting better and helping your training partners do the same.

Make Your Jiu-jitsu Better TODAY!

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!

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!

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!

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!