Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is often compared to chess. But why? The best players can see several moves ahead. You will get a general sense of direction early. But high level competitors seem to read your mind. Let’s look at three methods for growing this type of understanding. Begin with losing. Yup. Losing. You will find […]
What makes a group exceptional? I purposely spend the majority of my time around Jiu Jitsu people. My reason for this is simple. They are a constant source of positive energy. What about them is so different from average? New faces are always welcome. In most environments, people are drawn to similarities. Because of social […]
I honestly thought everyone knew. I love to train, and teaching is the most logical way to train full time. But teaching has a way of showing us exactly how much we don’t know. Because I started in a small town in Missouri, the challenge wasn’t what I expected. Don’t get me wrong, the people […]
Purple belt is the first elite belt. Every instructor has different standards, but nobody worth his salt just hands out a purple belt. I can only speak for myself on this matter, so here is what I look for. You have discovered your training pattern. By this time, you have established that you will probably […]
Cross training is good! I encourage everyone to visit other gyms. We all benefit from the sharing of information, and grow a sense of community. When we do this, a few things are important to keep in mind. Call or message before your first visit, and be clean. Most places are cool, some are not. A […]
Beginning -> Process -> Result Nearly everything we do follows this chain. In BJJ, we study positions and transitions between them. When we learn something, a flood of details is downloaded on us. How do we keep track of these details? Try this approach. Cluster details according to order and hierarchy. The beginning. Every technique […]
What do all these terms mean? I often have new practitioners ask about our terminology in class. In addition to new movements, ideas, goals, and fears; a multitude of new terms comes at us in rapid succession. Today, we are looking at the positions. You may find yourself on either side of every position. Everyone […]
Your first 6 months is the hardest time in your training. When you begin, it’s like being a new kid at school. Everyone seems to know each other, and understand the routine. Then, the lesson is a flood of new information and ideas. Finally, everyone starts rolling all over the place. The people who are […]
What can I do to get better? This question is surprisingly common, but general questions tend to get general answers. More mat time, investing in seminars, and keeping a journal are all good answers. But, what about getting specific things to help? Progress in Bjj is about awareness and understanding. The ability to gather and […]
When we are training, there are a limited number of approaches to strength we can adopt. The first is following our instincts to use all of our strength. Everyone knows that BJJ gives us the tools to deal with someone who is bigger, stronger, faster, etc. A beginner who doesn’t know anything will often dive […]