Monthly Archives: June 2012

Grappler’s High.

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An April 2012 study from the University of Arizona proposes that “runner’s high”– the well-known state of euphoria that kicks in when humans run or jog – is the result of heightened levels of endocannibinoids in the runners system.

Other recent studies have confirmed these findings — elevated levels of endocannibinoids in the blood are part of the body’s response to running.  This has made running not only an important survival tool, but also an enjoyable one.

“Runner’s high” is typically characterized by:

  • Mental feelings ranging from relaxation to euphoria.
  • Higher tolerance or cessation of pain.
  • The ability to push through limits on our endurance.

It is easy to see how this would have provided our ancestors with an evolutionary advantage. Imagine running from a bear and spraining your ankle – the ability to push through pain and surpass your normal levels of endurance could be the difference between life and death.

IS THERE A GRAPPLER’S HIGH?

Reading this study had me wondering whether there might be an evolutionary basis to the kind of “high” we often get from Jiu-Jitsu.  After all, running and grappling are connected – they form the two sides of the hardwired “Fight or Flight” coin.

Like running, grappling seems to be a part of our fundamental make up.  The oldest martial arts in the world are grappling based. Many of the oldest human civilizations – such as ancient Greece, Mongolia, Iran and India – had strong wrestling traditions.  In the Old Testament of the Bible, God wrestles Jacob.  Wait, even God wrestled…?

Question: is there such a thing as a “Grappler’s High?”

I began my survey on the mats after training.  Grapplers are typically an interesting bunch, and I got some interesting answers.

One person stated:  “After training I feel is like I took a shower on the inside – I am MUCH more tolerant of those around me.”

Another said: “After almost every training session, I experience periods of contentment or reflection where I am on auto-pilot and the time goes past unnoticed.”

Another BJJ player took right to the concept of “grappler’s high.”  He said it has to do with dodging death.  “Throughout history, man has tried to dodge death’s door.  Engaging in live training and surviving is a way of defying death – which gives us the “grappler’s high.”  Interesting.

Below are some typical responses to the question: “How do you feel after training?”

  • Less stressed, less anxious, less tense.
  • More relaxed, more at ease.
  • Heightened awareness.  Greater clarity of thought.  More present.
  • Hungry
  • More respectful, more tolerant.
  • More content.
  • More capable.
  • Cleaner (on the inside).
  • Less obstructed.
  • More optimistic.
  • More meditative.

When it comes to getting a sense of what the body is feeling, personal experiences are all we have to go by.  By examining these responses we can conclude that there is a typical emotional feeling of a “grappler’s high,” but — like Jiu Jitsu itself — it varies from person to person.

CONCLUSION.

We have probably all heard the phrase that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is addictive.  Is there a biological basis to this statement?

Have we been programmed to feel this way?

Is grappling like running – an evolutionary survival tool that associated with a “high” as a result of being pushed to our limits?

What is your experience with the “grappler’s high?”

The Greatest Technique.

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“With a lot of technique and a lot of faith, you can beat anyone.” – Caio Terra

We Jiu Jitsu practitioners are always looking to increase and improve our techniques, and that is a wonderful thing.

But what is the most important technique that will help us reach our goal?

That’s debatable.

Could trust be the greatest technique?

What is trust?  Trust can be defined as a feeling of confidence in the predictability of a result.  Trust is confirmed by a track record of success.

How can trust be the greatest technique?  The answer has to do with how our levels of trust in certain key areas can impact everything else in our training.

By consciously adopting a trusting mindset, especially in the 3 critical impact areas that we will look at below, we can accelerate our progress and increase our chances for success.

On the flip side, so many of the shortcomings and frustrations in our Jiu Jitsu practice stem from a lack of trust.  Lacking trust in these 3 areas will negatively impact our performance.

Here is a list of the critical impact areas that we will focus on:

  1. Trusting the Techniques
  2. Trusting your Professor
  3. Trusting Yourself.

The list could go on.  Trusting the tapout and trusting our training partners are some other important areas.  But let us use these three as a starting point.

The first critical impact area is trusting the techniques.  Trust in the techniques is a large part of what distinguishes the advanced student from the beginner.

“Before you can achieve, you must believe.” Although we use our bodies to execute our techniques, it is the mind that moves the body.  So it is an important psychological point, that in order for a technique to be successful, we must trust that it will succeed.  Expectations influence results.  The mental side of high-level athletic performance cannot be overestimated..

The best Jiu-Jitsu players trust that they can create predictable results.  They trust their techniques to such a high degree, that even when they know that you know what they want to do, they still feel that they can do it – nd they are usually correct.

Commitment.  Additionally, for a technique to work against a formidable opponent, one must commit to it.  Trust is the forerunner to commitment.  Without trust, we will not be able to commit to a technique.  Therefore, as our trust and commitment in relation to a given technique increases – so will our success rate.

Not trusting our Jiu-Jitsu techniques can leave us very frustrated – and stressed.

So, how do we build trust in our techniques?  The same way we develop any skill, by practicing.  But recognize that this process can take a while.You rarely trust someone just because they say, “trust me.”  Trust is built up over time by consistent action.  We build trust in our techniques by practicing – which means drilling them for many repetitions.  The trust we develop in drilling should be confirmed by the success we have in live training.

Key elements for building trust by drilling:

  • Gain familiarity with the technique by drilling it.
  • Be detail oriented.  Do not omit important details.
  • Keep going until you develop a level competency.

Key elements for building trust in randori:

  • Trust is the result of action taken over time, so be patient.  (Learn to trust your techniques, even if they betray you.)
  • Keep it simple, focus on only a few techniques.
  • The more success you have in Randori, the greater your trust will be in a given technique.

The 2nd critical impact area is trusting your teacher.  The student-teacher relationship is sacred and ancient.  It is one of the things that separate us from the animals.  The ability to pass down information and refine it is an integral part of what makes us human. By trusting your Professor, you are positioning yourself to have greater trust in the techniques.

The main criterion for choosing a teacher is their ability to give you a greater understanding of Jiu-Jitsu than you already have.  Once you choose someone, it is important to trust him or her.  Consider them to be the messenger of your Jiu-Jitsu potential.

The benefits of trusting your Professor:

  1. You will progress faster.
  2. You will be more coachable
  3. You will create the opportunity to become a Master yourself

Progress faster.  The best in the world have a history of whole-heartedly trusting their Masters. Students who develop this trust will progress faster than students who do not.  Relative to their individual abilities, the student that trusts their professor 100% will progress at a pace almost twice as fast as the student who has a 50% level of trust.

Be coachable.  Trusting your professor allows you to be coachable.  Someone whio is coachable generally progresses faster then others.  How can you increase your coachability?  By trusting the teacher, and trusting the techniques.

Become a Master.  99.9% of the time, before a person can become a master, they must first fully trust a Master.  You have to have the experience of fully trusting a Master before you can become one.

Being half-hearted in this 2nd critical impact area can be a serious drawback and the cause of much frustration.  Not trusting your teacher will be a distraction – which creates a hindrance in your ability to learn.  Students who do not trust their professors think they are making their professor wrong and themselves right – but it is the student who ends up losing out.

The 3rd critical impact area is trusting yourself.  Successful people set a goal and usually wont give up until they achieve it.  They trust that they can do it.

Regardless of your current level, develop the ability to trust in yourself.  Some key areas:

  • Trust that you are physically capable.  If not, improve your conditioning.
  • Trust that you can handle challenges.
  • Trust that you will improve with practice.
  • Trust your ability to solve problems.
  • Trust your creativity.
  • Trust that you will get to black belt and beyond.

Conclusion.

As martial artists who practice self-defense, we can be of the mindset to trust no one.  True, there is an inherent vulnerability in allowing yourself to trust – and commitment can leave you over-exposed.  But life itself is a risk – and the value of allowing yourself to trust far outweighs the risks.

By consciously applying the technique of trust to these 3 critical impact areas, you can take your Jiu-Jitsu to an entirely new level.   Remember, trust is a “feeling” or a mindset, but it is the result of actions taken.

What do you think?  Is trust an important component of your training?

Do you trust your Professor?  Do you trust yourself?  Have you built up a few moves that you really trust?

I think that we may safely trust a good deal more than we do. – Henry David Thoreau

Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work. – Rita Mae Brown