Tag Archives: Gracie Jiu JItsu

Is Jiu Jitsu Only a Fighting Art?

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iStock_000000450441_ExtraSmallThroughout history the majority of martial arts have operated within a culture of honor. Warrior classes from Vikings to Medieval knights to modern military personnel have shared this tendency as well.  The ideal has always been to combine martial skills with ethical codes of behavior.

In Japan this ethical code of conduct was called Bushido (“Way of the Warrior) or Budo (Way of the Spirit.)  Bushido was intended to permeate the life of the samurai.  Specifically, it developed these seven character traits: right action, courage, benevolence, respect, truthfulness, honor, and loyalty.  Many modern day Jiu Jitsu practitioners still find the concept of “Bushido” to be an important component of their practice.

Why have codes of moral virtue been combined with martial skill?

Charles Darwin suggested an answer – he was puzzled by a phenomenon that seemed to contradict the most basic premise of his Theory of Evolution, that natural selection should favor the ruthless.

People who are kind and generous should therefore die before passing on their genes to the next generation.  Yet this is clearly not true, and all societies value kindness and generosity among their members.

Evolutionary biologists say that this seeming contradiction arises from the fact that we pass on our genes as individuals, but we survive as members of groups – and groups can exist only when individuals act not solely for their own advantage but for the sake of the group as a whole.

Neuroscientists say this dynamic has resulted in two patterns of reaction in our brains, a “Fast Track” and a “Slow Track.”

The Fast Track focuses on the individual.

  • The Fast Track focuses on potential danger to us as individuals.
  • It is characterized by the immediate, instinctive and emotional.

The Slow Track focuses on the group.

  • The Slow Track enables us to take a more considered view of the consequences of our actions for us and others.
  • It is characterized by the reflective, rational and altruistic.

The fast track helps us survive, but it can also lead us to acts that are impulsive and destructive.  The slow track leads us to more considered behavior – it brings moments of moral beauty into what might otherwise be harsh and lonely lives.  The Fast Track helps us survive, but it is the Slow Track that enables us to thrive.

The Importance of Bushido.

This puts us in a position to understand why bushido was an important component of martial arts in the past — and why we still need it in the future. By encouraging ethical behavior, Bushido strengthens and speeds up the Slow Track.  It reconfigures our neural pathways, turning moral behavior into instinct.

Bushido is the antidote to reckless behavior.  It replaces emotional outbursts with moral choices.  By metaphorically carving bushido into their hearts, the ideal samurai aimed to make “right action” automatic.  This guided them towards the appropriate use of violence.  Those who fell short of the ideal were more inclined to misuse their power and compromise their honor.

A strengthening of the slow track will highlight the honor in restraint.  Unmitigated violence without the balance of a moral code is self destructive to the individual and the community they reside in.

The idea that Jiu Jitsu can now do without some form of ethical code of behavior, or Bushido, not only flies in the face of history, it contradicts evolutionary biology.

Conclusion. 

The emotional strength and psychological fitness that is associated with the Slow Track will likely have a greater impact on our life than martial arts skill or physical strength.  This makes strengthening the Slow Track of our brains a supremely practical endeavor.

Philosophies such as Bushido are not a useless thing from the past.  In fact, when combined with martial skill, they provide a more well rounded knowledge that is the way of the future.

What do you think?  Do these moral codes still have a place in modern day Jiu Jitsu?  Can they still be effective in helping us balance physical capabilities with a strong moral character?

Jiu-Jitsu Philosophy: 7 – 5 – 3

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The 7, 5, 3 Philosophy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu incorporates the 7 Principles of Bushido, The 5 Keys to Longevity, and the 3 Zen Minds.

The Seven Principles Of Bushido.

  1. Right Action.  Doing what is just without regard to consequence.   (Correct judgment or procedure for the resolution of righteousness.)
  2. Courage.  Having the inner strength to stand for what is right.
  3. Benevolence.  Having a kind disposition that reflects love and affection for others.  “Benevolence brings under its sway whatever hinder its power, just as water subdues fire.”
  4. Respect.  Being polite and courteous to others.  “In its highest form politeness approaches love.”
  5. Truthfulness.  Having integrity in word and action while following the Law of the Universe.
  6. Honor. Enjoying a reputation for ethical conduct.  “Dishonor is like a scar on a tree which time, instead of effacing only helps to enlarge.”
  7. Loyalty. Faithful allegiance.

The 5 Keys To Health And Longevity.

  1. Daily exercise
  2. Proper nutrition
  3. Adequate Rest / Sleep
  4. Hygiene
  5. Positive Mental Attitude

3 Minds. 

Zan Shin is translated as ‘Remaining Spirit’ and refers to a vigilant, all-encompassing awareness.  Zanshin is being fully present in the here and now.  The mind is fully aware of its surroundings and in a state of ever-readiness – unattached, yet present to the task at hand.

Mu Shin means ‘Mind Without Mind,’ or the state of No Mind.  Mu Shin is a state of spontaneity that allows immediate action without conscious thought.  “Mu” means “emptiness.”  The mind is empty in the sense that it is void of fear, anger, worries and various other preoccupations.  The absence of these distractions creates the space for an increased awareness and clarity. Mushin is sometimes referred to as “the zone,” – a relaxed state of peak performance.

Fu Do Shin is the ‘Immovable Mind.’  It is the mind that has met all challenges of life, and has attained a state of complete composure.  This state of mind cannot easily be disturbed by confusion, anger, doubt, or fear. It is the calm in the center of the storm.

“Mental calmness, not skill, is the sign of a matured samurai.” – Tsukahara Bokuden

2 Keys to Higher Level Jiu-Jitsu: Lessons from the Chinese Finger Trap.

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What is the Chinese Finger Trap?  The “Chinese Finger Trap” is a thinly woven bamboo tube with openings on each end that are roughly the size of a human finger.  An unwitting victim is asked to insert their index fingers into the openings, whereupon they find themselves trapped.

This sensation of feeling trapped elicits a stress response — the natural reaction is to pull the fingers back out again.  But this will make the openings at each end of the tube constrict, gripping the victims fingers ever more tightly. The harder a person pulls outward, the smaller the circumference becomes, and the more decisively they are trapped. It is only by relaxing one’s efforts at escape, and by pushing the fingers further in, that the ends of the tube can widen, and the fingers can slowly twist out and be free.

The Chinese finger trap serves as a metaphor for problems that:

  1. Can be overcome by relaxing.
  2. Have a counterintuitive solution.

How does this relate to Jiu Jitsu?

High-level Jiu Jitsu practitioners highlight the very same principles as the Chinese Finger Trap.  It is normal to panic and become tense when we feel trapped.  If we feel one of our limbs is threatened, it is seemingly sensible to strongly pull it away from danger.

Yet effective Jiu Jitsu practitioners often do the opposite of these expectations.  They react in ways that seem illogical to the untrained person.  When engaged in a close physical struggle with a resisting person, most high-level Jiu Jitsu practitioners exhibit a mental calmness that is reflected in their breath and facial expressions.  When their limbs are trapped, they might consider pushing deeper into the lock; and they know the details that separate an advanced student from a beginner are often not obvious at all.

The Chinese finger trap takes advantage of its victims hard-wired stress response in order to keep them fixed in a predicament.  Skilled Jiu Jitsu practitioners operate in much the same way.  By placing their opponents under pressure, they can predict and exploit their opponent’s instinctual reactions.

This is one of the reasons why Jiu Jitsu has such a steep learning curve.  Our progression is largely based on overriding instinctual stress reactions, and replacing them with technique. 

 Conclusion.   Not reacting to stress with panic will leave us better able to think critically and creatively.  Not only does this help us conserve energy, it leaves us less vulnerable to common traps.  Like the Chinese Finger Trap, higher levels of Jiu Jitsu require us to relax and see beyond the obvious.

“Become aware of what is not obvious.” – Miyamoto Musashi

 

4 Keys to Jiu Jitsu Success.

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The task of controlling and submitting a resisting person can be quite challenging, especially when the other person is bigger, stronger or more skilled.  After all, they are doing all they can to defend themselves, while simultaneously mounting an attack against you.

On a technical level, the ultimate goal of Jiu Jitsu is to submit your opponent.  In order to achieve this goal, it can be helpful to have an awareness of the sequence of events that typically precede a submission victory.  This will enable us to break our task down to more manageable components.  By winning the smaller battles, we can win the larger one.

Here are 4 key elements that can increase our Jiu Jitsu success.

1.   Establish an Advantageous Grip on your Opponent.

Nothing much happens until you establish grips, but do not just settle for any grip.  Fight for a superior grip while denying your opponent the grips that they want.  Grips can quickly manifest as control.  When you sense that you are being controlled – break the grips that control you.

A significant amount of your success will depend on your ability to get the grips that you want.  Establishing a superior grip will increase your chances of a successful attack.

2.   Off Balance your Opponent.

Once you have your grip, look to off balance your opponent.  “Off-balancing” can have many manifestations.  It can refer to anything that upsets the opponent’s physical balance, or mentally confuses them.

Create reactions in your opponent that you can exploit.  Motion will create opportunity.  Draw him in, distract him, use fakes and combinations as set-ups so that the real attack can take place.

No matter your particular style of Jiu Jitsu, “off balancing” your opponent will take them out of their comfort zone and compromise their defenses – thus opening the door to positional dominance and opportunities for submissions.

3.   Achieve Positional Dominance.

Jiu Jitsu theory clearly outlines a hierarchy of positions that two opposing people can fall into.  Successful Jiu Jitsu practitioners seek out dominant position.

Establishing positional dominance translates to having greater control over your opponent than they have over you.  The greater the Positional Dominance, the more a person can maximize their potential for generating effective attacks, while minimizing their vulnerability to being attacked.

Once a dominant position is established, look to attack with finishing holds or submissions.

4.   Be Submission Minded. 

Submissions are the ultimate success in a Jiu Jitsu contest.  They are a reflection of the capacity to control and incapacitate a resisting person.

To be successful in Jiu Jitsu you should be submission-minded.  Constantly seek submissions and apply them in combination.  As Braulio Estima once told me, “do not go to war with just one bullet.”  Have combinations of attacks.

Theory Over Tactics.  An awareness of the core principles that underlie Jiu Jitsu strategy can be more important than the specific techniques we use to carry out our goal.  The specific tactics will vary depending on our physical attributes and individual style.  But these “4 Keys” remain the same.

Conclusion.  They are not written in stone, but these 4 keys are present in a high percentage of submission victories.  Keeping these 4 elements in mind will enable you to put the odds of a favorable outcome on your side.

Success is Built on Failures.  Along the way you can expect to be frustrated.  But do not allow your self to get too frustrated – remember, success is built on “failures.”

Rickson Gracie and John Danaher Agree…

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…Brazilian Jiu Jitsu increases our problem-solving ability.

From Master Rickson Gracie:

“Jiu-jitsu puts you completely in the moment where you must have complete focus on finding a solution to the problem. This trains the mind to build that focus, to increase your awareness, your capacity to solve problems.”

From Master John Danaher:

“The deepest benefits of Jiu Jitsu come off the mat.  It encourages a world-view based upon the idea of rational problem solving.  Jiu Jitsu is all about solving problems that are rapidly changing under stress, and that gives you an ability to identify the crux of the problem in front of you, even in a stressful situation and adapt your body and tactics to overcome that problem and to continue overcoming it as the problem itself changes.  It encourages you to use a very rational trial and error method, basically the same method that science uses to overcome these problems.  So it gives you this sort of problem solving mindset, which I think applies throughout life itself.” (From Open Mat Radio interview)

Modern psychologists say that improved problem solving skills demonstrates an increase in our “Fluid” Intelligence.  Fluid intelligence refers to our ability to learn, to reason, to recognize patterns, and get to the bottom of things.

The implication of Master’s Rickson Gracie and John Danaher’s statements then is that Jiu Jitsu literally raises our intelligence.

What do you think? Can Jiu Jitsu make us smarter?

Why Marcelo Garcia Wins.

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The legendary grappler says it has to do with love.

“Why do I beat a lot of people? Because I love it so much, that’s why.  Everything about Jiu Jitsu, I love it – the school, the mat, the ring.  I always believe that.  Maybe I am not better than my opponent, but I know for sure I love my training more.” –Marcelo Garcia

Love has a warming effect that heightens our senses, and increases our aliveness.  It enables us to act and move with greater strength. With it we can increase our chances of winning, be more creative, and most importantly, we can help others.

When we love something we find it pleasing; it imparts a sense of joy and produces happiness from within.  This not only gets to the core of our Jiu Jitsu training, but to the real essence of our being.

When an activity has some sort of outside payoff – in Jiu Jitsu it is usually belts, medals, cash, etc — it’s known as an “extrinsic reward.” When there’s no payoff except for the joy or the love of it, it’s known as an “intrinsic reward.”

Experts are now seeing intrinsic reward as the silver bullet of motivation and a principal key to high performance.

This is because humans are motivated by happiness – and the love and joy that originates from inside us (intrinsic) will always bring greater happiness than the rewards that come from the outside (extrinsic).

It is normal to feel most effective when we are simply doing what we love.  Of course we can’t just be a seeker of joy. We need to work hard to perfect our craft, and we definitely need to be challenged.

However, in order to get the best from ourselves, we should feel that our craft is never actually work.

If we naturally feel this love of Jiu Jitsu, we are lucky. Like the communist-era Sambo players hand wringing their gi jackets – we need to wring as much joy out of our BJJ practice as possible.

Even if you feel the love is not in you, you might need to delude yourself that it is – because it is the people who love their craft the most that also work the hardest.

“I wasn’t a good student, and even now I never say that I am better than anybody, but I know I love Jiu Jitsu more than anybody.  I love the energy and that it gets deeper the more you study.” – Marcelo Garcia

Disruptive Innovation.

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15 years ago, in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma, Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen coined the phrase, “Disruptive innovation.”  He applied this term to the worlds of business and technology to describe how newer, “better” ways of doing things will upset existing methods and eventually overcome them.

Disruptive innovation explains how steamships disrupted sailing ships, cars disrupted railways, personal computers disrupted word processors, Wikipedia disrupted encyclopedias, digital photography disrupted film, cell phones disrupted public pay phones, and so on.  Christensen writes, “Start-ups often provide disruptive innovation and readily eat into the market share of older value networks.”

In the worlds of business and technology, disruption is one of the natural keys to invention and success.

How does this apply to Jiu Jitsu?

The story of Jiu Jitsu is the story of disruptive innovation.  Back in 1993, at UFC 1, Gracie Jiu Jitsu disrupted many people’s ideas about what a real fight between highly trained martial artists would look like.  The training methods and theoretical insights of Jiu Jitsu forever altered the martial arts landscape.

On a technical level, Jiu Jitsu is ever evolving.  For example, Spider Guard, De La Riva, Rubber Guard, X Guard, Tornado Guard, Inverted Guards, Berimbolo, etc. – all provided disruptive innovations to the basic Closed Guard.

When innovative grappling techniques are proven to be effective at the highest levels – they attract our attention.  The combination of newness with craftsmanship often leaves us intrigued, puzzled, amused and motivated.  It reminds us that there are always exciting new worlds to explore or rediscover.

“Innovation is not the product of logical thought, although the result is tied to logical structure.” – Albert Einstein

Disruptive Jiu Jitsu.

Most of us will probably not disrupt the game of Jiu Jitsu in any major way.  We probably won’t be responsible for developing new techniques that disrupt the standard norms and are proven effective at the highest levels – but we can disrupt our personal Jiu Jitsu.

When we disrupt our game, we disrupt the games of others.  By disrupting the expectations of our regular training partners – we are helping them to improve. This is how we all can contribute to Jiu Jitsu, even if it’s in a very small way.

Yet, many of us fall back on non-disruptive Jiu Jitsu that thrives on the comforting repetition of the forms and sentiments we are most familiar with.  What if, on some occasions, we made a concerted effort to choose the unknown over the known?

By trying something we normally never do, we may add a new dimension to our game.  Taking an experimental, investigative and exploratory approach to Jiu Jitsu can be very beneficial.

“Breaking an old model is always going to require leaders to follow their instincts. There will always be persuasive reasons not to take a risk. But if you only do what worked in the past, you will wake up one day and find that you’ve been passed by.” – Clayton M Christensen

Is all disruptive Jiu Jitsu an improvement? 

Of course solid fundamentals are of primary importance – there is no need to reinvent the wheel.  The right amount of disruption is healthy, but too much is detrimental.

Innovation often comes at a cost.  An article today in the nytimes reported the harmful effects that chemicals are having on our environment.

Are there parallels to this in the world of Jiu Jitsu?  Have we had any disruptive innovations that actually may not be good in the long term? Likewise, have we lost anything of value from the past?

Conclusion.

Disruptive innovation is a quintessential component and at the very heart of Jiu Jitsu.  As Jiu Jitsu evolves we have to evolve with it. In order for us to grow we have to try new things.  Just as we update our mobile devices, we have to update our Jiu Jitsu.

By adopting an adventurous and investigative mindset, we can assess our current approach and ask a few questions: How can my techniques be made more effective? Can I be more imaginative?  What am I missing and where have I become complacent?  What can I do that might be different from what I’ve previously seen or done?  Innovative, creative and effective grappling techniques are always in vogue.

The popularity of these videos indicates the delight we find in innovation.  It is also an interesting phenomenon that “how” a person wins is often more important than “who” won.

What do you think…?  Is it necessary to constantly upgrade your Jiu Jitsu technology?   Do you try to explore every disruptive innovation that comes along, or is better to just stick to the basics?

“Technical skills can be learned by almost anyone who has the determination to pursue it, but innovative ideas and the ability to express them come from some place beyond the material world.” – Carole Ann Borges

The Jiu Jitsu Practitioner Should Be Humble.

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“Always enter like a kitten and leave like a lion. But never enter like a lion and leave like a kitten. Always be humble.”  – Carlson Gracie

What is Humility?  Humility is a character trait associated with modesty and respect.  It is defined as the quality or condition of being humble.  The English word “humble” originates from the Latin word humus meaning “grounded” or “from the earth.”

Since ancient times, humility has been widely extolled as an important human virtue.  Conversely, a lack of humility is considered detrimental – and is associated with arrogance or an out-of-control ego.

Is Humility Important for Jiu-Jitsu?  Over the years, many have stressed that the Jiu Jitsu practitioner should be humble.  As a white belt, my Professor memorably stated, “the better you get at Jiu-Jitsu, the nicer and more humble you have to become.” As a Black Belt, a different Professor noted, “it is folly for a Jiu Jitsu practitioner not to be humble.”

Lets take a look at some of the ways in which humility can impact our training.

1. Humility keeps us learning and improving.  A major benefit of humility is that it increases our ability or willingness to learn.  By acknowledging that we do not know everything, we open our selves up to new ideas and increase our opportunities to learn and improve.  If we have the attitude that we already know it all, or that only “smarter” people have something to teach, we dramatically decrease our learning experiences.  By being humble, we put ourselves in a position to learn from everybody.  A complete beginner may have an interesting idea, or inspire us to have one.

Successful Jiu Jitsu practitioners have an unwavering drive to improve.  This mindset requires a level of humility: it is better to recognize deficiencies and improve them, rather than being swallowed up by ego and complacency.  Making improvement a habit, and constantly endeavoring to get better requires a level of humility.

The unassuming youth seeking instruction with humility gains good fortune. –Joseph Addison

2.  Better deal with frustrations and losses.  In addition to the other benefits, humility is also a virtue for inner peace.  To put it mildly, Jiu Jitsu can be a frustrating endeavor.  Frustrations and losses don’t have the same impact if you don’t let your ego get too involved.  If you combine humility with motivation, you have the ability to drive towards success without letting so-called “failures” knock you off track.

“Walk a single path, become neither cocky with victory nor broken with defeat.” ~ Jigoro Kano

3.  Nothing to Prove.  A humble Jiu Jitsu practitioner will feel like they have nothing to prove.  They are more likely to let their actions speak rather than words.  Although fighting and self-defense are sometimes necessary, they can also result in unintended dire consequences.  Practitioners who are humble do not feel a continual need to prove themselves.

“A coward is much more exposed to quarrels than a man of spirit.” -Thomas Jefferson

4. Confidence and Humility.  Cultivating a mindset of humility is not to say that we shouldn’t be confident in ourselves – self-confidence is another important virtue.  Real confidence is the result of skill.  Humility has nothing to do with our skill level. Confidence and humility may appear to be contradictory qualities, but they actually compliment each other very well.  Through live training Jiu Jitsu gives us both confidence and humility – once again demonstrating the elegant system that is Jiu Jitsu.

“Humility is a virtue; timidity is an illness.” – Jim Rohn

5. Gratitude and humility.  Humility is interrelated with other important virtues – one example is confidence, another is gratitude.  When we receive the gift of Jiu-Jitsu and experience the positive impact it can have on our life, we commonly feel a sense of gratitude. This attitude of gratitude can manifest itself towards the person who introduced us to the art, the Gracie Family, our teachers and training partners, etc.

One of the fundamental qualities invariably found in a grateful person is humility.  People who are humble express gratitude to those that help them.  On the other hand, an ungrateful person will tend to lack humility and be a complainer.

6. Teamwork.  Another important benefit of humility is that it can make us better teammates.  Arrogant people think much of themselves and little of others – this does not make for good teamwork.  Humble people are the opposite.  Humble people recognize that they do not achieve accomplishments on their own.

It is easier to get along with others if you are not cocky, are open to new ideas, and if you recognize and acknowledge others that help you.  Humility is important trait both on and off the mat – and can help foster teamwork.

7. Win a Victory Over Your Self.  Our most formidable opponent will always be the noisy, demanding tyrant of our ego.  Humility represents a victory over our own ego or arrogance.

“For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.” –Plato

If we accept that humility offers benefits, naturally we will want to increase it.  How do we increase humility?  Jiu Jitsu will naturally promote a sense of humility, especially if we train consistently over an extended period of time.  Is there any way to help us accelerate the process? One small step we can take is the act of bowing – which is an outward manifestation of humility, gratitude and respect.

  • Bowing is a non-verbal way of communicating gratitude and respect to our training partners, our teachers, our academy, and to the art itself.
  • The physical act of bowing is akin to “emptying a cup.”
  • By emptying our mind, we create space for new information.  The enemy of mastery is the mistaken notion that you already know it all.  Bowing can remind us to remove any thoughts that might hinder our progress.
  • Bowing is also a reminder to empty the cup of arrogance.
  • When we “pour” our arrogance out, we make room for humility to fill the space.

Conclusion.  Jiu Jitsu strengthens and empowers us by increasing our ability to control and submit another human being; and this could make us cocky or arrogant.  However, Jiu Jitsu is also humbling. Our physical and mental limitations are often brought to the foreground.  The time we spend on the mat can serve as a template for real life; nobody “wins” all the time.  An increasing awareness of humility has many benefits – and is sustainable because it is consistent with reality.  We should try to remain humble no matter what our skill level is – but, the better we become, the more humble we should be.  This is one of the great truths / paradoxes of Jiu Jitsu.

“Power is dangerous unless you have humility.” – Richard J. Daley

Are you humble enough to improve, or are you “fine with things the way they are”?  What do you think… Is humility is an important component of the Jiu Jitsu lifestyle?

 

 

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

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a High Leverage Habit

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HABITS

A large percentage of what we do in our lives is automatic.  Our daily activities are often the product of the habits that we’ve carved out for ourselves over time. All habits have one fundamental thing in common: they were learned by repetition – much like our Jiu-Jitsu techniques.  When we repeat an action enough times it creates neuronal pathways in our brains – at which point we are pretty much on autopilot.  These habits can be good or bad, resulting in a positive or negative consequence. The effects of habits in people’s lives are incalculable.

HABITS AND JIU JITSU

Grand Masters Carlos and Helio Gracie were well aware of the impact of habits.  For nearly a century they propagated a way of life that promoted positive habits.  In particular they stressed proper sleep, diet and exercise.

That’s why it is not uncommon to hear certain Professors say things like:  “Eating right is Jiu-Jitsu.”  “Taking care of your body and mind is Jiu-Jitsu.” “Saying no to negative influences is Jiu-Jitsu.” In essence, the cultivation of positive habits and avoidance of negative habits is one of the higher forms of Jiu-Jitsu.

JIU JITSU AS A HIGH LEVERAGE HABIT

Habits and their effects can be big or small.  A high leverage habit is something that can have a major impact on your life.  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a high leverage habit. Why? Because it is a single activity that can positively affect a wide range of critical habit areas.

THE MOST POPULAR POSITIVE HABITS

Here is a list of some of the most popular positive habits that people would like to have.  Let’s take a quick look at the impact Jiu-Jitsu can have in these areas:

  1. Exercise.  This is by far the most popular habit that people would like to incorporate.  Most people want to lose weight and be more fit.  BJJ is one of the most complete forms of exercise available.  People who regularly train Jiu-Jitsu will likely get into the best shape of their lives.
  2. Diet / Healthy Eating. This is easily the second most popular positive habit.  Ever since it’s inception, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been associated with healthy eating.  After a Jiu-Jitsu training session, you will have a natural desire to eat healthy.  Improving your diet and being more informed about nutrition in general becomes a habit for most BJJ practitioners.
  3. Sleep.  Proper sleep has a major impact on our physiology, and is therefore a major factor in human performance.  Few things teach you the importance of getting adequate rest as a physically and mentally demanding Jiu-Jitsu training session.
  4. Learning a New Skill.  Many people have the desire to learn a new skill as a way of testing themselves, improving their lives, and keeping things interesting.  Perhaps they even want to gain the benefits of being on the road to mastery. Not only does BJJ captivate your mind and body, BJJ is a skill that could literally save your life!
  5. Stress Reduction.  Stress is a known killer.  Many people would like to reduce the chronic stress and anxiety that they feel.  Is there anything better than Jiu-Jitsu for reducing stress?
  6. Meditation.  There are many benefits to be had from meditation, and many people would like to make it a part of their lives, but find it challenging.  BJJ is Moving Meditation.  After training Jiu-Jitsu you will likely find yourself in a more meditative frame of mind.
  7. Brain Exercises.  Jiu-Jitsu stimulates the mind because it is a problem-solving activity.  Some people like Sudoku, other people may enjoy a crossword.  BJJ is like human chess – it is never boring, always changing, and always challenging.

If you were to incorporate these desirable habit areas into your life independently, it might take 4 – 8 hours of your day.  Yet you can reap all of these benefits simultaneously from one activity – Jiu-Jitsu.  Plus we get the added bonus of being able to defend ourselves or others.  That is a pretty big bonus!

It is for these reasons and more that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a high leverage habit.

We sometimes need to remind ourselves of all the benefits we receive from our practice.  We should not take our training for granted.  It can be surprising when we realize just how much value our Jiu-Jitsu training gives us.  Keep the values and benefits of your training in mind – they provide healthy motivation on those days when we would rather be lazy.

What are the habits you find most important to you?  What do you think is the highest leverage habit that you could institute in your life?

“Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” – Unknown

“Without health in its whole meaning, there can be no complete happiness.” – Master Carlos Gracie Sr.

“If you do not take care in regard to matters of health, there is no benefit in practicing judo.” – Jigoro Kano