Interesting Post from Another Blogger

Shakia Harris wrote an interesting article about the “Loser’s Mindset in BJJ“. It’s pretty interesting and you should check it out. Also, I happened to catch her twitter updates about taking first in blue belt at the Bluegrass Open (I think that’s what it was called)…And how the food sucked at Hooters.

Sorry to hear about the sub-par food,  but congrats on getting gold!

Jiu Jitsu: A Sport for the Introvert

We say jiu jitsu is for everyone, but today I’m going to make a case for a group of people that the internet seems to be chock-full of: the introvert.

We all know the concept between introversion and extroversion: I’m not going to go into the definition because really they are unflattering on either side, but you know for the most part what they include. Introverts are seen as quiet, “thoughtful”, borderline anti-social whereas extroverts are seen as loud, boisterous and “excitable”, much like a puppy. In my opinion people are really not one or the other, but more of in the middle, with a particular leaning one way or the other.

Why do I say jiu jitsu is for the introvert? Well, here’s a list of elements someone out there on the internet recommended a sport should have to be truly successful and keep the introvert’s interest:

• Concentration
• Precision
• Self-motivation
• Intricate skills
• Individual performances

There was also a mention of “low arousal level”, but that just sounded odd so I took it out. But otherwise, really, if those qualities don’t say “jiu jitsu” all over them, I really don’t know what does. Sure there’s the whole “full body contact” element to the sport, but it’s really not that big of a deal. The real appeal lies in the “human chess” element, the whole puzzle and strategy that needs to be solved during training sessions. And while you do need someone to drill and compete with, it’s more of a one on one basis, which is much easier for an introvert to handle rather than a large group sport where they can feel lost in the crowd.

Some might say the biggest challenge for the introvert would possibly be the aggression needed in jiu jitsu, but personally I feel that falls under “self-motivation”. You are motivated to complete the technique, you are motivated to continue the match and with that aggression I personally feel will follow. Competition may also be a challenge, but that’s nerve-wracking for everyone and can actually be beneficial and helps both the introvert and extrovert.

So that is my case for jiu jitsu and the introvert: it can be an immensely rewarding experience for the introvert, if they are willing to take the chance. And it sure as heck beats other options, like golf.

Getting Good at Being Bad

I had dinner last night with a fellow teammate, and she had a pretty good point: when it comes to Jiu jitsu, in the beginning especially you have to “be good at sucking”.

She’s not the only one to admit this, and I have to agree with them. It’s a sport that’s designed in some ways to be frustrating: it takes literally twice as long to earn a black belt as opposed to other sports, you work and work and improve, but let’s face it there are others who have been doing the sport for longer than you have and they have been improving as well. You are submitted, swept time and time again even when you think (or know) you are doing everything right.

And that is where patience comes into play, maybe a little stubbornness and a good dose of humility. It’s through those losses we see our weaknesses and improve: if you aren’t willing to get through the frustrating beginning stages and “get good at sucking” then your Jiu jitsu journey will be that much more difficult.

But, the good news is you don’t suck forever, contrary to how you may feel sometimes. Continue to drill, continue to train, and keep essentially continue to believe you are putting in the work which will eventually pay off.

BJJ Youtube Instructionals- Helpful or Harmful?

I’m sure I’ve talked about this before, so I do apologize, but I just watched two youtube videos: one was a lesser quality, but with more useful, technical information and the other was less about technique and more about computer graphics and quick-cut editing to subtly show off the fact they had 3 HD quality cameras running at the same time. It’s a tricky subject, because of my own personal bias, where I feel a hands-on approach is the most effective. However, a lot of BJJ black belts make their supplemental income from DVD sales, websites that host instructional videos, and post Youtube videos doing just that.

There are some instructional videos out there that make me worry as well: ones that look like they are more concerned with looking slick and polished, and less about the technique themselves. Indeed, there are a lot of people out there with a lot of knowledge: there are also a lot of people out there who are just looking to make a quick buck and gain a social media following.

For people who have no alternative means to getting to a gym, I guess the videos are better than nothing, and for higher ranks it’s good to see the new trends in an ever evolving sport like jiu jitsu. But I personally see these videos as reference materials, or supplementary tools to use for further study or discussion with an instructor, not the sole word and authority on a technique.

I will continue to think about both sides of this argument, but what do you guys think?

 

Love Letter to BJJ from Val Worthington

Once you get over the shock and sadness of Google shutting down Google Reader (I’m still reeling, btw) Read this nice little piece written by black belt Val Worthington, reminding us of the struggles and deep love we feel for the art of jiu jitsu.

Check it out! 

Interesting Article About Women Starting Jiu Jitsu

Jiu Jitsu black belt Val Worthington wrote a pretty interesting article about helping men better understand the perspective of a woman starting out in the sport. While it may appear to be a large word count, it’s actually a pretty quick and easy read that I hope more guys read and take into consideration the next time a new woman starts their jiu jitsu program.

Check it out! 

 

Timing is Everything

 

Right up there with patience, timing I feel is one of the hardest things to teach in jiu jitsu. You can show someone techniques, how to turn, how to grab here, place the foot there, so on and so forth, but it’s timing that pulls the whole thing together and changes a series of what seem to be movements with no rhyme or reason into something effective and in some cases, quite beautiful.

The hard part in teaching timing isn’t so much the explaining part, even though that is a little challenging: it’s getting the student to fully understand the concept of timing in the situation the technique would be best applied. We don’t want to train people to respond in only one way to particular moves, but there are some common reactions, based on past experience and pure body mechanics. It’s those reactions, those opportunities we address and take advantage of, with our own positions we find effective from past experience and body mechanics.

It’s difficult, but immensely satisfying when someone finally gets the timing down. It may look a little different than how we do it, or how we do it, but the technique and timing are down, and the person may have adapted the technique for their game, which is pretty cool to watch.

So while timing may not be everything, it’s a pretty large part of jiu jitsu.

 

Finding a Balance: Heavenly Footlock Fundraiser Results!

I’m seeing a lot of the dark side of the jiu jitsu community happen on the internet, not going to lie, it’s a little disheartening. So in an effort to focus on the good in the jiu jitsu community, I’m focusing on the super awesome fundraiser efforts of BJJHQ and Meerkatsu, who raised over $9,000 total through the sale of the Heavenly Footlock t-shirt. Which looks totally kickass BTW. Great job guys!

Forgot to get a t-shirt but still would like to do something? Meerkatsu is also pledging to grapple for 6 hours at a 24 hr grappling marathon, the same one slideyfoot is doing, to raise funds for Rape Crisis in the UK. So I urge anyone and everyone who may have just a little extra cash to throw some their way for a great cause.

Jiu Jitsu and Lady Parts

So Julia has a post about ladies, that time of the month, and jiu jitsu.

It’s a little awkward to write about, but it’s also a topic that I have been approached about a couple of times in the locker room actually, and even on the mat, as there are women who are very concerned about what to do in such a full contact sport. I am really trying to keep this mature and as possible, but just warning this may near dangerously close to the light hearted and almost silly. Mainly because as stressed as a lot of white belt jiu jitsu women worry about it, it’s really not a huge deal.

And for guys who are confused about this and wonder why women don’t seem to have this part of their bodies under control, ask yourself the same question the next time you get an unexpected erection in the middle of the day. Our bodies are a teeming mass of hormones that tends to run on a fairly regular schedule and react to a predictable set of responses, but there are times when the whole system seems to go haywire due to unexpected circumstances, such as a hiccup in hormones due to stressors, general health or environmental factors. The body is just that, a body; a group of organs that (other than the brain obviously) doesn’t understand not doing something due to social context. Just like sweating or blinking or several other functions.  And if you can stop sweating on command congratulations I wish you the best of luck with your superpower. Please use it for good, not evil.

Anyway, my first response is: don’t worry, you’ll be fine.  If you realize something is amiss, ask your teacher to use the bathroom according to whatever protocol your academy has, and I image they will let you go. Some have been touting the Diva cup, multi product/combo use has also been suggested, and I say it’s never a bad idea to keep some products in your locker or bag, for both yourself and that inevitable day someone asks for something. Really,  in all the time that I have trained, there has only been one occasion when someone needed to change their gi pants: it was a guy (the instructor actually) who caught it, didn’t make a big deal out of it and mentioned that she should go to the bathroom. That’s it. Didn’t bring extra pants? Not always, but some students have extra uniform parts in their lockers, and academies sometimes keep “loaner gi’s” for prospects receiving an introductory introductory session with jiu jitsu. See if your academy has loaner gi’s as well, and if the occasion ever arises, clean yourself up, ask to borrow some loaner gi pants and make sure to take the pants home, wash them, and return them to the loaner gi collection. Not something that should be abused, but a possible last resort depending on how early on you are in the class.

If you are hesitant about going to class during that week, I would say attend. I agree with Julia that BJJ helps with cramps, but I have to admit sometimes I have skipped class due to a bone-tired feeling I seem to get early on sometimes. Do try to make it in, because you’ll be glad you did more often than not, but don’t force yourself if you know in your heart of hearts that you just want to play hooky for a day. More than a day I would say take your pain reliever of choice (such as Tylenol or Advil), try to make it in and roll around. You may be surprised at how much better you feel.

For other tips check out her post, and they also seem to have a pretty good discussion going on in the comments.

(Intentionally) Stuck Between a Rock and a Bad Place

You know, fancy sweeps and smooth transitions are fantastic and all, but sometimes you need to get stuck into a bad place. It’s necessary for development: it sucks like crazy, but again they are necessary. Things won’t always go the way you expect them to, because that’s the nature of jiu jitsu: when you attack, there is a high chance that you are leaving something vulnerable. It’s a necessary risk that is taken. We always hope for a positive outcome to our risk, but sometimes the dice comes up snake eyes and the cards aren’t in our favor.

At our academy we tend to do positional training in both positions: the good and the bad, giving each partner something to work on.

Because sometimes it’s good to get yourself stuck between a rock and a bad place.