Jan25

You Have To Believe In The Technique

by Evan E. on January 25th, 2012 at 7:55 am
Posted In: Brand new to BJJ?

During a recent BJJ training session, I was struggling with a particular sweep and the series following it.  Seeing my frustration, my instructor looked at what I was doing and said the following:

” First of all, you have to believe in the technique for it to work.”

The phrase itself struck me like a kick to the head.  I realized that my lack of belief and visualization of the technique was preventing me from being able to successfully drill the technique.

On my next attempt, I forced myself to visualize the mechanics of the technique.  I forced myself to visualize the success of my attempt and I was able to then drill the technique.  Granted, it was not perfect, but I did complete the drill.

I kept thinking about what my instructor had said the entire drive home, and then on into the next day.  This hadn’t been the first time I had experienced issues in “technique confidence”.  After much thought, I realized my inital failure with the technique stemmed from a larger confidence issue that has dogged me most of my life.

My BJJ career has been carthatic in many ways, and helped me to develop into the person I’ve always wanted to be.  And while I’ve trained hard, and paid full attention to detail when drilling and learning; I realize that I’ve not always given the techniques and instruction I’ve received my full faith.

Seeing this as an opportunity to develop myself, and potentially rid myself of the spectre of doubt, I have begun to visualize techniques in my head before and during my training sessions.  While I am still novice at the visualization, there is something to be said for it.  It has helped me to be more successful with my techniques and significantly less frustrated.  I’ve even begun to “trust” techniques and because of that I feel closer to owning/personalizing my BJJ Journey.

It has helped me to be less trepidatious when I am rolling as well.  I’m trying things I never would have attempted before.  While they are not always successful, by and large I am having more success than before.

If you find yourself in a similar rut, try visualizing your techniques.  Trust your instructor and believe the techniques will work.

 Evan Essig is a white belt at Revolution BJJ

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Jan16

BJJ: a Female Cop’s Perspective

by goatfury on January 16th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

The decision to become a student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is likely one that you will not regret. Aside from learning effective self-defense tactics, the process of learning this martial art instills a sense of self-confidence. As a female, however, it can be intimidating at first, especially if there aren’t a lot of girls at the school you attend.  The following are just a few of the reasons why you should take this leap of faith, and stick to it, from the perspective of someone who has been there.

The first time I ever entered the BJJ studio where I trained, I was initially impressed by the energy level from the guys who trained there. Then, when I began to observe them more closely, I realized it was very up-close and personal. I’ve always valued my personal space. So when I was asked to give it a try and get in the instructor’s closed guard, I said, “you want me to do what!?” I had never been in a real fight before, and I was unaccustomed to the whole idea at first. I had a goal of getting into Law Enforcement, however, and I knew BJJ was at the base of many training programs, so I used that goal to push myself. I stayed, I learned the basic techniques, and at the next class, I was back for more.

One of the things that surprised me about my classmates was the level of respect they showed to one another, and to me. I was one of only two girls in the school I attended when I first started, so I spent a lot of time training with guys. They were all respectful, and they all wanted to help me get better, so they didn’t go easy on me. I thank them for that. As time went on, I continued to form new goals: earning my first stripe, then my second, then training for my first tournament, and so on. Throughout this process, my classmates became like brothers to me, and we experienced all of our milestones together.

As a result of my time in training, several incredible things happened. First, I got into the best shape of my life, because I was working out outside of the school, so that I could keep up with my classmates. I felt driven to better myself, because I had begun to respect myself a lot more. Next, I started walking taller, and I felt a lot more confident. It’s extremely empowering as a young lady (I was 20 when I started) to feel confident and strong. Finally, I gained a whole new circle of friends in the process. Individuals who train BJJ respect their bodies, their minds, and their teammates, and they will welcome you into the circle if you make the decision to get started.

After training for two years, I applied to the Law Enforcement Department I was hoping to get hired into, and I got the job. My time in the police academy was so much easier for me, because, (as I had suspected), a lot of the defensive tactics training utilized by Virginia state and local law enforcement agencies consists of BJJ. Subsequently, I used my training in a real-life situation on the street. It worked.

So if you’re a female who’s on the fence about whether or not to begin Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training, just take the first step and show up to a class. If you give it one chance, I bet you’ll keep going back, just like I did!

 Amber Ezzell is a James City County Police Officer.

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Jan08

Why Being a White Belt in BJJ is a Great Thing

by goatfury on January 8th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

If you’re going through a bit of a frustrating time and you’re relatively new to BJJ (even if you’ve been training for a year or two, you have to realize that you’re relatively new in the grand scheme of things), here are some encouraging words for you.  This is the most exciting time in your jiu jitsu career in many ways, and it can be unbelievably liberating and fun- provided that you view things the right way.

  • Every training partner can and will help you grow and develop.  Stop what you’re doing for a minute and think about how amazing this is.  Every single time you roll, your training partner will present you with a formidable obstacle, no matter what their experience level.  With an open mind and a keen eye for learning, you will learn something every single time you roll!
  • You will prove to yourself that you can do things you never thought you could.  One of my students is a big guy by most standards- about 260 pounds, well over six feet tall.  He was intrigued by a particular movement that involved rolling over his shoulder and neck, and so he drilled it incessantly until he figured it out for his body.  Now he’s better at the movement than the majority of the little guys training with us!
  • Starting from the same place everyone else does gives you an appreciation for your training partners/instructors.  Remember the phrase:  ”A black belt is a white belt who never quits training.”  Everyone started out as a brand new beginner at some point, and if you take a look around at your training partners who have come a long way, and at your instructor, who has undoubtedly performed feats that defy your mind at this time, you have to realize that these things are possible for you, and more- you can even surpass your instructors’ technical understanding one day (remember, they’re bringing years of mistakes they made, preventing you from making them, and adding their own personal approach to what they were taught).
  • You are going to lose… a LOT.  This will help you learn tremendously!  Because you’ll be tapped so much, you will learn what you’re doing wrong and what needs to change right away.  This can be one of the hardest sticking points for any white belt, but it’s also one of the most valuable lessons to learn.  If you can wrap your mind around the idea that getting tapped out while training is a very useful thing, you can progress by leaps and bounds.  Get rid of the tightness, let positions happen, and enjoy observing the mistakes you’re making.  One day- maybe very soon- you will be able to correct those mistakes.
  • There is no pressure when you’re a white belt.  When your’e a blue belt, you may feel obligated to roll at a certain level.  You’ll certainly think that you’re supposed to tap out the white belts, for the most part, when you get promoted.  In the meantime, enjoy the uninhibited, pure training that being a white belt provides!  There is no “target on your back.”  People aren’t especially gunning for you as they will be when you are eventually promoted.

Some of these bullet points will take you a while to fully appreciate, but some of them are likely to have already revealed themselves to you while training (assuming you have already started training!).  For instance, it may have already become quite evident that you are going to get your butt kicked nearly every time you step onto the mats to train (if you’re not getting beaten consistently, and you’re a white belt, you may seriously want to consider going to another gym!).  The “no pressure” one might take a belt promotion for you to really appreciate, but it’s just as valid as the others.

Enjoy this exciting time in your jiu jitsu career!

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Dec31

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—A Female Perspective

by goatfury on December 31st, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is truly an amazing journey.  What is it like being a woman and training in a male dominated sport?  For me, it is challenging, frustrating at times, but also a lot of fun.  There are many reasons why I am an advocate for jiu-jitsu.  One reason is because I truly love the art and it is the one thing in my life that provides me a true “break.”  When I’m on the mat, nothing exists but jiu-jitsu.  Jiu-Jitsu is both physically and mentally challenging and even small accomplishments are rewarding.  My personal view of jiu-jitsu is that it is the same in many ways for women and men.  While there are not as many women practitioners of jiu-jitsu as there are men, women are beginning to take more of an interest in the art.  I have been training for several years and cannot imagine a life without jiu-jitsu.

One of the great things about jiu-jitsu is that the techniques will work regardless of size and strength, making it the perfect art for women to learn.  Grand Master Helio Gracie modified traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu techniques to accommodate his smaller physique and developed a system that enabled him to defend himself against larger and stronger opponents.  One of the biggest challenges women face is that they are smaller in size and physically weaker than their male counterparts.  Women who are primarily training with men (or larger women) will need to keep this in mind.  At 5’2 and115 lbs, I am the smallest person in our academy.   All of my training partners outweigh me by at least 40-50 lbsand are significantly stronger.  Constantly training with larger and stronger opponents presents its own set of unique challenges.

So, what do you do when you’re smaller than everyone else?  You have to be responsible for your own training and create a positive training experience for yourself.  You cannot walk into class and just expect your instructors and your male training partners to cater to what you need to improve.  Be assertive, ask questions, and watch out for your own safety.  Unless you are training with upper belts (advanced blue belts and above), many guys just have no idea how much stronger they are than their female counterparts.  Higher belts already know body control and have developed a certain sensitivity to their training partners.  Women beginning jiu-jitsu should seek out higher belts as training partners instead of fellow male white belts because higher belts will be better training partners.  Higher belts will be able to train with women and allow them to work technique without crushing them because they have body control which only comes with experience.  There is nothing to “prove” in class so train smart–look out for your safety first.  And as a shout-out to all the guys out there, training with women can improve your game!  By training with a smaller partner, you develop sensitivity and body control that you would not otherwise develop with a partner your same size or larger.

Another significant challenge women face is the lack of female training partners.  If the goal is simply learning jiu-jitsu then having only male training partners is not a big deal.  However, if one of the goals is competition, I am finding that it is incredibly important to train with other women.  Women move differently than men, have a different type of game, and it is overall just a different experience rolling with a woman versus a man.  If there are not many women in your academy, just finding other women to train with can be a challenge in itself.  There are women’s classes at certain academies, there are women’s only seminars, and there are several women’s jiu-jitsu forums that you can join.  While it may require some travel and expense, training with other women is incredibly important for competition and for improving your overall game.

I have trained at three different academies over the years and I also visit other schools as a drop-in during travel.  I have always found people throughout the Jiu-Jitsu community to be friendly and accommodating.  The best advice I have for women who are training is that you have to be outgoing as it relates to your training and you cannot be afraid to ask questions.  I ask questions all the time and I have always found that my instructors and training partners are more than willing to help me.  Perseverance is the name of the game in jiu-jitsu regardless of whether you’re male or female.  Being smaller and weaker and consistently feeling like you’re losing to a larger opponent can be frustrating at times.  For me, these challenges only make me even more determined to improve and learn.  Some of the best advice I received was from Professor Pedro Sauer who said “If you’re not tapping, you’re not learning.”  This statement has stuck with me throughout the years as a reminder that jiu-jitsu requires perseverance, and that you cannot look at being tapped as a negative but instead as a positive that provides the opportunity for growth.

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Dec27

Chess: The BJJ Analogy

by Evan E. on December 27th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Posted In: Uncategorized

Kevin Santi, judo instructor at Revolution BJJ

Author: Kevin Santi (Black Belt Judo Instructor and BJJ Brown Belt)

I came across an excellent article that looks in great detail at the attributes and make up of a chess expert. The author used chess masters as a study group because there is a formal ranking system of chess players based solely on their performance.  After reading this article, I realized what was being said about chess could also be said for judo and jiu-jitsu.

http://wimse.fsu.edu/media/expert-mind.pdf  by Philip E. Ross

Attributes of an Expert:

  • A vast store of knowledge of positions.  Psychologist George Miller showed that people can contemplate only 5 to9 items at a time.  “Take the sentence ‘Mary had a little lamb.’ The number of information chunks in this  sentence depends on one’s     knowledge of the poem and the English language. For most native speakers  of  English, the sentence is part of  a much larger chunk, the familiar poem. For someone who knows English but not  the poem, the sentence is a single, self-contained chunk. For someone who has memorized the words but not  their meaning, the sentence is five chunks, and it is 18 chunks for someone who knows the letters but not the  words.”   For the novice, this means that they can keep 5-9 positions or techniques in their working memory.   Psychologists believe that experts can get around this limitation by packing hierarchies of information into chunks.  The expert is still limited to this 5-9 items.  Through years of experience, an expert is able to build up a library of  positions in his long term memory.  The expert’s library of knowledge is stored as chunks not individual items. One chunk may contain a series of moves and positions.  The expert is able to quickly recall  these chunks and use them in  their working memory. This allows the expert to quickly recognize a situation and decide the best course of action.
  • Motivation is a more profound key to becoming an expert than natural ability.“Yet this belief in the importance of innate talent, strongest perhaps among the experts themselves and their trainers, is strangely lacking in hard evidence  to substantiate it.”
  • 10 years or 10,000 hours or hard meaningful practice.

Thoughts on meaningful practice

I observe some students who come to practice, do the provided lesson, roll, and go home. The students that excel are the ones that use the lesson plan as a starting point. They start thinking about the techniques and strategies,  internalizing them, and  making the techniques their own. It’s one thing to see a technique and just repeat it, but it’s another to really grasp it. One must perform the technique and then start to ask themselves,  “where and when can I do  this?”  It is imperative that you create your own observations and impressions of the technique. By providing your own personal context to the technique, you will be able to more easily recall and apply the technique.  This will allow you to build your grappling knowledge base and create “chunks.”

Practice is the student’s time. The instructor can create a great environment and great lesson plan, but it is ultimately up to the student how fast they progress.  The more you own the technique and struggle with the position; the more you figure out its strengths and weakness.  Strive to be an aggressive learner who realizes that setbacks and failure are just learning tools, not a reason to get frustrated. Have both the will to learn and the will to fight.

-Good Training

 

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