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#186 Getting beat up versus making progress in BJJ

In BJJ there is an idea, met with wide agreement, that if you have tough training partners to beat you up, you will surely get better at Jiu Jitsu. It sounds good on the surface but fails to pass standard reasoning. Legendary Strength Coach Dan John once told me at a workshop “anyone can makeContinueContinue reading “#186 Getting beat up versus making progress in BJJ”

#185 How important is getting out of your comfort zone in BJJ?

Like the sport of BJJ, life continues to evolve before our eyes leaving us with two main choices. Growth or stagnation. As the cliche saying goes “If you aren’t going forward you’re going backward.”. At our gym which conveniently says, “It’s not a gym.”, there is a canvas on the wall with beautiful artwork doneContinueContinue reading “#185 How important is getting out of your comfort zone in BJJ?”

#184 Jiu Jitsu’s ultimate secret…

Those of us who have been on this earth long enough, know that life itself is full of stress. For some, unimaginably so. Having to oblige with everyday niceties while suppressing the fear of losing their job, their home, etc can bring many strong people to the edge. If only there was a button youContinueContinue reading “#184 Jiu Jitsu’s ultimate secret…”

#183 Cutting weight for BJJ tournaments?

You’re new to BJJ tournaments and are starting to become aware of the fact that many fighters are shedding pounds in an effort to be bigger and stronger in their respective weight class. This is fairly common in combat sports and you may be wondering if it’s something you should experiment with to gain aContinueContinue reading “#183 Cutting weight for BJJ tournaments?”

#182 Stop wasting your time doing “cardio” for Jiu Jitsu

Let’s face it, we’ve all encountered a student who takes up running or biking to improve their “cardio” for Jiu Jitsu. Clearly they seek an improvement in their Jiu Jitsu performance and understandably so as Jiu Jitsu has intense physical requirements from strength, power, flexibility to endurance. While there are some benefits to raising one’sContinueContinue reading “#182 Stop wasting your time doing “cardio” for Jiu Jitsu”

#181 Is strength necessary for Jiu Jitsu?

Due to the technical nature of Jiu Jitsu and it’s proven effectiveness against a stronger opponent, there is an idea often circulated that strength is not needed for Jiu Jitsu. This of course couldn’t be farther from the truth. A characteristic of physical strength is the ability to hold a position in an isometric fashion.ContinueContinue reading “#181 Is strength necessary for Jiu Jitsu?”

#180 “Why is Jiu Jitsu so frustrating?”

If you’ve been practicing Jiu Jitsu for any length of time, you have likely already met one if not many frustrations. You find yourself asking questions such as “am I even making progress?”, “am I getting worse?”, “will Jiu Jitsu ever become easier?” and many other natural responses to the puzzlement that accompanies the arduousContinueContinue reading “#180 “Why is Jiu Jitsu so frustrating?””

#179 Jiu Jitsu is not for “big men” but big hearts and brains…

How I love this art which never ceases to rip the ego from the heart of small men hiding behind a large muscles and a mean scowl. Those who walk around the gym with their chests puffed high as their egos themselves. In their case ignorance certainly is bliss. Ignorance of the frightening ease withContinueContinue reading “#179 Jiu Jitsu is not for “big men” but big hearts and brains…”

#178 Artificial technique doesn’t get real results

If you have been around combat sports for a long time, or hopped on a social media platform and started perusing techniques, it wouldn’t take you long to find some incredibly beautiful looking techniques. Some of the moves you come across will be effective while some will not or they will simply be dramatized forContinueContinue reading “#178 Artificial technique doesn’t get real results”

#177 Martial Artists

We are those who dare to see things differently. Martial Arts is the perfect balance of beauty and grace alongside pragmatism and ruthlessness. Such harmony is not seen in nature, it is nature. Like a beautiful ocean that in the next moment is a devastating tsunami, so too is the way of life itself. WeContinueContinue reading “#177 Martial Artists”