Technology and the evolution of BJJ

I expect I'm like many of you out there. After a tough day on the mat, when I can't get a technique to work or a training partner hits the same move on me time and time again, I explore YouTube as soon as I get home. Of course I ask teammate and instructor advice but I always want to dig deep into weaknesses in my game. Technology has made it very simple to see tens or hundreds of techniques quickly, rewinding, breaking each movement down. I've watched hours of instruction and matches online. I realize this can never replace a real class or open mat time but it has greatly improved my game. Things I learn from one night of training followed by an hour of watching videos would take me weeks of training to learn on my own.

I often wonder how Rickson, Rolls, Renzo or other giants of our art would have capitalized on the luxury that technology has given the modern practitioner. Their knowledge of the art is/was beyond my understanding so wouldn't it have helped them even more than me? Footage of old Gracie fights leads me to believe they saw the advantages of reviewing, but what if they had the fights, matches, and instruction from rival gyms at their fingertips? What if they could see the classes being taught by their brothers and cousins at gyms across Brazil and the US in almost real-time? Would BJJ be 50 years more advanced? Would it have changed nothing?  What do you guys think?

Belt Promotion and "Fighting Up"

Having only had my blue belt for half a year, I'm sure there are others who can speak to this subject better than I. However, it's something I find very intriguing.

I felt like I'd put the mat time in and I knew the requirements for the blue belt test like the back of my hand. Yet, I wasn't sure I was ready to be promoted. I'd regularly get destroyed by blue belts and even a few of the white belts consistently tapped me even though I outweighed them by 40-50lbs. Obviously the instructors know best though, so when I was told it was time to test, I didn't argue. I made it through the test without any major mistakes in spite of the nerves making it feel like I was at a tournament in front of thousands. I felt very proud but my first though was, "now I'm in the advanced class with the big fish, Professor is going to see it was a mistake to promote me".

Those first few classes were extremely humbling. Suddenly I was pitted against guys who outweighed me by 40-50lbs and were purple and brown belts. Needless to say, I learned what most folks do as new blue belts: white belts don't know what they don't know, blue belts only know that they don't know anything. All that being said, it was almost like a magic switch had been flipped on my jiu jitsu game. Blue belts could still beat me, but guys that were destroying me before were having a tough time with me only a couple weeks later. White belts who were beating me, now seemed to be letting me work my game with transitions and submissions coming fluidly and often. I've heard the term "fighting up" used to describe this phenomenon. It's the idea that simply being promoted improves your game through positive mental change.

Was this abrupt change merely a mental block being lifted? Was it the confidence my professor had  allowing me to have confidence in myself? Was it small amount of mat time with upper-level belts? My guess is, it was a combination of all three.

I wonder if the next promotion will feel the same? Do they all feel that way. I really hope so.

So tell me, did you guys feel this? What has the promotion experience been for you?

Diversity in BJJ

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

-John F. Kennedy

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

John F. Kennedy

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/diversity.html#kVolqDvpDV4vTm9B.99

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

John F. Kennedy

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/diversity.html#kVolqDvpDV4vTm9B.99

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

John F. Kennedy

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/diversity.html#kVolqDvpDV4vTm9B.99

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

John F. Kennedy

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/diversity.html#kVolqDvpDV4vTm9B.99

There are a lot of things that I love about BJJ. One of the biggest is what I see on the mats. Every time I go to the gym I see men and women from a wide range of backgrounds, faiths (or lack there of), cultures, races, sizes, political affiliations, and personalities. With all that diversity, I've never seen anyone treated poorly.

I've recently read articles about Michael Sam, NFL prospect out of Missouri. Sam could be the first openly gay pro football player. It's a big news story and there are folks who say this could decrease his value. Thinking back, as a young ignorant high school football player I would have been very against having a gay teammate. As a grown man, I see that my beliefs and fears and ignorance should have no bearing on what others do with their lives. My senses tell me that in my gym, and I believe the majority of the BJJ community, most folks agree with me. I truly believe that an openly gay man or woman could come to our gym and roll without fear of being ostracized. That's really saying something, considering that many jiu jitsu techniques put you and your opponent in very intimate positions.

I'm proud of my community and it's inclusiveness. Can't we all just get a roll? What do you guys think?

Bugging out about protein

Would you supplement your diet with protein powder or protein bars made with "cricket flour"? I first heard about this a few months ago and recently saw another post about it: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/this-could-be-big-abc-news/eat-protein-bar-made-crickets-202137612.html?vp=1

I hope these guys make a go of it. I realize this is a major culture shock to those of us in the US. I must admit I have my own reservations, but I plan to try these. Between the cheap protein and the environmental implications, this seems to be a win for everyone.

Who knows, maybe there will be cricket supplemented acai bowls at the IBJJF World Championships in a few years. Could we eventually be "growing" our own sustainable protein source in aquariums?  Every apartment could be a farm!

And on this farm I raised a cricket E-I-E-I-O...

Obsession with Jiu Jitsu

If a warrior is to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession

-Carlos Castaneda

Almost everything in bjj revolves around balance, including fitting it into your life.

 I would love to be at the gym 3 times a day, every day. I wish my body would hold up to it. I wish it wouldn't interfere with other obligations and relationships. However, at this point in my life that just isn't possible. I have a lot of people I respect and admire in the bjj world; my professor, Jacare Calvacanti, for creating one of the most dominate competition teams in history, the Gracie family for helping bring bjj to the whole world; Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” for showing that big guys can move. You all know those names, but there are others that I respect that you don't know. These are the guys (and ladies) that are balancing a couple kids, a career, bills, and other obligations and yet I still see them on the mats several times a week. Those folks have crazy balance! I'm still trying to find it and it's tougher than hitting a flying armbar. What is the definition of obsession? What signifies crossing that line?

I recently changed my work schedule specifically to allow more time on the mats. I loved my schedule. It gave me a 3 day weekend every week! I'd been doing it for 3 years and it's completely ingrained in me. Since being married, my gym's evenings classes have been difficult to attend. I needed to find a work, wife, jiu jitsu balance. So I sacrificed the work schedule I loved. Is that obsession? Is putting bjj in my top priorities a problem?

I hope not.

The best blog post ever...

Was deleted so this will have to do.

If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger.

That's what they say but as a an older jiu jitsu guy, all it does for me is make training more difficult.

I look around my gym and really wish I'd started when I was younger. Thankfully, bjj is a discipline that lends itself to almost all stages of life. I'm not that old, 33, but man do I feel like it the morning after a tough training session. In high school, I remember playing a sport and feeling brand new by the next morning. I'd love to bring that feeling to jiu jitsu.The big thing I've learned is that diet and rest are my best friends. It's a constant balancing act between being smart and being lazy.

All that being said, I feel like the luckiest man alive to be a part of the amazing bjj community. I'll continue to struggle through my issues. I'll tape myself up, I'll show up, and I'll ice everything each night just to do it again.Occasionally I'll write about it and hopefully I'll entertain some folks along the way.

Til next time