Open Mat Training Session

New Year's Eve Wednesday we will be training at 10:00am. Show up and get a workout in for an hour or two. See you there!

Bunny Slope

I hope you all had a great Christmas and were able to spend time with family and the ones you love. I had a great Christmas with my family and am enjoying my time in Mammoth Lakes on the snowy mountain. Today I saw my daughter ski for the first time and she did great. When she was done with her ski lessons, she looked up at the big mountain, where the experienced skiers were coming down the run, and said "I want to ski up there." I was happy for her enthusiasm but explained to her that she needs to practice a bit more on easier runs before tackling the advanced slopes. Had I let her find this out the hard way, she would have discovered that she wasn't quite ready and might have lost confidence and enthusiasm in her ability. This happens a lot in Jiu-Jitsu. A new guy comes into the academy and you get to grapple with him. You beat him and gain a boost of confidence in your Jiu-Jitsu game. All of a sudden, you find yourself on top of the world and are ready for the next challenge. You roll with a more experienced guy who puts you in your place and your once elevated ego is now deflated by reality. Does this mean that we shouldn't roll with guys who are better than us? Absolutely not! We must, however, manage our own expectations and realize that we learn more from losing than winning. Take the tough challenges and walk away with more knowledge than you had before, but also take the time to learn on the "bunny slopes" and work on your technique before moving up to the more difficult runs. I look forward to the new year and to the progress in your lives and Jiu-Jitsu.

Jiu-Jitsu Students

The progress I have seen in my students makes me happy. I love to see students growing in their grappling ability and in their knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu. So here is what I cannot stand about the direction that Jiu-Jitsu is taking, something that I have noticed more and more as of late. Jiu-Jitsu, to me, is everything - It is my family, my friends, my training, my health, my sanity, my therapy. Those who understand the true essence of the Jiu-Jitsu that was passed down to me, know that it is much more than a fighting art - it is a way of life. They understand that the art takes a lot of time to learn and is never perfected. The journey is a long one that rewards those that are dedicated and give themselves selflessly to elevating the gentle art. Nothing is sweeter than seeing a person who trains Jiu-Jitsu and because of that training exudes humility, loyalty and quiet courage. So here is what I see about the future of Jiu-Jitsu that I really don't like. In reality, it has nothing to do at all with the art itself, but rather the application of the learning process as it is currently transpiring. Students today have access to countless resources like the internet (youtube), books, magazines, instructional videos etc. While these things are good for reference, they are not teachers or instructors of the art. In the fast food society we live in, Jiu-Jitsu is now being bought and taught by the "drive-thru" crowd who wants the fast track to Jiu-Jitsu knowledge. What they don't realize is that by attempting to learn technique from these resources, they are receiving "fast food" or "junk" Jiu-Jitsu instead of collecting the right ingredients and adding them to the recipe in the right order and allowing the goods to cook for the right amount of time. There is a process to learning Jiu-Jitsu that is just as special as the end result. When you decide and commit to train at an academy, you are submitting yourself to a set of principles and trusting that the instructor will give you what you need to succeed. You may not always agree with the methods or even like it all the time, but you are the student - it is your place to learn. I told my wife the other day that youtube would eventually kill Jiu-Jitsu. I believe this is true because students will attempt to shortcut the learning process and miss out on valuable growing pains that will make them wiser, tougher Jiu-Jitsu players in the higher ranks. Jiu-Jitsu books and videos are an aid to training, but have been used as primary instructional tools instead, and have developed a style of Jiu-Jitsu that is incomplete and awkward. Students today think they know more than their instructors because they spend more time on the internet, researching technique, than training on the mats under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Jiu-Jitsu is precious - It should never be given away. If we believe this, and I do, then we should wonder why these guys are posting technique videos online for every last person to see for free. They are not doing their part in preserving Jiu-Jitsu and they are doing it all for internet fame. They are not helping to elevate the art but rather misleading "wannabe" Jiu-Jitsu players into thinking that they are improving their game by simply watching three minute clips online. Take the time to learn the Jiu-Jitsu that your instructor is teaching and be patient enough to endure the growing pains that will make you stronger in the long run. If you want to learn via books and videos, then stay home. Put on your gi, sit in front of your computer and practice your moves and give the credit for your success to whomever wrote the latest and greatest book. As for me, I'll be on the mat with the gladiators....see you there.

Note - Things I did NOT say in this blog:
All instructional videos are bad.
All Jiu-Jitsu books are bad. In fact - Saulo's new book "Jiu Jitsu University" is a great reference to complement your Jiu-Jitsu. I would advise purchasing a copy.

Happy Holidays! We will be closed from December 24th to January 5th. Please continue to check this site for updates as we may have some open mat training sessions throughout the holiday break. Stay tuned for posts.....

Graduation

Check out http://www.lutasdonorte.com.br/noticias.php?ID_NOT=388 for some photos of my graduation in Brazil.