Category: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (page 1 of 1)

Over the years, I’ve trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu full-time at three schools and have visited several others as a guest. Each academy had its own rhythm, its own way of doing things, and through that variety, I began noticing what resonated with me the most. Some instructors focused heavily on detail, others on pace, and a few managed to strike a balance between the two. Looking back, I realize that each experience shaped not only how I train, but also how I view the art as a whole.

As complicated as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu may sometimes appear, there really aren’t that many moving parts that lead to becoming proficient. There’s the fitness component, where the student grows stronger and develops a healthier appearance. Then there’s the technical side, where skills sharpen and the student learns what’s required of becoming eventually and effectively lethal. And, of course, there’s the fun. This is what keeps people hooked and coming back for more. Beyond that, there’s also the social side, though this is something in which the instructor plays a small part. Building friendships and connections is left almost entirely to the student. Some prefer to simply show up, train, and head home. Others make it a lifestyle, weaving the culture of BJJ into their daily lives. Either path is perfectly fine.

When I was in high school, we (the student body) referred to a particular group of students as “burnouts.” These were the guys and gals who wore the soiled jean and leather jackets and/or who were generally people the average student would avoid. They all smoked. Most of them did some sort of drug. A good portion of them held a sorry disposition. None of them were aware of their reputations though, which made the entire ordeal rather entertaining. They were the burnouts who hung out with themselves and we were the rest who hung out with ourselves. Two groups divided by starkly different cultures. Everyone ended up pretty decently though, so I’m guessing it was a kid thing – being all divvied up like that. As adults, we smile at one another and generally get along just fine.

I actually haven’t come across this question all too much in real life, but from what I understand and can see on the internet, the question is a very popular one. Is BJJ hard to learn? I get it. There are tons of people out there who might want to learn the sport or fighting style or self-defense framework – whatever you want to call it. And walking into a gym for the very first time to find answers can be fairly intimidating. I remember when I did that. I knew nothing about jiu-jitsu and I knew nothing about martial arts in general. I still made the call though and now, who knows how many years later, I’m still going strong. None of this helps you though. You still want to know if Brazilian jiu-jitsu is hard to learn. I’ll answer that question below.

If you’ve read any of my other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu related posts, you already know that I’ve been training for what seems like ever. And since I’ve hung around for as long as I have, you’d think that the conversation about being bored with the sport has come up once or twice. The thing is, it actually hasn’t. It’s never come up. I’ve never heard one person during all the years of my training say, “Hey, this is actually becoming a bit played out. I mean, how many times are we going to do the same things over and over again?”

It isn’t easy teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Not if you want to do a good job and be of value to your students. I used to do a good job and I like to think I’ve been of value. As of late? Not so much and in this post, I’ll tell you why.

By far, the people who read the most Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu related posts on the internet are white belts. They’re followed by blue belts, but blue belts trail behind by quite a bit. Once a student reaches purple belt, that student doesn’t care about articles and videos nearly as much as he or she did back when they first began. Why? Because when a student first begins training, the BJJ world is one huge unknown. By the time the student reaches purple belt, there’s not much left to the imagination. I guess what I’m trying to say here is that white belts know virtually nothing while purple belts know virtually everything. Well, everything within reason. There’s always something new to learn, even as a brown, black, or coral belt.

I’ve been teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2017 and believe me when I say, my methods are ever-changing. I’m rarely content with the way I do things. If you’ve had the privilege of instructing as I have, I can almost guarantee you’ve felt or feel the same. It’s impossible not to. We’re very similar creatures, we instructors are. We’re talented and diligent and determined. And being these types of people, we’re rarely satisfied. Which is probably a good thing because each time we make a change, improvement is sure to follow.

If you’ve been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for more than a few years, you’ve certainly run into wear holes and tears in your gi or gis. I have. It’s pretty much an inevitability. I’m not sure how many gis I’ve owned since I began training in 2008, but I can tell you that each and every one of them has earned its stripes, so to speak.