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Question:I am a new student. I rolled after my first Jiu-Jitsu lesson and was completely hooked. Even though I was tapped frequently, I fell in LOVE with Jiu-Jitsu!
After that, my instructor informed me that I must wait until my first stripe to enter LIVE TRAINING. I am sad that I have to wait. How can I get my Jiu-Jitsu fix outside of regular the classes? Unpopular decisions...I have been fortunate enough to find Jiu-Jitsu early on and am in my 19th year of training. The time I have spent on the mats has allowed me to witness the EVOLUTION of BJJ teaching. When I first started, you were essentially thrown to the wolves. Some survived, most didn't. The survivors had a distinct love for Jiu-Jitsu that allowed them to persevere through anything they faced on the mats. However, training partners dwindled, schools started to close down, and people were frequently injured. Over time, better training methods were developed. Instructors became better educated on teaching the art and helping students learn. I believe a lot of this was attributed to the fact that we finally had enough time, stats, data, and results of BJJ in America. From this data, UNPOPULAR decisions were made. It may not be the best idea for students to "roll" early on.
etc, etc,etc. If everyone was a"survivor" these UN-popular decisions wouldn't have to be made. Unfortunately, countless injuries, pissed off students, and complaints, caused change. Embrace the grindI can assure you this...After you go through these classes (48,according to your instructor), your experience and rolling abilities will have such a head start. You will be thankful that you entered in rolling with knowledge, technique, strategy, and some concepts. Although that first day was fun...It become very un-fun when you continue to get crushed and feel like you will never improve. This may not be you, but for the most part it is. After 48 classes you will understand what happened during live training. You will understand how to keep yourself and not put your self in worrisome, injury prone positions. Surprisingly, you will actually advance quicker this way. It may not seem like it now. but just realize this... Rolling WITHOUT knowledge, will create fear. It will force you to develop habits of not "going for it." Every time you try to, you are caught. You will begin to misinterpret strategy and not ever have the confidence to offensively attack. Rolling WITH knowledge, will create confidence. You will trust your technique, because you have technique, and you will be able to FIX what goes wrong. It is imperative that rolling is followed by analysis. This analyzing is what allows for true improvement. In the beginning, this is impossible. In the beginning, you will have no answers. You will start to create answers and they will not be correct. It will stunt your future growth. In the meantime if you are "jonesing" to roll and cannot wait, here is what you do. Buy some cheap mats. Network with a fellow student in class that you trust. Meet up and train outside of class. Take some private lessons from a Purple or Brown Belt. They will be more inclined to grapple with you in the privates more so than the Black Belt/Professors. Stick around to watch Intermediate/Advanced/Open Mats. Sometimes, a fellow student will be inclined to invite you in for some training. Talk to your instructor, one on one and ask if he will take a special interest due to your eagerness. Perhaps he will. Tell him that you will go slow and train very controlled. If at any moment you over step your boundaries and start to become unsafe, he can stop you immediately. Just remember this...We are lucky to have Jiu-Jitsu. We are lucky to live in an era where this is accessible and any moment on the sacred mats is a true blessing. Patience is a virtue. Enjoy the process and remember how lucky you are to have found the art and will now have the chance to live the best life you could've ever asked for, due to JIU-JITSU! Eddie Fyvie | www.EFJJA.com | Malta, NY
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Interested in speeding up progression?
IMMERSE yourself Immerse : Involve oneself DEEPLY in a particular activity or interest. This is a concept I preach to all frustrated students that are just starting out. It is the quickest way to get things moving along. Plus, the learning is nearly accidental and subconscious. You don't have to be studying, just enjoying and watching. Your brain is starting to make Jiu-Jitsu an habitual thought process. Don't take your time with progression. Hop right in, "Gulp" the information down and let your brain start to sort it all out. But, there are difficulties associated with trying to immerse yourself in Jiu-Jitsu. Some things are easier to IMMERSE in. Pretend you have just seen Basketball for the first time in your life. Just like anything else, you start to learn and it is SUPER confusing. HOWEVER...On your way home
Do you see a theme? Do you think this access to your "new" sport will help you learn quicker? You will learn your "new" sport of Basketball VERY quickly because of the mainstream and constant access to the sport. Although it seems slight, you are hearing terms, plays, concepts, players names. You are seeing visuals of movement and other technical aspects. This is a learning paradise for your brain. This extra sight and sound sensory and visualziation is going to work wonders the next time you step onto the court. To IMMERSE in Jiu-Jitsu you have to actively seek out information With certain activities, you are basically surrounded by information regarding the subject. This is usually the case because of mainstream exposure and greater reaches of popularity. With Jiu-Jitsu; you need to get the magazines, watch the videos, Google, go on YouTube, take classes, watch classes, subscribe to blogs. The information isn't as readily available, so it will take some searching, work, and motivation. "Knowledge is best acquired and retained when effort is involved." - Peter C. Brown "Make it Stick - The Psychology of Learning" When you immerse yourself, you will hear foreign or abstract Jiu-Jitsu terms/techniques and start to recognize them by sound. Most likely, you have even seen the technique or situation if you have watched and read the right stuff. Your brain has an amazing way of sorting things out. You can try to slow down your learning and focus on little things and details one step at a time...this is good and will work, but it is going to be an arduous, slow process. This is not necessary for learning anymore. We live in an era and society of INSTANT information. We never had this before, and because we never had this, we HAD TO go slower and focus deeper because of a lack of resources. If I couldn't escape an arm bar, I might have had to wait SIX MONTHS to figure it out, 18 years ago when I started. Now you have access to the ability to look up and figure it out on your phone next to the mat. There is so much to learn and the answers are at the tip of your fingertips. You now have the ability to Google your way through the ranks. But always remember, this is an ADDITION to your learning, nothing beats the time and experience on the mat. That almost goes without saying, or at least it should. But if you want to fast track your progression in the beginning, go out and start searching, start watching, start listening, all of a sudden, your grasp will be very deep and it will take half the time. Your ability to execute may still be a ways away but your ability to LEARN and catch up on things will make that execution a much closer reality. Eddie Fyvie - Immersed for life White Belt --->Blue Belt
The estimated one - two year journey, from White Belt to Blue Belt is a whirlwind of new experiences, knowledge, and physical improvements. Finally, after all this time, things are beginning to make sense. When you receive your Blue Belt, the instructor should feel confident in knowing that if you were to defend yourself against somebody unskilled, you should be able to stay safe. At this point, you should also notice that your movement, knowledge, and reflexes are surpassing students with less experience. I believe the White Belt works in FOUR phases... Acquisition : Receiving new information for the brain to process. Making Sense : You are starting to grasp the basic principles and techniques/positions that make up the art of Jiu-Jitsu. You are beginning to drill smoother and can retrieve techniques you have learned. Reflexes : You can drill the techniques and have the ability to flow through multiple positions from memory and feel. If you are put under stress (live), you may still struggle. Street safe/Basic Rolling : On the cusp of Blue Belt, the instructor should start feeling confident if you were to defend yourself. Also, you are starting to feel semi-comfortable with Jiu-Jitsu vs. Jiu-Jitsu rolling/grappling. The struggle from Blue --->Purple Every new belt has a "growth" period. It is like a kid whose parents got him new shoes that are too big... but THEY KNOW he is going to grow into them eventually. That is what a new belt is like. You look down at your waist and don't always feel like you are ready for the next step. At Blue Belt this is even more evident because of the fact that other Blue's do really well against you and Purple Belt seems like a far off, distant, unreachable land. This belt is most likely where you will spend the longest time in your Jiu-Jitsu journey. Here is the deal... You are basically still "new" to Jiu-Jitsu and the problem with most practitioners is, they place emphasis ONLY on their PERFORMANCE in live training! At this point, this is a small piece of the puzzle. The most difficult part of Jiu-Jitsu is, the ability to execute techniques, live, against knowledgeable training partners. Being able to "roll" well is something that starts to happen on its own through persistence. It is hard to evaluate the big picture like this and it is IMPOSSIBLE and pointless to evaluate yourself as there are lots of factors that go into sparring success. Instead of looking at "Did I tap vs. Did I tap someone", start setting micro goals in your sparring sessions. These will help you evaluate things much better. They can be as simple as...
Setting MICRO goals will help you precisely determine how you are progressing! Being Persistent - Finding a Schedule If you have made it to Purple Belt, you have figured out how to fit Jiu-Jitsu into your personal life, family world, and work schedule. At Blue Belt, you are still facing the struggle of balancing life and training. It is a tough battle and it takes some creativity in figuring out how to make it happen. Jiu-Jitsu is WAY MORE than just a workout and people will generally do almost whatever it takes to make sure they get the Jiu-Jitsu therapy! Stay the course, it is worth it. There is not a "disappointed" Black Belt on earth. They all know that when you can conquer an activity like Jiu-Jitsu, life starts to appear like a walk in the park. FOUR common issues that sabotage the journey to Black Belt Work: Your profession will be better when you do Jiu-Jitsu. If you can't afford Jiu-Jitsu because you lost your job, BRING IT UP to the instructor. It can usually be figured out. The ultimate quote from someone who stopped Jiu-Jitsu because of work... "I wish I never stopped, I am so miserable." Ok then don't stop..."I need the money." You need to be happy and if your happiness doesn't add up to your bank account, your bank account won't make you happy. Kid's : Bring your kid's to do Jiu-Jitsu. If it's a newborn, take all the time you need, and make your return to the mats when you are ready. When the baby is born, make sure you create an action plan to facilitate a smoother return. Personal relationships : COMMUNICATE. Sell them on why you "need" Jiu-Jitsu, not why you "want" Jiu-Jitsu. Also, involve them in Jiu-Jitsu. Perhaps through classes, social events, or bring them to meet everyone. He/She will be absolutely blown away by the camaraderie and friendships established in Jiu-Jitsu. If you keep them separate from it, they will NEVER understand. Laziness : Step ONE > Stand Up ---- Step TWO > Grab your gear ---- Step THREE > Get in your car ---- Step Four > Drive to class. What is so difficult : ) ??? Eddie Fyvie >>> Quick Blog Summary <<<
The pyramid of execution
The elements are 60% of the structureOne thing that I have seen over the years through traveling, training, and teaching is that most of the high level practicioners offer ONE of TWO things.
I feel efficient and effective movement, developed from their development of the inner workings. Their...
The "basic" techniques are what work in the beginning and the end (25% of the structure)The "basic" techniques of Jiu-Jitsu are what you learn in the beginning and then eventually come back around to at the end. It is an amazing "Circle of Jiu-Jitsu Life". This could also be due to the fact that when you reach Black Belt, your ability to dissect is at another level. You have "Black Belt Eyes". In the beginning, the "basics" lay the foundation for your Jiu-Jitsu. Over time, people become blinded by the idea that the "basics" only work against basic practicioners. This is NOT the case. The execution of the technique (15% of the structure)In the beginning, individuals have no idea what the possibilities are, so they fall for the "basic" techniques much quicker. As time goes on and they evolve, it becomes much more difficult to execute these same techniques. This is where people go ONE of TWO directions...
>>> When you don't execute (top of the pyramid)... >>> You have a technique (middle of the pyramid) that failed... What is your next step? Find a new technique or revert back to the elements??? The answer...ALWAYS revert back to the elements of the technique FIRST! The answer to your problem is in one of the mechanics of the technique. If you go through the list and cannot find a solution, perhaps then, it is time to start playing with some new tricks. Trust this method When you analyze the top people in our art or your sport and see their "basic" game, it was not completely credited to how much they drilled. It was the development of their "elements, their mechanics, their concepts", the base of the pyramid. Every activity, art, sport, or game, has certain principles, do not forget to refer back to them! There are unbelievable innovators that come up with advanced technology and complex ideas in every activity, but the ones that always are regarded at the TOPfollowed the strategy of "developing"the powerful technology they already have! Gable, Rickson, Jordan... These guys were developers of sport and art, but they developed it based on the "basics". ➡️ When your technique fails revert back to the elements. ➡️ When you exhaust every possibility, ask someone better. ➡️ When they can't figure it out, find a new path. The mechanics of a "basic" technique can be simple or complex. Develop the mechanics along with the repetition and you will find yourself.... Gable, Rickson, Jordan, _____ (Why not you?). Eddie Fyvie www.EFJJA.com SUMMARY
The THREE Types of Pressure
Close your eyes... Try and picture "pressure"...what do you envision? I guarantee most of you pictured WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION pressure or being crushed. This type of pressure is massively important and quite common, but I do not believe it to be the main factor in the pressure equation. Defining all pressures and being unable to describe their meanings will bring a lot of students to a plateau. Big guys distribute their weight technically, but sometimes lack angles to really demonstrate technical efficacy. Small guys will eventually figure out how to distribute their weight, but, they may be too small to make that weight extremely worrisome to the bigger, high-ranking individuals. So they must add other elements. Weight Distribution Pressure Weight distribution is arguably one of the most important concepts or elements of Jiu-Jitsu. Speed will go away with age, strength will go away with age, but your ability to use your weight will not. Using your body weight correctly will allow you to use less energy while your opponent exerts more. It will force lower belts to fatigue very quickly and force higher belts to become frustrated faster. Against higher belts, using your weight will sometimes take longer to achieve the desired result, but the odds are in your favor! Henry Akins || Death Below Side Mount Check out this example of WEIGHT! If you are going to become effective with your weight, you must understand the following...
Proper Weight Distribution = Less squeezing & holding. Proper Weight Distribution = Less energy by you & More energy used by them. To develop the effective ability to utilize your weight, you must focus less on moving and more on using gravity to feel like your opponent is drowning in cement or under a thousand pound wet blanket. When you begin experimenting with pressure, add in more weight to positions and movements, you will get swept and tipped due to an over commitment of weight. This will subside through practice. As it subsides, your training partners will begin to HATE YOU because of the weighted pressure they are under. Frustration causes faster failure. Being stuck under body weight for lengths of time will sap your adversaries will power and make them feel like they were being crushed by a truck. ***To deal with defending the weight, try the following ***
Pain Compliance Pressure You see this type of pressure quite often in Catch Wrestling and random spots in regular grappling and Jiu-Jitsu practice. They will utilize Pain Compliance to force quick reactions and openings for the "Catch" or submission. Fujiwara || Catch Legend || Pain Master Check out this video! This type of pressure elicits quick and sharp responses from the receiving opponent. They will feel the pain and flinch/jump/freak out in response, is usually giving you what you want. It is not as effective when applied against higher ranks because they have developed the "comfort in discomfort concept by the time they are advanced.
I will say this...If you use "Sawing, Knee to Neck, or Muffler" you will be having fun doing BJJ by yourself. Nobody will feel like rolling with you while having elbows dug in, filthy hands covering mouths, and bony kneecaps digging into the neck. However; these tactics can be useful and you should prepare for them and learn to use them for tournaments, fights, or to lay down the law! The Ultimate Pressure = PANIC In the beginning stage of Jiu-Jitsu you feel panicked in bad positions constantly. You don't breathe properly, you don't think straight, you think you are always on the brink of submission... Suddenly, after hours of practice and knowledge acquisition, things become a lot more clear and less stressful for you offensively and defensively . It is easy for a higher level BJJ practitioner against a lower belt to induce PANIC. Finding your way into a dominant position will award you the response you are looking for. The hard part begins when your techniques that worked when they DIDN'T KNOW stop working when THEY KNOW. Let's look at ways to get people to open up and give you submissions even when they are ready to defend. This is the ultimate level. Instead of firing the gun and hoping it hits its target...Aim it, control it, get point-blank and BOOM!
In steps ONE and TWO, you are inducing panic by making them feel as if there is no escape. You are backing them into a corner and they feel like they have no other choice. They must do something desperate to get out. The dominance of position can create submission opening through anxiousness. Step THREE is the almighty. It is the ONE pressure that creates the submission finish nearly every time or at the very least will lead you into a more dominant position. When the threat of a potential submission is happening, they HAVE TO respond. The effective way to attack a submission against someone who isn't giving one is to..
Kron Gracie || Dominating Position || Always Finishing Check out this example! Pressure in BJJ is like pressure in life. By inducing panic on your opponents the pressure will cause them to crack. Just like in life, the best and most experienced, are much better at dealing with pressure. But luckily in BJJ, you can choke their neck and make them submit to the pressure :) Eddie Fyvie - Email me, edfyvie@hotmail.com let me know how this is working. For the past TEN years, I have been in the "BJJ laboratory" teaching kid's and adult's full-time. For the past EIGHTEEN years, I have been on my personal BJJ journey.
This article is designed to give Brown Belts perspective, insight, and the tools to become not just a Black Belt, but the absolute BEST, Black Belt they can be! All belts and individuals in Jiu-Jitsu have to be examined on a case by case basis. People enter BJJ at different times in their life. We will study the following "types" of Brown Belts...
All three share common ground The 3 types of Brown Belts all share some common ground. Eventually, the hobbyist and competitor will be forced to join the ranks with the "Professor" and teach Jiu-Jitsu. When this occurs, it is crucial they can teach everyone from all walks of life. Men/Women/Children, who may be weak, strong, old, young, introverted, extroverted, possessing issues from their past, lacking confidence, over-confident, etc... It is easy to become self-centered in Jiu-Jitsu. Most of your training career has been spent "competing" with your training partners. I don't care how noble you are, you have went home more than once, proud that you submitted your friend or "beat them". But remember how you got to where you were, mentors and teachers. Jiu-Jitsu is a service and eventually you will have the important, humanistic duty to share the knowledge you have, in order to provide a positive future for the next generation of BJJ practitioners. "Knowledge has no value unless you share it." - Unknown When this happens, do not teach them all you know and all you can do...Give them what THEY need and NEED to do...They are not you, but they NEED you...Whatever you give them will fascinate them or frustrate them. Do not submit to the latter. The Hobbyist You have a family, you have a full-time job, you don't compete, and you probably won't open your own school. You love Jiu-Jitsu as much as anybody else. Everybody's progression and focus is different in their journey through the ranks. But with that Brown Belt around your waist, you are a representative of what the Belt means to outsiders and training partners. So although it is your hobby, it is also a responsibility. Become the Belt! "Sometimes, you don't have to win. You cannot win. But that has nothing to do with losing." - Rickson Gracie Everyone has their role in the practice. "The Hobbyist" role is broken into THREE parts.
You made it this far after a late start in the race, don't stop or slow down now. The Competitor As a competitor, your instructor will have different expectations.
"The Competitor" Brown Belt has the highest personal injury rate in class and also injures the most people. The tenacity and pace that a competitor trains at is sometimes very difficult for people to handle. Especially in Jiu-Jitsu, where a lot of training partners don't compete, are older/younger/in shape/out of shape, and might not be in competition "mode". When you train, compete in class with other competitors, and don't lose sight of the fact that one day your switch will be unplugged and it will be time to give back and teach, so don't forget the Self-Defense, the basics, and who you were when you started. You have gifts. Use them to win and use them to become a developer of the sport and art. American's love "sports" and you will be one of the people who gets the MOST ATTENTION. The spotlight is on you and trust me, when you hit Black Belt, the competition scene will be a different world. Time to focus more than ever! The Future, Professor/Teacher/School Owner
You are probably teaching some classes at Brown Belt if your goal is teach full-time and/or own a school, you will have a good edge as a future instructor. Think about the Black Belt Professor as if he/she was a Medical Doctor...You are getting ready to graduate and when you get that doctorate (Black Belt), you will now be sent into the workforce (teaching/ownership). You will be scrutinized, watched, and people will AUTOMATICALLY trust you simply because of the doctorate degree you earned (Black Belt). Think about it, when you walk into a doctor's office, you assume they know what the heck they are talking about and telling you, well...because they are a doctor (Black Belt). Then you realize two things, this doctor (Black Belt) is knowledgable and nice guy and you see why there are lots of patients (students). Some doctor's give you drugs, bare minimum treatment, and stop learning. Some doctor's give you attention, care, treat you on an individual basis and educate you and themselves on what is important or evolving in the world. Some Black Belt's stopped learning once they hit that mark. They teach their class as quickly as possible so they can get to rolling or head home. Some Black Belt's study, learn and improve forever, and truly cares about the student's needs. If you are a Brown belt and you are, or will be teaching, then become a teacher. do not teach only what you know or what you can do. Read the students and read the room and give back what THEY NEED. It's funny, the more you teach, the more you learn...and the more you teach what you learn...you realize that most of your time spent teaching is also you learning. "If you are not learning, you are not earning." - Unknown As you are becoming a Black Belt start learning how to create curriculum. Manage business. Learn how to structure a class that is balanced for everyone. Learn how to handle personalities like a clinical social worker in order to sustain relationships that will help keep people in your class. In order to teach, you need to have people that want to learn. If you don't have many people wanting to learn, it's NOT marketing...it's you. Plan and strategize to be a communicator of knowledge, passion, and inspiration. Conclusion If you are competing, then compete. Go from Brown Belt champ to Black Belt legend! If it is a hobby, remember, a hobby is a passion. If your ego takes you too far away from it being a hobby, Jiu-Jitsu will become a job and most people quit jobs. If you are on your way to becoming a Black Belt Professor, you should be finding answers to as many future questions as possible. Master basics and master Self-Defense. Those are going to be the main things you teach and will ALWAYS be what HOOKS the student to the magic of Jiu-Jitsu. Know who you are at Brown Belt, you are almost there. Start cramming for the big day. The Brown Belt isn't a belt in which you "wait" for Black Belt. It is the belt where you "prepare" for your Black Belt! Eddie Fyvie - The Brown Belt gave me anxiety and I am glad because it fueled my fire. >>> This blog is meant to give perspective on the reality of the world we live in <<<
Scenario You have your two kid's in the car. They are arguing and making a mess in the back seat. Suddenly, you cut someone off in traffic. They are ANGRY. They shout insults and follow you into a parking lot. They get out enraged and have nothing but violence on their mind. You immediately attempt to de-escalate the situation, but there is no hope. They are twice your size and they do not care about your kid's being in the car. What do you do? How would you make out? In this moment, your children are either going to be enlightened with trust, confidence, and pride for their dad. OR...For the rest of their life, they will live with a subconscious fear of the unknown and will not look at you the same. If you think that isn't true, you are mistaken, I have seen it many times over the years and have had countless student's sign up because of similar situations. The fear & consequence of violence This fear is present in all of us. Every action that you make has a primitive element hidden within it. The threat of physical violence is the ultimate consequence to any action you make. *By the way, having a gun will help you minimally. What if some big DRUNK football player walks up to you and slaps you in front of your wife. Will shots be fired?* This threat is what ALLOWS someone to speak their mind or PREVENTS them from speaking their mind.
Lead by example Quick story... My father always had a quick switch. He wasn't the most level-headed individual. I remember a time as a child when a parent shouted an extremely disrespectful insult toward me during a children's basketball game. I saw my father walk up to the person, the person stood up to scare my father and suddenly pushed my dad. I was TERRIFIED! Within two seconds, my father had the other parents shirt pulled over his head and was blasting him with "Uppercuts". As people jumped in to break it apart, the other guy fixed his clothing and wiped his bloody lip and nose. He walked out of the gymnasium, embarrassed, and came back the next day with a gift for me and an apology letter for my dad. Watching my father stand up for me and stand up for himself, made me feel a sense of pride that was indescribable. He explained to me after that you "have to stand up for yourself and never back down." He also reminded me that he did not want to fight, but felt threatened and had to defend himself. I felt protected as a child and felt invincible walking around with my father. Of course we weren't invincible, but my confidence and belief system came from the example set forth. My father had no formal training and was a unique exception. He grew up in poverty and was abandoned, and left without parents. He had to fight for clean bed sheets while living in an orphanage. This isn't the case for most. Why not give Jiu-Jitsu a shot. I'm telling you now, that if you tried it, you would be hooked.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was developed through real fights. The concepts and techniques are based off ACTUAL FIGHT analysis. No theories, just reality and truth. You cannot protect your family if you cannot protect YOURSELF.Walk into business meeting with confidence. Walk into a social event with your head held high. Be prepared when the fight chooses you. You will survive and your kid's will thrive. Eddie Fyvie - Try Jiu-Jitsu NOW CLICK to schedule a free class <<<<<< The Jiu-Jitsu Global Federation had it's first ever conference and award show yesterday in Long Beach, California. This show gave awards to Jiu-Jitsu's elite competitors, established the initial commissioners of the JJGF and announced exciting developments! It was a who's who of BJJ royalty and it provided me with great MOTIVATION and INSPIRATION for my own future in Jiu-Jitsu instruction and development.
The federation is lead by Jiu-Jitsu icon and hero, Rickson Gracie. I had the honor and privilege of attending this monumental event. The JJGF will soon be the driving force that organizes the industry and works with the instructors, students, and athletes to put Jiu-Jitsu on top of the martial arts market. Unifying, NOT dividing As Jiu-Jitsu grew, Jiu-Jitsu divided. So many people in the world know what Jiu-Jitsu is. The art exploded in popularity when the Gracie's showcased the REALITY and EFFECTIVENESS of Jiu-Jitsu to the world. As it became popularized, the sport started innovating, the principles of the art became misinterpreted by some, and the Self-Defense/Reality started to diminish. This began the "division" of Jiu-Jitsu. Teams rivalries, politics, championships, and educational opinions, created even DEEPER separation. Jiu-Jitsu has been here since the 80's, but it is still so fresh on our country. Without a plan to follow, we did not know how to grow the art and sport in a way to keep it unified. Now we can evaluate the pros and cons, evaluate the do's and dont's and move forward TOGETHER! Unifying the art does NOT mean... The death of Jiu-Jitsu events & promotions. The unification will expand and work WITH the events, NOT against. It is a win-win-win.
Self-Defense is the essence of Jiu-Jitsu A Jiu-Jitsu practicioner that has a base/foundation in Self-Defense will have an easier transition into the sport. Self-Defense practice and training not only reaches a more massive audience and market, but it develops a mindset of safety, control, and efficiency, that can be applied to become a more effective competitor. For example, if the student learns from DAY ONE the importance of taking somebody down...when they enter sport, it will be ingrained deeply into them. " A low percentage of my students compete."- 99% of the Jiu-Jitsu instructors in the world Have you ever had a student walk in and say they wanted to be a world champion in Jiu-Jitsu? No?! Some of you may have said yes. We do encounter this in rare cases, but most people come in to "try" Jiu-Jitsu. At some point, they might want to "try" competing. If their base is Self-Defense and solid fundamentals, they will have a much safer, efficient, and effective approach to competing. Self-Defense provides empowerment. "Rolling and Sparring" develops mastery. A combination of the two = invincibility. We need a leaderMy opinion is different from the next persons opinion. However; one thing remains a fact, Rickson Gracie is on top of the "Jiu-Jitsu mountain". He is the embodiment of what Jiu-Jitsu is. Human beings are creatures of social desire and social infrastructure. This is why we have, presidents, mayors, governors, professors, etc. Jiu-Jitsu needs...
If we are to push Jiu-Jitsu into the mainstream, we need unification. We need to delegate a leader. We need to continue developing and ask ourselvesHONEST questions.
>>>> If you don't understand who or what the JJGF is, go to www.JJGF.com and learn more about the federation. This is NOT just "another" federation, it is a movement to progress, enhance, and unify us together. Eddie Fyvie - #MadeByJiuJitsu and dedicated to impacting lives through Jiu-Jitsu education and practice! Below are some tips, some perspectiveand some ideas, for progression at Purple Belt.
Some ideas are focused on... what the belt IS, what your mission is, and why people might get their Black Belt, but actually NEVER move past the Purple Beltin skill. These professors have experience to make up for the difference, but usually lack the strategy and concepts to be as effective as possible. Your futureOnce you hit Purple Belt, your chances of stopping Jiu-Jitsu just got drastically lower. By the time you have made it to this belt, you have fit BJJ into your life and it is cemented as a permanent fixture. Your key to success is to realize, it is how purposeful you are training at this belt, not how often.How many more moves do you need to know?!?! It is time to take the techniques and moves you know and put them into action with grace, fluidity, and efficiency. "It's not about the MOVES, it's about the movements." - Tom Murphy I refer to the Purple Belt as "The Rolling Belt", because I truly believe this is the belt that you master your grappling skills. This is the belt where the instructor can't hold your hand as much anymore because you are developing your PERSONAL movement and skill. You are entering a semi-unteachable world of BJJ! How to develop what can't be taughtTransitions : Make sure the gaps between positions, submissions, and reversals are being tightened. When you sweep someone can you get to mount or is your timing off? Transitions are sometimes taught, but you have to take the initiative to free your mind, and move. Anticipation : Start to read your opponent and develop a feel and sense of how he/she is going to move or react. This sixth sense is what people search years for in their BJJ journey. Test it out, give openings and close opening, study the psychology. You don't fight, let them fight! Combinations : There are TWO major focuses in this category. You have to understand how to NOT over commit and you must be able to look at the position from the "Ceiling View". Get your notebook out and think of combos, here's how...
7 ways you should be rollingIf you roll the same, every time you roll, you are slowing progression. If you submit the same person with the same technique, you are trapping yourself in a"skill-time warp". If you don't roll differently with certain ages, body types or skill levels, you are doing a disservice to you and them in practice.
**Do not experiment with techniques that do not pass through 'the injury, future injury, requires strengths and requires flexibility' FILTER** "You can listen to me now or wait until you are 65." - Frank Popolizio You are now freeing yourself from the stress of mastering the basics and can start opening up and allowing the abstract form of rolling take shape. You should be seeing the "big picture" of Jiu-Jitsu much more clear and have blended the 100's of techniques you know into concepts that allow you to start applying them rapidly. You must see the "blend" of techniques in the various situations. The figurative samurai sword has been sharpened, once you hit Black Belt. The Purple Belt has acquired the sword and has the skills, but still needs to smooth out the blade for extreme precision. Purple vs Brown vs BlackThis belt is so fascinating to me. Some people say that a Purple Belt has learned all of the techniques it needs to know. What they do not have is, the experience, the DETAILS, psychology, and ability to be analytical that only a true Black Belt has from their years on the mat. It's quite interesting, but the difference is...
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Making mistakes does not equate FAILING!!!!We live in an amazing time of information, study, and development. Failure has always been a studied topic, but now we are finding out actually how important "failing" is. OH WAIT...It isn't always failure when you they talk about failure. Failure is an awful word.
We need to redefine our perception of failure. That word is meant for when you have failed/quit/gave up/it's all over, I NEVER want to get to that point. We must make mistakes, we must correct the mistakes, if we can't correct the mistakes, we must find another way, if NOTHING WORKS...you should've had an exit strategy. You must never allow failure. You must strategize, hustle, and FIGURE IT OUT! Choosing failureAre you about to die? Is your life being ruined? Have you exhausted EVERY option? Time to choose failure. Like I said before, you should've made a strategy for the worst case scenarios, but if you didn't, how can you fail gracefully, and pick up the pieces? I have failed, I have quit at things. I have quit while doing things I absolutely loved doing, but didn't work hard enough to try find a way. The key to coming back is... "Make it the best thing that has ever happened to you". - Jason Spector Use the failing moment as a tool of "power". Take it, get back on the grind and mold the new, upgraded, 2.0 version of yourself. But remember, DON'T FAIL. You can come back from it, but we mustfix mistakes, BEFORE we fail! Always have a strategy in place. Plan = Linear (A-B) Strategy = A plan that is linear + all directions (A-Z and then some...) Never AgainI was Arm-Locked and submitted in an important match to me. September of 2001, I was fourteen years old, competing in the "Advanced Teen (Ages 15-17)". I was always exploring challenges, so I though I would risk it and jump up an age bracket and even a weight class (ABC- Always Be Curious). I was winning by EIGHT points, TEN seconds left, the match is mine, and then... I got caught in an Arm Bar that I had never seen and also, one that I have rarely seen since!!! >>> Did I fail or make a mistake? I lost the match, but I believe it would only have been failure if I quit Jiu-Jitsu. I made a mistake! A mistake that would stick out in my mind until this day. A mistake that made me turn a bit crazy and obsessive for a while, similar to "Ray Finkle " (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective), however; NEVER AGAIN was I caught with that technique. They say that Thomas Edison failed 6,000 times before the light bulb worked. >>> He did not fail, he made 6,000 mistakes, that he fixed! <<< Eddie Fyvie - I made 8 mistakes in this blog, but I read through and fixed them : ) Summary
A Martial Art based off of intelligence & REALITYThe innovations for Self-Defense made by the Gracie Family are truly remarkable. They took the Japanese Martial Art, modified it based off of their needs, and created a system of safety that was developed through reflection, analysis, and REAL FIGHTS. The art was consistently based off of the idea that, "The technique MUST work against someone much larger and stronger." A pursuit of perfection in technique, strategy and psychology, all played a consistent role in the evolution of the Jiu-Jitsu. The guy at the forefront, Grandmaster Helio Gracie, was not a physical specimen by any stretch of the imagination. He did not have any physical gifts. He was a regular personlike you and me. This is what made the art so special. You did not have to be a freak of nature in order to be good at it and you could still develop true Self-Defense expertise. The Gracie Family dedicated their lives to the biggest "Case Study" on fighting and Self-Defense ever. They proved what works and what doesn't from testing EVERYTHING. They created a system that works by stacking the odds in your favor. Understanding that it is more about "not losing", as opposed to "trying to win". Anything can happen, but they wanted to make sure they were always in a position to survive. For women, this is of the utmost importance. Women will not have the physical upper hand in most Self-Defense situations. The techniques of Jiu-Jitsu involve using, leverage, angles, base, and proper body mechanics to insure safety. "Jiu-Jitsu represents the triumph of human intelligence over brute strength." - Grandmaster Helio Gracie Awareness, Avoidance, Mindset (AAM)These THREE things can help you overcome most Self-Defense encounters. The funny thing is, all three of them are concepts that transcend techniques.
Question ONE"I am a Black Belt, and Former Professional MMA fighter, who wins in a one on one fight, me or YOU??? Did you read that and think of how ridiculous the question is. Your answer was probably, "You, of course, what a stupid question!" Let me re-phrase the question Question TWO"What if I broke into your house, ran upstairs, grabbed your kid and started running for the door...Who wins that one???" Is your answer different? I thought so. That is the "Predator vs. Prey Role Reversal". If it ever came down to you having to protect yourself, remember, turn the the predator into prey and they will "pray" for their safety! Now, when you become a Black Belt, you can be the one asking the question! Physical skills enhance verbal/mental skillsWhen you possess the physical prowess to protect yourself, confidence and empowerment come along with it. You subconsciously become a lot more mentally and physically capable of conquering things you otherwise wouldn't have. A women who walks around the street at night knowing Jiu-Jitsu, is usually the women the attacker doesn't "read" as a target. You carry yourself differently and most likely, after learning Jiu-Jitsu, you won't be walking around the streets alone at night because you will get a view of the REAL WORLD. Don't allow yourself to be someone fearful to walk down the street or to your car scared. Don't allow yourself to be afraid to speak your mind when you need. Don't allow yourself to be CONTROLLED by someone because you are physically scared. TRUST ME, nobody has EVER left a Jiu-Jitsu class not feeling empowered or better about themselves. Don't wait, try it once, if you don't continue, you will have at least learned something that could SAVE your life. "Every adult should be able to save their own life." - Earle Liederman Eddie Fyvie - Made by Jiu-Jitsu |
Eddie Fyvie
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