Here are some interesting phenomena that I’ve discovered during my time on the mats…
Not going to JiuJitsu makes you better at JiuJitsu
Have you ever noticed that when you take a break from JiuJitsu and then come back, you’re actually better?
That’s happened to me enough times that I think I’ve discovered a new way to get better at jujutsu.
It seems counter intuitive. And I’m not suggesting that not going to class all the time will make you better than if you went to as many classes as you could. But sometimes when I’m away from the mats for a week or two, I’ll come back to an open mat and actually roll really well. I can’t explain it but it happens.
Maybe that has to do with my expectations. Maybe my brain uses that time to digest the technical aspects and catch up to my body. Maybe there’s a bunch of other variables involved like the time of day, how my opponents are feeling etc.
But it’s definitely a thing.
Someone else noticed this as well:
Read more about this here:
Being “lazy” at JiuJitsu makes you better at JiuJitsu
I use the word “lazy” loosely here. It’s more energy efficient than lazy. But lazy is the way I think about it. Lazy and comfy and relaxed. Not doing too much or more than you need to do.
Why do a takedown when you can pull guard? I’ve noticed all the black belts at my gym rarely do takedowns. Most of them are older than me, so maybe that’s just a way they are mitigating injuries. But I believe it’s also because: using the least amount of energy in bjj is a black belt level skill that you and I should try.
Not caring about JiuJitsu makes you better at JiuJitsu
So what if your opponent taps you in class? You get to restart.
So what if you lose a match at a competition? You can always sign up for another one.
I don’t mind giving up positions as long as I’m safe. But I don’t care if I give them up. When I won a match at the last comp I went to, my mindset was, “I don’t care if I win but it would be nice.” It helped calm my nerves a bit. I didn’t put a ton of pressure on myself so I had a clearer mind going into the match. It worked out for me.
So basically, if you take anything from this post it should be:
⁃ don’t go to class too much
⁃ if you do, be lazy
⁃ and don’t care how you do when you’re there
But seriously, sometimes these work! It’s okay if you need to take time off training, you’re not going to lose all your knowledge. And you don’t have to go ham every class and go all out, you can chill and relax. And don’t put too much pressure on yourself and instead focus on having fun.
That’s why we joined in the first place, right?
I do these sometimes and it actually makes me better.
How about you, have you noticed this in your BJJ training?
There and Back 
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