Your Body the Ultimate Teacher

what is true power? Is power just bulk dependent, or is it more a matter of how fast you can move. what is power in terms of technique? These are all questions that come up when thinking of power for jiu jitsu. I think you can measure the power of ones technique with these 4 categories… (not listed in order of importance)

1. how well does your whole body work together ( athletic ability)
2. overall fitness
3. how many neural pathways do you have developed for this technique (is the movement becoming instictive instead of planned)
4. how efficiently have you learned to perform the technique

i want to talk a little bit about number 4. figuring out what is the most efficient way to do a technique depends a lot on your precise body shape and composition. The more you practice your techniques, the clearer it will be to you which movements are more efficient than the others. This brings up an interesting paradox where it is your body that teaches your mind about how it wants to move naturally. This is why i say that everybody’s jiu jitsu will always be different. We are all made unique and because of that we will all have certain feel to our games that is not quite like anyone elses.
from my experience i have found that a great way to improve your movement and increase the strength of your technique is to roll while completely exhausted. When you are completely exhausted you have to rely on precise and efficient movements not on strength or stamina. It is mentally and emotionally hard for every man or woman to become comfortable with this type of training, but talking from experience i have seen it do wonders in my own game and in others. so let your body be your ultimate teacher…

BEST GUARD IN BJJ?

         Of all the positions, techniques, and submissions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the “guard” has created the greatest amounts of variations and terminology.  There are many different types of guards: closed guard, open guard, spider guard, half guard, butterfly guard, de la riva guard, just to name a few. I have had students ask me before which of all the guards is the best, the most dominant. My answer to this is situational as is most everything else in Jiu Jitsu.

                                                                            

           First, I believe it is important to recognize that there is no superior method of guard, and that all guards are not equally effective for every situation or environment. Keep in mind some guards work best with a gi, some work best with or without the gi, and whether or not striking is allowed. So my answer to this question is it’s different for everyone. Each of us will have strong positions and weak positions. It is the same with the guard, some guards will be stronger naturally for you and others won’t. Ultimately the type of guard you kill with will depend on many things including: physical attributes, athletic ability, competive environment (mma or bjj), style of your instructor, and your own maturation in Jiu Jitsu.

                                                   

           My advice is to grab a training partner get on the mat and roll, roll, roll, and roll some more. Venture out of your comfortable positions and guards. Expand your horizons, experiment as much as you can.  Such is the evolution of JIU JITSU