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Dec
31
Be a Fan of Simplicity (Day 61)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 2 Comments
The more you train, the more you’ll witness some amazing techniques in jiu-jitsu; things that are unbelievable; things that are Jedi-like. Don’t be seduced. Don’t be concerned with flying armbars or rolling kneebars (at least not yet). Your job is to master the basics and to choose simplicity over acrobatics. Be a fan of simplicity [...]
Dec
30
Be Determined (Day 60)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
. . . I preach a lot about self control–a lot about restraint, and I believe that is the best way to train and to live, but life is really about balance; there has to be something in us that is unruly, that is beastly and wild. We must have a little son-of-a-bitch in our [...]
Dec
29
A Parable on Competition (Day 59)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
*This is a pretty recent story that I think will help a lot of people understand what competiton should be like. I like tournaments, and I suggest that you at least enter one, if for no other reason than to experience that part of the jiu-jitsu universe. I like tournaments for a number of reasons, [...]
Dec
28
The first thing you should purchase after your gi, is your academy’s back patch. It’s just respectful to represent your school. Some schools make it mandatory. I don’t think it should be mandatory, I think it’s something you should want to do. You should be proud of where you train, otherwise you shouldn’t train there. [...]
Dec
27
A Parable on Respect (Day 57)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
. . . *A lot of people liked a Parable on Humility so I thought I’d dig up another story I’d written about respecting and not judging people. Sometimes the lessons we learn in jiu-jitsu are off the mat. I started thinking of my first jiu-jitsu school on Kiesel Ave. I have a lot of [...]
Dec
26
A Parable on Humility (Day 56)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
*This is one of my favorite memories dealing with humility and I will be adding it to my book. Being proud of your art is great, it’s normal, but sometimes we get arrogant and egotistical and end up making an ass out of ourselves. Every Sunday, at my old school on Kiesel Ave., an old [...]
Dec
25
What to Call Yourself (Day 55)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | Leave a Comment
*Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Hanukkah, Festivus, or whatever you do or don’t celebrate. One Love. What does someone who practices jiu-jitsu call themselves? I actually don’t have an answer for that. There are some terms floating around, but none of them, in my opinion, does justice to who we are. For me, there isn’t a [...]
Dec
24
Do not Wear Wrestling Shoes (Day 54)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 1 Comment
Actually, I have mixed feelings about wrestling shoes; I’ve worn them, and socks, and have gone barefoot. I perfer barefeet. There’s a certain feel you get only through barefeet. Socks are silppery and they’re constantly falling off your feet. Wrestling shoes take away any sensitvity you have, plus it’s hard to grip your oppponent with [...]
Dec
23
Listen, but Look (Day 53)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | 2 Comments
You must remember that you are a student–a student of jiu-jitsu. When your instructor is teaching, it’s important to not only listen, but to watch. I tell my students, especially the kids, to record with their eyes. You must not only hear, but also see. Your eyes are a camera and they need to pick [...]
Dec
22
You’ll Probably Dislocate a Finger and or a Toe, if not, You’ll Definitely Jam Something (Day 52)
Filed Under BJJ Notes: The Book | Leave a Comment
Your appendages will undoubtedly be abused in your pursuit of jiu-jitsu knowledge. Jammed fingers and toes will be just the beginning; you may even dislocate a digit or hyper extend a joint. Dislocated fingers are a scary sight, when your pointer finger looks like a boomerang, or even worse the number 7, there’s definitely a [...]
