So recently we have been posting videos and having some discussions around some advanced Brazilian Jiu jitsu moves and techniques. Well today we wanted to go over some simple tips that white belts can read, remember and apply to their game right away.
Some of these tips might make perfect sense and some might not regardless please take the time to think about that and give them a shot. Trust us if you start following these tips your jiu jitsu will improve much faster.
The first tip we want to stress is:
Make it to class as much as you can
For some people that means twice a week and for some people it means five to six times per week. Regardless of the the number if you are supposed to be at class you need to get the most out of every class. More on that in a second.
Try not to take any breaks or miss any rounds.
When it is time to drill.. drill when it is time to spar… spar. Now we know you will get tired during class but use this time to continue to work your endurance and it is a great time to focus on your technique. If you take a break every time you are tired your endurance will not improve much. Just be safe and realize that every rep you do while you are tired and every round you do when you are tired is helping you jiu jitsu improve in a major way.
Train outside of class.
This will help you take advantage of class time like we just mentioned. It can be as simple as jogging or as complex as hiring a personal trainer. If you need some advice in this area dont be afraid to ask. But there are things everyone can do off the mat to improve. You can stretch, you can run, you can lift and more much so if you have some time and want to get better there is always something else you can do.
Ask the instructor or advanced students questions.
If you do not understand something or if you are having problems with a move or technique ask for some help. Dont be afraid to speak up ask. It will help in two major ways. The first is that the answer will help and it will speed up your learning curve dramatically. The second way it will help is that it will give your coach or instructor some more info about you and the move. This will help him or her instruct you. It is always helpful for the instructors to know what is giving you trouble or what you are thinking about the move they are teaching that day.
Dont try to be perfect… just try.
You are not going to be perfect so hopefully that takes the pressure off right away. One way to really speed up your progress is to just try things. If you look around you will probably notice most of the advanced students are always trying out new things and if you keep paying attention you will see over time they get better and better at those new things. You rarely try something day one and can apply it to your jiu jitsu game right away. Sometimes yeah sure there are tips or tricks you can add right away but more often than not you have to put your time time. So dont be afraid to mess up. Dont be afraid of trying something and having it fail just realize every time you try something out it is helping you.
Study Jiu Jitsu Off the Mat.
Just make sure it is good info! How do you know if it is good info? Well here are some ideas that will help with that. First ask your instructors. Maybe they can recommend something that they think will help you out specifically. If you are a guard player they might have a book or dvd that want you to study. If they think your guard passing needs work then they will be able to suggest something that can help in that area. You can also ask other students especially the higher ranks.
Try What Was Taught.
Whatever was taught in class that day you should try out. It doesnt matter if it wasnt your favorite move.. try it. If it was a move from a strange position find a way to get there and try it out. Trying a move that day is the best way to start the process of getting good at the move. Dont want til next class or next week. Make sure to get some live practice with the move asap.
Hopefully those tips make sense and you are willing to give them a shot. If you have any questions dont be afraid to ask and we will see you on the mats soon.