In BJJ, it’s easy to get distracted with all of the information that is out there in today’s various instant access platforms. (YouTube, Facebook, IG, etc.) IE: The newest Guard being touted in tournament circles, ‘passing guard in 3 easy steps’…..the latest shiny object from the incredibly athletic, talented, extremely hard working world champion. All great information, if the student is ready for it. That’s a HUGE IF. And most aren’t ready for it.
Learning technique after technique, with no foundation is a no-win proposition. How many times does it take to realize that 2 new techniques and “go spar” and figure it out doesn’t lend itself easily to good Jiu-Jitsu?
At the root of all successes in sports, education, jobs, etc is setting a firm foundation, to which you can build on.
This reminds me of a quote by the great martial artist Bruce Lee:
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
Practice does NOT make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Time, effort, attention to details. 10,000 reps. Patience!
When we drill techniques early and often, we will develop muscle memory, timing and near perfect technique. The true students of the game dissect and improve foundational techniques daily, with hundreds of repetitions, making improvements, no concerned with the latest and greatest that is being promoted.
They continually work on their foundation and add to it, over time. They are hard working, obsessed with details, and are coachable. And they drill like crazy!
Patience is indeed a virtue in BJJ. It takes work, it takes time. It takes practice. It takes drilling. It takes repetitions. It takes drilling positions and techniques thousands of times….
”DRILLERS MAKE KILLERS”