CJJ Training Weblog

Jiu-Jitsu is not just about a technical system for fighting, it’s also a form of personal expression. The creativity and improvisation that can happen in Jiu-Jitsu gives every practitioner the opportunity to become an artist. Some students consciously embrace this possibility and some do not, but everyone, whether they wish to, shares parts of his or her personality while on the mat. In fact, insecurities, massive egos, naivete, selfishness and self-importance all tend to be much more difficult to hide on the mat then in everyday life. Of course, some people are hopelessly diluted, but, for many of us, Jiu-Jitsu is something that can rehabilitate our souls. However, doing this requires us to acknowledge that our behavior on the mat reflects our character and to make a conscious a effort to behave like a civilized human being. Below, I’ve outlined a partial list of considerations that can help you become more aware of mat etiquette.

1. Always consider the well being of your training partners. Selfishness is easy to spot and a deplorable quality in a sport that is impossible to practice alone. You can’t become good at Jiu-Jitsu without having some good training partners who, by definition, are interested in your improvement, as well as their own. Conducting yourself as though everyone is around to serve you and make you better is completely unfair and downright despicable. Respect yourself and your partners.

2. Put safety above all else. If you’re consistently hurting people, then you have a problem. No one wants to get injured and keeping your partner and yourself safe should always be more important than getting a tap, executing the new move you’ve been working on or stroking a fragile ego. Being safe isn’t just about not cranking an armbar; it’s also about minding your space and avoiding slamming into other groups or the wall. If you’re always flying off the mat or into other people then you need to be more aware of safety.

3. Follow the Golden Rule — don’t do something to your partner that you wouldn’t want done to yourself. A common complaint I hear from students is “so and so was grinding their forearm on my face/nose/whatever.” No one wants to spend 8 minutes being tortured, especially in a Jiu-Jitsu class which most people participate in to learn and have fun. There’s no excuse for being sadistic, and, if you’re grinding anything on your partner during training, then you need to reevaluate your tactics and what it means to be technical.

4. Strive to learn the art, forget about everything else. Understand that becoming good at the art of Jiu-Jitsu will enable you to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. Whether you want to compete, have fun, learn self-defense or get in shape, aptitude in this art can take you there. You don’t have to treat every training session as though it’s a life-and-death struggle. Show up consistently, be a sponge, think and be a good training partner, and you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish, as well as how much Jiu-Jitsu can enrich your life.

5. Learn how to win and learn how to lose. Becoming good at something conflicts with worrying about winning. In other words, if you’re constantly thinking about “beating” your partners, then not only are you a terrible training partner, but you’re also making it impossible for yourself to become proficient at Jiu-Jitsu. Being well-rounded means being effective from all positions. This requires practice, and you’ll never be able to practice those bad positions if you’re worried about winning. Similarly, if you accept getting tapped and realize that it doesn’t mean anything, you’ll have fun training sessions and improve more rapidly than everyone who’s consumed with winning.

6. Set a good example. Be a good training partner. Treat others with respect and demand respect from them. When someone is being a poor training partner, don’t just complain to the instructor: make your feelings known to that person. Help create a good training environment for everyone, and you will benefit. If you always leave it up to someone else to do the right thing, you’re being irresponsible and hurting your training, as well as everyone else’s.

7. Don’t make yourself an exception. There are always a few students who feel like they don’t have to listen to the instructors or adopt the school’s training philosophy. They do what they want, treat their training partners like a means to an end, complain about everything and act like the rules don’t apply to them. Following the rules and conventions of your school shouldn’t be a burden, it should make you proud. If you don’t believe in your school, then you’re a parasite, training at the wrong place.

8. If you’re a bully, expect to get bullied by the higher belts. I often see students feeding their egos by beating up on the smaller, less experienced grapplers in the class, only to be tentative and reserved when paired with the more advanced students. Eventually, someone will notice. No one likes a bully and you should be more responsible and giving when training with smaller or less experienced students. If you’re not, expect consequences.

9. Respect your instructors. If you don’t feel like you have to listen to what your instructor says, then you have no right to expect that they teach you. A student-teacher relationship is a two-way street– you shouldn’t ignore 90% of what your instructor preaches and steal the details he or she has learned from years of training and you shouldn’t choose to follow some instructions and disregard others. If you don’t respect your instructors, you’re at the wrong school. Otherwise, listen to what your instructors say and adopt their methods, not just their techniques. You’ll improve and feel good about your place in the school.

This is a broad topic, but this list is a good start. Being reflective when you train can take you so much farther in this art than mindlessly going through the motions.

By Will