Nobody Tells You This About Jiu-Jitsu, But They Should
Stuff I Wish I Knew Sooner
Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most fun things that you’ll ever do. One of the issues is that there’s quite a bit about Jiu-Jitsu that many instructors and people don’t actually tell you.
Some of us come across these tidbits of advice from wise Purples or kind Black Belts, but really most of us don’t realize much of this until after the fact. When we look back after reaching Brown or Black Belt.
What I Learned Late
Attributes/Skill Over Belts- Belts do not determine skill. I have Blue Belts who sometimes catch me with submissions. My belt does not mean that I’m going to beat everyone. Styles, size, age all matter.
Understand The Why - If you want to understand techniques, don’t memorize the steps. Instead remember the why behind them all.
You’re Not Behind, You’re On Your Own Timeline - We are all in our lane running our own race, and no two races are identical. The constant comparing of where others are, will only rob you of your joy.
Most Progress Happens Off The Mats - My mental approach and how I decided to approach is a conscious approach. Additionally, I found quite a bit of my growth happened when I started studying instructionals. Not just glancing over them, but I mean truly studying them.
Phases Are Natural - You’ll go through obsessed, frustrated, focused, burned out, and obsessed again. All of this is natural and most of us will or have gone through them at some point.
Coachability is a Super Power - Your ability to be open and receptive to advice and coaching will separate you from most of your peers.
Thank you for reading.
David Figueroa-Martinez
Founder, DFM Coaching
Coach | Writer | Grappler
DFM Coaching is dedicated to helping you overcome mental hurdles and achieve your full potential in BJJ. Whether through in-person instruction, seminars, private lessons, remote coaching, or video analysis, I provide personalized support tailored to your needs. Keep pushing forward, and let’s grow together!
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