I’m so glad this question came in! Navigating your purple belt is completely different from white and blue belt. There is a big shift in the journey and figuring out what it takes to progress. Are there any posts for Purple belts? Or over 30’s? Just getting back into it. I have had a bad
Unlocking The Bonus Levels – Adding Secret Games To Rolling –
Progressing through Jiu Jitsu has opened up Bonus Levels for me. As I become more and more comfortable with Jiu Jitsu the more I can start to open up. It has been a journey though for sure. I was nervous the first few times I ever rolled. But eventually I started to figure out what
Interview With Yuri Simoes – “Training With Intensity” – A Case Study
Yuri Simoes was kind enough to sit down with me for a few minutes for an interview to talk about his philosophy and approach to Jiu Jitsu. His intensity was the first thing that caught my attention when I became aware of him years ago, and really opened my eyes. If you are interested in
Creating Dynamics In Jiu Jitsu
I remember playing dodgeball in my youth, and it reminds me of how dynamics in Jiu Jitsu work. A popular dodgeball strategy was to use feints to get a read on the dodger’s reactions. After a number of fakes I could often find a pattern to their responses. “This guy likes to dodge to the
How Training In The Gi Improves No Gi Skills
Last week I explored how training No Gi can make you better in the Gi, and this week is the other side of that concept. Both Gi and No Gi Jiu Jitsu are still Jiu Jitsu, and training either type makes your overall grappling better. The benefits I am focusing on in this article and
How Training No Gi Makes Your Gi Game Better
Oh man. Not another Gi vs. No Gi article! There are already thousands of these out there. I am still surprised that at how fired up people get over questions like “Which is better, training No Gi or Gi?”. My solution is simple: I actually believe that EVERYONE should train at least a little in both
Jiu Jitsu Tournament Tips (#5-#10) (Part 2 – During The Tournament)
If you didn’t read Part 1 of Jiu Jitsu Tournament Tips, it is recommended you go here to read them all. Jiu Jitsu Tournament Tip #5: Warm Up Properly. How one of the simplest concepts can be so easily overlooked is beyond me. I literally have to stalk down and hound some of my competitors
Jiu Jitsu Tournament Competition Checklist
Last weekend, FUJI held another great tournament in Springfield, MO. Twenty competitors from Springfield BJJ put it all on the line against students from other local gyms. This was their first or second tournament for the majority of our competitors. Skill in the gym doesn’t necessarily translate to results in a tournament. There are some guidelines
Crafting A Jiu Jitsu Game Plan For Tournaments 101
“Stick to your game plan!” I yelled this phrase repeatedly last weekend as I was helping coach students in a competition. Preparing for the tournament I found my biggest focus with the competitors was making sure that they had a Jiu Jitsu game plan. What Is A Jiu Jitsu Game Plan? Before we get started though,
Jiu Jitsu Style – The Style Is Always Greener On The Other Side
Style in Jiu Jitsu is one of the strongest intangible pathways to improvement. I consider style to be how body type, personality, movement style and training environment all come together to create a series of effective techniques that someone implements as often as possible because of a proficiency. Just because someone has my body type doesn’t neccesarily mean that I should play the same style as them.