How Do I Get Better?

There are a myriad of reasons to train jiu-jitsu. The most common are self-defense, competition, or fitness. There are other reasons that people train, but for now we will focus on the "big three." While each and every person has a different reason for training-I believe that the methods that we need to use in order to achieve our goals are very similar.

Whether the goal is self-defense, fitness, or competition the modality for achieving excellence is the same. Improve your technique!! While this answer is relatively simplistic it contains the key to success regardless of your goals.

As a student interested in self-defense your goal should be to prepare yourself to deal with a larger, stronger, and more athletic adversary. When you are threatened by this opponent-the only answer is technique. You must understand how you need to position yourself in order to eliminate your opponent's advantages. How can I move my body to increase my leverage? How can I off-balance my opponent? These are the answers that will help you succeed and survive in the face of a physically superior opponent.

For those interested in competition improved technique is still the answer. My instructor, Royler Gracie, is a great example of technique being more important than size and strength. Royler is the most decorated grappler on the planet. He has won numerous championships both with and without the gi. Royler, although a world class athlete, in most cases, was not the biggest, strongest, or fastest competitor. He relied on his technical prowess to win matches. While we may not be competing at the same level as Royler (at least not yet) we can still learn from his example.

Technique improvement for fitness may be the most evasive example of technical improvement helping achieve one's goal. Think back to the first time you ever stepped on the mats. How long were you able to last? 1 minute? 2 minutes? If you are like most of us the answer is not very long. In order to achieve fitness through jiu-jitsu one must put in time on the mats. In order to put time in on the mats one must have the technical ability to survive.

What do I need to do to get better? The answer is...improve your technique. Now that we know the answer the next logical question is how do I improve my technique? Check back soon for some thoughts and suggestions.