Outside of Jiu Jitsu, I don’t do that much.
The days when I used to spend hours watching TV or playing RPGs are long gone. But I still have a hobby of sorts. I read. But the fiction that has my attention these days isn’t something that most people would even know of.
Why?
It’s because the books weren’t originally written in English. They’re Chinese fiction with a focus on battle, cultivation (extraordinary martial arts and power growth), and political strife.
I only bring it up, though, because not that long ago, I chanced upon a particular concept that has a clear and obvious application to training.
Behold in all its paraphrased glory:
“After survival a battle, you must reflect on what happened no matter what, regardless of defeat or victory. That is the only way to achieve the most improvement.”
The moment I read that I had to stop.
It was profound yet undeniable. At the same time, though, I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t put that principle into practice. And there are so many opportunities to do so too. It applies to more than just tournament experience.
Every time, you roll, it’s a battle that you have survived. And thus there are lessons that can be taken from the experience if you just stop and reflect on what happened.
I’ve had some of my best revelations that way.
But I’ve also been very inconsistent about doing it. Nowadays though, one of my goals is to walk away from every roll with at least one new question. And even if I don’t give each of those questions priority, I must at least make myself conscious of it.
And I would suggest the idea to you. Of course, it’s not technical, but it help you reap the most benefit from your training sessions.
Anyway.
Tomorrow, I’m heading out to Vegas for old man Worlds, so feel free to say hi, if you’re out there too.
And those who’d rather learn some technique, check out my half guard course. It addresses several core problems that make the difference between success and failure when it comes to the foundational attacks of the game.
Learn more here:
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