What is Jiu-Jitsu like?

Learning Jiu-Jitsu can become very challenging at times. There are many moments where we find things just clicking, flowing, working and progressing. There are several different analogies I've heard, here is another to add to the long list of what jiujitsu is like.

If you've ever prepared for the spelling bee, you might be able to relate.

There is a teacher that will help you practice and learn the concepts of spelling, give you some trick and drills to work on. A good teacher will follow up with your progress, help keep you motivated to keep training (I mean practicing your spelling), give you feedback and help when needed, and challenge you to do your best regardless of the outcome.

Can you see the similarities to jiujitsu? To become a great speller, it's going to take much more than just coming to class to get better. You will need to internalize the rules and concepts being taught and make training or challenging yourself a part of your day to day routine.

A good speller might walk around thinking about different words to spell. They might look up new words online, try to use them in a sentence, or use them in a conversation. A good speller definitely takes the time to think about the words they have difficulty mastering, not just to memory but to be able to understand its use, origin, and meaning. A great speller will be able to take the basic concepts from class and their own studies to apply them to other techniques (oops I meant words).

A great speller knows that a consistent routine of training, rather than intense bouts of cramming sessions are much more productive.

The spelling bee might be the BIG moment, but what really matters are how we learn, how we compete, and how we go back to learning after the BIG moment. Really, the BIG moment is just a moment we happen to glorify because it only happens once or twice a year. BUT if we've learned anything it's not what we do on one or two days a year, but what we do on all the other days that make us who we are.

You might feel defeated, agitated, frustrated, annoyed, incapable, reluctant, or stagnant, but if you were to take a look at where you were a week ago, month or a year ago, you would realize that you've accomplished and acquired much. So allow those feelings to motivate you to step forward onto the mat for another day, and trust that your consistency will lead to broader diction and understanding.

Happy training everyone!

Eliot Kelly 

916.595.4064