How Do We Know Jiu-Jitsu Works?

August 15, 2018

Jiu-jitsu is science, not magic.

What is science, and why is it distinct from magic (however magical scientific findings might seem)? The scientific method is based on observable reality, where you experiment, observe the results, develop an understanding which you refine over time, and repeat. Magical thinking is the opposite: you draw conclusions that you can’t prove. I ate ice cream for lunch, and then it rained later: I should eat ice cream when the garden needs watering. Or, as we hear all too often in the context of martial arts: my system is so deadly we can’t spar, or I’d hurt you.

What’s the best way to determine whether a fighting system is effective? Science. Take a practitioner of that system. Put them in a controlled environment (i.e., a cage) where there are very few variables (i.e. rules), see what happens, and then repeat over and over.

The early Ultimate Fighting Championships were an extended experiment, and a very valuable one.

The Most Important BJJ Skill That Any White Belt Can Master

July 30, 2018

jeff.shaw Intro to BJJ No comments

The most important skill you can acquire in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a skill any white belt can master — and it’s important that you do so early. In order to tell you about this pre-eminent skill, I want to tell you about the time a white belt almost choked me unconscious.

This was about five years ago. We had been working a guillotine choke with the arm inside. Even while drilling with no resistance, he wasn’t able to make the choke work. I offered some advice, and he’d get closer, but it just wasn’t getting there. This happens — it’s why drilling is important, so we can work out the kinks.

Class ended and sparring began. I was sparring with the same white belt, and as his partner, I kept trying to feed him the choke we’d been trying to get during class. Each time, he’d get a few details … but then make a mistake and lose it. This happened maybe three times until he finally grabbed the lock and adjusted it properly. I waited, and when he definitely had it, I tapped him proudly on the shoulder.

He didn’t let go. Read more about The Most Important BJJ Skill That Any White Belt Can Master …

Using Notes and Drills to Improve at BJJ Faster

July 1, 2018

jeff.shaw The White Belt Starter Kit No comments

Everyone loves to spar and roll. But there is nothing — nothing — more important for improving at BJJ than drilling. Think of it as locking in the benefits from the time you spend in class! If you’re investing hours of your life in learning, spending a few more minutes drilling can make sure that time is maximized. Here are some specific methods for learning BJJ through notes and drilling that I’ve found helpful. Once you get into a good drilling rhythm for single techniques, it’s important to start drilling transitions for jiu-jitsu as well. I’m lucky in that I Read more »

What Does a BJJ Belt Promotion Mean?

June 30, 2018

jeff.shaw Belt promotion standards No comments

Sometimes I think jiu-jitsu would be better without belts.

I understand the reasons for them: People love having markers of their progress, and they help for competitive fairness, and — my favorite aspect of belt promotions — I believe in any excuse to have a celebration. But belts are also controversial; every school has different standards, depending on whether the school emphasizes sport, self-defense, MMA, or a combination of those. Even within a school, those standards can change — sometimes radically. What a belt means might mean very different things depending on the student or instructor that you ask. Belt rank can feel arbitrary, and people can take them too seriously.

But BJJ belts are meaningful. They display to training partners what type of proficiency they can expect. They provide important waystations on the long journey. Most importantly: they contain memories. This alone means belts, whatever baggage they come with, have importance.

How should we think about belts, then?

How To Be a Great Training Partner, Part Two: On the Mat

June 28, 2018

jeff.shaw The White Belt Starter Kit No comments

Sparring is one of the most important components of jiu-jitsu training. If you can execute a BJJ technique against a fully resisting partner, you can have confidence that technique will work. But what are the guidelines for sparring — which BJJ people call “rolling”? I wrote a whole post about how to approach rolling in BJJ for maximum benefits, but for new folks, here are the pieces of advice I think are most important. It’s always OK to tap, and it’s always required that you respect a tap from your partner. Tapping is how we signal a need to stop, usually Read more »

Training, Gender and a Positive Gym Environment: Guest Post by Valerie Worthington

June 25, 2018

jeff.shaw The White Belt Starter Kit No comments

By Valerie Worthington

It is unrealistic to say there are no potential challenges related to people of different genders training together. That being said, jiu-jitsu is about training—troubleshooting, brainstorming, learning—with people. For that reason, this article is a set of suggestions for anyone who claims a gender identity who has just started training or who is thinking of starting to train.

If we are willing, we can all learn more about how to become great training partners and how to support others in doing the same, no matter our gender identification. Some of this involves respecting differences between men and women and, increasingly, people who eschew a male-female dichotomy. I also believe a lion’s share of the answer is about individual commitment to consideration and self-awareness. These are simple fixes. But simple does not necessarily mean easy.

So, if you claim a gender identity, read on for suggestions about how to contribute to a positive training environment, especially if you are new to jiu-jitsu. Read more about Training, Gender and a Positive Gym Environment: Guest Post by Valerie Worthington …

How to Make a BJJ Training Plan as White or Blue Belt

June 24, 2018

jeff.shaw The White Belt Starter Kit No comments

The first step to achieving a goal is planning. Even if we’re all doing the same activity, our goals for that activity may be slightly different. There are some fundamentals, though, in every pursuit. In jiu-jitsu, there are certain things everybody should know extremely well. Within that framework, you can create a personalized training plan that will help you get where you want to go. That’s why I wrote this post about how to make a BJJ training plan, specifically for white belts (and early-ish blue belts). These are methods that certainly helped me, and I hope they help you, Read more »

How To Be a Great Training Partner, Part One: Off the Mat

June 21, 2018

jeff.shaw Intro to BJJ No comments

A lot of great people try jiu-jitsu. The most common questions I get from well-intentioned new folks all relate to this question: how do I become a good BJJ training partner? How do I contribute positively to the gym community?

There are a lot of ways to answer this, and I’m dividing this post into two sections: this one is about preparing for class and your off-the-mat activities, and I’ll do a follow-up about how to be a great training partner once class starts. Keep in mind that every gym is a little bit different. Some practices are universal, though, and I break them down into three categories: be clean, be ready, be nice.

If you guessed that the last category features a Road House reference, read on!

We’re offering an eight-week introduction to jiu-jitsu class!

June 19, 2018

jeff.shaw Intro to BJJ One comment

The best time to start jiu-jitsu is always the same: right now! We have an offer that is a terrific entry point to this fantastic martial art. As someone with a real passion for Gracie jiu-jitsu, I’ve put a lot of thought into the best way to introduce new people to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and I’ve developed a 24-class series that I think covers a lot of bases. With no contracts or fees or commitments beyond the 8 weeks, you can come out and train — and see why so many people who try BJJ end up loving it. You can Read more »

Why Everyone Should Train in the Gi

June 18, 2018

jeff.shaw Intro to BJJ No comments

Before I get started, let me explain the headline: by saying “everyone should train in the gi,” I’m not saying anything negative about no-gi jiu-jitsu. I think everyone should train without the gi too! You rarely hear anti-no-gi arguments, though. Since I’m a huge believer in the practicality of the gi and its use as a training tool, though, I wanted to write this post. Read more about Why Everyone Should Train in the Gi …