It takes a village… in combat sports we often see the journey as that of the individual walking the path. There is, however, a very large support team behind the end product, which is any martial artist who finds success in their craft. The network available to newbie jiujiteiros and martial artists from other styles is vastly larger than it used to be in this day and age.
Those who pass by us, do not go alone, and do not leave us alone; they leave a bit of themselves, and take a little of us.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
From open mats, to seminars, to competitions, to even grappler retreats, there are so many opportunities to gain knowledge from others making your game more diverse. Even social media has direct lines to high-level practitioners that routinely feed the virtual community with insights from their experience and techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) they use to get ahead of the competitions and further evolve the gentle art. Support networks such as these are critical for new practitioners who are entering the abyss of the combat sports culture.
Inspiration
I’ve been fortunate throughout my journey to have been exposed to so many pioneers of the arte suave. I’ve had the opportunity to attend seminars led by Coral Belts such as Master Julio Cesar Pereira, Master Master Jean-Jacques Machado, Master Murilo Bustamente as well as other prominent jiujiteiros active in the competition scene. My most recent experience led me to City Wolves MMA for a competition seminar led by Professor Pámela Bóveda Aguirre, Fight Sports Black Belt and Head Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Instructor at City Wolves MMA.
Exposure to combat sports professionals affords more junior practitioners the opportunity to learn about the art from someone who has given a large part of themselves to the process. It’s an opportunity to ask those burning questions about the importance of competing, what techniques to focus on, how to work through low points in your journey, and expectation management. Everyone’s journey is different, but odds are there are senior practitioners who have had similar goals, or changed their focus along the way due to an enlightening experience. As students of the art, we should learn from them.
Epistemology is the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity.” ~Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Mindfulness
My teammates at my academy are my brothers and sisters, and my fellow martial arts practitioners from other academies are my cousins. We’re family, because in the end we’re all just like-minded individuals working toward similar objectives which are largely focused on being the best we can be. And just like in any other field of study, the more we learn helps us realize how little we know about the gentle art. This realization should keep us grounded and present throughout our training to help others thrive as well.
Stay engaged with your teammates and talk about what they’re learning to keep your brain active… Take a few deep breaths, begin moving your body in the warm up, and let yourself get lost in the instruction. By being in the moment, you will maximize your experience and take the most out of the class.” ~Professor Tom DeBlass
https://www.jiujitsutimes.com/present-get-mat-time-tom-deblass/?fbclid=IwAR1BUrYx8IacwT34LzipcK22VJKuBQPGZd7vB9gq-U2vfv6SIMlzbN1gb4s
It’s been a privilege thus far to have been exposed to so many different pioneers of the art, and teammates along the way who have helped me develop my game. Our youth are fortunate to have so many resources available to them as they progress through their journeys. I found jiu-jitsu at the bright young age of 32, and my biggest accomplishment as a jiujiteiro has been seeing my family embrace the gentle art as their own as early as three years old. Even my amazing wife has joined us on the mats. I’ll keep her age in my back pocket though, she has a wicked guillotine I don’t feel like drilling with her at the moment. One team, one family!