Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Lifestyle

In a world where it's so simple to deliver information, should we open ourselves to receive information from unknown sources? Is it wrong to use Youtube as a reference to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? Yes, and absolutely not, respectively YouTube BJJ Using YouTube as a tool to learn BJJ is a great idea, as long as you carefully pick who you are receiving this information from. When receiving information from, from a reliable or unknown source, you need to try it yourself. You can also consult with higher-skilled practitioners on the matter. The other day I came across this video on how to break the grip from the Worm guard. If you have not yet experienced being in someone's Worm guard, when it happens, you'll soon realize how much of a pain in the ass is to deal with it. My advice, do not let them set up the Worm guard and start passing right away. Nevertheless, no matter what you try to do on a guy like Keenan Cornelius, he will still find a way to Worm guard you. ...

How to make the right decision Most parents, unless you have trained some type of Martial Art, are clueless as to what type of Martial Art for kids is the best one. Should you follow the flyer that advertises   Karate classes for kids ? MMA for kids? Kickboxing for kids?  These are legitimate questions. It is imperative to give the right development to your kid in their early years. Please, do not make the mistake my mom did when she saw the ad " Karate for kids " on a banner somewhere in my elementary school and decided to sign me up right away without consulting with me. If I was a parent trying to decide which type of Martial Art should I put my kid in, I would start off by watching videos with my kid so that he/she can see the differences between each Martial Art. Not only can you get a feel for what your kid will most likely like, but also, you are learning about the topic yourself. Additionally, you can ask other parents if they got their kids in any type of Martial...

The Power of H-A-B-I-T Are you the person who smashes everyone else on the mat? The person that gets smashed all the time? or the lazy plus-size black belt that just tells people what to do? Whichever persona you play on the mats is a direct reflection of your habits. Up until recently, I have failed to realize how much power a habit can have. Good habits are beneficial and bad habits are harmful - we all know this. In the Hispanic world, we have a saying that translates in English to "An old parrot cannot learn how to talk". For the longest time, I thought this saying emphasized that an old person cannot learn a new skill, but, now I look it from a different lens. If you interpret this saying from a habit perspective, it emphasizes that something you have been doing for a long time, not being able to talk in the parrot's example, cannot be changed; and this is far from the truth. Master your habits What do habits have to do with my training? Everything you ...

Not sure what your end goal is? Choose wisely If you aren't sure what's your end goal in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that's 100% OK. I have been training for roughly 8 years and up until a few months ago, I finally discovered what my end goal is - to be able to train BJJ as long as I can .  There are so many paths to take once you embark on this lifetime journey in Jiu-Jitsu. Some do it for the medals, others do it for the camaraderie, networking, physical activity, self-defense, etc. Food for thought - when you train, especially if you are doing so consistently, are you just going through the movements and techniques in class? Can you go home satisfied knowing that you took a step in the right direction towards your end goal? A step forward does not mean you took a step in the right direction. For example, let's say your end goal is to win a gold medal in the IBJJF Worlds and you go in Monday for Fundamentals class and bust your ass during class - that's g...

When you are a higher belt, you automatically inherit a coaching position from a white belt's point of view; after all, you know more than they do so it makes sense. It's common to have people that just started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to be a bit (or very) reckless. I remember when I was a 4 stripe blue belt, I use to think that I couldn't benefit at all from training BJJ with white belts. A few experiences that left me with black eyes, tweaked neck, jammed fingers, random elbows to the face, etc., left me with a sour taste and the wrong mindset. Communication Do not associate a white belt's inability to do things on the mat with their ability to rationalize something you are trying to tell them. Moreover, they are probably black belts outside the mat on something that you are a white belt on, hence, take the time to get to know them and I'm sure you can pick up a new thing here and there from them. Now, back to the grind on training Jiu-Jitsu... If you...

Understand the Position So lately I have been on this rant where I want to simplify my game. There are so many moves in BJJ, and so many more being developed that I find myself often in situations where I have never been before. People nowadays, especially in competition, are playing a lot with the lapel (lapel guard, worm guard, DLR with the lapel, etc). I have a preference for passing guard rather than playing guard. I like both pressure and speed passing, and as far as which is my favorite technique for passing - the X pass. How many times do you find yourself in a position where you are like "what the hell is going on... and how do I get out of it?" Odds are, every now and then you do. What IF, despite all nuances of guard players, you can always go back to a position you know, rely on, feel comfortable with and understand; I present to you - the HeadQuarters (HQ) Position. When I first came across this concept, I didn't realize it but I have already devel...