I often felt frustrated, overwhelmed, and confused when I began my jiu-jitsu journey.
“I don’t understand. There’s so much!”
“I’ll never get this! Maybe I should quit.”
“Everyone else understands this but me.”
I attended class every day. I practiced techniques repeatedly and participated in several rounds of sparring with training partners. Outside of class, I watched videos to learn more about each technique. I worked with training partners to “flow roll” and to remove the stress of sparring so that I could focus more on techniques.
However, I still felt behind sometimes.
Now, I understand that feeling that way is expected. I still feel that way sometimes, even as a jiu-jitsu black belt. That is okay; it is part of the process. I am learning, which often results in frustration, overwhelm, and confusion. What helps me now is how I think about learning jiu-jitsu.
Jiu-Jitsu is a language
You see, Jiu-Jitsu is a language, albeit a physical one.
Like any language, jiu-jitsu takes time to learn. You will hear new words and ideas and move in ways you never did.
Imagine learning a complex language like Chinese, Russian, or Arabic.
- Would you expect to pick it up overnight or in a few classes?
- Could you space out in class and expect to absorb the material?
- Would you discard flash cards, required reading, etc., and make progress?
- Would you attend class once per week and expect to keep up with other students?
No, of course not! If you approached it like that, you would never become fluent in a language. Jiu-Jitsu is no different.
If you want to get better at jiu-jitsu or anything else, you must attend class multiple nights per week and pay close attention. You must do homework outside of class to review details you missed during class. You must practice weak areas more than strong ones.
In short, you must make jiu-jitsu a part of your life, not something you casually get around to doing sometimes when you feel like it.
Take action
You likely have a phone with a calendar. Use it. Pick which days you will attend classes each week and put those classes in your calendar.
Block time for jiu-jitsu like you would block time for a doctor’s appointment, work meeting, etc.
“I want to get better at jiu-jitsu,” a student says.
“How serious are you? Show me your calendar,” I reply.
Anyone good at anything is good because they dedicate time to it. Getting good at jiu-jitsu requires thousands of hours of work, not dozens or hundreds.
I repeat: Getting good at jiu-jitsu requires thousands of hours over decades, not a dozen hours per year.
That said, take jiu-jitsu seriously but not yourself. You will get smashed and submitted thousands of times on your jiu-jitsu journey. That is okay and expected. It is part of the journey.
The question is, What do you do about it?
Do you quit and throw in the towel? Do you pursue something easier so you feel strong, skilled, and successful? Or do you become strong, skilled, and successful?
The choice is yours. It is up to you. Jiu-Jitsu is a vehicle for self-improvement, which results in life improvement. I have never seen anyone’s life get worse because they started training.
Invest in yourself and your future, and treat Jiu-Jitsu like a language. Show up every day, pay attention in class, and do your best with every technique, drill, and round of sparring. You will surprise yourself with the results.