December 30, 2007
How To Use Instructional BJJ Media
Stephan's note: today we have a guest author, Nicolai Geeza Holt, sharing his thoughts about a topic near and dear to my own heart: learning from instructional material. Nicolai trains with Niko Han and currently has 47 wins by submission in competition. Check out his online video collection on youtube.
The most important point to understand before you build up a big library of BJJ instruction material is this; the books, videos and DVDs you buy will not solve the practical problems you are having on the mat. Your practical problems can only be solved with practice. And you cannot practice in books or in DVDs. Practice happens on the mat.
So what are instruction materials good for?
Instruction materials can give you a big picture general idea of the kinds of things you need to master and understand over your long BJJ learning process. There are four key areas you have to master in BJJ and I will list them in order of how well BJJ instruction materials cover them.
First, techniques; BJJ instruction materials are good databases of both basic and advanced techniques.
Second, fitness; some instruction materials are specifically prepared to help you to prime your body for strength, cardio, flexibility and coordination with exercise routines, while others focus on diet or overall health.
Third, preparing your mind; some of the most insightful and useful BJJ instruction material (once you have trained past the basics), relates to how you manage what is going on in your head before, during and after marshalling on the mats.
Fourth, some BJJ instruction materials cover fight or competition strategy. This last area of knowledge is the least well covered. Strategy is rarely dealt with as the main topic and it seems to crop up as side-points to other points a teacher is making. You have to dig hard for this last kind of wisdom.
Even though the area best covered in BJJ instructional material is technique, every submission or escape, or way to improve your position, or way to prevent your opponent improving their position, takes place in a particular situation. In competition or sparring every sequence happens exactly that way only once; kind of like that old saw – you can never step into the same river twice because the river is always changing (of course this is not to say that you will not get stuck at the same old positions with some of your regular training partners). Therefore, no book or DVD that can cover more than a small fraction of the exact sequences that occur in real live situations. Because each specific sequence of moves occurs only once, most BJJ technique material breaks the knowledge down into individual submissions, holds, sweeps and moves. It is rare that more than 3 or 4 techniques are shown in sequence, and generally instructional material focuses on the details of a single technique. But good instructional material will not only outline suggestions of things to do in precise situations, it will also state the general principles that underlie the practical steps suggested.
How do we learn BJJ?
We learn BJJ by imitation. Here is a little neuroscience to explain how we imitate. In the frontal lobe of the brain is a region called the motor cortex. It is involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary motor functions. Meanwhile, the pre-motor cortex is an area of the motor cortex responsible for the sensory guidance of movement and especially the core trunk muscles of the body. In the pre-motor cortex there are cells that fire when we move our limbs, shrimp or grip. The pre-motor cortex also has groups of cells called mirror neurons that fire we watch someone else move their limbs, shrimp or grip. Mirror neurons are critical to imitation. The more you watch other people do BJJ, the more your mirror neurons fire. The circuits are automatic and they bypass conscious mediation.
Typically most people can copy complex sequence of actions after they have seen them 3 times ( i.e. fired up their mirror neurons 3 times!). BJJ superstars (or any sports superstar), naturally has extensive networks of mirror neurons. The good news is that anyone can build their mirror neuron networks with practice. The point of all this is that the more visual that the learning materials you use are, the easier it is to fire up your mirror neurons and consequently the easier it is to imitate what you just saw. So just watching others doing BJJ can help your own BJJ.
Which one to choose? - BJJ Books versus DVDs versus YouTube
BJJ Books are good because they give you time to think about what is being taught you, they have visual content in the form of pictures and their written word is carefully thought through, well articulated and edited. The weakness of books is that still pictures are less effective at firing up your mirror neurons and frequently the author has a self-congratulatory tone as opposed to a simple genuine desire to spread knowledge.
DVDs are good because they are highly visual in a way specifically designed to fire up your motor neurons and they present a coherent body of knowledge. The weakness of DVDs is that they are expensive, they are extremely mixed in terms of quality and they often have lots of filler techniques that no-one ever uses.
YouTube is good because it is free, you can search for a specific technique and get a variety of insights from many different teachers, you have easy access to all the info, it is highly visual, and you can get both theory and practical content. (Try searching for rear naked choke in YouTube to see the wealth of knowledge available). The weakness of YouTube as a BJJ learning tool is that it is an incoherent collection of videos, good in some areas and weak in others, and you can easily get side-tracked in your learning process.
Some other bullet points on BJJ instruction material
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The most important point to understand before you build up a big library of BJJ instruction material is this; the books, videos and DVDs you buy will not solve the practical problems you are having on the mat. Your practical problems can only be solved with practice. And you cannot practice in books or in DVDs. Practice happens on the mat.
So what are instruction materials good for?
Instruction materials can give you a big picture general idea of the kinds of things you need to master and understand over your long BJJ learning process. There are four key areas you have to master in BJJ and I will list them in order of how well BJJ instruction materials cover them.
First, techniques; BJJ instruction materials are good databases of both basic and advanced techniques.
Second, fitness; some instruction materials are specifically prepared to help you to prime your body for strength, cardio, flexibility and coordination with exercise routines, while others focus on diet or overall health.
Third, preparing your mind; some of the most insightful and useful BJJ instruction material (once you have trained past the basics), relates to how you manage what is going on in your head before, during and after marshalling on the mats.
Fourth, some BJJ instruction materials cover fight or competition strategy. This last area of knowledge is the least well covered. Strategy is rarely dealt with as the main topic and it seems to crop up as side-points to other points a teacher is making. You have to dig hard for this last kind of wisdom.
Even though the area best covered in BJJ instructional material is technique, every submission or escape, or way to improve your position, or way to prevent your opponent improving their position, takes place in a particular situation. In competition or sparring every sequence happens exactly that way only once; kind of like that old saw – you can never step into the same river twice because the river is always changing (of course this is not to say that you will not get stuck at the same old positions with some of your regular training partners). Therefore, no book or DVD that can cover more than a small fraction of the exact sequences that occur in real live situations. Because each specific sequence of moves occurs only once, most BJJ technique material breaks the knowledge down into individual submissions, holds, sweeps and moves. It is rare that more than 3 or 4 techniques are shown in sequence, and generally instructional material focuses on the details of a single technique. But good instructional material will not only outline suggestions of things to do in precise situations, it will also state the general principles that underlie the practical steps suggested.
How do we learn BJJ?
We learn BJJ by imitation. Here is a little neuroscience to explain how we imitate. In the frontal lobe of the brain is a region called the motor cortex. It is involved in the planning, control, and execution of voluntary motor functions. Meanwhile, the pre-motor cortex is an area of the motor cortex responsible for the sensory guidance of movement and especially the core trunk muscles of the body. In the pre-motor cortex there are cells that fire when we move our limbs, shrimp or grip. The pre-motor cortex also has groups of cells called mirror neurons that fire we watch someone else move their limbs, shrimp or grip. Mirror neurons are critical to imitation. The more you watch other people do BJJ, the more your mirror neurons fire. The circuits are automatic and they bypass conscious mediation.
Typically most people can copy complex sequence of actions after they have seen them 3 times ( i.e. fired up their mirror neurons 3 times!). BJJ superstars (or any sports superstar), naturally has extensive networks of mirror neurons. The good news is that anyone can build their mirror neuron networks with practice. The point of all this is that the more visual that the learning materials you use are, the easier it is to fire up your mirror neurons and consequently the easier it is to imitate what you just saw. So just watching others doing BJJ can help your own BJJ.
Which one to choose? - BJJ Books versus DVDs versus YouTube
BJJ Books are good because they give you time to think about what is being taught you, they have visual content in the form of pictures and their written word is carefully thought through, well articulated and edited. The weakness of books is that still pictures are less effective at firing up your mirror neurons and frequently the author has a self-congratulatory tone as opposed to a simple genuine desire to spread knowledge.
DVDs are good because they are highly visual in a way specifically designed to fire up your motor neurons and they present a coherent body of knowledge. The weakness of DVDs is that they are expensive, they are extremely mixed in terms of quality and they often have lots of filler techniques that no-one ever uses.
YouTube is good because it is free, you can search for a specific technique and get a variety of insights from many different teachers, you have easy access to all the info, it is highly visual, and you can get both theory and practical content. (Try searching for rear naked choke in YouTube to see the wealth of knowledge available). The weakness of YouTube as a BJJ learning tool is that it is an incoherent collection of videos, good in some areas and weak in others, and you can easily get side-tracked in your learning process.
Some other bullet points on BJJ instruction material
- If your own instructor makes a DVD definitely buy it – it will greatly speed your learning process.
- Watch the whole DVD in one sitting first time through to understand the full set of ideas the instructor is proposing.
- It is a business. Being a BJJ teacher is not a well paid profession and therefore the best will try and supplement their income by selling instruction material. What gets a product sold is not always what will help your BJJ.
- It takes a long time to learn BJJ and nothing can beat a good instructor giving you good drills to do with a good training partner.
- BJJ instruction materials can give you new ideas when you are getting stale.
- Think of BJJ instruction material as being analogous to vitamins in your diet – you need all the basic stuff in your diet and vitamins add that something extra for top performance.
- Most BJJ instruction material is weak on counter techniques, so make sure you ask your instructor for the defence each time you learn a technique.
Labels: Grapplearts DVDs, techniques, training
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December 28, 2007
Short Legged Guard Work
A while ago I gave some suggestions about dealing with the open guard of long-legged and flexible opponents . In the interests of fairness and balance let's address some options for the opposite situation, namely what to do if you have shorter, inflexible legs.
Short-legged folks often get told that the open guard is not for them, and that they should mainly use the closed guard. Certainly developing a killer closed guard is an excellent plan (if your legs aren't too short to prevent your ankles from crossing behind your opponent's back), but you should also have some backup open guard options, because your guard WILL get opened at some point, AND/OR your opponent may not allow you to close your legs, OR your opponent may be too wide for you to cross your ankles behind his back.
Flexible Daddy Long Legs grapplers can get away with more in the open guard: they can be lazy about breaking their opponent's posture and imposing their grips and still recover against many near guard passes. Furthermore it is more difficult to footlock someone with long legs, so they don't even have to worry as much about dangling their legs and tempting ankle locks.
If your legs are short then none of this applies.
If you want to play a 'standard open guard' (i.e. maintaining one or both feet on your opponent's hips) with your short legs then you really have to break your opponent's posture. If you don't do this you basically give him an easy guard pass. If you are wearing the gi then get a lapel and sleeve grip and really PULL with your arms and really PUSH with your legs on his hips. This bends your opponent forward at the waist and removes at least 75% of his guard passing options. Without the gi you can achieve a similar effect by grabbing one of his wrists with both your hands, thumbs towards you, and locking it close to your chest while applying the same push-pull action as before.
If you have short legs you might also want to consider exploring some other guards that aren't as leg-length dependent. Here are some options:
Finally keep in mind that short legs are usually powerful legs. You might not be able to scratch your own earlobe with your toe, but if you get your positioning right you can probably legpress that Daddy Long Legs into orbit!
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Short-legged folks often get told that the open guard is not for them, and that they should mainly use the closed guard. Certainly developing a killer closed guard is an excellent plan (if your legs aren't too short to prevent your ankles from crossing behind your opponent's back), but you should also have some backup open guard options, because your guard WILL get opened at some point, AND/OR your opponent may not allow you to close your legs, OR your opponent may be too wide for you to cross your ankles behind his back.
Flexible Daddy Long Legs grapplers can get away with more in the open guard: they can be lazy about breaking their opponent's posture and imposing their grips and still recover against many near guard passes. Furthermore it is more difficult to footlock someone with long legs, so they don't even have to worry as much about dangling their legs and tempting ankle locks.
If your legs are short then none of this applies.
If you want to play a 'standard open guard' (i.e. maintaining one or both feet on your opponent's hips) with your short legs then you really have to break your opponent's posture. If you don't do this you basically give him an easy guard pass. If you are wearing the gi then get a lapel and sleeve grip and really PULL with your arms and really PUSH with your legs on his hips. This bends your opponent forward at the waist and removes at least 75% of his guard passing options. Without the gi you can achieve a similar effect by grabbing one of his wrists with both your hands, thumbs towards you, and locking it close to your chest while applying the same push-pull action as before.
If you have short legs you might also want to consider exploring some other guards that aren't as leg-length dependent. Here are some options:
- Butterfly Guard -especially if you concentrate on attacking with the armdrag and transitioning to X Guard.
- X Guard - hey, Marcelo Garcia (highlight video here) doesn't have long legs either...
- Half Guard - a lot of half guard is based on getting closer to your opponent, not pushing his body away with your legs
- Sitting Guard and Instep Guard - these positions blend the butterfly guard and half guard.
Finally keep in mind that short legs are usually powerful legs. You might not be able to scratch your own earlobe with your toe, but if you get your positioning right you can probably legpress that Daddy Long Legs into orbit!
Labels: the guard
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December 18, 2007
Golf and BJJ
I don't like golf. I'll probably receive a large batch of irate emails because of saying this, but I don't like playing golf, I don't like watching golf, and I'm befuddled by its current popularity. I do think, however, that grapplers can learn at least one thing from golfers: intense analysis of basic posture and movement.
Unlike many other sports, golfers, even recreational golfers, spend a lot of time analyzing the most minute details of basic moves (i.e. their strokes). They worry about weight placement, body angles, finger placement, torso rotation, head position, stroke follow-though, etc. Perhaps it helps that success in golf is so easily quantifiable: if you normally drive the ball 250 yards, and changing your finger positions increases that to 270 yards, then you know that you are probably on the right track.
I think that many of the very best grapplers combine a high level of athleticism with an intensely analytical approach to performing their techniques. Ideally we would apply this in-depth scrutiny to every technique -submissions, sweeps, escapes, takedowns, guard passes, etc.) that we've ever been taught. In reality this is impractical. There are so many more techniques in BJJ than there are strokes in golf that to analyze every technique would several lifetimes.
We CAN apply this level of analysis to our favorite techniques though - the "go to" moves and techniques that form the core of your particular game. The exact list of core techniques will vary from grappler to grappler (and will change over time for a given grappler). Whatever your list, you should learn the biomechanics and principles, variations, setups, counters and recounters for each of your favorite techniques.
Some of the submissions in my game that have occupied a front and center position have included the rear naked choke, the omo plata, the kneebar (and see this article too) and the ankle lock. For each of these submissions I went through the process I described above.
In grappling an inch can make the difference between winning and losing. Moving your hand on your opponent's lapel by one inch can make the difference between securing a choke and getting squashed yourself. How you wrap your toes around an opponent can make the difference between maintaining and losing a dominant position. Some of my most satisfying moments on the mat have come from finally realizing how a small adjustment can bring a formerly moribund technique to life.
Most 'normal' people (i.e. non-grapplers) would consider worrying about the details of lapel gripping and toe placement to be on the verge of obsessive-compulsive, but I have the feeling that golfers would understand.
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Unlike many other sports, golfers, even recreational golfers, spend a lot of time analyzing the most minute details of basic moves (i.e. their strokes). They worry about weight placement, body angles, finger placement, torso rotation, head position, stroke follow-though, etc. Perhaps it helps that success in golf is so easily quantifiable: if you normally drive the ball 250 yards, and changing your finger positions increases that to 270 yards, then you know that you are probably on the right track.
I think that many of the very best grapplers combine a high level of athleticism with an intensely analytical approach to performing their techniques. Ideally we would apply this in-depth scrutiny to every technique -submissions, sweeps, escapes, takedowns, guard passes, etc.) that we've ever been taught. In reality this is impractical. There are so many more techniques in BJJ than there are strokes in golf that to analyze every technique would several lifetimes.
We CAN apply this level of analysis to our favorite techniques though - the "go to" moves and techniques that form the core of your particular game. The exact list of core techniques will vary from grappler to grappler (and will change over time for a given grappler). Whatever your list, you should learn the biomechanics and principles, variations, setups, counters and recounters for each of your favorite techniques.
Some of the submissions in my game that have occupied a front and center position have included the rear naked choke, the omo plata, the kneebar (and see this article too) and the ankle lock. For each of these submissions I went through the process I described above.
In grappling an inch can make the difference between winning and losing. Moving your hand on your opponent's lapel by one inch can make the difference between securing a choke and getting squashed yourself. How you wrap your toes around an opponent can make the difference between maintaining and losing a dominant position. Some of my most satisfying moments on the mat have come from finally realizing how a small adjustment can bring a formerly moribund technique to life.
Most 'normal' people (i.e. non-grapplers) would consider worrying about the details of lapel gripping and toe placement to be on the verge of obsessive-compulsive, but I have the feeling that golfers would understand.
Labels: techniques, the guard
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December 10, 2007
I Can't Run: The Excuse List
If you are a longtime reader of this newsletter you know that I think very highly of running as a conditioning method. Long runs, sprints, hill runs - as you can see from the following articles I think that they are all great.
Excuse #1: "I'm not fast". I used this excuse up until I graduated from high school. If you sent me around a track with a bunch of my peers I usually ended up towards the rear of the pack. What I didn't realize at the time is that your relative speed is completely, utterly beside the point if your primary goal is martial arts conditioning. What matters is getting your heart rate high, your lungs burning and your legs fatigued. Even though I don't possess enough fast twitch muscle to ever come close to a 4 minute mile, any running I do will improve my cardio and that will improve my performance on the mats.
Excuse #2: "It hurts too much". In my late teens, inspired by Bruce Lee's ardent advocacy of cardiovascular training, I decided to give running a second try. I didn't like it this time either. My lungs hurt, my legs hurt, and when my knees started to ache after a few weeks of regular running I decided that I just wasn't built for running. "I don't want to blow out my knees", I thought, and my running program ground to a halt.
In retrospect I probably tried to go too far too fast - had I started with a walk-run program and been properly fitted for running shoes to compensate for tendency of my feet to pronate (roll inward) then I probably would have been able to continue pain-free.
Excuse #3: "It's boring". Ten years later, in my late twenties, I suddenly had two very good reasons to start running again. Firstly I had just started this intense new activity called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and it was obvious that better cardio would equal better BJJ sparring and competition performance. Secondly I had set my sights on becoming a full-time firefighter, and just about every department I was applying to had some sort of timed run, 1.5 miles in less than 12 minutes typically being the minimum requirement, but added points being awarded for faster times.
This time when I started running again I was equipped with more knowledge and professionally dispensed running shoes. My problem wasn't pain, but rather boredom, especially on runs longer than 15 or 20 minutes. I tried to compensate for this by listening to music on my shockproof Walkman (this was pre-iPod) and by running in scenic locations. As I persevered for month after month, driven by the goal of becoming a firefighter, a curious transformation occurred: the boredom started to fade away and really started enjoying my runs. I'm not exactly sure how or why this change occurred - perhaps it had to do with my cardiovascular system becoming conditioned enough so that my mind could focus on things other than pain and discomfort - but it was a very welcome change nonetheless. Although I still sought out scenic running trails I no longer needed (or wanted) music very often - I began to appreciate the sound of my breathing and the slap of my shoes on the dirt.
Excuse #4: "I'm injured". In 2001 I sustained a serious foot injury while doing Judo. At first I thought my running career was over. Several surgeries later I was back on the trails, gratefully plodding away.
One year later a severe case of ITB (Iliotibial band) syndrome, resulting in severe pain on the outside of my knee, stopped my comeback dead in its tracks. This time the solution was going to orthotics, custom footbeds to correct your foot's rolling and twisting on the ground. These were 'silver bullet' solutions - my ITB pain went away the day I put them into my shoes and returned only when I took them out.
A note about orthotics: these devices DO work for a lot of people, alleviating foot, knee and back pain while running or walking. You could try an over-the-counter insert first: two popular brands are Sole and Superfeet inserts, available at most running shoe stores. If the generic inserts don't work and you want to upgrade to custom orthotics I strongly recommend that you go to a qualified podiatrist to get them: orthotics are dispensed by lots of doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors and running shoe stores, but only podiatrists spend 100% of their time dealing with feet, and the depth of understanding they bring to the table isn't matched by anyone else. Be prepared though - custom orthotics are EXPENSIVE! Be prepared to pay $300 to $500 for your first set.
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- My Default Cardio Workout
- All Else Being Equal, Work On Your Endurance
- There Can Be Only One: Running vs. Swimming
- A HIIT of LSD
- Some Sample Anaerobic Routines
Excuse #1: "I'm not fast". I used this excuse up until I graduated from high school. If you sent me around a track with a bunch of my peers I usually ended up towards the rear of the pack. What I didn't realize at the time is that your relative speed is completely, utterly beside the point if your primary goal is martial arts conditioning. What matters is getting your heart rate high, your lungs burning and your legs fatigued. Even though I don't possess enough fast twitch muscle to ever come close to a 4 minute mile, any running I do will improve my cardio and that will improve my performance on the mats.
Excuse #2: "It hurts too much". In my late teens, inspired by Bruce Lee's ardent advocacy of cardiovascular training, I decided to give running a second try. I didn't like it this time either. My lungs hurt, my legs hurt, and when my knees started to ache after a few weeks of regular running I decided that I just wasn't built for running. "I don't want to blow out my knees", I thought, and my running program ground to a halt.
In retrospect I probably tried to go too far too fast - had I started with a walk-run program and been properly fitted for running shoes to compensate for tendency of my feet to pronate (roll inward) then I probably would have been able to continue pain-free.
Excuse #3: "It's boring". Ten years later, in my late twenties, I suddenly had two very good reasons to start running again. Firstly I had just started this intense new activity called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and it was obvious that better cardio would equal better BJJ sparring and competition performance. Secondly I had set my sights on becoming a full-time firefighter, and just about every department I was applying to had some sort of timed run, 1.5 miles in less than 12 minutes typically being the minimum requirement, but added points being awarded for faster times.
This time when I started running again I was equipped with more knowledge and professionally dispensed running shoes. My problem wasn't pain, but rather boredom, especially on runs longer than 15 or 20 minutes. I tried to compensate for this by listening to music on my shockproof Walkman (this was pre-iPod) and by running in scenic locations. As I persevered for month after month, driven by the goal of becoming a firefighter, a curious transformation occurred: the boredom started to fade away and really started enjoying my runs. I'm not exactly sure how or why this change occurred - perhaps it had to do with my cardiovascular system becoming conditioned enough so that my mind could focus on things other than pain and discomfort - but it was a very welcome change nonetheless. Although I still sought out scenic running trails I no longer needed (or wanted) music very often - I began to appreciate the sound of my breathing and the slap of my shoes on the dirt.
Excuse #4: "I'm injured". In 2001 I sustained a serious foot injury while doing Judo. At first I thought my running career was over. Several surgeries later I was back on the trails, gratefully plodding away.
One year later a severe case of ITB (Iliotibial band) syndrome, resulting in severe pain on the outside of my knee, stopped my comeback dead in its tracks. This time the solution was going to orthotics, custom footbeds to correct your foot's rolling and twisting on the ground. These were 'silver bullet' solutions - my ITB pain went away the day I put them into my shoes and returned only when I took them out.
A note about orthotics: these devices DO work for a lot of people, alleviating foot, knee and back pain while running or walking. You could try an over-the-counter insert first: two popular brands are Sole and Superfeet inserts, available at most running shoe stores. If the generic inserts don't work and you want to upgrade to custom orthotics I strongly recommend that you go to a qualified podiatrist to get them: orthotics are dispensed by lots of doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors and running shoe stores, but only podiatrists spend 100% of their time dealing with feet, and the depth of understanding they bring to the table isn't matched by anyone else. Be prepared though - custom orthotics are EXPENSIVE! Be prepared to pay $300 to $500 for your first set.
Labels: conditioning, Injuries, the mental aspect
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