The Subtleties

by Jen

Someone recently commented to me that their child is getting bored with jiu jitsu because they feel like they are learning the same moves over and over again.  After more thought I wish I would have explained to her that there are many nuances of the moves.  Those subtleties make the difference between success and failure in pulling the move off in a roll.   Personally, I pick up at least one new tip with each time we practice a move.

Take for instance the very first one I learned, the arm bar from guard.  We spend most nights drilling it after our warm up.  It seems simple enough.  But try it in a roll and it’s a much different story. 

So much depends on how you move your hips, hold your opponent’s arm, position your legs, your timing, etc.  The more instinctive this all becomes, the easier it is to successfully achieve in a competition match when the adrenaline is pumped and the anxiety is high. This is true of every move we practice.

Here’s my two cents - be humble about what you think you know.  Trust your teacher.  He has already traveled the journey to earning a black belt, and he knows best how to lead you on yours.