For Personal Use Only

Sometimes you see someone do a move and immediately want to learn it.

You haven’t researched how often it works in competition. You haven’t figured out where it belongs in your game. You just think it looks fun.

Maybe it’s a back take that seems to come out of nowhere. Maybe it’s a sweep that leaves the other person looking a little surprised to be on the bottom. Or maybe someone shows you a submission that resonates with you in a way you never thought possible. Could this be love? With a submission? No. That’s, that’s ridiculous...

You do hope they show it again, though.

When we talk about developing a game, we spend a lot of time considering what works, what suits us, and what we ought to be learning. Somewhere in that discussion, I think there’s room to ask what we actually enjoy doing.

May Be Habit Forming

You can probably think of something you’re happy to see come up in class. You want another repetition. You have a question before the instructor has finished answering the last one. Maybe you wanted to dig deeper into the subject and couldn’t wait for it to come back around in the curriculum.

That seems like useful information about the jiu jitsu you might want to spend more time exploring.

Two people can learn the same sweep and have very different experiences with it. One is pleased to know another way to get on top. The other wants to try every reaction they can think of. What happens if the person stands? What if they pull that arm away? Can you get back to it after they defend?

The first person is ready for the next technique. The second person apparently lives here now.

I don’t know which one will get better at the sweep faster, but I have a pretty good idea who’s going to ask more questions about it after class.

Results Not Guaranteed

You don’t even have to be particularly good at something to enjoy working on it. Sometimes being close enough to see a possibility is what keeps bringing you back. You can feel where the opportunity might be, and you want another chance to figure it out.

Of course, just liking a technique gives you plenty of work to do. You still need to learn how to reach the position, recognize the opportunity, and deal with someone who has figured out what you’re trying. A move that caught your attention for a few seconds can keep you occupied for quite a while.

As that work develops, your preferences can become more specific. You might enjoy setting up a reaction over several exchanges. You might like connecting attacks and following the opportunities that appear. You might get an unreasonable amount of satisfaction from giving someone just enough room to make their next decision a regrettable one.

Those are things you can learn about yourself through practice. They can influence which questions you ask and which parts of a technique you want to understand better.

Other Requirements Still Apply

Your instructor will still have things they want you to work on. You can have an escape that needs attention and a sweep you’re excited about in the same practice. Having a preference doesn’t require reorganizing the entire curriculum around it. Although I’m sure someone is prepared to make that suggestion.

When you have some room to choose what you’re working on, enjoyment is a reasonable thing to consider. We put a lot of time into learning this stuff. Being interested in the next attempt can help you make good use of that time.

So if someone asks why you keep working on a particular part of your jiu jitsu, you may have a detailed answer about the positions it connects and the opportunities it creates.

“I like it” is also a perfectly reasonable place to start.

Most people pay good money to do jiu jitsu. It would be too bad for you to accidentally enjoy yourself.

See you on the mats.

Joshua is the owner and head coach at 608 Jiu Jitsu in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. He writes about learning, problem solving, and becoming a better training partner through jiu jitsu.