Principles versus Models

A 6-pack of private lessons with Eric Hemphill, and you'll be slangin' armlocks like a boss. ~Isaac

 

“People come up and ask me about this position, and that position, and dude I have no idea what they’re talking about.  I don’t know names.  I’m mean what the hell is a z-guard?  What is that?” ~Eric Hemphill

 

Throwing the idea out that if you understand things at the level of principles, you don’t need a teaching model.

In addition,  I would go so far to say that a model in fact does more harm than good, in that I’m looking through a filter of ideas, rather than responding to individuals in real-time.

On the other hand, if I really understand the subject, I should be able to create with and around a person, instead of parroting some one else’s metaphors, analogies, and methods.

 

Rickson breaking down the hip throw for self-defense via principles:

 

 

Selling yourself…

Probably really naive here, but think there is something to be said for staying off the grid (facebook, twitter, etcetera) and making your Jiu-Jitsu the best it can be:

 

Does BJJ change lives?

‘Plus (when you buy one of my t-shirts) you get high.’ ~Chris Haueter

 

The ‘BJJ changes lives’ idea might be good marketing, but the fact is, martial arts aren’t going to psychologically give you something you don’t already have.

It goes without saying that evolution within BJJ is an inside-out process as well.

I’ve learned some of Eric’s game for example, through diligent study, as him handing it down to me from the mountain top would have bored both of us.

As astutely noted by Josh in the comment section of preceding post (individuality), and G$ has observed after working with both of us privately, we are now pretty consistent theory-wise, but usually have different ways of expressing the same point.

This represents principle-based teaching and comprehension.

I point this out because often what people call Jiu-Jitsu and/or pyschological change translates to people parroting an individual likely just as lost as they are:

 

 

Training for better Jiu-Jitsu

“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness.  Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness.  Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.” ~Sun Tzu

 

I consider myself somewhat of a Jiu-Jitsu beginner because I trained for better positions and submissions well into brown belt.

I didn’t start the journey for better Jiu-Jitsu until recently.

While there is obviously some overlap here, there are also night and day differences.

Even after black I was still conditioning my arms to hold harness from turtle top for long periods, without thinking if this was an energy-efficient strategy. =)

The thing with basing your BJJ on survival and sensibility is it isn’t going improve your sweeps, submissions, or positioning overnight.

Therefore, training for better Jiu-Jitsu is easily missed in the reach for ideas geared toward short term results (i.e. learning a new guard pass for use against your gym nemesis).

Jiu-Jitsu: Art or Science?

My take on this is BJJ is 90% science, 10% art.

Eric and I have come to the conclusion that there is a most efficient way to shoot a free-throw, tackle, field ground balls, and hold cross-sides top.

The reasoning?

We are dealing with the human body, where structure is pretty much universal (range of motion, number of appendages, carotid blood flow, skeletal alignment, etcetera).

 

 

Yes, there is an individual aspect, but I find people who talk about ‘games’ and ‘styles’ often have little understanding of how and why fundamental BJJ mechanics work.

It’s science, but as my coach likes to say, it ain’t rocket science. ;o)

Thoughts?

Training for validation

The opposite of training with intentions of getting better, is training for validation.

That is, weighing how you stack up against everyone in the academy, school rival, and/or out-of-towner in competitive rolls.

Focusing on externals in this way, grants you zero information about what specifically you can improve.

Ultimately, this is a misinterpretation ‘validation.’ 

Validation as I see it is simple appreciation of the ability to show up, participate, and train:

 

 

Internal motivation & perfection (Friday Night Lights audio)

Love this clip I know Portland is way too smart and cool for =):

 

The BJJ Master

 

As talked about earlier a BJJ Black Belt is the equivalent of an advanced college degree.  The ‘real world,’ is performance within this standard.  

A ‘Master’ or ‘mastery’ happens in the years that follow.  Black belt as it were, is your first day on the job, with trainee expectations.  Provided it’s skilled labor, mastering this job will take years of dedication and diligence.

The reason behind the above video, is such a  level of competence speaks for itself.  And, when such a title is given, it’s bestowed by peers with deep experience (seasoned black belts). 

I’ve been seeing this title being thrown around casually lately for marketing purposes, and feel it’s really denigrating to some one of Rickson’s caliber. 

Educationally, I believe the inexperienced, sincere student is being misled as well. 

Yes, sending prospective students a misleading message might make you more money in the short run, but what about the craft as a whole in the long run? 

Don’t provoke ’the wrath:’

 

 

The Poindexter analogy

Individual BJJ is determined by how you process Jiu-Jitsu as a whole.

If you see it as means for gaining more points or a submission within a relative short period of time, that’s going to produce radically different results than approaches based on survival, posture, and patience.

My interpretation is as follows:

Say there was an MMA match in an collegiate fraternal olympic competition.  The Tri-Lambs (nerds) are smart enough to realize that they can’t win under rules that favor the more athletic jock fraternity (Alpha-Betas). 

The Tri-Lambs for example, could search for something that would allow them enough staying power to induce alpha-beta exhaustion, but time limits and rounds don’t favor this goal.

Taking the above into account, and strategy of draw decided, the nerds would research far and wide for an easy to learn, non-athletic based martial art, predicated on sustaining the least amount of damage.

I believe they would eventually settle on BJJ. 

 

The card:

 

Arnold Poindexter, martial arts meet Einstein

 

VS. 

 

 

Ogre. Ivan Drago eat your heart out.

 

 

*language warning* Off topic BJJ-wise, some bonus footage of Nemesis Jiu-Jitsu’s Dan-O winning a recent cycling competiton:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foundation material and critical thinking

Elaborating on the post below, what clay is to pottery, kinesthetic feedback is to BJJ.

In other words, what you feel first hand in drilling and sparring is infinitely more important than anything your coach tells you.

Getting caught up in names for positions and techniques can be equally misleading, as it takes you away from intention and mechanics.

i.e. specifically how well does an approach/position accomplish the 3 objectives Danaher listed in the article below?

These are things I want to start hearing and seeing from advanced blue belt on up. 

Don’t for instance, tell me Eddie Bravo’s game is this or that because that’s what some one else told you, or practice something because you saw Marcelo or Roger do it. 

I want reason, logic, and critical thoughts originating from your own experience:

 

G$ enlightening me on the merits of rubber guard.