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?
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January 21, 2012 at 4:17 pm |
To me Art is the implementation of yourself into any set of rules and circumstances.
Science by definition is the knowledge of facts systematically arranged to show operation and general law. By that definition Jiu-Jitsu is 100% science. Jiu-Jitsu is governed by laws and has repeatable patterns. You can take any Jiu-Jitsu match that has ever happened and break down the results via scientific method. Any method in Jiu-Jitsu is dictated and ruled by scientific law. This would suggest the study of Jiu-Jitsu is science.
Music can also be broke down into scientific study and method. The study of Music Theory is a science itself. We can take a song that was constructed by someone who has no knowledge of music theory and there song will still be able to be broken down via scientific method. From the progression to the rhythm, its all science.
I think its the practitioner who becomes an artist once he introduces himself into the science. Things like personality and mentality are unquantifiable and defy the definition of science. To learn and study Jiu-Jitsu is science however to practice it is art. Once you introduce your own approach (even if its scientific approach) during operation, you have performed your own version of art.
Two examples of this would be Neil Young and Marcello Garcia. Both have substantial scientific knowledge of their craft. Both have a great understanding of the fundamental concepts that govern their chosen field . They see and understand the possible variables and possible results. What makes them notable (and great) is there approach to the science to gain a specific result. Weather it be a great album or Abu Dhabi Championship, its the artistry, not the science that sets them apart.
January 22, 2012 at 4:34 pm |
This is great Josh.
So if I’m understanding correctly, BJJ is a scientific paradigm as it’s governed by testable rules and laws.
‘Practice’ on the other hand is contigent upon the individual, and therefore artistic.
I think a lot BJJ misunderstanding comes from thinking in terms of the individual (Marcelo Garcia for example), instead of like you mentioned, breaking down what he does scientifically.
People assume since it’s Marcelo Garcia, who are they to analyze?
This puts us to sleep. =)
Back to the scientific angle, BJJ is a kind of 3-dimensional study of anatomy. That is, knowing how a body can move in any given moment in relationship to objectives.
It’s been my experience that people often spend years doing BJJ, completely missing this idea.
Instead, for the sake of illustration, they play spider-guard because that’s what they see Romulo Barral or their instructor doing.
‘Spider’ is then absorbed as a ‘game,’ rather than a series of situations with priorities and objectives.
January 23, 2012 at 9:28 am |
Josh, looking back at the original post I was thinking in terms of abstract versus concrete relative to domain.
Take a field like painting for example, where Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol share space. I don’t know much about painting or music theory, but it would seem to me there is a lot more room for individual interpetation and ambiguity here than BJJ? Fair?
This classic comes to mind:
I would also say in my experience the left, analytical, logical brain follows the ever-present, flowing, creative right brain.
In BJJ terms the translates to spending a lot of time with a position or idea before understanding inherent timing, leverage, and principles.
This process represents the obtuse 10% statement. =)
January 23, 2012 at 10:07 pm |
(I want to be clear that I never was a huge fan of the movie I am about to discuss but I cannot think of a better example.)
Remember in the film The Matrix after Neo is brought out of the matrix world and taken aboard the Nebuchanezzar. There is the very famous scene were Neo is plugged in to a computer aboard the ship and then they start to download information to him. Some strange special effects, a weird fast forwarding sound and then the famous line “I know Kung-Fu”.
From what I gather from the movie they basically have an application that loads Kung-Fu into the brain. All the moves and techniques and all the things you would learn after lifetimes of Kung-Fu mastery are now knowledge you posses.
In a matter of seconds Neo goes from being someone who has never taken Kung-Fu, to a Kung-Fu master with lifetimes of knowledge. He knows everything about Kung-Fu. Every logical detail has been downloaded into his brain. He has full knowledge of the science that is Kung Fu. Moments later he enters a sparring match with Morpheus and the two engage in heated competition.
What’s important here is that even though Neo and Morpheus have the same all encompassing Kung Fu download there fighting styles are dramatically different. Morpheus is a counter striker with impeccable defense and likes to use trips and takedowns. Neo likes to come forward and uses far more jumping attacks and kicks. Even though they both know all aspects of Kung Fu there methods of application are dramatically different.
The reason for the difference of styles at that point are due to personality and preference. Weather it be the patient mechanical approach or an aggressive attack based strategy, these paths come to fruition due to personality or mindset (without getting off subject, I think this is where “Style” comes from). Even when Kung Fu is understood at a level of mastery, the implementation is still left up to the user.
This is why Neo and Morpheus fighting styles are different even though they both know the same exact Kung Fu Program. When they spar, the Kung Fu you see is at the highest level possible and at that point Kung-Fu is 90% science 10% art.
This equation also works for Jiujitsu. At the expert level (typically black belt) when two practitioners roll the Jiujitsu you see is 90% science and 10% art. At that level of mastery you will see a methodical approach Risks (let alone unnecessary risks) are rare and sometimes looked upon as a lack of understanding or control. The farther away the practitioners are from the black belt\expert level the closer the ratio of science to art becomes.
Take two white belts that have only been in class a few days and make them roll and you will see more of their personality and mentality effecting the results of the roll than anything else. Even though we can use scientific method to break down what happens during their training. For lack of more elegant terms, if two guys roll and they both suck (have a lack of jiujitsu knowledge), but suck exactly the same, the “Art” (style, mentality, mindset…) will become a bigger influence than the science. In this example we may be looking at 60% Art, 40% Science (or even a greater difference).
I agree that as we work towards mastering the craft that is Jiujitsu we all should strive to have a game that is based on rules and principals. Not only do we need to know whats going on, we need to know why is happening and what should be happening next. We should all be striving to get to the level where all we do is enter the sparring program and let our personality take over the controls to a game where we know all the moves. But until I can plug myself in and download Jiujitsu, I will struggle to get my ratio from 60/40 to 50/50 to 30/70 to hopefully one day, 90/10.
A visual example:
January 24, 2012 at 9:18 am |
Never seen this DVD, but laughed hearing the intro (starts about a minute in) and imagining Wassom speaking in Meia’s accent in his blog post:
January 24, 2012 at 9:52 am |
Maia is awesome. Always sounds fresh out of an epic slumber. =)
January 24, 2012 at 9:45 am |
Josh, if you get the chance listen from 5:00-6:00:
Rickson claims adding his invididual attributes in, but only after an extreme dedication to the fundamental principles and mechanics of BJJ as a whole (not BJJ tournament or MMA rules).
To reference the Dead Poets Society video I see these fundamental principles and mechanics a lot closer to engineering than poetry.
That is, to make up sound BJJ, mechanics and principles have to be universal 99% of the time. Otherwise, they aren’t going to be very applicaple to the weak, which by design they are supposed to help the most.
As Rickson states earlier in the video, BJJ is based on being invincible (not losing), and taking what you’re opponent gives you. So agressive action, if taken at all, is highly refined and intellgent.
Again, the reason behind the post, is people tend to base their ideas about BJJ around what they see in tournaments, and their sparring sessions at the gym, with zero idea of the original intent behind BJJ.
So one can’t really have individuality within an art they have a clue about. And as it see it today, this is the rule, not the exception.
For the average 40 hour work week joe, just getting some of these mechanics down will be a lifetime pursuit.
In other words, there has to be a lot of technical dedication before a practioner has any business saying they are at a point where they can start adding their individual attributes and sensibilities.