Photo Credit: Colin Purrington

A few weeks ago, Dave mentioned that life in the academy is like evolution.  We adapt and change based on our environment - Darwinian Natural Selection.  In Jiu-Jitsu, our habitat is the mat and our training partners.  It is where we live. 

The interesting take-away from this viewpoint is that we only grow when we pressure is applied.  For example, let's say that every time you escape side control you reach over your opponent's shoulder to roll them.  Now you're pretty strong, so it works most of the time - and when it doesn't, you just try something else.  The problem is that you made a mistake by reaching over the shoulder and a good player would have made you pay dearly - but your training partners don't.  If no one capitalizes on your mistake, you never know you made one - but it gets worse.  Not only do you not know it was an error, but you keep making the same error, ingraining it into your game.  Now you have a habit that will take time to change.  Bummer.

The essence of this is a few things.  First, don't let people get away with mistakes.  Playing an attacking game trains you to react instinctually, capitalizing on errors - and this is good.  It also communicates mistakes to your opponent in an honest and direct way.  They learn faster and so do you.

The other big insight from this perspecitve is that we should all be seeking out stronger partners.  Of course there is a benefit to rolling with all levels of people, and we should,  my point is we should not shy away from better players.  If you have ever decided to head home after class instead of slapping hands with that one guy that gives you fits, then you know what I mean.  These are the people that push us - and in the end we all get better.

See you on the mat!