Unexpected Ways to Improve Your Jiu Jitsu
Improving your jiu jitsu skills seems simple enough – just show up to class right? Yes! Well, at least that’s the step that is completely unskippable. It’s not exactly controversial to say that the more you go to class, the more your skill set will grow. You can’t really skip this step, but it’s not the only way to improve your jiu jitsu game. Let’s talk about some things you should consider if you’re tired of sucking at jiu jitsu!
- Learn While Injured or Resting
This is a BIG one. Want to know the difference between the great ones and the average guy? This has got to be one of them. We all get injured sometimes, whether from jiu jitsu or just from everyday life (you know, like those days when you just sleep weird and then your neck can’t really turn?) Or sometimes, we just genuinely need some rest! Lots of our Airlock crew lift work pretty hard, lift hard, live hard, and some days you gotta rest the body. But does that mean you have to stay home doing nothing? Hell no! On your rest day or injury day, come in, watch class, follow along, if you’re up for it, just drill the move of the day, or even just come to be a part of the team; help a teammate by watching them roll and seeing what you can spot for them. Think about the momentum you WON’T have to regain when you’re ready to roll again. Doing a LOT of live rolling is a core value of Airlock Jiu Jitsu, so it can feel like attending without rolling is a sin. In this case, it’s not.
2. Film Your Rolls
You’d be surprised how much you can learn by watching yourself from an objective perspective. Things may feel one way during a roll, but on replay, they turn out to be completely different. Curious why you always get your guard passed a certain way? Or why you can’t finish that submission? You’ll never know if you don’t get an outside perspective! We film and photograph pretty much every moment of our lives these days, so why ignore this? Want to talk unexpected ways to improve your jiu jitsu? This is one of them for sure. Film a roll with your most challenging training partner and watch your skills grow. We’ve got a phone-clamp tripod in the gym at all times; the next person to grab it and use it to film a roll gets a stripe in recognition of the skill growth and also because it’ll prove that someone read this post. Just kidding. Maybe.
3. Go to Big Jiu Jitsu Open Mats
Sure, by the end of it, a big open mat feels like some sort of gross sauna slip n slide, but trust us, there’s nothing like a giant jiu jitsu open mat for some cross training. And luckily, living right in the heart of the no gi jiu jitsu revolution here in the Austin TX area, at Airlock Jiu Jitsu in Bastrop TX, we’re only a short drive away from some of the HANDS DOWN best jiu jitsu open mats in the country (trust us, we’ve rolled at a lot of places). A jiu jitsu open mat is going to teach you a ton of things, most importantly where your true, current strengths and weaknesses are. And you’ll learn it in a way that your daily training rolls with your regular training partners just can’t do for you. The thing is, the people you train most regularly with already know many of your tricks, and you know theirs. And beyond that, your gym likely has a specific style with its own strengths and weaknesses. This is why going to open mats is so critically important. In fact, it’s why it’s considered a big ‘red flag’ in jiu jitsu if your jiu jitsu gym or coach doesn’t encourage/allow you to attend open mats at other gyms (because they’re probably intimidated that you’ll learn something they don’t know! Or that you’ll see how much better other gyms treat people… Eek!)
Open mats will challenge your skills, your physical strength and conditioning, and your confidence too. Plus, it’s perhaps one of the best ways to make new friends. Here at Airlock, we have our Austin area open mats that we love attending, and of course we’ve got our own open mat each weekend that all are welcome to attend!
4. Learn Outside Info at Jiu Jitsu Seminars (and Maybe Instructionals)
If open mats are how you greatly expand your own skills, seminars (and to a lesser extent, online instructionals) are how you expand your knowledge base. No matter how many coaches your gym has, there’s always a limited range of information you’re exposed to on a regular basis. And that’s not a bad thing! There are unlimited approaches to this game. It’s best to get skilled in a structured way and bring in new pieces of information in chunks. That’s why attending seminars can change the game. In one short session, you’re going to get an entire new focused part of your game, and because of the limited nature of a seminar, it will likely be someone’s unique specialty that others simply don’t know how to defend. So you pick it up at a seminar from an expert, then take it to your next open mat to try it out! Always be unexpected with these unexpected ways to improve your jiu jitsu!
Speaking of seminars… Airlock Jiu Jitsu is hosting a new seminar on October 19, 2024 with a true killer, 10th Planet Black Belt Chris Bennett. Check out the details and get signed up today!
2 Hour Seminar | Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 10 am – 12 pm
*Pre-Register for a DISCOUNT*
Airlock Members Price: $75 for Pre-Registration | $80 Day-Of Registration
Non Members ARE Welcome! Price $90 for Pre-Registration | $100 Day-Of Registration
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