I believe one of the personality traits that most experienced jiu-jitsu students share is a high tolerance for failure.
Instead of getting discouraged and abandoning a very challenging art like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the experienced student has stuck it out through all of those low points on the mat.
Why do we persevere through countless small failures, like that escape we have been drilling that does not go anywhere?
Because we also get those days where it DOES work!
One of the best feelings we can have in training jiu-jitsu is when we have been secretly cultivating a move and to our utter astonishment, it WORKS on a good guy!
In an instant, all of those struggles have been forgotten and we experience the exhilaration and the magic of jiu-jitsu.
I have been watching the excellent instructionals on the Williams Guard by the namesake creator, black belt Shawn Willams (see his article link at bottom). I have been tentative about trying it because I have had little time to drill it.
And when we usually try a new move – it fails.
Our guard gets passed and we are trapped under a heavy side control – UUGGHHH!!
We are paying dearly for trying out a poorly understood move.
But NOT this time!
While rolling with an experienced, skilled blue belt, the thought popped into my mind: “Can I actually get to the position and get control before he passes?”
By gosh, let’s take a chance and give it a try!
I was more surprised than he was when the blue belt was unable to escape the Willams shoulder grip! He struggled and tried to regain posture, but I adjusted and had the control. When he shifted his weight, I moved to get an omoplata, and miracle of miracles, I countered the cartwheel escape, flattened him out, and got the tap!
“Hey! It worked!!!”
It is one of the best feelings for students of jiu-jitsu when that new detail, tip, or technique actually works!
I just wish I could get my new moves to work more often!
On Jiu-jitsu Times : Bjj training advice from BB Shawn Williams
