Wouldn’t it be awesome to train BJJ all day, every day and get so good so fast, that you run through the Mundials like a cheesteak through a digestive tract? Of course it would. Truth is, some of us just can’t realistically make that happen. Sometimes it’s just plain life that interferes. Some of us can train everyday, even twice a day for hours at a time. But for others,…marriage, children, household responsibilities, injuries, employment constraints or numerous other life obstacles might start to impede upon your training time. What’s the solution?….Do your best. Do your best to make as many classes and training sessions as your life/schedule will allow while maintaining a healthy balance in the rest of your life. Here’s some suggestions on how to do that:
Use Your Time Wisely:
When life limits your training schedule, you must make the most of each and every one of your training sessions. For example, you may only be able to make regular classes but no open mat sessions based on your schedule. If so, try to squeeze in some rolls at the end of or after class with a training partner. Conversely, maybe you couldn’t get to class but could make open mat. Instead of just going for the kill all the time and trying to “beat” the guy you’re rolling with, use those rolls to experiment with techniques you’ve learned in previous classes on a more resistant opponent. Play with what works and what doesn’t work at different levels of intensity. Ask questions when warranted. Train smart.
Do Your Homework:
Try to use some of your off time to get in some Jiu Jitsu study. Maybe sneak down to the basement after the wife & kids are in bed and do some solo drills. Maybe dive in to your video library during your lunch hour and pick up some details on a technique. Maybe just sit quietly in a free moment and mentally analyze a position you found yourself in during your last training session. Then the next time you train or spar, try to incorporate the things you studied at home and experiment with their effectiveness. It all counts, and it will make a difference over the person who forgets about BJJ the second they walk out the Academy door and doesn’t think about it again until they come back in it.
Video is NOT the Enemy:
Watching video technique can be a quick & efficient way to expand your knowledge while outside the Academy. In NO WAY am I suggesting that you be a YouTube black belt. After all, you can’t just watch a video, commit it to memory, and expect it to work the first time or every time. You must bring those techniques with you to the mats and do the grind work to sharpen and authenticate them. It will only be through trial & error in a real-life training environment that you will be able to develop the reflexes needed to be successful at the technique. Test them at different intensity levels and with training partners of different body types and experience levels. Confer with your instructors about them. Only after all this will you truly know whether or not to incorporate certain techniques into your game.
Private Lessons:
Private lessons are an invaluable asset to incorporate into your training regimen. They are a great way to get quality instruction within the flexibility of your own schedule. You also have the advantage of one-on-one instruction from your instructor with his full focus and attention. He can directly see and feel what you are or not doing and correct it accordingly. Try your best to take advantage of it.
Make Peace With Yourself:
There may be a guy or two (or more) at the gym that most of the time, you just can’t best. They may even be at your same rank/level but they have the opportunity to train more often than you. Guess what?…..THAT’S OK! That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen. After all, if it didn’t, it would mean that training this stuff doesn’t work. You will fail. You will tap. Who cares. Don’t train to be better than anyone else, train to be better than you were yesterday. Remember, the race is long…and in the end, it’s with yourself.
In Conclusion: The above are my personal suggestions based largely on my own experience and many conversations with my training partners and instructors. They may not apply to every single BJJ practitioner. Everyone has different training goals, responsibilities, lifestyles, etc. It’s all relative. The important thing is that you are on the Jiu Jitsu journey. Bottom line….just DO YOUR BEST, whatever that may be.
