AZ State BJJ Federation

10 hours ago

"Energy and persistence conquer all things" ~ Kobe Bryant

>> www.gdjjevents.com … See MoreSee Less

Photo

AZ State BJJ Federation

23 hours ago

How Do You Improve Your Jiu Jitsu Off the Mat?

By Gabriela McCrossan

Everyone learns Jiu Jitsu in their own way and at their own pace. Certain core elements, such as drilling and rolling during regular class attendance, are vital for everyone. Outside of going to class, however, many practitioners take additional steps to improve their Jiu Jitsu. This can take many forms, with books and videos being two of the most effective and widely used. I have personally benefitted from both of these forms of learning, and you can benefit from them too. Whether you can’t attend class as much as you like and still want to improve, or you’re just looking to get ahead of the curve, these ideas can be beneficial regardless of how far along you are in your Jiu Jitsu journey.

1. Books – Books come in several different styles. First, there are encyclopedic volumes of techniques. You can approach these a couple different ways. You can methodically go through each technique and drill with a partner. However what seems to be more effective for acquiring techniques in this way, is to pick what interests you most. This will keep your passion for Jiu Jitsu alive while allowing you to expand your game. A second type of book or article is an in depth ebook or article on a single position or technique. Personally I have found this to be most effective for implementing a position in my game. Instructional guides can be very useful and often include detailed descriptions and pictures of the position including entries, maintaining the position, and submissions or sweeps from your favorite places. They are also a great way to find a new approach to handling bad positions that you may find yourself frustrated and stuck in. Years later, the positions that I learned in this way are deeply entrenched in my game, and you can use this approach to surprise your training partners and develop your game in new and exciting directions.

2. Videos – Videos can be a more dynamic way to learn Jiu Jitsu outside of class. These come in flavors as diverse as there are BJJ practitioners and there is definitely something out there that can work for you. There are videos that strictly go over one position, technique or concept. The best way to make these work for you is to pick one and watch it several times to make sure that you have all of the details before trying it out during class. After experimenting in class, you then may want to revisit the material so you can pick up any extra details that you might have missed the first time. Overloading on too many technique videos at one time without practicing them in person is a sure way to become frustrated and fail to master any of them. Another route that you can take with videos is to watch competition matches. It is possible to learn techniques in this way, but it might be more beneficial to you to approach these videos in a different way. Set a goal for what aspect of the match you want to focus on, such as the way that an athlete pushes the pace or strings passes or submissions together, and then focus specifically on those aspects of the video. It is often helpful to slow it down to see exactly where the athlete is abandoning a position and transitioning to something else or at what point they turn it on and really push the pace. This is also a great way to learn the scoring system. You might feel that you have lost matches that you should have won because of strategic errors that cost you points or advantages. Watching the way others play the game when they are ahead or behind to make the scoring work for them can help you change your mind set during a match so that you find yourself walking away with your hand raised more often than you did before.

The main point is to find what interests you, so that you can focus on all of the details and have the passion for new techniques carry you through the learning process. You should pair your outside learning with implementing your new moves during drilling or rolling. Let us know your favorite ways to learn outside of class in the comments or send us a message. We’d really love to hear from you! … See MoreSee Less

Photo

AZ State BJJ Federation

1 day ago

[#TBT] Last year, in 2017, the women competitors showed amazing Jiu-Jitsu skills. Not only did they demonstrate their power but also showed their strength and determination. We can not wait for the next tournament. Registration ends today! Sing up now at www.gdjjevents.com // The 2018 Copa Bela (FEMALE ONLY TOURNAMENT) will take place on April 28th, 2018 at the Phoenix College (North Gym) located at 1202 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013. … See MoreSee Less

Photo

AZ State BJJ Federation

2 days ago

[#TBT] In 2017, some future Jiu-Jitsu stars showcased their talents at the Arizona Kids Cup.

On April 28, 2018 we are back with a sold out Kids Cup, where new, upcoming Jiu-Jitsu talent will be able to show their skills. We can not wait to see everyone there!

(The event will start 10am at the Phoenix College located at 1202 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013. Please check www.gdjjevents.com for important dates, info and rules.) … See MoreSee Less

Photo