Don’t Learn New Technique
By Karen Peterson
Actually it’s ok. Learn new technique. But- it’s not always the thing you need to or should be doing. The answer to the moment, season, or cycle you’re in in Jiu Jitsu could be many things that aren’t learning more technique and that will still bring progress. Also- learning and becoming aware of new technique is an entirely different thing than being able to execute that technique during rolling. Here’s some things you can do that aren’t focusing on adding to your list of skills to acquire:
Perfecting the basic solo movements– bridging and shrimping, penetration walk, shots, high hips with your triangles, sit outs, anything we do in the warmups. As long as you train jiu jitsu, you will do these moves an infinite amount of times. However high your bridges are, they can always be higher and further reaching; your penetration shots can always be sharper, punchier; your hips higher in your triangles and sit outs. These can always be deeper and more intense, or smoothly chaining several together, and will create tighter movement when you roll.
Increasing volume– This could be the number of classes you do a week or month, or could mean increasing how many rounds of rolling you do in each class. Increasing volume should be done in a fairly slow and steady way (it depends on your fitness level), maybe you add a 4th class every week or every other week for a few months. Then you move to increasing the number of rounds you do in classes. If you already attend a lot of classes and do a lot of rounds, this might not be for you!
Increasing volume isn’t connected to how hard you roll, that’s a separate thing:
Increasing intensity– Meaning intensity of your rolls. After you’ve increased volume, you can start to dip your toe in to pushing your pace, and increasing how much strength you use during rolls. This shouldn’t/doesn’t have to be all rolls right away. It might start with a couple of your 3-5 rolls, 1-2 classes a week, then over time expand to more rolls.
Intensity is a cycle though. You will never maintain the same intensity all the time. If you try, that’s a great way to get injured.
Finding balance– Overtraining is a very real issue in jiu jitsu. There’s a fine line between pushing yourself and overdoing it. It feels really good to push hard and see big leaps in progress, but without the appropriate balance of eating well, sleeping enough, and developing a well moving body, you will break down.
A crucial way to balance is learning how to cycle your intensity and volume. Week to week can look very different, even class to class. Play around with what it feels like to do two intense classes a week and two slower paced, higher volume classes (or some version of that).
Mastering 1 or 2 things– Instead of adding more to your list of moves you think you should be doing, you can focus on just one or a couple that you really like and digging in to them. How do you need to adjust when someone defends it well? Or with a specific reaction they’re giving you? Or when you’re tired, how does it break down and how can you get it back?
Developing your internal drive– We can’t improve at the sport if our mind and spirit don’t get stronger and change over the years. All of these things are all part of that, whether you realize it’s happening or not. As you progress through the belts, you will eventually have to make the choice to improve at this. Developing a stronger drive can mean any of the above, but especially means being able to dig deep during rolls and fight hard in all positions; not being passive because something feels too hard, but rather trying as hard as you can to get the better position in that moment.
Within this there is also stop talking when you’re rolling. Are you a narrator of your rolls, as they’re happening? Tighten up your focus and drive, and stay in the moment.
One thing these all have in common is that you will also be improving your technique while you’re focusing on one of these. As long as you spend time on the mats, drilling and rolling, your technique improves.