Have you ever felt like you have been showing up to class day in and day out but less experienced grapplers are thwarting new additions to your game? What about higher belts smashing your tried and true techniques? Are training partners dismantling your techniques after continued drilling and assessment of these movements? This is not an unusual occurrence; all casuals, hobbyist competitors, and elite level athletes will encounter this phenomenon and it can be a frustrating experience. Identifying training “plateaus” and the feeling of helplessness that accompanies them is a significant learning moment in achieving any kind of technical fluency in BJJ. Practitioners of Jiu Jitsu will have to eventually realize that plateaus are a normal part of training and they can last for days, weeks, and even months at a time. This harsh reality can often be demoralizing but confronting these types of challenges with a sense of modesty will have the unique effect of building confidence on the mat and instilling a passion for learning the art of Jiu Jitsu. The process of dealing with these “rough patches” or “funks” in training will allow for the continued refinement of technique, victory over unhelpful thinking patterns, and will ultimately build tenacity to take on more difficult tasks in the future.
“There are two vices much blacker and more serious than the rest: lack of persistence and lack of self-control… Persist and resist”
Epictetus
Epictetus (Pronounced Ep-Ik-Tee-Tus) was a stoic philosopher who was born into slavery under the tyrannical rule of Nero in the year 55 AD (Nero was the fifth Emperor of Rome and is known historically as a narcissistic, violent, and ineffective leader). Beginning his life bound in chains and not freed until the age of twenty-five; Epictetus knew intimately the pains of hopelessness, cruelty, and most obvious, enslavement. Any normal human being living in this reality would have withered away and become an apathetic spectre of their true potential. Epictetus, however, used his own trials and tribulations to become one of the greatest Stoic philosophers of his time by conquering the realities of slavery, the rule of Nero, and banishment from his society for practicing stoic philosophy. Epictetus’s life history and teachings only live on through the words of his student Arrian; he did not author any literature of his own and Arrian honoured his teacher’s legacy by transcribing his words into elaborate volumes of literature (most notably, Enchiridion and Discourses). Epictetus is remembered fondly because of his meditations on mortality, agency, and resiliency; lessons that are just as vital in present times as they were thousands of years ago. Epictetus famously commented: “Every event has two handles, one by which it can be carried, and one by which it can’t… take things always by their smooth handle.” In other words, change your approach to difficult circumstances by developing a mindset that is rooted in positivity, discipline, and resilience. It is easy to fall victim to negative self-talk and self pity when life becomes challenging, however, you can change experiences by grasping them by their “smooth handle”. Much of any lived existence is made palatable by the durability of our thoughts and these thoughts will construct a perspective that will either brighten or darken our personal reality. In Jiu Jitsu, many students with exciting futures in the sport ultimately falter not because of trials placed upon their physical body but because of battles waged in the mind that are often neglected and lost. This strife, if not addressed, will lead to technical stagnation in training and at worst, participants will resign from training completely.
There are two important directives to be learned from Epictetus that are relatable to training. Firstly, do not lose faith in personal progress (persist) and secondly, always monitor the quality of your thoughts (resist). Training Jiu Jitsu is a tool for self-improvement and should be practiced with the intent of graciously accepting difficulties in the pursuit of creating a better version of yourself. At times, it will appear as if there is no tangible progress in your own abilities and others on the mat will appear as if they are evolving at an accelerated rate. It is an essential practice to resist these thought patterns and consider that this direct comparison will ultimately be a thief of any joy that can be found in acquiring new skills. Maintaining a resilient mindset for approaching challenges in Jiu Jitsu will allow athletes to take control of training by focusing the mind on the only thing it has complete control over: its perception of the world. In other words, when confronted with a setback or challenge, you have a choice in how you view it; choose the “smooth handle”. I tell my own students that progress in Jiu Jitsu can feel like quicksand as every improvement can be met with a whole other set of obstacles, however, investing time on the mats, studying the game, and learning to celebrate the hardships of training will undoubtedly make the journey toward black belt significantly more fulfilling.
Jiu Jitsu tested me (and still does) in many significant ways. Some challenges were expected such as getting used to the intensity of training, the soreness that would accompany this training, and, of course, the feeling of helplessness that haunts any beginning in a difficult sport. Some challenges, however, were legitimately surprising, such as the complex level of technicality found in Jiu Jitsu movements and the strategy involved in using these movements in different contexts (dynamic styles and grappling backgrounds (i.e. wrestling, judo, mma, etc.)). I was also continually challenged by my own ego and it was initially difficult to confront the fact that no amount of grit, athleticism, or stubbornness was going to allow me to shortcut my way to the rank of “Jiu Jitsu badass''. I learned quickly to control my ego, never neglect mat time, and the importance of building consistency in my training. I forced myself to spend considerable time on technical development (i.e. independent study, drilling, and specific training) versus spending “open mat” time rolling without any direction. When I look back at my own development I can extrapolate two themes: the first is nurturing an attitude of persistence when training becomes frustrating and the other is cultivating resistance by carefully monitoring the quality of my own inner dialogue. It helped to approach adversity on the mat by grasping for the “smooth handle” as many arduous events such as learning new positions, training plateaus, rivalries, and competition rounds can be eased and even enjoyed by developing kinder and more resilient thought patterns. With the right state of mind adversity can be approached with confidence and curiosity versus fear and anxiety. Epictetus said it best thousands of years ago: “Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and your life will be serene.”.
Until next time, stay cool, be kind, and keep rolling.
Benjamin Kool is a content creator and the head instructor/owner of Authentic Jiu Jitsu in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Before founding Authentic Jiu Jitsu Calgary, Ben worked in Alberta as a school teacher and is an alumni of the University of Calgary (B.A. European History, B.Ed. Master of Teaching Program).
Website: www.authenticjiujitsu.com
Twitter: @authenticbjj
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