Indianapolis Jiu Jitsu Coach Student: Jake Correa
To Improve, Train with People Better than You
By Ryan Berry
When I go to my Indianapolis jiu jitsu classes at Marcello Monteiro’s BJJ Coach Academy for a variety of reasons. It helps me fill the time in the evenings when I don’t have plans. It is an incredible workout. Coming home after an informative but hard 2 or 3 hours jiu jitsu training makes me feel good about myself, makes me feel tough. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t also admit that I go there to improve. Part of the motivating drive that keeps me focused, keeps me consistent, and protects me from burnout is the aspirations of moving up in rank as well as being able to wipe the mat with my peers. To do that, I must have a competitive spirit, exceptional cardiovascular endurance, muscular and mental strength, and possibly most importantly I will need impeccable technique in the execution of my movements.
It is no secret that to rapidly improve at something you must compete against someone who is your superior in that endeavor. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about basketball, sales, chess, poker, or anything else you can possibly think of, in order to increase your success level you must model yourself after successful people. In the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that means getting dominated by more experienced and higher ranked people than you. It means getting tapped out, a lot. It isn’t always fun. It is, however, always learning experience and is also the fast track to success. You have to pay your dues, you have to try things, and sometimes you have to learn them the hard way. By rolling with someone who has more strength, endurance, skill, and experience than you it makes training with people on your own level a much easier match.
I am a white belt at Marcello's Indianapolis Jiu Jitsu school, which is the beginner level of the five belts in adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. People are generally at the white belt level for 1 to 2 years (possibly longer) before they move up to the next rank, that of blue belt. The difference between white and blue belt is a pretty wide gulf. I have heard it said that it is the largest gap between any of the two belts. White belts are green. They are learning things each day, but lack the necessary repetition needed to commit the lessons to a level of comfort. Blue belts, by the time they reach that rank, generally have their cardio where they need it to be. They have been in many situations in the sport and have a good “big picture” understanding of the overall game. They know more jiu jitsu moves. Sometimes, they get the opportunity to train against their next level up, the purple belts. A blue belt doesn’t get defeated much by white belts, and shouldn’t, especially due to the integrity of Marcello’s Indianapolis Jiu Jitsu curriculum (which you can learn more about at http://www.bjjcoach.com . What a blue generally gains from rolling with a white (in addition to the self-esteem boost, and the exercise) is the opportunity to coach, to teach. In this way, they notice and focus on more details of the positions, becoming one step closer themselves to mastering the moves and moving up again.
Call me a glutton for punishment, but I prefer to roll with the blue belts. They are more patient, more focused, more meticulous in their actions. I don’t score many points against them but it teaches me a lot and toughens me up. I feel that my progress is accelerated by getting demolished by them on a regular basis. Then I’ll get paired up with someone more my own experience level and I’ll get to have a little fun of my own. There is certainly a high price to improvement, but well worth it.
By Ryan Berry
When I go to my Indianapolis jiu jitsu classes at Marcello Monteiro’s BJJ Coach Academy for a variety of reasons. It helps me fill the time in the evenings when I don’t have plans. It is an incredible workout. Coming home after an informative but hard 2 or 3 hours jiu jitsu training makes me feel good about myself, makes me feel tough. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t also admit that I go there to improve. Part of the motivating drive that keeps me focused, keeps me consistent, and protects me from burnout is the aspirations of moving up in rank as well as being able to wipe the mat with my peers. To do that, I must have a competitive spirit, exceptional cardiovascular endurance, muscular and mental strength, and possibly most importantly I will need impeccable technique in the execution of my movements.
It is no secret that to rapidly improve at something you must compete against someone who is your superior in that endeavor. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about basketball, sales, chess, poker, or anything else you can possibly think of, in order to increase your success level you must model yourself after successful people. In the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that means getting dominated by more experienced and higher ranked people than you. It means getting tapped out, a lot. It isn’t always fun. It is, however, always learning experience and is also the fast track to success. You have to pay your dues, you have to try things, and sometimes you have to learn them the hard way. By rolling with someone who has more strength, endurance, skill, and experience than you it makes training with people on your own level a much easier match.
I am a white belt at Marcello's Indianapolis Jiu Jitsu school, which is the beginner level of the five belts in adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. People are generally at the white belt level for 1 to 2 years (possibly longer) before they move up to the next rank, that of blue belt. The difference between white and blue belt is a pretty wide gulf. I have heard it said that it is the largest gap between any of the two belts. White belts are green. They are learning things each day, but lack the necessary repetition needed to commit the lessons to a level of comfort. Blue belts, by the time they reach that rank, generally have their cardio where they need it to be. They have been in many situations in the sport and have a good “big picture” understanding of the overall game. They know more jiu jitsu moves. Sometimes, they get the opportunity to train against their next level up, the purple belts. A blue belt doesn’t get defeated much by white belts, and shouldn’t, especially due to the integrity of Marcello’s Indianapolis Jiu Jitsu curriculum (which you can learn more about at http://www.bjjcoach.com . What a blue generally gains from rolling with a white (in addition to the self-esteem boost, and the exercise) is the opportunity to coach, to teach. In this way, they notice and focus on more details of the positions, becoming one step closer themselves to mastering the moves and moving up again.
Call me a glutton for punishment, but I prefer to roll with the blue belts. They are more patient, more focused, more meticulous in their actions. I don’t score many points against them but it teaches me a lot and toughens me up. I feel that my progress is accelerated by getting demolished by them on a regular basis. Then I’ll get paired up with someone more my own experience level and I’ll get to have a little fun of my own. There is certainly a high price to improvement, but well worth it.
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