Should I Focus On My Strengths Or Weaknesses In BJJ?
Should I Focus On My Strengths Or Weaknesses In BJJ
A question that came up recently, and is one the comes up fairly often is, “Should I focus on my strengths or weaknesses?”
I believe that while we should never neglect our strengths completely. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to have glaring holes in our game just because it’s uncomfortable to work on them. As I’ll share in the experience below. Sometimes when we focus on our weakest points, it actually improves our strongest areas.
Focusing On Your Weakness Can Build Your Strengths
Here’s an early lesson I learned as a White Belt.
When I started BJJ back in 03. I was fresh from wrestling. So when I rolled I would get on top and try to keylock everyone. Top position was comfortable and things were good.
But. . .
If someone got on top of me. I was a turtle off my back. I couldn’t do anything. I got beat in the finals of a couple of tournaments because I got swept to my back. Once I was on my back I was just done.
Following these performances, my coach put me on my back for several months. No matter what we drilled or worked during class. I started from my guard during rolling. If I wanted to get on top, I had to sweep.
It was the best thing I ever did as a white belt. Not only did I develop an effective guard that I could use. But I was having fun with it.
When I started BJJ. The wrestler inside me wouldn’t allow me to mentally enjoy or commit to fighting off my back. As I became more comfortable though. Playing the bottom game started to be enjoyable and interesting. It was a whole new arsenal of weapons to experiment with.
In addition to that, when I did get on top I had more knowledge about what the bottom person was doing. So if they grabbed an arm or pulled on a grip. Because I was now experienced with the same attacks from the bottom. I could adjust and counter them accordingly. Being better on the bottom made my top game and guard passing better.
A month or so after this guard work focus. I caught an armbar in my last white belt tournament.
Tips To Working On Strengths Or Weaknesses In BJJ
-How do I find my weakness? The way that I often encourage my students to go about it, is to find where you are uncomfortable. Find somewhere that makes you cringe or where you feel lost. Find those areas and move towards them. You may even ask your coach for some extra time on the mat or a private lesson to give you some things in particular to work on.
– It takes time! Be careful not to write something off just because it doesn’t work initially.When you find your weak technique or position. Fully commit (mentally and physically) to it and see where it goes. Remember, it took me well over a month before I finally committed to playing a guard position and started experiencing success. This was after 6 months of training already.
– When can I do this? If you have access to an open mat. Do situational rolling from that position to build it up. If not, ask your coach if you could work from that area specifically. For instance. If you need to work off your back like I did. Ask your coach if you can start from a full guard during full rolling.
– Will I ever not have a weakness? No matter how good you become. You’ll always have areas of your game that are weaker than others. It’s a constant balancing act. A constant chase for the perfection that will not come. The broken ensō circle represents this continually state of being incomplete.
“The circle may be open or closed. In the former case the circle is incomplete, allowing for movement and development as well as the perfection of all things. Zen practitioners relate the idea to wabi-sabi, the beauty of imperfection.”
As always, thanks for reading!
-Chewy
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