Don't Remember Everything As A BJJ White Belt

Stop Thinking About Techniques As A BJJ White Belt

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Stop Thinking About Techniques As A BJJ White Belt

Recently one of my BJJ White Belts asked for tips on remembering techniques when he rolled. He said that there is so much stuff going on, and he can’t remember techniques when he rolls. He just brain farts.

In this video I share an analogy about how BJJ is like music in a way and I explain how it’s a little different than what you might expect. And you should NOT try SO HARD to remember techniques.

Don’t Memorize Everything As A BJJ White Belt

Many people who are new to BJJ start by trying to develop the ability to consciously memorize techniques during rolling. When in fact, it doesn’t happen like that. We call it muscle memory for a reason.

More often than not. Your body will figure out how to put it all together well before you can consciously think about what exactly you’re doing. This is why someone can execute a technique without being able to appropriately break it down and teach it to someone else.

If you do end up being able to consciously think about the techniques when you roll, it’s usually an afterthought. The move has already started and it’s just a fleeting thought in your brain.

In most cases, if you have to think about the technique you plan to use too much. It’s too late and your opportunity will be lost..

Saulo Riberio has a great quote, “If you think, you are late. If you are late, you use strength. If you use strength, you tire. If you tire, you die.”

I think what he is touching on is the importance of your body executing techniques in BJJ intuitively. Without having to remember techniques.

In my opinion this intuitive ability is developed through mat time and drilling.

You’ll know you are starting to develop this ability when you begin going off of “feel” opposed to thought.

Also, if you’re new to BJJ. Be ready for the occasional “Aha” moments that will occur from time to time. Where things seem to fall into place.

I share in the video that doing BJJ is like playing an instrument.

As a musician feels the music and knows exactly which chords to pluck just off instinct. The more your abilities in BJJ develop. You’ll find yourself doing things, not because you thought about them, but because they felt right.

So stop stop trying remember techniques as a BJJ White Belt. Remember what you can and be sure to drill your techniques a lot, and let your body do the rest. Muscle memory goes a long way, don’t let the mind get in the way.

Hope the video is helpful!
-Chewy
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Roll Longer As A BJJ White Belt With These Simple Tips

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Roll Longer As A BJJ White Belt With These Simple Tips
White belt bjj spaz days

How to roll longer as a BJJ White Belt is something that I get asked all the time. Both from my students and from my Chewjitsu group online.

I remember this being an issue for me. Even though I was a young wrestler, I still struggled with being able to roll for a long period of time. I found that I just gassed out so quickly and it was frustrating.

One of the reason I had such a problem when I tried to roll longer as a BJJ White Belt was that I didn’t breathe correctly. It was really bad at times.

So bad in fact, that one of the commands my coach had drilled into my head for competitions was, “BREATHE!”

Yeah, that’s right. Not only did I drill my techniques but I also had to drill my breathing. When he yelled breathe. I would take a very deliberate breath. A big inhale, followed by 3 quick exhales.

In addition to breathing. Another thing that someone who wants to roll longer as a BJJ White Belt should do is to be more conscious of when they are using energy. Often I’ll see white belts being very tense and using LOADS of energy, yet nothing is happening.

Learning when you can conserve energy and when you need to expend it is one of the cornerstones to becoming more efficient. If you’re a BJJ white belt. You can simply think about the positions you tense up in and focus on relaxing in them to some degree.

In this video I share some details on both of these tips.

If you’re trying to roll longer as a BJJ white belt. Listen to the tips and give them a try!

Thanks!
-Chewy

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Tips For Grappling After 30 ( I Feel Better At 31 Than 28 )

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Tips For Grappling After 30 ( I Feel Better At 31 Than 28 )

Getting old and grappling after 30 years old is something I’ve discovered isn’t as bad as I was expecting. Eventually my body will break down as it ages. And hard rolling will be out of the question.

But for now, I’ve found several ways to lessen the frequency of injuries and stay healthy on the mat. Even though I’m now 30+ years old. I can honestly say I feel better than I did at 28.

In this video I discuss some of the issues I started having in my late 20s. Everyone tells you that as you get older you will just feel your body more. And this was the case for me.

In the video I share some of the simple things I started doing after I noticed my body felt worse and worse when I was around 28 years old.

 

The Secret To Grappling After 30

Making routine maintenance a part of my routine has been my secret to feeling better and healthier as I’m becoming older and grappling after 30.

Some of the benefits I’ve received by staying on top of my maintenance work is . . .

  • In general I feel less stiff and take less time to warm up.
  • By respecting my body’s needs. I perform better when I train hard.
  • I’m injured less and on the mat more.

Some of the different things I do to relax and repair my body are. . .

  • Stretching and deep breathing.
  • A more relax, yin, style yoga.
  • Myofascial release. Foam rolling, lacrosse ball work, etc.
  • Corrective exercises.
  • Believe it or not, walks. On my off days I like to go for a nice walk or hike.
  • Laying in my hammock. You might be rolling your eyes. But a lot of us don’t give ourselves proper time to rest. Even when we rest we feel like we’re being lazy or aren’t making progress. I know that’s a problem for me. Giving myself the mental OK that it’s ok to rest goes a long way.

Start At Any Age

No matter what age you are. If you take the idea that you are a high performance machine and work on developing a routine for your maintenance. I promise, you’ll feel and perform better when you’re on the mats.

Here’s the Attack The Back post if you’re interested in hearing more about my take on grappling after 30 and beyond.

Click here to check out the full interview at Attack The Back.

Thanks!
-Chewy

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11 Solo BJJ Drills W/ Stability Ball (Guard Passing And Hips)

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11 Solo BJJ Drills W/ Stability Ball (Guard Passing And Hips)

Solo BJJ drills are no replacement for drills with a partner. But solo BJJ drills can be a great way to get some movement in when a partner is not available.

Maybe when you’re at home or unable to make it to the gym.

If I do solo BJJ drills. I’m focused on building good movement that will translate over to training. In this video I share 11 solo BJJ drills you can do with a stability ball that will help build your guard passing game and hip movement. BJJ is all about hips right?

 

Some of the movements may be challenging to you currently and if that is the case. Do what you can and work towards performing the movement as shown in the video. Also, BE CREATIVE! Think about ways you could perform movements that are tailor made for your game on the ball.

 

Turn This Into A Stability Ball Circuit Workout

Perform each drill or movement for 45 seconds to 1 minute and move through each drill without rest. Take a couple of minutes and then repeat if able. This would definitely be a solid workout. I know that just after filming these drills, I was soaked in sweat.

 

I’m a big fan of building movement. As a bigger guy I like being able to move with agility and quickness. Every big guy can be heavy but it takes a lot of work to be a fast big guy. So these drills are great for further developing that. Let that also be me encouraging all of you big guys out there to get moving on the mats and push yourself rather than always just being the heavy big guy.

 

I hope these drills help you with your BJJ training!

Thanks!
-Chewy

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A Tip To Breaking Mental Barriers In BJJ (I Was A Dickhead Blue Belt)

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A Tip To Breaking Mental Barriers In BJJ (I Was A Dickhead Blue Belt)

 

 

 

In this video I share a story about a crazy match when I was a dickhead blue belt (I’m ashamed to say) that pushed me mentally. I also give a tip to help you with your own training and abilities on the mat. How to break mental barriers in BJJ

I share this story because I get asked a lot about how to improve cardio for BJJ. But I don’t believe you can really know your true capacity until you’ve been past the point where your body says, “i’m done.” As I’ll share in this video, you have to get to that point and keep pressing beyond. Going beyond those mental barriers in BJJ will let you know what you can really do.

I believe I heard a Navy Seal say that even after you feel like you’re done and your mind is saying “no more.” That you still have an additional 40% left inside you. Granted I don’t know how you quantify 40% but the idea is that unless you break through your mental barriers you won’t know what you’re truly capable of.

Thanks
-Chewy

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Beating A Purple Belt When I Was A White Belt (Accept Losing)

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Beating A Purple Belt When I Was A White Belt (Accept Losing)

Have you ever competed and felt afraid of losing because you didn’t want to let people down? Instead of being focused on what you can do and how you can win. You were afraid of losing and just wanted to win. I know I’ve felt that way a lot over the years, and it’s been the cause for some of my worst performances.

Have you ever felt this way?

I know I have to tell my students to get this idea out of their head. They’ll come up to me and tell me, “I don’t want to let you down Chewy.”

I get it, I really do, because I’ve been in the position they are and I still catch myself doing it from time to time. I feel the desire to proudly represent our colors well. To win, not just for myself, but for us. . . for the team!

But many people let the fear of failure or the fear of letting someone down get the better of them when they step on the mat. I know that most of us feel a sense of duty to represent our gym a certain way.

That sense of responsibility can make someone super nervous and can cause a lot of hesitation when it’s time to compete.

Accept Losing

In my opinion, you have to accept losing as an option. It’s there and it’s possibility. Just like warriors of times past would meditate about the possibility of death on the battlefield in order to lose the fear of it. You have to accept losing is going to happen at some point. Acceptance with that possibility will allow you to be more focused on winning instead of trying not to lose.

 

I Beat A Purple Belt And Lost As A Black Belt

In this video I share two stories. 1 came from my days as a White Belt. As a white belt I was able to beat a purple belt in a big tournament. The purple belt was no slouch either and had more than 5 years experience on me.

The other from one of my early matches as a Black Belt where I let the fear of letting others down prevent me from showing my best self on the mat.

I know that some of my best days as a competitor came from the times where I had accepted the chance of losing and instead of being afraid of it, just decided to focus on what I can do.

If you struggle with these types of feelings. I hope the video helps!

Thanks!
-Chewy

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7 BJJ Solo Drills To Build Better Hip Movement

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7 BJJ Solo Drills To Build Better Hip Movement

 

Do you need more BJJ Solo Drills in your training?

Recently, I sent a message out to my email list asking people what type of drills and techniques they would like to see in future videos. 1 request that kept popping up over and over again was solo drills for BJJ. So I gathered up some of the BJJ solo drills I use from time to time to share them with you guys.

In this video I show 7 BJJ solo drills to build better hip movement

BJJ Solo Drills Video

I honestly don’t do a ton of BJJ solo drills. I have a gym full of people who are ready and willing to drill all the time. It’s honestly pretty rare not to see someone drilling before or after a class. We have a lot of people who come in mid day just to drill and do situational rolling. It’s kind of hard not to drill in the gym as much as I talk about it.

But I do have some BJJ solo drills I do from time to time. They work well as warm ups and they’re pretty good exercise in their own right.

You’ve probably heard that Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is all about hips. It’s not far off either. Good hip movement is so important for nearly every position in BJJ. With that said, I figured going over some solo drills that would build hip movement would be useful for anyone at any level. Your hips can never be too good.

So I hope you guys enjoy the video of these BJJ solo drills and find them useful. If you have any questions, shoot me message.

and if you’d like to see more stuff, check out my social media links. There is all kinds of randomness on my Instagram and other social media accounts.

-Chewy

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Leaving Your BJJ Gym And Jealous Instructor

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Leaving Your BJJ Gym And Jealous Instructor

Leaving your BJJ gym can be one of the toughest things ever. I share two quick stories to hopefully give some insight in case you are thinking about leaving your BJJ gym.

Changing BJJ gyms can feel more like a divorce than going to a new gym. You’ve made memories, attachments and relationships. So it’s not like changing from one globo gym to another. Weights and equipment is one thing. But these people are friends and like and extended family.

But inevitably it happens that people decide that they need to change gyms. Often, as I’ve experienced, it’s because of the instructor.

Watch the video and hear the 2 stories I share about leaving and changing gyms.

Thanks, and I hope the video helps!
-Chewy

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BJJ Training As You Get Older And Reps Vs Time

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BJJ Training As You Get Older And Reps Vs Time

There are so many ways to approach BJJ training. But the way that you approach BJJ training as you get older changes. The ability to recover just isn’t the same between a 21 year old and a 31 or 41 year old. Because of this, as you grow older you are forced to find more efficient and effective ways to improve. Rather than just beating your body to a pulp with rolling every single day. It doesn’t mean you can’t train hard. It just means that you have to be a little more conscious of what you’re doing.

In this video I talk about BJJ training as you get older and cover some of the questions I’ve been asked about the drilling videos I’ve been doing. I also talk about how you could set up a drilling session. This is a good thing to go over since most people’s idea of drilling is doing a few reps of a technique and then rolling. As I’ll talk about. Taking 1 move and doing it over and over and over again to reach hundreds and thousands of reps can be really valuable for your game.

I’m Not That Old

Let me stress that I am not old. I just turned 31, which is not old. But in the world of BJJ and training. My body has a lot of mileage on it. I’ve been training grappling non stop since I was 13.

With that said I’ve definitely had to change my approach to training compared to when I was younger. Which has honestly been a blessing. My movement is better, my techniques are more crisp and I get more out of my training by being more purposeful and thoughtful to what I am doing.

This video is a little different than my other ones. It’s literally me just wondering around on one of my morning walks.

-Chewy

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Avoid Bad Days In BJJ (Don’t Set Expectations)

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Avoid Bad Days In BJJ (Don’t Set Expectations)

 


Do you sometimes have bad days in BJJ? Of course you do. We all do. But could you be causing these bad days in BJJ unknowingly because of a bad mindset when you’re training? Even worse, could this same mindset be hindering your overall development?

We’ve had an influx of new students coming into the gym to train BJJ over the last few months, which is a good thing. But now they’re all getting to this point where they are getting good enough that they are having some success which is leading to a negative thought process.

Since they have broken the seal and realized that they can actually hit their techniques during rolling. Many of my newer students have begun to set expectations for themselves. You know, they submitted Bob last week so they now expect to always submit Bob.

But this is the wrong way to think and will lead to bad days in BJJ.

Just like the rest of us. When they first started training they were just happy to be on the mats. They were brand new and did not expect to be successful. But now, as they’ve become accustomed to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu they think that they are supposed to perform at a certain level every single time.

This mindset is dangerous.

Why It’s A Bad Idea To Set Expectations Every Time You Train

First off, you have to remember that your training partners in BJJ are working hard too and they will adjust with you. This is the beauty of having consistent training partners. You build one another up, together. Like the old saying, “iron sharpens iron.” Right?

Second, and most important in my opinion. You’re going to limit yourself because of fear. If you’re solely fixated on winning and/or beating your partner. Then you will be forced to play your “A” game all the time. This takes away the ability and openness to experiment with new positions and areas you’re unfamiliar with. This will limit your growth and hinder you’re ability to be the best BJJ practitioners that you can be. I know I struggled with this a ton until I was a purple belt. After relaxing and allowing myself to experiment more and use the gym as my lab. My game shot up like crazy.

So don’t make these mistakes that I did and that so many BJJ practitioners make.

Thanks guys!

-Chewy

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