I'm starting to see some movements that are major themes woven throughout the jiu-jitsu and how those major themes come in to play from almost any other position. It's interesting that BJJ is often taught at a "specific technique" level to beginners instead of from a thematic level. I know everyone learns differently and that for many people the reward is in the submission, but I feel differently about it. The reward to me is in understanding the nature of the system and then applying that understanding. In this case Jiu-Jitsu; at work it's the computer, programming languages, etc. The submissions will naturally come later, but they won't be in a vacuum. A good submission, to me, seems to be the culmination of the position, the transition, the setup, the sum of it all. Again I have to say it's a really beautiful art.
So, for today it was conceptually about knee to elbow and the 101 groovy things that knee to elbow will help save you from. In addition, how to use knee to elbow to make the available area also conveniently be your guard. For example, if you get the correct knee up to protect from side control you're also conveniently opening up your guard area. Same concept from a lot of other positions. The other major conceptual movement is the post on one foot and the opposite elbow and the 101 groovy things you can do with that; get away, get back in, etc. I'm also seeing the value of make some space in order to do something with it. Hip out to get your knee in is a good example. My "death grip" seems to be easing up just a little bit so maybe I'll feel more able to make some space when I need it. :)
This is why I love my private classes. I want to see the overarching, interwoven theme and then allow my body to spontaneously apply that theme in a place where it is appropriate. It seems to me a lot like, "teach a (wo)man to fish..."
2 comments:
AHHHH yes!!
I remember having trained about 6 months total and realizing "whoa, most of these are the same movements!" then a couple days later "Actually, there's only 10-12 different things in jiu jitsu!" I was so excited.
Then one of our bada$$ blackbelts told me no... there's only one thing in jits. But his conceptualization is so advanced, I needed two words for the one thing--- center/connection.
Interesting. So my newbie realization is that the number of themes is not infinite. That blackbelt's realization is that there's only one. Hmm, so one progression can be from thinking of infinite to finite to approaching one to one single theme. Hmmm.
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