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John Danaher Outlines How To Improve In the Worst Area Of Your Jiu Jitsu Step By Step

John Danaher Outlines How To Improve In the Worst Area Of Your Jiu Jitsu Step By Step

Anyone who follows the illustrious BJJ coach John Danaher on Instagram can attest to the many wins his squad has garnered over the past few months. From Garry Tonon winning his 5th EBI title to Gordon Ryan winning the 88kg division in ADCC and Georges St-Pierre winning the UFC Middleweight World Champion Title, there’s no doubt that Danaher knows a thing or two about strategy.

He recently took it upon himself to share how to get better at the worst aspect of your game – step by step!

Danaher writes:
What is your worst skill? Every jiu jitsu player,

you, me, everybody, has a worst skill – some part of the game that lags far behind their other skills. We all carry it around as a burden and hope it does not show up in sparring or competition. A great project for all jiu jitsu students is to identify the worst element of your game. It can be a MOVE, say for example, kata gatame (arm triangle); or a POSITION, say, left side bottom half guard. Whatever it is, identify it. Then study it. Ask your instructor about it, study great athletes who have a reputation for excellence in that area. Then set a very manageable goal.

For three weeks, START EVERY SPARRING SESSION IN THAT POSITION OR MOVE AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE WORKING IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA. Initially you will feel awful. Don’t get dispirited. Understand this – IN ALL LEARNING ACTIVITIES THE GREATEST JUMPS IN SKILL LEVEL OCCUR EARLY IN TRAINING AND THEN DECREASE OVER TIME. I promise you that after a rough start you will make astounding progress in that area in a relatively short time. Will you be a world beater? No, but you will be considerably better and put yourself in a position to improve over time. Most importantly, YOU WILL NO LONGER SEE THAT SPECIFIC AREA AS A WEAKNESS,
BUT RATHER AS A GROWTH AREA WITH POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE.

Once you see it in that light, then you can move forward with that move/position as part of your overall progress, rather than make progress in some areas and just leave that one behind and hope it never gets exposed.

 

 

What is your worst skill? Every jiu jitsu player, you, me, everybody, has a worst skill – some part of the game that lags far behind their other skills. We all carry it around as a burden and hope it does not show up in sparring or competition. A great project for all jiu jitsu students is to identify the worst element of your game. It can be a MOVE, say for example, kata gatame (arm triangle); or a POSITION, say, left side bottom half guard. Whatever it is, identify it. Then study it. Ask your instructor about it, study great athletes who have a reputation for excellence in that area. Then set a very manageable goal. For three weeks, START EVERY SPARRING SESSION IN THAT POSITION OR MOVE AND SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE WORKING IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA. Initially you will feel awful. Don’t get dispirited. Understand this – IN ALL LEARNING ACTIVITIES THE GREATEST JUMPS IN SKILL LEVEL OCCUR EARLY IN TRAINING AND THEN DECREASE OVER TIME. I promise you that after a rough start you will make astounding progress in that area in a relatively short time. Will you be a world beater? No, but you will be considerably better and put yourself in a position to improve over time. Most importantly, YOU WILL NO LONGER SEE THAT SPECIFIC AREA AS A WEAKNESS, BUT RATHER AS A GROWTH AREA WITH POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE. Once you see it in that light, then you can move forward with that move/position as part of your overall progress, rather than make progress in some areas and just leave that one behind and hope it never gets exposed.

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