You were probably given the “just show up” advice more than once in your training lifetime. And for sure; whenever you feel bad, unmotivated, or similar – just showing up on the mats is a huge success.
But if you want to make progress in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, then this is not a good suggestion. Here’s why.
“JUST SHOW UP” ISN’T GOOD ADVICE
You probably have that one colleague at work, at college or at school, who “just shows up”. They do the minimum amount of work required and just go through the motions; and, quite honestly, they’re not someone who you enjoy working with that much.
On the flipside however, there is that one colleague who not only shows up – but they go out of their way to do things properly and to the best of their ability. They help out others whenever needed, they are eager to improve at their job… Overall, you enjoy working with them quite a lot.
Well, guess which one will learn and improve more (and quite possibly get the promotion)? That’s because just showing up isn’t enough for becoming the best version of yourself possible, in whichever area of life it may be.
And it’s no different on the mats. You have to set clear objectives for training sessions; so when someone asks you which position/technique you’re working on today, you have the answer. That you’re not just “out there” and going through the motions.
If you want to reach your full potential, you can’t just “show up”. Instead, you’ve got to put in the effort and focus.
Nick “Chewy” Albin explains further on the video below:
