BJJ students often focus on “how well they’re doing in training”, but are focused on the wrong things. Namely, their rate of success is directly related to how many times they’ve submitted their training partners and how many times they’ve been submitted themselves.
This is the wrong mindset to have. Instead of being focused on these two things, your “I won” gauge should look at how much you’re learning and improving. Rafael Lovato Jr. explains why this is the case:
There is no winning or losing in training, only LEARNING & IMPROVING.
Take your ego out of the equation. Nothing worked, GOOD! Ask the right questions so you can make the adjustments to make it work & level up your game. Got subbed, GOOD! Imagine being in a room where you never get subbed.
Be grateful you have training partners with the experience to challenge you, keep you humble, & push you to be better.
Rafael continues to elaborate more on what it means to “win” in training:
Remember there are other “wins” besides submitting your opponent. Escaping more efficiently, remaining calm, controlling your breathing, not giving up in a bad spot, training multiple rounds in a row, challenging yourself to try new techniques, feeling more mobile, not losing position, etc… AND just flat out showing up is a WIN!
Essentially, the mats are your laboratory. So make sure to experiment, as that’s the way to success:
The mat is our laboratory & I’ve been traveling my whole life to gather the best experimental data possible. I’ve also consistently brought the best in the world to Oklahoma for 20yrs so myself & my students can learn & I can get smashed at home.
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