Tom DeBlass has shared a blunt message with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners about how to train if they truly want to improve…
And it begins with confronting discomfort rather than avoiding it.
In a recent Instagram post, the veteran black belt and academy owner addressed a tendency that many grapplers share – steering clear of the toughest, most demanding training partners in the room:
That person you dread training with. The toughest, roughest, strongest roll in the room.
That is the person you should train with the most.Why? Because it is uncomfortable. Competition is uncomfortable.
According to DeBlass, consistently choosing “safe” rounds may protect your confidence in the short term, but it ultimately hinders your development when it matters most:
If you only train where you feel safe, you will never perform at your best.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.Avoiding the people you fear protects your ego, not your growth.
His conclusion ties directly into competition preparation – if you regularly expose yourself to high-intensity, high-pressure training, the stress of tournament matches becomes familiar rather than overwhelming:
Seek out the hard rounds, and competition will feel familiar instead of overwhelming.
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