Emotion in Jiu Jitsu
Posted by Corey Kuropas on
Jiu Jitsu is all about controlling. Controlling our opponent’s, controlling the situations and also controlling our emotion. Emotion in Jiu Jitsu is a real thing that gets over looked too much. I have seen too many people lose control of their emotions during rolling and it can cost them. What does losing control cost? It takes away your technique. It takes away your ability to think clearly. And it takes away your overall experience in BJJ. I’ve seen it happen most when one partner keeps tapping out another partner during rolling. It can get pretty ridiculous. If this is something you have a hard time with, you can change that. Here are some ways you can control your emotion.
The first and easiest way to control emotion is to simply, breathe. Breathing is such an important aspect in martial arts and works out a few different things. Taking long, deep breaths can take down the level of emotion you are experiencing. It works very well with frustration. Breathe in and out, find your center. It might sound a little far east, but it works. If you find yourself starting to lose control, stop what you’re doing, close your eyes and breathe.
After breathing, the next way you can control yourself is to, think logically. When you get upset on the mats, after breathing, you need to think with logic. Notice the obvious first. What are you doing wrong that causes you to get caught in the certain techniques that are getting you to tap. Also, think about who you are going against. If you’re a white belt and a purple belt keeps tapping you, is that something you should get mad about? No. That purple belt has more experience, and should be tapping you, otherwise they aren’t a good purple belt. Put that into perspective.
If I can give you one last piece of advice to control your emotion is to, ask questions. If you are upset that your techniques are not working the way you want them to, or if you are getting tapped by the same technique over and over, it is time to ask some questions. Ask your instructor. Ask a higher belt. Just ask. Any of those people should be able to tell you what mistakes you are making and how to correct them. This is part of Jiu Jitsu. You must learn what to do, and how to do it correctly.
Don’t become the Hulk if you are having an off night on the mats. It happens to the best of us. You won’t always look like a complete star when rolling. This is when you have to follow my advice. Breathe, think logically, and ask questions. It will be beneficial to you and your Jiu Jitsu to keep a calm head and stay in control of your emotion. Always keep that in mind. Listen below to BJJ master, Caio Terra talk about his journey in BJJ and the emotions that come with it.
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