People often wonder what kind of conditioning exercises should be used to prepare for Jiu Jitsu tournaments. There is a lot of varying opinions on what kind of conditioning is correct for the sport. Jiu Jitsu exercises need to focus on two things, cardio and working against muscle fatigue. Someone does not need to do […]

What is submission wrestling? It is overall, a pretty general term. In a nutshell, it is both a style and a rule set of grappling competition without the use of a gi. It can refer to the styles of Catch Wrestling, Luta Livre, no gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and more. Though it can also just […]

So many people ask me what gear they need when they start no gi training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to gear. Unlike gi’s which are simple in design and color, the gear needed for no gi training is of vast choices, which comes down […]

The age old style vs style debates... which is better Judo Vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and why?  Most of the style debates have ended due to MMA, but what is the king of all grappling styles, Jiu-Jitsu or Judo?

Guard retention is a small, but massive importance when it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training. Training how to retain guard not only makes your guard more effective, but it makes your top game feared more as well. If someone cannot pass your guard, it will always be an uphill battle for them. There are […]

A lot of people have strong feelings about training gi or no gi. I have heard many purists express a certain disdain for people who train only no gi, only to lose to those people in no gi competition. On the other hand, the vast majority of winners of major tournaments train in the gi, […]

Having tough and unbreakable grips is one of the keys to having top notch Jiu Jitsu. When a Jiu Jitsu fighter has a strong gripping game, it makes domination of an opponent that much more possible. Grips are used in finishing submissions, passing the guard and controlling of an opponent. In other words, they are […]

EBI 7 was an action packed, high stakes night of no gi Jiu Jitsu action. With the best featherweight submission fighters in the world, going for the kill, the scene was set for some memorable moments. With all of these awesome matches that were put on, we definitely learned some facts from this past Saturday. […]

You have probably head the old saying “There is No such thing as a stupid question,” and yet one notion that daunts many jiu jitsu practitioners is how exactly to ask the RIGHT questions and how to get the most out of the questions you ask in training. What are some ways to ensure that […]

Go with the flow is a term you will hear a lot during training in Jiu Jitsu. It is because a great Jiu Jitsu fighter will be able to flow in his/her movements and techniques. Some people do not understand how they will learn how to flow. There are ways to learn how to flow […]

Claudio Calasans might not be a household name yet, but he soon will be. He is one of the stars that is a part of the world famous, Atos Academy, which houses champions such as Andre Galvao and JT Torres. He is considered one of the top, rising middleweights in the world when it comes […]

If you’ve watched high level no gi competitions that allow all leg locks over the past few years, you know that leglocks are all the rage right now. Leglocks have taken hold of the competitive grappling circuit becoming an extremely trendy over the past couple of years. What make leglocks so effective and why are […]

  There is nothing quite as demoralizing as being put in a bad position while on the ground and not being able to escape. Besides being physically exhausting, it also takes a toll on the mental portion of our game as well. How do we prepare ourselves for ending up in those bad spots? There […]

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, one of the most dynamic positions is the half guard. Misunderstood by those with little experience, and utilized greatly by those who know its power, having a great half guard is beneficial for top and bottom players. If you want to be successful in Jiu Jitsu, you must be able to […]

 

Very often we hear tell of this always within reach, but never actually attainable “grind”.  We are told to embrace it, we are told to savor it, and the best of us strive for it on a day to day basis.  The grind is important to sports in general, but holds a special place in one on one combat, including but not limited to grappling and jiu jitsu.

“The grind” refers to the inherent suffering and literal grind of training.  In grappling it literally refers to the sensation of the mat rubbing against you, your gi rubbing against you, and of course person’s pressure and intensity grinding on you.  The grind hurts.  The grind is uncomfortable.  And the reality is that the grind is what is required to really be able to say that you put hard work in.

The grind can mean different things to different people.  It can be reflected in how a person drills or in how they roll.  It can show up in who you choose as your training partners.  Here is a hint: if you want to embrace the grind, always seek someone out who gives you no quarter, someone who forces you to work.  If your training partner is too much better than you, you will not be able to really put in work on the right level, if they are not even close to as good as you, you will not really have a challenge.  For this reason, when it comes to “The grind” it may be best to choose people just above your skill level.

To take it a step further, who you train with is not as important as HOW you train.  If you sit out between rounds, you are not embracing the grind, if you show up late and leave early you are not embracing the grind.  However if you are present and working the entire training session you are on your way.  And it is not easy.  You have to push and motivate yourself on days that you do not feel like it.

Another crucial aspect of The Grind is your willingness to put it on the line should the opportunity present itself.  Competition is not necessary to excel in jiu jitsu, but short of using your jiu jitsu in a fight (MMA or street) it is very likely the best way to test and push yourself and really see how your jiu jitsu stacks up against that of others.  It also teaches you how you react to a level of stress that is unavailable to you in the comfort and confines of your gym.

There are three major aspects of being a successful grappler: technique, physical prowess (speed, flexibility and strength) and toughness.  If you are technical but very weak and weak minded/not tough, your technique will likely fail you.  Technique is a must for toughness and physical prowess to play a roll, but once your technique is up to par, toughness is the most important aspect.  And the only way to develop toughness is through the grind.

But how does “The Grind” develop toughness?  It is similar to a Muay Thai fighter conditioning their shins.  We gradually callous our minds to the point at which bad positions and situations do not evoke terror.  We become capable of maintaining our composure regardless of where we may wind up, and thus are able to mount intelligent defenses and even attacks from positions and situations that before would have left us clueless and ineffective.

The only way to really become excellent at jiu jitsu or grappling in general is the grind.  There are people who can make it all the way to black belt without ever truly embracing the grind, but those people will never make it to the podium, and those people are not really experiencing everything jiu jitsu has to offer.  The best way to know that you have experienced and embraced the grind is when everything else in life seems easy in comparison to your training sessions.  If you reach that level, you are embracing it and you will see benefits from it.

Check out this video in which Bernardo Faria talks about the work he has put in to reach his significant accomplishments.

https://youtu.be/wSWeZNPnyyg