What you are describing is the Dunning Kruger effect. Basically, your student thinks she used to be better because she didn't realize all the mistakes she was making.
The good part of leaving class dissatisfied is that it gives you something to think about until the next class. Watch videos on the techniques you failed to execute and then visualize yourself doing them. Learning new things is hard. Happiness is a function of expectations.
"Stop worrying about technique as a new white belt." do you know how much that video helped me? it really, really freed my mind and allowed me to be open to learning. I've had to learn that jiu-jitsu isn't a race. I learned that from you.
dude. thank you SO much. I had an hour of sparring in our no-gi class and got smashed by everyone for a straight hour. I recently decided I want to just focus on half guard and pressure passing (AKA went from a button masher to playing the game) and can't get anything going, contrasted with I could have random success against people because I was just letting it fly, I felt like crying on my way home I was so discouraged and was wondering where all my hard work went. But you help me realized all the work I put in brought me to the point of understanding how to play the game and now I get to start. Thank you @chewjitsu I really appreciate it.
I feel like I'm letting my instructor and myself down greatly whenever I lose to a lower belt. I feel really messed up, but I haven't been in jiu-jitsu for 10 years, but even if I hadn't been out, I know it's part of the game. It happens sometimes. Maybe right now a little more than I'd like, but I know it's expected. Well, all I can think of is; next time you one up your opponent, or even a higher belt a couple times, don't brag about if he/she says, oh, you beat me really well in such and such position, instead take that opportunity to let them know, that yes you did, this time, but sometimes your the one on that end of the stock too, so tell them not to worry about it either, and that if they would ever like to show you a move, you would gladly accept it. :)
ha ha I fully understand that. It's that self doubt thing. when I got promoted to Blue belt, if I had a bad roll, I had visions of my instructor stopping the class, declaring he had made a mistake, and taking my belt from me
I absolutely needed this video right now. I'm a white belt that has been training very consistently 2 to 3 days a week for a little over a year. The last month however, I feel as though I'm getting worse. There was a point about 3 months ago where I was nearly untappable by a few blue belts and all the white belts at my school, then all of the sudden I'm getting tapped left and right every class by everyone and not landing subs of my own. Granted I feel it is because the last month and a half I've been lucky if I could make it to the gym even 2 days a week as my wife had gone back to work mid Dec after being on baby leave. I don't want to believe that cutting back on class for a month can have that catastrophic of an effect on my game but I'm not sure. It has left me seriously questioning myself as I've heard a possible promotion to blue belt might be coming very soon. I'm almost afraid to get it. Anyway sorry for the wall of text, was meant to be a short comment but it felt good just to get that out. Anyway I'm just going to continue to train as much as I can and try to not worry so much about my progress vs other students in my gym. Thanks!
Hey man, you might have actually absorbed a lot of what you have learnt and be trying to roll more technically, use more transitions etc I find after a break at things I come back knowing more and then taking more risks. Not just with bjj but with other martial arts, and even musically (professional guitarist and teacher) Just food for thought! I could be wrong!!
Your making progress no matter what. Think about the day you started and where you are today. When you started you would have never thought you would be at the level your at today. Dont put so much pressure on yourself. Just go on the mat and enjoy the journey.
This honestly happens a lot. I remember how I was a great white belt and was able to defend against higher stripes white belts and blue belts, yet when a new student came in (especially a larger stronger one) I felt they incorporated more force making me feel like I'm getting worse.
Awesome video. I've thought before about this "button mashing" concept and you can see it many different sports, skills, etc. I find that usually the party who is most frustrated by the "button mashing" is the more experienced one, when the unpredictable actions of their opponent leads to their defeat. I think this goes to show how even as a student becomes more technical in their movements, unpredictability is a vital part of any winning strategy.
I can't tell you how much I needed to hear this today. Getting to visit your school prompted me to start watching your videos and they have all been a great help.
I LITERALLY needed to see this today, thank you so much! I switched from my past school as a two stripe white belt, definitely got through my stage as the spazzy white belt hugger, and came to my present school which has mostly all brand new white belts. Now I'm sitting here with a torn rotator cuff from a chick who is new and smaller than me but fights like a cat in a washing machine. I talked to coach about it and he says he "supports me in taking time off for my injury" but that he also supports her in how she rolls because she will "definitely compete" someday and just has this "thing about her". He also mentioned age might have something to do with it (I'm only 42 and very athletic) and that I'm a hobbyist, even though I told him my goal was to compete next year. I wish he would have said everything you said in this video, I would have felt much more supported! I've had complements from upper belts about how my technique has improved so I know I'm not a waste of time as a student, I'm consistent in my training and I'm a respectful rolling partner. It's demoralizing to work so hard at something I love and then have to be sidelined. Your video really inspired me to rest up and then come back to it and keep trying, much love and respect man! 🙏🏼🙇🏻♀️☺️
I told a guy who caught me in a triangle. "I knew what was happening but I couldn't escape." he said "Oh, Really?" Next roll he caught me in another triangle and just before he finished it he said "Ever heard of a Brazilian Triangle Fart?" I was suddenly in a fight for my life. I managed to escape. But only because he couldn't hold on from laughing so hard.
Oh man, thanks so much for this one- been feeling it SO much lately, everyone in class keeps telling me I’m getting better, but I feel like I’m going downhill - makes a lot of sense though. The half guard thing you mention is perfect-
Man, I can't stress how good your videos are. I'm a white belt. I'm getting to the point where I'm not rolling so sporadic. And, I'm trying to be much more technical. My strength and sporadic movements, I felt, gave me an edge. It was the only weapon I had. Now I'm trying to slow down an play the game as intended. It makes me feel much better knowing I'm not the only person who feels this way. As I start slowing down I feel I'm getting worse. But I'm not. I'm just changing my approach. Thanks for the video man.
This is exactly what I needed to hear. 6 months in and a 2 stripe white belt started feeling like I'm not progressing but getting worse. I am definitely trying to apply more technique, asking more specific questions and actively thinking more while I'm rolling even if it's not quite working yet haha
With sports, I believe the trajectory is usually this - you suck at physical movements. You train, improve your movements, gain some confidence and are finally ready to start playing the game. Then you realize you suck at the game - just that your poor conditioning is no longer the bottleneck holding you back. Training then becomes less of physical conditioning (that is still a part of it) and more of learning the game.
There's a mental skill bucket and there's a physical/mechanical skill bucket with everything you do. The mental skill bucket is your ability to recognize patterns in game and your mechanical bucket gives you the ability to react to them appropriately. The more you do the thing the more you add to your buckets. Climbing up the learning curve requires you balance these buckets and be honest about where you're at in your climb.
Man, so freaking perfect. I am just starting to pull myself out of a month-long funk we're quitting entered my head. Luckily i pulled myself out of it recently, but now i know what was happening. Thanks, Chewie, you're the man!!!!!!
hey chewie, im 17 years old and i just started bjj 3 weeks ago and im going on my 4th week in a few days. Training every single day (monday to friday) for 2 hours after school and getting absolutely demolished every single day but always learning something new. Im kinda having this dilemma right now but thanks to your video it really set my goals and mindset on the right track and it made me think differently on my approach in this martial art. thank you.
I’m 17 and going threw all of the videos I can find, I REALLY wanna start bjj but I don’t know if it’s right for me it looks AWESOME. But I have never done anything like it since I was so young all I ever did was basketbal and soccer, Soo all my skills right now are running, jumping (I’m only 5’6 and white, so I’m very proud of how high I can jump) and shooting along with a GREAT endurance, but I’m very hesitant and nervous about joining and afraid that it’s may be a waste but I think I want to do it, I’m on the fence yk
@Greg Lurik Dude if you would have started at 18 and your 24 now you would be at LEAST a purple. If you were a 6 year blue belt you either aren’t very serious about it or you’re sand bagging. It took me 9 months to get my blue mainly due to a wrestling back ground and I was purple by my 3rd year. I compete a lot and train BJJ 5-6 days a week but 6 years is a long time lol
@Greg Lurik That is not normal. If you are consistent 3 plus times a week and not switching schools every few months and compete occasionally you should be a blue within 2 years tops. Like I said, a 6 year blue belt is either a hobbyist or is sandbagging. It’s normal for hobbyists to stay white and blue for a long time but that’s usually due to consistency and not competing. I never said it doesn’t exist. I’m saying if you are serious, no reason it should take 6 years to get purple, that’s insane.
@Greg Lurik wrestling backgrounds hurt just as many people as the help. For some people, having zero experience makes them better at jiu jitsu. Some guys rely so much on wrestling that they dont progress at jiu jitsu so they stall out usually at blue belt. You can wrestle your way to a blue belt, you won’t wrestle your way past that. Wrestling helped me mostly with competition nerves and being able to not go crazy when rolling and actually work on technique.
man Chewy, I really wish I could attend your school. you really do address what's on my mind with these little talks. I get just as much out of these inspirational lectures as I do out of the demonstrations. thank you.
Thanks for the comments. I'm happy the videos have been useful. I think we all go through the same struggles. I'm glad the experiences shared in the videos help you through yours.
I am a 2 stripe White belt started training again back in October, I can trail 7 days a week if I wanted, but I am training 4 days a week, I might start going to the Advanced BJJ Class we have on Wednesdays. This whole video made so much sense that it's too ridiculous. Literally. Some days I feel as though my Jui Jitsu is completely crap. This gave me HUGE clarity, thanks, love your videos bud, Hope to see more! cheers!
I will have to adjust to another class though, I do honestly admit that I do too much Jui Jitsu, I don't give my body enough time to rest up, but I will try some advanced classes soon, maybe even tonight, not being a downer or anything, just keeping my mind opened. : )thanks!
Man - your videos are so good, Chewy. I've felt like I've been going backwards ever since I hit blue belt - but this help put things in a little bit better perspective. Keep up the great work!
omg i'm a bjj white belt and recalled having this exact convo with my instructor and he says the opposite of what i was feeling which was that I am getting better as opposed to regressing, but since i felt the roll was getting harder and i still kept on getting smashed i felt that I didn't successfully used what I have learnt all this while. But hearing this really opens up my eyes to a new perspective and it's good to know that I am not alone in experiencing that very problematic mindset, thanks @chewjitsu
THIS describes exactly, where im at in BJJ. 36 years old been lifting weights active my whole life, just got my blue belt, feel been using my strength all this time, now trying to focus on technique and breathing and feel im getting worse, struggling with the techniques,
Orly spi ...u probably feel like ur getting worse at techniques because ur actually focusing more on them. just keep at it, drill slow, make sure u get every detail correct, once u got it down...all the steps smoothly....then u gotta drill it like 10,000 times. lol. blue belt is just getting outta baby diapers. don't feel discouraged, just b positive. ur instructor sees that. focus on techniques that u feel have been working for u, and positions that u have trouble with. try not to worry too much about fancy stuff that u never find urself using anyway or crazy submissions. instead u should focus on dominating the positions u aquire. once u get better at that, ull find urself capitalizing on submissions u never new u could.
@@nicolam842 "He's a brilliant lunatic and you can't tell which way he'll jump - like his game he's impossible to analyse - You can't dissect him, predict him - which of course means he's not a lunatic at all"
@@sdaiwepm As a very experienced tournament chess player I will say that this is no longer a thing past a certain point (in my experience around 1600-1800 elo is where that shifts). As some point random chaos doesn't work anymore in any situation because you know the patterns to watch for. It just creates weaknesses to exploit. Not disagreeing with you. Just saying what I've found. After a certain point you can still lose to stronger (or weaker) players but you will know exactly why you lost positionally or tactically.
@@Tacticalteabag You're right, I think in both combat sports and chess, handling that comes with some experience. Someone with intermediate experience who has never been presented with that situation might get thrown off, but someone with a lot of experience might be able to get back on track quicker.
l been in the "MARTIAL ARTS " almost all of my life and I'm in a wheelchair. AS A INSTRUCTOR. JUST LET ME SAY THAT I LOVE YOUR BLOG AND I REALLY RESPECT YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE MARTIAL ARTS AND I HOPE YOU TEACH THE SAME. MUCH RESPECT 👍👍 LASZLO TOTH
Thanks for saying all that, Chewy! I’m a white belt 6 months in who recently felt the same way, so this is super relatable and uplifting👍👍Love your videos and podcast!
The chess analogy is spot on. As a humble 1500 ELO on lichess, I am still at that point where I can respond to good moves with counters, but I cannot punish poor moves. It is frustrating, but it means I am still learning. Everything in life is a journey.
This was really helpful. I was starting to feel like newer guys were suddenly smashing me when I was trying new stuff, and that I was having more fun rolling with higher belts! This way of thinking helps me make sense of that!
Chew, you should write a book. All of these thoughts are golden, especially for white belts like myself. I was really feeling like this last night. I even woke up in the middle of the night pissed off at myself. I tried to use a simple takedown at the beginning of a roll, my white belt partner saw it coming, was way faster, and next thing you know he's on my back with me in a choke. I was absolutely furious and I'm sure it showed to my embarrassment. Oh well, back at it next time. Thanks for the lessons!
Thanks for making these videos. I'm 45, been training MMA for about a month now. We practice jiu jitsu almost every class. As crazy as it sounds, it's already bothering me that I get tapped, usually quickly every day. Luckily, the people I work with are as good at teaching as they are at tapping people. It makes me feel a bit better knowing others go through the same thought process. One theme I keep hearing is that I've got to relax. I'm working on that. Anyhow, thanks for listening, bartender LOL.
I have this feeling every day since Feb. I have been a blue belt for 3 years. I did snap my ACL right after promotion. So I trained for about about 2 years of mat time on blue. I started messing around with all sorts of new stuff during and after covid (single leg x, xguard, zguard, kimura trap, inverting, leg entries) and now I feel like I am garbage. New avenues can really take a long time to assimilate in to your game and by training this new stuff you are doing less of your A game. So all of a sudden your A game stops showing up in comp. But I will NEVER quit so I'll smoke a looot of people in a matter of years when my game evens out. Being it 1, 5 or .... Years. Love it Chewy, keep em coming! 🤙
Wow... really glad I watched this video Chew... I’ve been going for about 2 months now and over the last 2 weeks I started to feel this way. I’ve been getting really discouraged. I figured it was because people in the gym (including higher belts) kind of recognize my face now and know me a little bit so they don’t take it as easy on me, but this makes perfect sense. Your button mash analogy really resonated with me, and I have definitely been trying to use technique a hell of a lot more instead of just sporadically moving places and then trying to just stay on top. I’ve been really discouraged, but I’m glad to know that this isn’t uncommon in BJJ. Thanks Chew!
Thanks chewy. Wise words and appreciate you using gamer terminology to put it into perspective. Keep up the good work. One day I'll roll with you brother
Very good point about the button masher, chew! I go through this frustration from time to time too. Then I remind myself that when I started, I didn't even know what 'closed guard' was, various chokes, etc. And I tell myself, "sometimes you're the hammer; sometimes you're the nail." Also, another way to look at is like when you play Texas Hold 'Em with a new player. The average player will not play 7, 2 off suit (deemed as the worst possible cards)... You can have pocket Ace's (best hand) and get 'bad beat' and lose to someone with 7, 2 off suit in various ways. Another saying I've seen: in BJJ, you never lose. You either win or you learn.
Funny that this popped up on my feed today from years ago because i literally said this about myself in class today that i feel like im getting worse each day
i have watched a lot of your videos and never commented before. I like the kind of topics you pick , i think is good to pick topics that your students brings to you, because a lot of people stumble across the process of learning jiu jitsu with tendencies to certain s common issues. I have practiced martial arts for 8 years now but just recently started jiu jitsu. Your videos are helpful among many others that contribute to the world community of martial arts enthusiasts everywhere. For that i thank you. Congrats on your beard.
Your content is very motivational, i do very little jiu jitsu but i can see the mentality of what you speak of put in different situations and it helps boost my confidence alot. Thanks for the great videos.
Thank you! I'm a bjj white belt of 7 months and have felt this recently I chalked it up to trying to roll more relaxed and pairing up with more experienced students but you're absolutely right about playing in their field and being a metaphorical sitting duck. I keep telling my self that everyone was here at one point. I should roll with white belts of my level more often lately it's been mostly blues and it's discouraging lol.
Excellent analogy for skill development. I appreciate that you used the technique of framing out instead of reaching around for the example...we just did that in class this very night.
Good observations. I'm a professional musician and music teacher, and music is the same way. There are times when you feel like you're getting better and better, and then other times when you feel like you're getting worse. But you're really not getting worse. You have reached a point where you can see what you have to learn to reach the next level, and you realize how much more practice you'll have to put in to get to that next level. It's not that your musical skills have eroded; you just have higher standards that you haven't met yet. I'm just a fan of MMA and BJJ and not a practitioner, but I'm often struck by some of the parallels that musicians and martial artists go through as they develop.
Thanks man needed this. I’ve been really hard on myself mentally lately. I felt like I was getting better but then I roll against a few people and my inner demons are telling me I suck. I’ll never get good at this. Bjj is tough mentally just as it is tough physically.
Excellent analogy. Had a friend that would use M. Bison and mash continually and crush everyone until we learned how to time the spinning back kick against his corkscrew.
Chew......this is important advice I can totally relate with.....I’m still very new to BJJ, 5 months in. Even though I’m still getting mauled every training session, I’m starting to use some of the basic techniques rather than hangin in for dear life. This video was great info for me.
Thanks dude. I found this very helpful. I am a big strong guy and it is all I have had to offer. I am starting to understand more and “play the game” but definitely feel like I am doing worse. This makes sense and helps!!
Wow so helpful , thank u for making this , I just started about 5 months ago. I needed to hear this great analogy as I have been feeling just like your student
that's exactly how i felt when i started to "play the game", lol, all of the sudden i couldn't even pass someones guard because i was thinking about every step and stuff
This video speaks to me, I've been training for almost 8 months now, I'm a white belt (1 stripe) and before I got my stripe I was able to hold my own against some of the blue belts, every once in a blue(no pun) I would get a submission OR sweep, control, pass their guard, it didn't happen but it was good when I did. Now I feel like nothing I do is working, like what am I doing wrong am I that bad etc...I know this is a marathon it's not a sprint but I feel so discouraged cause I've got some GREAT teachers but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere.
years ago when i first started in the martial arts world,i spoke to one of my instructors about a simular problem,not that i felt i was getting worse,just not making any progress or getting any better and going round in circles.this is what he said to me. "its not that im not getting better, picture a tornado,you start at the bottom with little knowledge, and yes you maybe going round in circles but your knowledge base is getting wider and you are slowly but surely elevating that knowledge to usable techniques in the given situation,just like a tornado"..now when i start to feel this way again i remember im a tornado,growing and capable of mass destruction..
That button-masher analogy is hilarious and accurate. Like a fighting game, our movements have "frame data", or how long it takes to execute. One dude's mashing R1 because it does a ton of damage and comes out in 1 second, meanwhile as a white belt, you're doing visual and mental calculus just trying to remember how to scissor sweep because you got the knee shield up only to realize you only drilled it on your left side like a doofus. Just like a fighting game, after you've drilled some of your favorite combos to death, none of your normal friends will want to play Tekken with you anymore, haha. Especially as a white belt, you fall in love with 1 or 2 submissions, and you really start dedicating yourself to catching them over and over to relive that first lightbulb moment and keep that skill sharp. Tunnel vision is tough, especially as a white belt, but this applies to any level, any subject in life. I was pretty down on myself for being terrible at arm locks and armbars. It took my coach to dangle his arm out in front of my face for 10 whole seconds to be like "don't lose sight, what else is open? *hint hint, wink wink*" Ohhh, is it really that simple? Oh wow, it is. We miss golden opportunities to transfer between techniques over and over again, and often its not flashy or super technical, but instead just a gross motor movement like passing an arm, pushing away, reaching for an underhook that makes the difference. When you have position, it really is as simple as trying... trying again... and trying again... A, B, A, B, A, B... failing every time... then you remember C! Your partners are getting better and better too. Not only do they know your bread and butter techs, but they're right there in class learning the new ones with you. When you remember that, you start to regain that confidence, whether you're the hammer or the nail that day. We all have those days where we're just looking for oxygen and the bell to ring -- but those are just as important to learn about yourself and ascend to a new threshold of grit and tolerance.
I'm definitely experiencing this now. I'm attempting to utilize the techniques we're using in class during rolling and I'm not fluid enough with them yet to not get smashed in the process. I'm just trusting the process.
Thanks chewie, it really speaks to me this.. and i'm glad coaches can see we are trying to find our game and work on the weaknesses. For me we have been learning lots of butterfly.. so i'm trying to start the rolls in it and getting mowed down.. but slowly starting to slow them down
Cool video with an interesting analogy. As a long time gamer (competitive fighting games) and now a bjj white belt with a little time in grade similar to your student, I can relate to both sides. My main critique about it is that your guidance to the struggling white belt focuses primarily on the conflict without spending enough time on the resolution. Since your analogy parallels with the 4 stages of competency model (1. unconscious incompetence, 2. conscious incompetence, 3. conscious competence, 4. unconscious competence), I'll use that as a point of comparison. You basically point out that as newbies, we're going to be button mashers-- unconsciously incompetent. We don't know what works, what doesn't work; we're just doing stuff without rhyme or reason. At this stage, maybe we experience some success. But it's meaningless because we don't understand why it was successful and thus cannot replicate it consistently. Agree 100%. The next stage is we now have an idea of how stuff is *supposed* to work, and when we try to play within that structure, we get mauled: we're now conscious of our incompetence. Check. Can confirm, I'm living this reality now. And then... the video ends! Where was the silver lining to this story?? How much longer does this last?? How do we get out of this stage faster?? I felt like this video mainly acknowledges the struggle of the backwards white belt and is like, "yeah, you're gonna be getting wrecked now. LOL peace." As a member of the intended audience, this video is as if we were watching Rocky, and the movie ends after Mick tells Rocky that he won't train him. No reconciliation between the two, no great fight with Apollo at the end, just Mick telling Rocky to fuck off. Give us some closure Chewy!
I think I watched this last year but this year it makes a whole lot more sense. I think I've been in this place for eight or nine months. Hopefully I crawl out soon.
Great analogy. It's similar with all sports and skills. I like to use the toddler analogy. A toddler who's just starting to walk can probably crawl faster and more efficiently than walking and stumbling over several times. But, in a few years time, once he has mastered walking, it will be MUCH more efficient than crawling. New players will be crawling, once they start to walk for the first time, they might encounter many problems and stumble over. But, once they start getting better at walking, they'll never to back to crawling. And walking will then transition to running. You can't get good at running by crawling all the time.
Great episode, and true IME. I have had a couple undeserved white belt victories, and got them by unpredictability and surprising my opponent with strength and basics they didnt suspect I had. They were mostly luck, since now those people are ready and prepared for me; I may never beat them again.
Boom!! I felt this same way a week ago. What is crazy cool is that I got a stripe on my belt a few days after I was feeling this way. Crazy how these videos come up around when I need them.Isaiah 41:10
A similar thing happened to me recently. I'm a white belt and i was trapped by a newer white belt who is much bigger and stronger than me. At first i was almost toying with him while he button mashed and did everything he could, and i could feel him getting very frustrated with me. In the end i think he realized how much bigger he is and he was able to get a choke on me. The button mashing worked. Thanks for explaining that to me.
Chewy thank you! I feel like this right now. In the beginning I got some sub in. Now that I am risking and taking chances and trying moves I am getting tap out more. I am a turtle coming out of the shell and I keep getting eaten. But before I was just doing anything like you said. Button smasher and I was doing good. Now it's much worse. Thanks for this.
Yeah, I've had this many times. The solution: Just keep training. Don't overthink it, just keep showing up and putting the hours in. It'll click in its right time, like a seed sprouting beneath the surface for months and then one day: Boom - visual progress. :)
One of the guys in our gym , the program manager, said I need to relax. I know he doesn't like me. When I thought about it I watched jocko willink and he explained it clearly. Dial it down and do old man jiu jitsu. Going backwards makes you go forward.
This is what I am feeling right now. I feel like I am going backwards when rolling right now. I have definitely started to slow down and use my frames. I’m thinking about my setups and sweeps. It’s a frustrating time for sure. I guess I’ll use it as an opportunity to get better.
This happens in MMA striking a lot too, a guy that seems like he should own the stand up easily based on his boxing or kickboxing resume gets KO’d by some wrestler faking takedowns and throwing overhand rights. Aaron Pico and Gokhan Saki are good examples. Although Saki lost to Rountree, who’s grown into a serious Muay Thai fighter as we all saw…so maybe it shouldn’t count.
I remember feeling this way! I'm not sure what changed, but I felt stuck. I took some time off by consequence from an injury, and it took a week of catching up, but I've been doing very good this past week, my second week back. -8 month White belt.
What you are describing is the Dunning Kruger effect. Basically, your student thinks she used to be better because she didn't realize all the mistakes she was making.
Was about to say the same; she's getting good enough to realise she isn't as good as she thought she was.
@@notmyname3681 suffering from success haha
The good part of leaving class dissatisfied is that it gives you something to think about until the next class. Watch videos on the techniques you failed to execute and then visualize yourself doing them. Learning new things is hard. Happiness is a function of expectations.
watch videos and completely forget the next time you roll
Jiu Jitsu is problem solving 😸👍
@@triplesixrick4418 every time.. 😂
"Stop worrying about technique as a new white belt." do you know how much that video helped me? it really, really freed my mind and allowed me to be open to learning. I've had to learn that jiu-jitsu isn't a race. I learned that from you.
dude. thank you SO much. I had an hour of sparring in our no-gi class and got smashed by everyone for a straight hour. I recently decided I want to just focus on half guard and pressure passing (AKA went from a button masher to playing the game) and can't get anything going, contrasted with I could have random success against people because I was just letting it fly, I felt like crying on my way home I was so discouraged and was wondering where all my hard work went. But you help me realized all the work I put in brought me to the point of understanding how to play the game and now I get to start. Thank you @chewjitsu I really appreciate it.
Since getting two stripes on my white belt I am paranoid that my prof is going to repossess them....
Hahahaaha!! Lmao. HAHAHAH!!! Omg, that's funny man.
I feel like I'm letting my instructor and myself down greatly whenever I lose to a lower belt. I feel really messed up, but I haven't been in jiu-jitsu for 10 years, but even if I hadn't been out, I know it's part of the game. It happens sometimes. Maybe right now a little more than I'd like, but I know it's expected. Well, all I can think of is; next time you one up your opponent, or even a higher belt a couple times, don't brag about if he/she says, oh, you beat me really well in such and such position, instead take that opportunity to let them know, that yes you did, this time, but sometimes your the one on that end of the stock too, so tell them not to worry about it either, and that if they would ever like to show you a move, you would gladly accept it. :)
I felt the same way I feel like I don't deserve them sometimes
ha ha I fully understand that. It's that self doubt thing. when I got promoted to Blue belt, if I had a bad roll, I had visions of my instructor stopping the class, declaring he had made a mistake, and taking my belt from me
Try getting a promotion way before you ever should have gotten one and living with the guilt of that stripe!!!!
I absolutely needed this video right now. I'm a white belt that has been training very consistently 2 to 3 days a week for a little over a year. The last month however, I feel as though I'm getting worse. There was a point about 3 months ago where I was nearly untappable by a few blue belts and all the white belts at my school, then all of the sudden I'm getting tapped left and right every class by everyone and not landing subs of my own. Granted I feel it is because the last month and a half I've been lucky if I could make it to the gym even 2 days a week as my wife had gone back to work mid Dec after being on baby leave. I don't want to believe that cutting back on class for a month can have that catastrophic of an effect on my game but I'm not sure. It has left me seriously questioning myself as I've heard a possible promotion to blue belt might be coming very soon. I'm almost afraid to get it.
Anyway sorry for the wall of text, was meant to be a short comment but it felt good just to get that out. Anyway I'm just going to continue to train as much as I can and try to not worry so much about my progress vs other students in my gym. Thanks!
Hey man, you might have actually absorbed a lot of what you have learnt and be trying to roll more technically, use more transitions etc
I find after a break at things I come back knowing more and then taking more risks. Not just with bjj but with other martial arts, and even musically (professional guitarist and teacher)
Just food for thought! I could be wrong!!
up and down ,some day im untouchable , and some day i got tapped 10 times ... they say need to tap a million time so ...
Your making progress no matter what. Think about the day you started and where you are today. When you started you would have never thought you would be at the level your at today. Dont put so much pressure on yourself. Just go on the mat and enjoy the journey.
This honestly happens a lot. I remember how I was a great white belt and was able to defend against higher stripes white belts and blue belts, yet when a new student came in (especially a larger stronger one) I felt they incorporated more force making me feel like I'm getting worse.
What do you mean by more force?
@@SingaporeFriedrice aka fighting for your life
Awesome video. I've thought before about this "button mashing" concept and you can see it many different sports, skills, etc. I find that usually the party who is most frustrated by the "button mashing" is the more experienced one, when the unpredictable actions of their opponent leads to their defeat. I think this goes to show how even as a student becomes more technical in their movements, unpredictability is a vital part of any winning strategy.
I can't tell you how much I needed to hear this today. Getting to visit your school prompted me to start watching your videos and they have all been a great help.
Glad to the hear the videos have helped Joe. Hope you and the wife are doing well!
Thanks Chewy i owe alot of my progress to you, thank you.
I LITERALLY needed to see this today, thank you so much! I switched from my past school as a two stripe white belt, definitely got through my stage as the spazzy white belt hugger, and came to my present school which has mostly all brand new white belts. Now I'm sitting here with a torn rotator cuff from a chick who is new and smaller than me but fights like a cat in a washing machine. I talked to coach about it and he says he "supports me in taking time off for my injury" but that he also supports her in how she rolls because she will "definitely compete" someday and just has this "thing about her". He also mentioned age might have something to do with it (I'm only 42 and very athletic) and that I'm a hobbyist, even though I told him my goal was to compete next year. I wish he would have said everything you said in this video, I would have felt much more supported! I've had complements from upper belts about how my technique has improved so I know I'm not a waste of time as a student, I'm consistent in my training and I'm a respectful rolling partner. It's demoralizing to work so hard at something I love and then have to be sidelined. Your video really inspired me to rest up and then come back to it and keep trying, much love and respect man! 🙏🏼🙇🏻♀️☺️
I told a guy who caught me in a triangle. "I knew what was happening but I couldn't escape." he said "Oh, Really?"
Next roll he caught me in another triangle and just before he finished it he said "Ever heard of a Brazilian Triangle Fart?"
I was suddenly in a fight for my life. I managed to escape. But only because he couldn't hold on from laughing so hard.
HAHAHHAHAA LMAOo
Hahahahahh epic comment bruh
LMAO THIS MADE MY DAY
hahaha
Oh man, thanks so much for this one- been feeling it SO much lately, everyone in class keeps telling me I’m getting better, but I feel like I’m going downhill - makes a lot of sense though. The half guard thing you mention is perfect-
Button Mashing! OMG! I never thought of it that way, that's SUCH a good analogy.
Man, I can't stress how good your videos are. I'm a white belt. I'm getting to the point where I'm not rolling so sporadic. And, I'm trying to be much more technical. My strength and sporadic movements, I felt, gave me an edge. It was the only weapon I had. Now I'm trying to slow down an play the game as intended.
It makes me feel much better knowing I'm not the only person who feels this way. As I start slowing down I feel I'm getting worse. But I'm not. I'm just changing my approach. Thanks for the video man.
This is exactly what I needed to hear. 6 months in and a 2 stripe white belt started feeling like I'm not progressing but getting worse. I am definitely trying to apply more technique, asking more specific questions and actively thinking more while I'm rolling even if it's not quite working yet haha
With sports, I believe the trajectory is usually this - you suck at physical movements. You train, improve your movements, gain some confidence and are finally ready to start playing the game. Then you realize you suck at the game - just that your poor conditioning is no longer the bottleneck holding you back. Training then becomes less of physical conditioning (that is still a part of it) and more of learning the game.
There's a mental skill bucket and there's a physical/mechanical skill bucket with everything you do. The mental skill bucket is your ability to recognize patterns in game and your mechanical bucket gives you the ability to react to them appropriately. The more you do the thing the more you add to your buckets.
Climbing up the learning curve requires you balance these buckets and be honest about where you're at in your climb.
Ur my jj guru man, i just got 2nd place on a tournament as a 4stripe white belt, and the knowledge i got from you helped, thank you chewie!
Man, so freaking perfect. I am just starting to pull myself out of a month-long funk we're quitting entered my head. Luckily i pulled myself out of it recently, but now i know what was happening. Thanks, Chewie, you're the man!!!!!!
hey chewie, im 17 years old and i just started bjj 3 weeks ago and im going on my 4th week in a few days. Training every single day (monday to friday) for 2 hours after school and getting absolutely demolished every single day but always learning something new. Im kinda having this dilemma right now but thanks to your video it really set my goals and mindset on the right track and it made me think differently on my approach in this martial art. thank you.
How’s it been? My first class tomorrow
I’m 17 and going threw all of the videos I can find, I REALLY wanna start bjj but I don’t know if it’s right for me it looks AWESOME. But I have never done anything like it since I was so young all I ever did was basketbal and soccer, Soo all my skills right now are running, jumping (I’m only 5’6 and white, so I’m very proud of how high I can jump) and shooting along with a GREAT endurance, but I’m very hesitant and nervous about joining and afraid that it’s may be a waste but I think I want to do it, I’m on the fence yk
@Greg Lurik Dude if you would have started at 18 and your 24 now you would be at LEAST a purple. If you were a 6 year blue belt you either aren’t very serious about it or you’re sand bagging. It took me 9 months to get my blue mainly due to a wrestling back ground and I was purple by my 3rd year. I compete a lot and train BJJ 5-6 days a week but 6 years is a long time lol
@Greg Lurik That is not normal. If you are consistent 3 plus times a week and not switching schools every few months and compete occasionally you should be a blue within 2 years tops. Like I said, a 6 year blue belt is either a hobbyist or is sandbagging. It’s normal for hobbyists to stay white and blue for a long time but that’s usually due to consistency and not competing. I never said it doesn’t exist. I’m saying if you are serious, no reason it should take 6 years to get purple, that’s insane.
@Greg Lurik wrestling backgrounds hurt just as many people as the help. For some people, having zero experience makes them better at jiu jitsu. Some guys rely so much on wrestling that they dont progress at jiu jitsu so they stall out usually at blue belt. You can wrestle your way to a blue belt, you won’t wrestle your way past that. Wrestling helped me mostly with competition nerves and being able to not go crazy when rolling and actually work on technique.
man Chewy, I really wish I could attend your school. you really do address what's on my mind with these little talks. I get just as much out of these inspirational lectures as I do out of the demonstrations. thank you.
Thanks for the comments. I'm happy the videos have been useful. I think we all go through the same struggles. I'm glad the experiences shared in the videos help you through yours.
I am a 2 stripe White belt started training again back in October, I can trail 7 days a week if I wanted, but I am training 4 days a week, I might start going to the Advanced BJJ Class we have on Wednesdays. This whole video made so much sense that it's too ridiculous. Literally. Some days I feel as though my Jui Jitsu is completely crap. This gave me HUGE clarity, thanks, love your videos bud, Hope to see more! cheers!
Definitely go to the advanced classes. Nothing quite like training with people who are better than you.
I will have to adjust to another class though, I do honestly admit that I do too much Jui Jitsu, I don't give my body enough time to rest up, but I will try some advanced classes soon, maybe even tonight, not being a downer or anything, just keeping my mind opened. : )thanks!
The amount of wisdom in this short video is unreal ,great analogy and great work !
Man - your videos are so good, Chewy. I've felt like I've been going backwards ever since I hit blue belt - but this help put things in a little bit better perspective. Keep up the great work!
omg i'm a bjj white belt and recalled having this exact convo with my instructor and he says the opposite of what i was feeling which was that I am getting better as opposed to regressing, but since i felt the roll was getting harder and i still kept on getting smashed i felt that I didn't successfully used what I have learnt all this while. But hearing this really opens up my eyes to a new perspective and it's good to know that I am not alone in experiencing that very problematic mindset, thanks @chewjitsu
My psychological perspective might suggest this to be true for social interactions as well. love it! Thanks
THIS describes exactly, where im at in BJJ. 36 years old been lifting weights active my whole life, just got my blue belt, feel been using my strength all this time, now trying to focus on technique and breathing and feel im getting worse, struggling with the techniques,
Orly spi ...u probably feel like ur getting worse at techniques because ur actually focusing more on them. just keep at it, drill slow, make sure u get every detail correct, once u got it down...all the steps smoothly....then u gotta drill it like 10,000 times. lol. blue belt is just getting outta baby diapers. don't feel discouraged, just b positive. ur instructor sees that. focus on techniques that u feel have been working for u, and positions that u have trouble with. try not to worry too much about fancy stuff that u never find urself using anyway or crazy submissions. instead u should focus on dominating the positions u aquire. once u get better at that, ull find urself capitalizing on submissions u never new u could.
Orly spi you just know notice the mistakes you're doing when before you didn't realize it
Thanks Chewy. I felt this exact same way to the point of thinking up a couple excuses to not train the past week. Definitely going to train today.
After taking 10 years off and now getting back into the game, I was feeling that way.
This cleared it up for me. Thanks Chewy.
As a pretty decent chess player ... this is true. Some bozo launching all his pawns forward can really throw you off your game.
Is he really a bozo if he threw you off your game
@@nicolam842 "He's a brilliant lunatic and you can't tell which way he'll jump - like his game he's impossible to analyse - You can't dissect him, predict him - which of course means he's not a lunatic at all"
@@sdaiwepm As a very experienced tournament chess player I will say that this is no longer a thing past a certain point (in my experience around 1600-1800 elo is where that shifts). As some point random chaos doesn't work anymore in any situation because you know the patterns to watch for. It just creates weaknesses to exploit. Not disagreeing with you. Just saying what I've found. After a certain point you can still lose to stronger (or weaker) players but you will know exactly why you lost positionally or tactically.
@@Tacticalteabag You're right, I think in both combat sports and chess, handling that comes with some experience. Someone with intermediate experience who has never been presented with that situation might get thrown off, but someone with a lot of experience might be able to get back on track quicker.
@@sdaiwepm I don’t think you’re a decent chess player if all pawns moving forwards bothers your game
l been in the "MARTIAL ARTS " almost all of my life and I'm in a wheelchair. AS A INSTRUCTOR. JUST LET ME SAY THAT I LOVE YOUR BLOG AND I REALLY RESPECT YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE MARTIAL ARTS AND I HOPE YOU TEACH THE SAME. MUCH RESPECT 👍👍 LASZLO TOTH
Chewy, I don't know why this popped up in my recommended today but man this is exactly what I needed to hear.
Thanks for saying all that, Chewy! I’m a white belt 6 months in who recently felt the same way, so this is super relatable and uplifting👍👍Love your videos and podcast!
The chess analogy is spot on.
As a humble 1500 ELO on lichess, I am still at that point where I can respond to good moves with counters, but I cannot punish poor moves.
It is frustrating, but it means I am still learning.
Everything in life is a journey.
This was really helpful. I was starting to feel like newer guys were suddenly smashing me when I was trying new stuff, and that I was having more fun rolling with higher belts! This way of thinking helps me make sense of that!
I'm glad it made sense! Thanks for the comment.
Thanks Chewy, Needed to hear this video as this is how I feel.
I've been training for only 1.5 year's & as of lately I've been feeling like this thank you chewy your videos are awesome greatly appreciated.
Chew, you should write a book. All of these thoughts are golden, especially for white belts like myself. I was really feeling like this last night. I even woke up in the middle of the night pissed off at myself. I tried to use a simple takedown at the beginning of a roll, my white belt partner saw it coming, was way faster, and next thing you know he's on my back with me in a choke. I was absolutely furious and I'm sure it showed to my embarrassment. Oh well, back at it next time. Thanks for the lessons!
Thanks for making these videos. I'm 45, been training MMA for about a month now. We practice jiu jitsu almost every class. As crazy as it sounds, it's already bothering me that I get tapped, usually quickly every day. Luckily, the people I work with are as good at teaching as they are at tapping people. It makes me feel a bit better knowing others go through the same thought process. One theme I keep hearing is that I've got to relax. I'm working on that. Anyhow, thanks for listening, bartender LOL.
I have this feeling every day since Feb. I have been a blue belt for 3 years. I did snap my ACL right after promotion. So I trained for about about 2 years of mat time on blue. I started messing around with all sorts of new stuff during and after covid (single leg x, xguard, zguard, kimura trap, inverting, leg entries) and now I feel like I am garbage. New avenues can really take a long time to assimilate in to your game and by training this new stuff you are doing less of your A game. So all of a sudden your A game stops showing up in comp. But I will NEVER quit so I'll smoke a looot of people in a matter of years when my game evens out. Being it 1, 5 or .... Years. Love it Chewy, keep em coming! 🤙
Last week I was thinking exactly this,I’m struggling more and getting worse. But this actually makes sense to me. Thanks.
Man, this video hit the nail on the head. Needed this today, thanks man.
Incredibly insightful. That’s the perfect analogy for me. Another good video 👍
Wow... really glad I watched this video Chew... I’ve been going for about 2 months now and over the last 2 weeks I started to feel this way. I’ve been getting really discouraged. I figured it was because people in the gym (including higher belts) kind of recognize my face now and know me a little bit so they don’t take it as easy on me, but this makes perfect sense. Your button mash analogy really resonated with me, and I have definitely been trying to use technique a hell of a lot more instead of just sporadically moving places and then trying to just stay on top. I’ve been really discouraged, but I’m glad to know that this isn’t uncommon in BJJ. Thanks Chew!
Thanks chewy. Wise words and appreciate you using gamer terminology to put it into perspective. Keep up the good work. One day I'll roll with you brother
I really needed to hear this one today. I was having those same thoughts last night after training. Thank you.
Great analogy Chewie! The best part is when you start playing the actual game it gets so much more fun!
Very good point about the button masher, chew! I go through this frustration from time to time too. Then I remind myself that when I started, I didn't even know what 'closed guard' was, various chokes, etc. And I tell myself, "sometimes you're the hammer; sometimes you're the nail."
Also, another way to look at is like when you play Texas Hold 'Em with a new player. The average player will not play 7, 2 off suit (deemed as the worst possible cards)... You can have pocket Ace's (best hand) and get 'bad beat' and lose to someone with 7, 2 off suit in various ways.
Another saying I've seen: in BJJ, you never lose. You either win or you learn.
Funny that this popped up on my feed today from years ago because i literally said this about myself in class today that i feel like im getting worse each day
i have watched a lot of your videos and never commented before. I like
the kind of topics you pick , i think is good to pick topics that your
students brings to you, because a lot of people stumble across the
process of learning jiu jitsu with tendencies to certain s common issues. I
have practiced martial arts for 8 years now but just recently started
jiu jitsu. Your videos are helpful among many others that
contribute to the world community of martial arts enthusiasts everywhere. For that i thank you. Congrats on your beard.
Great video! At 7 months I really feel like I'm getting worse but I'm actually starting to apply bjj principles. Thank you so much for video!
Your content is very motivational, i do very little jiu jitsu but i can see the mentality of what you speak of put in different situations and it helps boost my confidence alot. Thanks for the great videos.
Like all martial arts. There are lessons to be used for any aspect of our lives. I'm glad you enjoy the videos.
Absolutely great video man, I loved the reference to the hug versus framing. Really made sense.
Ahhh I so needed to hear this. Thanks Chewy.
Thank you, sensei... You just helped a white belt from Brazil! Aprecciate that!
Glad to help Lucas! Thanks for the comment brother.
Thank you! I'm a bjj white belt of 7 months and have felt this recently I chalked it up to trying to roll more relaxed and pairing up with more experienced students but you're absolutely right about playing in their field and being a metaphorical sitting duck. I keep telling my self that everyone was here at one point. I should roll with white belts of my level more often lately it's been mostly blues and it's discouraging lol.
Excellent analogy for skill development. I appreciate that you used the technique of framing out instead of reaching around for the example...we just did that in class this very night.
Good observations. I'm a professional musician and music teacher, and music is the same way. There are times when you feel like you're getting better and better, and then other times when you feel like you're getting worse. But you're really not getting worse. You have reached a point where you can see what you have to learn to reach the next level, and you realize how much more practice you'll have to put in to get to that next level. It's not that your musical skills have eroded; you just have higher standards that you haven't met yet. I'm just a fan of MMA and BJJ and not a practitioner, but I'm often struck by some of the parallels that musicians and martial artists go through as they develop.
Thanks man needed this. I’ve been really hard on myself mentally lately. I felt like I was getting better but then I roll against a few people and my inner demons are telling me I suck. I’ll never get good at this. Bjj is tough mentally just as it is tough physically.
Excellent analogy. Had a friend that would use M. Bison and mash continually and crush everyone until we learned how to time the spinning back kick against his corkscrew.
Chew......this is important advice I can totally relate with.....I’m still very new to BJJ, 5 months in. Even though I’m still getting mauled every training session, I’m starting to use some of the basic techniques rather than hangin in for dear life. This video was great info for me.
Thanks dude. I found this very helpful. I am a big strong guy and it is all I have had to offer. I am starting to understand more and “play the game” but definitely feel like I am doing worse. This makes sense and helps!!
Thnx for the video, I was just wondering about this. Great job on all your videos btw!
I really liked your analogy. It puts things into a better perspective.
Chewy you’re a Champion!! Once again thanks for the advice!!
Wow so helpful , thank u for making this , I just started about 5 months ago. I needed to hear this great analogy as I have been feeling just like your student
thank you sir you don't know how much this video has helped my confidence!!
that's exactly how i felt when i started to "play the game", lol, all of the sudden i couldn't even pass someones guard because i was thinking about every step and stuff
This video speaks to me, I've been training for almost 8 months now, I'm a white belt (1 stripe) and before I got my stripe I was able to hold my own against some of the blue belts, every once in a blue(no pun) I would get a submission OR sweep, control, pass their guard, it didn't happen but it was good when I did. Now I feel like nothing I do is working, like what am I doing wrong am I that bad etc...I know this is a marathon it's not a sprint but I feel so discouraged cause I've got some GREAT teachers but I feel like I'm not getting anywhere.
years ago when i first started in the martial arts world,i spoke to one of my instructors about a simular problem,not that i felt i was getting worse,just not making any progress or getting any better and going round in circles.this is what he said to me.
"its not that im not getting better,
picture a tornado,you start at the bottom with little knowledge, and yes you maybe going round in circles but your knowledge base is getting wider and you are slowly but surely elevating that knowledge to usable techniques in the given situation,just like a tornado"..now when i start to feel this way again i remember im a tornado,growing and capable of mass destruction..
Thank you coach. I needed to hear this right now.
That button-masher analogy is hilarious and accurate. Like a fighting game, our movements have "frame data", or how long it takes to execute. One dude's mashing R1 because it does a ton of damage and comes out in 1 second, meanwhile as a white belt, you're doing visual and mental calculus just trying to remember how to scissor sweep because you got the knee shield up only to realize you only drilled it on your left side like a doofus. Just like a fighting game, after you've drilled some of your favorite combos to death, none of your normal friends will want to play Tekken with you anymore, haha.
Especially as a white belt, you fall in love with 1 or 2 submissions, and you really start dedicating yourself to catching them over and over to relive that first lightbulb moment and keep that skill sharp. Tunnel vision is tough, especially as a white belt, but this applies to any level, any subject in life. I was pretty down on myself for being terrible at arm locks and armbars. It took my coach to dangle his arm out in front of my face for 10 whole seconds to be like "don't lose sight, what else is open? *hint hint, wink wink*" Ohhh, is it really that simple? Oh wow, it is.
We miss golden opportunities to transfer between techniques over and over again, and often its not flashy or super technical, but instead just a gross motor movement like passing an arm, pushing away, reaching for an underhook that makes the difference. When you have position, it really is as simple as trying... trying again... and trying again... A, B, A, B, A, B... failing every time... then you remember C! Your partners are getting better and better too. Not only do they know your bread and butter techs, but they're right there in class learning the new ones with you. When you remember that, you start to regain that confidence, whether you're the hammer or the nail that day. We all have those days where we're just looking for oxygen and the bell to ring -- but those are just as important to learn about yourself and ascend to a new threshold of grit and tolerance.
I'm definitely experiencing this now. I'm attempting to utilize the techniques we're using in class during rolling and I'm not fluid enough with them yet to not get smashed in the process. I'm just trusting the process.
This is exactly how I've been feeling. Great video.
Thanks chewie, it really speaks to me this.. and i'm glad coaches can see we are trying to find our game and work on the weaknesses. For me we have been learning lots of butterfly.. so i'm trying to start the rolls in it and getting mowed down.. but slowly starting to slow them down
Literally just what I needed to hear! thank you chewy xoxo
Cool video with an interesting analogy. As a long time gamer (competitive fighting games) and now a bjj white belt with a little time in grade similar to your student, I can relate to both sides. My main critique about it is that your guidance to the struggling white belt focuses primarily on the conflict without spending enough time on the resolution. Since your analogy parallels with the 4 stages of competency model (1. unconscious incompetence, 2. conscious incompetence, 3. conscious competence, 4. unconscious competence), I'll use that as a point of comparison.
You basically point out that as newbies, we're going to be button mashers-- unconsciously incompetent. We don't know what works, what doesn't work; we're just doing stuff without rhyme or reason. At this stage, maybe we experience some success. But it's meaningless because we don't understand why it was successful and thus cannot replicate it consistently. Agree 100%. The next stage is we now have an idea of how stuff is *supposed* to work, and when we try to play within that structure, we get mauled: we're now conscious of our incompetence. Check. Can confirm, I'm living this reality now. And then... the video ends! Where was the silver lining to this story?? How much longer does this last?? How do we get out of this stage faster??
I felt like this video mainly acknowledges the struggle of the backwards white belt and is like, "yeah, you're gonna be getting wrecked now. LOL peace." As a member of the intended audience, this video is as if we were watching Rocky, and the movie ends after Mick tells Rocky that he won't train him. No reconciliation between the two, no great fight with Apollo at the end, just Mick telling Rocky to fuck off. Give us some closure Chewy!
defcon you already know the rest of the stages, keep going and keep learning.
I think I watched this last year but this year it makes a whole lot more sense. I think I've been in this place for eight or nine months. Hopefully I crawl out soon.
If I went any further backwards as a BJJ white belt, I'd be in the cupcake bakery next door to the gym.
Great analogy. It's similar with all sports and skills. I like to use the toddler analogy. A toddler who's just starting to walk can probably crawl faster and more efficiently than walking and stumbling over several times. But, in a few years time, once he has mastered walking, it will be MUCH more efficient than crawling. New players will be crawling, once they start to walk for the first time, they might encounter many problems and stumble over. But, once they start getting better at walking, they'll never to back to crawling. And walking will then transition to running. You can't get good at running by crawling all the time.
Never heard that one before but I like that analogy. Thanks for sharing and the comment!
Great episode, and true IME. I have had a couple undeserved white belt victories, and got them by unpredictability and surprising my opponent with strength and basics they didnt suspect I had. They were mostly luck, since now those people are ready and prepared for me; I may never beat them again.
Damn I'm a 10 planet blue belt and this spoke a lot to me thank you for your insite man
Glad I could help homie.
Makes perfect sense! And love the video game masher reference haha. Thanks Chewy! :-D
Boom!! I felt this same way a week ago. What is crazy cool is that I got a stripe on my belt a few days after I was feeling this way. Crazy how these videos come up around when I need them.Isaiah 41:10
The Dunning-Kruger effect illustrates this concept perfectly.
reminds me of something my squad leader said a lot: "Amateur's are dangerous, professionals are predictable."
Wow I thought I was falling into some sort of funk not that I'm training more than ever...this really explains that
Very likely, but it is possible you're overtaining. You'd know better than me, though.
Wow, this really clicked in my head. Thank you for this video, I think I'm right in that stage.
A similar thing happened to me recently. I'm a white belt and i was trapped by a newer white belt who is much bigger and stronger than me. At first i was almost toying with him while he button mashed and did everything he could, and i could feel him getting very frustrated with me. In the end i think he realized how much bigger he is and he was able to get a choke on me. The button mashing worked. Thanks for explaining that to me.
It’s scary how relatable this is
Chewy thank you! I feel like this right now. In the beginning I got some sub in. Now that I am risking and taking chances and trying moves I am getting tap out more.
I am a turtle coming out of the shell and I keep getting eaten. But before I was just doing anything like you said. Button smasher and I was doing good. Now it's much worse. Thanks for this.
The white belt hug... I'm always going to remember that now and try not to do it HAHA. I've been doing BJJ for 3 months now and I love it!
Yeah, I've had this many times. The solution: Just keep training. Don't overthink it, just keep showing up and putting the hours in. It'll click in its right time, like a seed sprouting beneath the surface for months and then one day: Boom - visual progress. :)
such a great analogy!!!! i'm definitely still in the button mashing stage of my BJJ
One of the guys in our gym , the program manager, said I need to relax. I know he doesn't like me. When I thought about it I watched jocko willink and he explained it clearly. Dial it down and do old man jiu jitsu. Going backwards makes you go forward.
Just what I needed right now. Thanks!!!
Great analogy! That can be applied to life with everything
This is what I am feeling right now. I feel like I am going backwards when rolling right now. I have definitely started to slow down and use my frames. I’m thinking about my setups and sweeps. It’s a frustrating time for sure. I guess I’ll use it as an opportunity to get better.
This happens in MMA striking a lot too, a guy that seems like he should own the stand up easily based on his boxing or kickboxing resume gets KO’d by some wrestler faking takedowns and throwing overhand rights. Aaron Pico and Gokhan Saki are good examples. Although Saki lost to Rountree, who’s grown into a serious Muay Thai fighter as we all saw…so maybe it shouldn’t count.
I remember feeling this way! I'm not sure what changed, but I felt stuck. I took some time off by consequence from an injury, and it took a week of catching up, but I've been doing very good this past week, my second week back. -8 month White belt.