Learning Through Study

When you were in college or high school how did you get ready for a test? Ideally you would have studied, right? So why should you treat jiu jitsu any differently. In jiu jitsu you attend class, just like in school. So when you go home from school you should study if you want to be at the top of the class. The same applies to jiu jitsu; however, jiu jitsu is different in some ways from school. Jiu jitsu is hands on, that’s why it is hard to learn by yourself. You need a partner and physical instruction to fully develop. But that’s not to say you can’t learn a lot from studying on your own. The question is, what is the best way?

Think of film and print study as a way to determine and structure your physical training. You can think of this in a variety of ways including: what types of exercises you should do, what drills will be most effective for you, how to build your own “game”, and which techniques you should work on. Allow film and print study to spark your imagination and creativity. The best jiu jitsu players throughout history have been very innovative, gound-breaking, and creative. Think of people like Rafeal Mendes, Cao Terra, and historic figures like Royler Gracie and Leo Viera. Studying techniques, competition, and philosophy can help you expand your vision of where jiu jitsu can go. All this intellectual enlightenment will lead you towards your own personal development in jiu jitsu, and will help you develop a personal style and learning method that you can use forever.

With all that in mind, a great resource for technique, inspiration, and philosophy is Stuart Cooper Video’s. He is a filmmaker that specializes in jiu jitsu mini-documentaries. His videos provide great insight into the world of jiu jitsu.

Take some time and get lost of some of these great productions: http://www.stuartcooperfilms.com/martial-arts/

Or view the videos on Vimeo here…

Thanks for reading,

BishopBjj.com