Higher Jiu Jitsu Podcast

Sure you do jiu jitsu because you love it. You also want to improve. So how do you measure this?

To base your performance against these foes is unfair to yourself and your own progress. That's why the practice of jiu jitsu isn't best measured in terms of wins or loses or amount of submissions inflicted or eaten per class. Sure you tap but there are also many other ways of determining progress in jiu jitsu.

How can we do it better?

In this podcast we discuss three ways:

+ # Consistent sessions per week.

+ Your breath during rolls. 

+ Length of time without an injury. 

+ Amount of fun. 

Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Thanks for being a part of the Higher Jiu Jitsu Podcast. Matty and I appreciate you!

Join John and Matty as we discuss how to get better sleep post jiu jitsu!

In hard training and you’re fighting, or flying. It may not be either, but it’s how your body perceives the stress of someone trying to choke you, or catch your limbs, whether you’re playing or not.

They say pressure makes diamonds. 

So then are the joys of jiu jitsu locked in competition, now and forever? Or can we enjoy jiu jitsu and learn and flourish on the mats and off, without the rigours of competition?

Join Matty and I as we discuss the pros and cons of competition, as well as how to do it safely and effectively, for long term benefits. 

Sure pressure can be fun if that's what you enjoy. But when you are competing you are there to win.

But take a moment and think about where you are at in the journey of jiu jitsu. Let's say you're a white belt, or even a blue belt. Are you skills at a level to be tested? Is it the right time of your journey to go from learning to winning?  Take note that winning and learning can be two very different things.

Goddamn Injuries!!

When you don't have the basic skills of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and when you don't have the understanding of the essential principles that make our art form what it is, then a competition roll isn't so much a jiu jitsu match as it is a backyard roll with a stranger.

Jits for Glory or Jits for a Lifetime?

You can find glory within jiu jitsu on the competition mats, and you can also find it off them too.

For both peoples competition can be a fun outlet for your competitive juices, and a chance to test yourself in a different environment to anything you have ever encountered. As long as we aim to be safe, and keep the experiences within the realms of learning for the future, we can have fun and everyone is happy.

Join John and Matty as we discuss a question sent in by an avid listener!

So you were training jiu jitsu and you accidentally got choked out...

You also know that tapping is a much more favourable option. You know that you should have tapped out earlier, and for this reason you may be a little upset, worried, or embarassed at what happened.

As a devout learner, and a good student you will take this experience and you’ll learn from it, in order to do things better the next time this situation eventuates.

Or, there's no use crying over spilt milk. Spilt milk comes in the form of many things, but it's important to remember that shit happens, and for you it happened on a few fronts, albeit hopefully not literally.

Sure you slept, which was unintentional, yet it happened.

The more important milk that had been spilt, was the choke that made you sleep. There is a time and a place to escape submissions, but that wasn't one of them. It was clearly deep enough to make you sleep, and in the ensuing battle of escape vs tapping, you held onto the hope of escape for too long, which is why it happened.

You can do this because you're there to play, not fight. Just as your training partner isn't your opponent, so too you're not in a battle to the death. You're allowed to tap, and there's no shame in yielding to the good work of others.

And with this being said, you can play, and still not get caught. The secret is in your defences. In jiu jitsu, you need to stay safe, which is why you need good defence. Just like you clear your gutters of leaves to prevent fires, you can't wait till the submission is almost on before you think about defending it!

The truth is it's your neck, and your joints, and it's up to you to keep them safe way before any danger can eventuate. Posture. Defence. Always. 

The beauty of this martial art is that it takes many years to learn well, and it is inevitable that you will fail along the way. On your path to black belt, you will tap hundreds if not thousands of times. These taps can either be many failures, and/or many opportunities to learn.

It's the opportunist, and the future black belt who will take what happens, think about it objectively, and learn from it so that it doesn't happen again.

Just like that the ups and downs and lessons and learnings of jiu jitsu are a portal into everyday life. Not everything will go your way. Sometimes there's nothing to do but accept this, move on, and try again, no matter what. So never mind getting choked. Enjoy jiu jitsu, stay on the mats, and learn for life.

Higher Jiu Jitsu has been in the making for many years. The journey has been filled with ups and downs. There is so much more to be, and do. And yet every day, and in every way, we’re going higher and higher.

Join John and Matty as we discuss the early days of Higher and how it all came about. 

Hope you all enjoy! 

Does the trap go after the mouse or the mouse go after the trap?

Join coaches Matty & John as we discuss a very important idea of jiu jitsu - strategy. 

Technique is ubiquitous, but there is an underlying strategy that is crucial if your jiu jitsu is to be effective.  That strategy is exactly what we dicuss here!

Use your own 4 limbs and your entire self to connect to the environment around you. Feel the ground, and scan your opponent. Know where you are in space, and activate your suction caps whenever possible, in order to connect like glue to their skeleton.

Move yourself in order to mould around the opponent. Understand your body, so that you can be soft, not stiff, and able to move in any direction without hesitation or preparation. That way anywhere the prey goes you are able to follow.

Keep your prey in your hands and stay free and away from danger. And with the right technique, and at the right time, latch onto them and divulge them for good.

Don't Chase

You focus on defence, and patiently wait for your prey to fall into your numerous said traps.

This is the jiu jitsu you ought to aspire to. There’s bigger, stronger, faster predators around and you can try to keep up with them but eventually you’ll tire and die.

Sometimes it’s fun to feel like a shark. But even then the shark runs into battles it can’t win.

Instead, play the defensive game, pick and choose your battles, and wait patiently for your partners to fall into your traps. This way of training will allow you to live your days safe, and free from pain and injuries. And best of all you’ll have fun, learn effectively, and enjoy your practice of jiu jitsu for years to come.

Coaches John and Matty discuss what it's like to be injured and how to do jiu jitsu better, meaning ... don't get injured!!

You live and breathe jiu jitsu. You wake up doing technical stand ups out of bed. Co-workers say hi and your instinct is to respond with ‘oss’. Your Chrome is filled with jiu jitsu articles to read, and most waking moments of your life are dedicated to the gentle art.

Physical ailments very quickly becomes mental anguish. Every part of yourself wants to don the gi and jump on the mats to train. You get antsy, and no amount of Youtube videos will help you. You hate being on the sidelines, and so does everybody else.

Injuries Suck

Have you ever attempted to drive a manual car with a dislocated left shoulder? Or push in a clutch with a torqued left knee? I have. It’s frustrating, humiliating, and extremely difficult. It makes you want to flash a wand and make everything better. Then you wake up, only with the real pain.

Most jiu jitsu injuries are the result of boisterous enthusiasm coupled with a lack of knowledge.

You’re not mindful of your movements. Your partners don’t look after you enough. Your gym doesn’t know what sustainability means. There’s a litany of reasons to explain you being hurt. None of them help you.

How To Yield

Give up a position. Be swept. Tap early, and even if it isn’t totally locked in. Initially it will hurt to concede earlier than you need to, but this practice will help you minimise injuries, and will leave you more capable of jiu jitsu for a lifetime.

Be Intelligent

The best thing you can do is learn from your mistakes. Whether you are injured or not, use your experiences to help you make better ones. There are always ways to optimise your training if you’d only be happy to do some things a little different.

While our objective in jiu jitsu is to hyperextend limbs and asphyxiate our prey, we can do this in a way that is sensible, and smart. This means that we can train regularly, and always, keep the trauma to a minimum, and enjoy learning Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for a lifetime.

Join John and Matty, this time in the dojo as we discuss the essential jiu jitsu journey - from within yourself and throughout those around you. 

Study Yourself

You decided to don the gi and take part in this journey. You make your way to jiu jitsu class, you tie your belt, and you train for hours. It’s your neck that’s on the line, and it’s your limbs that are sought.

It sounds just like a personal endeavour. But that’s far from true - all of this is facilitated by other people.

We're All Connected

Acknoweldge that you are part of a tight knit community. Jiu jitsu is an individual endeavour, and it’s very much a team sport. To stay on the mats, you need to give back.

You need to be there for others. Not because it helps you but because it helps the people around you. The treasure comes not just from the search within but when you open your eyes and look around you.

Team Jiu Jitsu

Jiu jitsu is you and it’s the team around you. It’s the community of grapplers in your area, throughout your country, and all over the world. We’re connected through our love for the mats, and our passion to make the world a better place.

We are Team Jiu Jitsu.

Stop using your strength! 

Does this sound familiar? 

We're not judging. We're just here to help.

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You huff, and you puff, and you fight jiu jitsu. We tell you to 'go easy', relax, and not use your strength. You hear us, but you don't listen to us. You nod your head, and the moment you touch gloves, the bulldog is once again off the leach.

We don’t blame you. Your intentions are pure, and it's not your fault.

When you learn how to use your bones, you can pick and choose where you need to grit your teeth and force your willpower.  And when you take away the force during training, you’re free to sense the intricacies that make jiu jitsu the gentle art.

An essential element of self organisation is your breath.

You hear 'go easy', but it's not enough. You need to feel it instead. We can do this via your breath.

Don't Fight, Feel.

This is a different approach to one that you're used to. Yet when you work on your approach to jiu jitsu, you enjoy immeasurable benefits in all areas of your game within jiu jitsu. Your half guard improves along with your mount and all positions in between. Your pin gets heavier, and your submissions get sharper. Your jiu jitsu gets more fun, you're injured less, you learn more, and as a result your days gets brighter.

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They say home is where the heart lies. And then there’s your jiu jitsu academy.

John and Matty discuss what a third place is and why you need one too. 

"Members feel more like brothers and sisters. The mats feel just like the warmth and comfort of your own home. You feel a piece of yourself is rooted in the space, and you gain strength just by being there.

These are the feelings that come via your dojo. It's how you learn and grow in all other areas of your life. It's why you can't wait for your next session.

Jiu Jitsu is self defence, and submissions, and it's also community, and camaraderie. You need both to be happy and this is the magic that happens in the third place."

Join Coach John Smallios, Prof Phillip Grapsas, and purple belt extraordinaire Roger Dio as we discuss how to take your practice of jiu jitsu and turn it into a study of science. 

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The beauty of jiu jitsu means that there are countless choices in any one moment in time. From each position, you can pick and choose many different options to move forward. And with every second of motion, these choices change.  

Key Points

Doing jiu jitsu in a way that helps you take lessons off the mats too. 

The difference between sport jiu jitsu and self defence. 

How to look for leverage on the mats. 

Where we would be today without jiu jitsu?

Original Blog Post

Injuries suck. I hate them. If you're a human being, you do too. 

Your training methods should be focused on improving your capacity to live, perform, and have fun. Not hurt you.  If you're frequently getting injured, it may be time to consider your program.

Join Coach John and Matty as we discuss the perils of injury, and what to do in order to minimise the risks of them, on the mats and off. 

Shit Happens - Some things are out of our control. Living in a bubble would be 0 fun. But this doesn’t give us an excuse to be negligent with our bodies. Captain Obvious says they are the only ones we’ll ever get.

Prehab Before Rehab - Be proactive in minimising your injuries. Look after yourself. Do what's necessary in order to keep yourself in the best shape possible, so that you remain resilient and ready for whatever comes at you. 

Thanks for listening!

 Gracie Jiu Jitsu means self defence via leverage where smaller, weaker people can defend themselves against bigger, and stronger aggressors.   So then why are the everyday people doing jiu jitsu predominantly men? The gentle art is the perfect martial art for women to learn because it doesn't rely on physical attributes. You don't need big muscles, or lots of fitness to make it work.  

Ladies, with jiu jitsu you no longer need to feel defenceless against anyone, fearful of your safety, or scared of being yourself in confrontation.  It's how the women of our community can rise from feeling scared and overwhlemed to being empowered and free and ready to live to your fullest potential.  

But first, you need to get started. 

So join John and Emma as they discuss the ins and outs of women in jiu jitsu.  

 John and AJ sit to discuss the entire ethos of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

When you first start jiu jitsu, and your understanding is lacking, you see one move after the other. When you've been training for a while, you start to consider the strategy that connects all of these techniques together.

The Perils of Poker - On the poker table, if you show your hand to your opponent, you'll get burned. The same thing applies on the mats. It's best to make your opponent show his hand to you first, so that you can counter and do what's necessary to come over the top of it. Don't show your cards.

Counter Attack as the Way - It's why you need one half of your brain involved in your actions, and the other half observing and feeling where your opponent is going. It's why you want to be soft, and supple, and able to move in any direction without hesitation. It's because you never know when that moment to counter attack will come, and you want to be ready, and able to pounce.

Maintain good frames - Be connected to your partner and to the ground, and be safe and ready to counter attack the moment it comes up.