BJJ: It’s all in the details

BJJ: It’s all in the details

It’s a game of details and insights: Sometimes you can work on a move for months with little progress and then a single detail or insight that you pick up, sometimes by accident, sometimes by experimentation and sometimes by instruction, can transform it from mediocrity to excellence. It stands to reason then, that the most valuable asset you can have in this game is a curious and restless mind that constantly seeks knowledge. Without that curiosity you’ll settle wherever you are and accept that level, but when your mind pushes for insight that brings improvement you’ll never be caught on a plateau for long. Do you want to get good at BJJ? Depends on what you mean by “good.” Good enough to understand the general concepts, get decent at positions and learned a few escapes and submissions? About a year to 18 months, going two to three times a week. This would normally put you at about blue belt level, which isn’t bad. Good enough to truly understand set ups, transition chains and to be able to start treating it like an art? About 3 to 5 years. Most people can expect to be around purple belt then. Good enough to be able to teach others, generally understand any position, and have your own game or plan? Around 6 to 8 years. Most people are brown belts around this time. Good enough to be formidable to any person that you face in BJJ? Well, maybe 10 years or so, when you get a black belt. Even then, only a very few become what I’d call “world beaters” or those that can compete at the highest levels. These time frames can vary based on life circumstances, age and natural ability.