What qualities make a perfect student

[Mike May]

They must be fans of both Joss Whedon and Bruce Campbell, otherwise I will haze their ass right the hell out of class!

[Slick Rick]

I don't know that there is a "bad" student. There are some that are harder to teach than others. As martial arts teachers we are there to not just show some cool moves to our students, but to help them become better people over all. So if a student laughs and cuts up in class, there is clearly a respect issue. That can be fixed. Ego, respect, confidence. All of those can be fixed.

I actually find that the students that are the hardest to teach are the ones with weak wills. It can be very hard to teach someone to be stronger mentally.

So I guess a perfect student would start with many flaws and learn to better themselves and their technique quickly.

"The students that are hardest to teach are the ones with weak wills" -Sean Applegate

Sean you hit the nail on the head with this. Those students are hard to teach and they do have weak wills. Those are the ones that talk in class over repping the drill. Those are the ones that rep a move once, then start joking around and try submitting their partner, thereby missing out on a large number of reps.

Then in competition you see these guys in their matches and wonder why they are underperforming and you start to question yourself... "Did I not teach this person this escape? Did I not show this technique correctly? Why did they give up?"

The fact is, ill preparation creates bad performance. If you're trying to get better, show up to the class on time(unless you have a real good excuse), show respect for yourself by drilling when everyone is drilling, and show respect for your partner's money as they probably paid good money to learn jiu jitsu and not play patty cake.

So, to answer your question, the qualities that make a perfect student are the ones that come to class to learn and train. They take advantage of every second of the time allotted to drilling, and they are regularly doing something extra curricular to enhance their game: reading technique books, watching DVDs, watching youtube matches, adding to their personal technique journal(finding patterns).

[Chris Herzog]

Abrasive but to the point

Reality can be abrasive, being honest is always important, especially when it comes to combat sports.

[Aaron Gustaveson]

Those are the ones that rep a move once, then start joking around and try submitting their partner,

hate that.

[Ryan Brick]

How often as instructors do you teach the art of learning?

I was never shown it, but I think it should be one of the first things tought on the 1st class.

Im covering it in class tonight.

[Tori Applegate]

I agree with Sean and Rick. I have found with me personally, it's most definitely a mind thing. Jiu Jitsu will bring to the surface how weak or strong your mind and your will is. It's taught me that. Having a bad day? Drop it at the door, come in and put in the time and work it takes to be the best you can be. There's a huge difference in just doing something and doing it to be the best you can or to reach the best version of yourself, or to be the best, period.

The stronger your drive and your focus, your will power and your goals...the more aggressive your learning power and progression in Jiu Jitsu will be. I know since I've gotten more determined, I'm learning better, progressing better. There is a method to the madness.

[Slick Rick]

I agree with Sean and Rick. I have found with me personally, it's most definitely a mind thing. Jiu Jitsu will bring to the surface how weak or strong your mind and your will is. It's taught me that. Having a bad day? Drop it at the door, come in and put in the time and work it takes to be the best you can be. There's a huge difference in just doing something and doing it to be the best you can or to reach the best version of yourself, or to be the best, period.

The stronger your drive and your focus, your will power and your goals...the more aggressive your learning power and progression in Jiu Jitsu will be. I know since I've gotten more determined, I'm learning better, progressing better. There is a method to the madness.

Boom! Method to the madness!

[Tori Applegate]

:-) its true. If you're not crazy for it, constantly studying, etc., etc....

[sean applegate]

How often as instructors do you teach the art of learning?

I was never shown it, but I think it should be one of the first things tought on the 1st class.

Im covering it in class tonight.

There are a couple of guys in my gym that have progressed an an unbelievable pace. The others see this. They ask questions and they learn from the example set by others. I also set the best example I possibly can.

I can tell you how to do something all day long, but for a lot of people, they need to see it. Some don't. I teach and I perform as well. This blankets the student base and makes sure everyone who is trying to learn gets it.

[Greg W]

I really have a constant flow of new students run through. I really try to teach them how to learn and develope themselves. I have some that stay and become regulars, some learn fast. But recently I have been blow away by this one new kid. He is for sure "mouth shut, ears open". I have commented the last few nights on what a great student he is. If he sticks with it he will be a great BJJ player eventually. He had no wrestling, no martial arts when he came in a few months ago. I always tell people to try the things we learned that night in rolling, for sure when the roll with me, as I will set them up to try the things we worked. What I think makes him such a good student is the fact that every single time I roll he works the things we worked on. We worked open guard pass one night by jumping into half guard and right into twister pass. Well that night I put him in lock down and he went right to twister pass, didn't pass, but the fact that he was immediatly working it. He tried it several times that night, I finally let him actually pass to get the full rep in. Others with more experience than him, but still new, were shown the same thing but still insist on squeezing my head while I have double unders and trying to yank the leg out. Not even an attempt at twister pass. He has done this almost every night. We worked knee drive pass for almost two weeks. Since it was the only pass he knows, as soon as you get guard he postures and tries the knee drive, you stop it, he postures and tries it again. Others learned the same thing as him, but I pull guard, open my arms and they stay down on my chest and flail. So I give them a few seconds and then throw up the RG and run it on them. This kid just keeps trying that knee drive over and over. he doesn't try and make up his own stuff, just practices what he is shown. he will crush peoples guards some day. He has yet to be shown a guilotine choke, and he has never attempted it on me. Others that have never been shown it use it non stop even without position, with sloppy technique. I defend over and over and they still use it, even when they have oppourtunities to use things we have learned. this guy never wastes time doing that. He is without a doubt the easiest person to teach I have ever encountered. He is a smaller guy with little muscle, I think that really helps.