Training for "heart" in jiujistu?

[chronic_jiujitsu]

Scenario.. followed by my question..

Scenario: Let me start by saying I freaking LOVE Jiujitsu. Its beyond just a fun hobby at this point.. Its getting to where I think about it perhaps just as I do music (Which is saying something). And when I say I lack "heart".. I dont want you thinking it means I dont have a passion for the sport.. Im just referring I guess more to the "competitive edge" that most (Top level competitors) seem to have. I love rolling, but Ive never really been one to care about winning or losing. And thats in pretty much any sport. I just enjoy it. But I can see how that may hold me back from ever reaching my full potential. I can see areas in my game that are directly effected by this in a negative way. For instance, if Im in a tournament.. Its pretty much impossible for me to ever break something of someones. I dont care how tight the armbar is locked in.. If someone doesnt tap.. I'm going to let them go. I dont even really go for ankle locks much anymore just because all kids would have to do to get out of it is spin really fast.. And Im going to let go to make sure they arent getting hurt. And If we're in a scramble.. and battling for top position.. there's a good chance Im going to just pull guard and give him top to avoid being aggressive. I dont know.. Im just not an aggressive person..

So my Question: What is it that you tell yourself that makes you really go all out on people youre rolling against? I see tons of people just going out and being animals on the mat, and really just dominating competition.. But I never really understood how you can get so passionate about it when you are rolling against people you dont really know. For instance In ADCC.. Youre never going to see them lock in a sub, and then let it go because they dont want to hurt the person. Its like everyone is out to do whatever it takes to win. Is this killer instinct something that you can learn over time.. Or is it just one of those things that some people are born with and others arent? I would love to have that competitive edge on my side.. But I dont know.. the idea of breaking someones arm and putting them out of commission for a few months was never worth the W on my record. (And this isnt going against anyone does have that ability to go all out, In fact its just the opposite. Thats the desire to win that I think you need if youre ever going to be great). So what say you? Any tips on how to get over being a pussy? or perhaps people that have this same setback with tips on how to work around it? Thanks all!

[Chris Ludington]

Jiu Jitsu is a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some people are super competitive and JJ is their vice. Some people just really love JJ. Some people (like me) just like the fact that they have found something to keep them busy and interested. I think need to check out the sports science on competitiveness. It's more about the individual than the sport. And that is all mental.

Ever watched Jake Shields punch in ground n pound? He punches like a teenage boy. But watch Diego (the kid from TUF) he puts every ounce of energy in every strike. Just the difference in the way they compete I suppose. They both want to win, just one of them wants to really fuck you up in the process.

[Daniel Elizondo]

I would say just work on having perfect technique and not so much about aggression if you lock on a sub and they won’t tap just hold it at that tight position you don’t necessarily need to Frank Mir people especially in training if you cant finish short of snapping something just move on to another sub or more dominating position. Perfect technique will always beat blind aggression staying calm and emotionless will actually help your game a lot interms of thinking clearly and preserving energy.

[David Rosado]

Well, you don't have to compete. That's step one. If you do it just for the love, then keep loving it. IF you wanna do tourneys, then enjoy it, win or lose.

Otherwise respect the other person's intelligence and trust that they know what they're getting into. So if they choose not to tap, don't feel bad if you make it snap. If anything you did them a favor. Next time they know.....tap. I mean, in rolling, roll safe. you don't need to crank a heel hook to know you got it. A tap on a tuesday night is not worth injuring someone for a long time. But in competition, gotta do what you gotta do.

[OmyPlata]

Scenario.. followed by my question..

Scenario: Let me start by saying I freaking LOVE Jiujitsu. Its beyond just a fun hobby at this point.. Its getting to where I think about it perhaps just as I do music (Which is saying something). And when I say I lack "heart".. I dont want you thinking it means I dont have a passion for the sport.. Im just referring I guess more to the "competitive edge" that most (Top level competitors) seem to have. I love rolling, but Ive never really been one to care about winning or losing. And thats in pretty much any sport. I just enjoy it. But I can see how that may hold me back from ever reaching my full potential. I can see areas in my game that are directly effected by this in a negative way. For instance, if Im in a tournament.. Its pretty much impossible for me to ever break something of someones. I dont care how tight the armbar is locked in.. If someone doesnt tap.. I'm going to let them go. I dont even really go for ankle locks much anymore just because all kids would have to do to get out of it is spin really fast.. And Im going to let go to make sure they arent getting hurt. And If we're in a scramble.. and battling for top position.. there's a good chance Im going to just pull guard and give him top to avoid being aggressive. I dont know.. Im just not an aggressive person..

So my Question: What is it that you tell yourself that makes you really go all out on people youre rolling against? I see tons of people just going out and being animals on the mat, and really just dominating competition.. But I never really understood how you can get so passionate about it when you are rolling against people you dont really know. For instance In ADCC.. Youre never going to see them lock in a sub, and then let it go because they dont want to hurt the person. Its like everyone is out to do whatever it takes to win. Is this killer instinct something that you can learn over time.. Or is it just one of those things that some people are born with and others arent? I would love to have that competitive edge on my side.. But I dont know.. the idea of breaking someones arm and putting them out of commission for a few months was never worth the W on my record. (And this isnt going against anyone does have that ability to go all out, In fact its just the opposite. Thats the desire to win that I think you need if youre ever going to be great). So what say you? Any tips on how to get over being a pussy? or perhaps people that have this same setback with tips on how to work around it? Thanks all!

I feel very similarly to you. I love the respect part of martial arts and try to learn from everyone. There are many advantages to your mentality: you will use less energy than others, and as you rank up your sensei will continue to promote you as he sees your helping the new white belts get better rather than just destroy them.

I do not go for leg locks. The idea of me preventing someone from going to work, or being crippled... yea creeps me out. Others go for them on me and thats fine, my defense improves. There is one exception in jiu jitsu to my "merciful personality" if we can call it that.

The OMOPLATA. It is the purest form of truth in this world, and a position of such control, that i can put all my focus into it and i don't really feel like I'm being vicious to my opponent. Now as far as I know I have never injured someone with it, but everyone in my gym from blue belt to black belt associates the omoplata with my name, which is quite an honor. I have no qualms with kicking my legs full force to send them to the ground, stuffing their roll, and scooting my hips out until their arm is in my full control. If they spin the wrong way, I have no problem grabbing the free arm and finishing with the Cruciplata.

In short: Find one move that becomes your own, and you will not feel like you are holding back.

[rock d]

I find the following passage to be very helpful.

Competition and Jiu-Jitsu: Saulo's Ribeiro's Perspective

It is not necessary for every student of jiu-jitsu to enter into competitions. Some may do jiu-jitsu simply because they enjoy gaining the knowledge. Others perhaps dislike the limelight or just don't want to compete in this particular sport. I love to do other sports, but I don't have the desire to compete in those sports. Some people don't like to compete because they don't know how to deal with loss. If you win, you're happy, and if you lose, your world gets turned upside down.

That is a problem. This fear of losing scares some people from competition. Then there are those who live and die by competition, but fail to realize it is just a game. It is a game where you mix knowledge, strategy, timing, health, and attitude. Like any game, the best jiu-jitsu practitioner doesn't always win. Take the World Championship for example. 30 guys sweat blood in their training, and there is only one winner. What about the 29 who worked so hard? Is the champion really better than all of them? It depends. Sometimes, the person with the best technique gets eliminated in the first round.

If you decide to compete, realize that competition is the art of dealing with pressure. Some people face pressure early in life and others not until much later, but in every case, where there is pressure there is competition. The student who doesn't compete at the tournament is still competing if the pressure is there. Perhaps he even feels more pressure than the one who does go to tournaments because he fights against himself...competes against his feelings and choices. This is the toughest opponent you can have -- yourself.

Ultimately, the opponent you will face in the ring is you, because you cannot compete successfully if you do not address internal issues that will affect your performance. When competing, you will not even be able to think about overcoming your opponent if you are too worried about yourself. However, if you are comfortable with your preparation, you will have the confidence to perform. Becoming the champion is not about your opponent. It's about you.

Finally, if you want to learn something about someone's jiu-jitsu, you should learn it in the academy. Many people enter competition with hopes that it will be a fast track to getting better. However, the quality of training partners actually has a much greater impact on skill level than competition does. Though competition can be a part of training, it alone will not improve technique.

Competition shows such a small part of any given competitor's knowledge that it masks what he really knows. In the academy, you can see him for who he really is. You will see him relaxed and in the proper environment to exhibit his understanding of jiu-jitsu and educate you and others of its benefits. This is what will keep jiu-jitsu evolving.

Competition will always be a window to show the world how professional the sport can be. But the growth of the sport over the coming generations will not be reliant on the competitive aspect.