BJJ for Self Defense, Confidence, Discipline & Peace of Mind

Posted on December 15, 2014 by myackulic

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is becoming an increasingly popular Martial Art. With its ‘technique over strength’ training program, people want to learn the ways of BJJ for self defense, confidence, discipline and peace of mind. Let’s look at how BJJ can help instill these things in you to better yourself.

Self Defense

BJJ is all about technique over strength. How you can beat an opponent who is much larger and stronger than you is where BJJ excels. If there is anyone trying to snatch something from you or giving you a hard time by constantly shoving you then your BJJ lessons will help you defend yourself against such miscreants. BJJ teaches a realistic way of self-defense; if anyone gets a hold of your clothes or grips you from behind, you will know how to free yourself and topple that person to the ground into submission.

Confidence

The biggest benefit of BJJ training is that it boosts your self confidence. Unlike other martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu sessions let you practice against fellow class mates in every session, supervised by the instructor. Your will learn how to deal with real life fight situations. You will learn to wrestle to clinch your opponent and escape from different types of holds and grips. This realistic way of combat approach gives you the self confidence you need for real world situations. The knowledge of techniques that allow you to defend yourself is something that will raise your self esteem.

Discipline

Discipline is a major part of all martial arts and BJJ is no exception. You will listen and learn from your instructors and do as they ask. You will learn to discipline yourself to follow their command and however they teach you BJJ techniques, that is exactly how you have to follow them. Discipline is also about knowing your opponent. You will learn to respect your opponent and not look down on them. Isn’t that the reason why you joined BJJ in the first place, to not be looked down upon? You will learn to think of others as your equals.

Peace of Mind

BJJ provides a workout that is not only good for fitness but also gives you a peace of mind. With today’s worrisome and depressing lifestyle, BJJ is the perfect way for you to give yourself a workout that soothes the mind. Focus is a major part of BJJ and when you learn to focus your energies in the right way, you will be truly at peace with yourself.

If these are the things you want in yourself then do not hesitate to call or visit us at Arashi Do Martial Arts in Edmonton. Having confidence, peace of mind, self defense techniques and discipline are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of BJJ. If you want to learn more about the benefits of BJJ then call us now or visit us!

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

How Good Can I Get After 3 Months of BJJ?

Posted on December 8, 2014 by myackulic

So you’ve grown tired of your chicken-elbow biceps and little chicken legs and are looking for a new challenge. BJJ has the potential to transform you into a Greek God but you’re unsure how long it will take for you to move from complete embarrassment to fairly decent. Well, as with any martial art or any sport, getting really good takes time, but you’ll be surprised how much you can learn in a short space of time.

In terms of progressing up the pecking order in winning competitive matches and moving up the belt rack, there wont be much visible progress. However, in terms of the impact 3 months of training can have on your physical fitness, technique, understanding and overall endurance you can come on leaps and bounds.

The early stages of anyones BJJ career focusing on grasping a good understanding of basic guards, escapes and techniques. Enough to defend yourself on the street but not enough to challenge a more advanced grade in a throw down rolling session in class. By the end of three months you’ll be thinking Kanye is a time traveller from the future and wrote harder, better, faster, stronger specifically about your BJJ career.

The start of your training will focus on how to defend and escape when in a grapple, as well as enough painful arm bars and gag inducing chokes to keep any attacker away and leave you feeling pumped and confident in many situations. No doubt you will also experience how good getting your arse handed to you in a roll feels, you’ll have the rolling buzz and a new found motivation to improve and get fitter. You can establish a basis on which to build, and rapid progression and improvement is not unheard of. To someone untrained in BJJ you’ll be able to comprehensively out do them, so by all means take the opportunity to embarrass your friends when they are being a little too cocky.

It’s important to remember that where BJJ may look a little rough around the edges, it’s an art that takes decades to perfect. The IBJJF state that a student should spend 2 years at white belt level, so as mentioned, in three months your wont be changing your belt. The three months will inspire you though, giving a target to aim for and igniting a desire that you did not know you had within you. You could say that BJJ is more than just a sport, is a lifestyle choice, and a choice that you will not regret making.

In summary, you’re not going to be as huge as Arnie or a ninja like Bruce Lee in just three months of training. You will notice improvements in overall fitness, strength and desire to succeed. The most appropriate word do describe what three months can give is transformation, both physical and mental. Just think what another 3 months will bring…

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Life Lessons Learnt from BJJ

Posted on March 28, 2014 by myackulic

As any martial artist will know, the influence of training stretches far wider than the walls of the dojo, spreading into all aspects of a students life. Martial arts and BJJ in particular, have taught me many useful principles that can be applied to my life in a wider sense.

1. Perfection is Unobtainable

The pursuit of perfection is exactly that, a pursuit, a journey with only a beginning rather than a definite end. In all aspects of your life, there is always room for improvement, learning is not a finite process. There is always scope to learn more, whether its taking up a new language or realising the flow of a technique should move slightly differently after performing it for the thousandth time. To have a perfect technique requires you to make a million tiny mistakes, tweaking each time in a constant never ending cycle.

The same principal can be applied to the rest of your life. Whether it be work, finding ways to be more efficient or relationships, making mistakes that shape you a person and learning from them. Practice will never make perfect, but the lesson to take home is that improvement is like a wind, with no definitive start or finish, just moving forward.

2. You Are Never the Best

Where you may be sitting pretty as the most accomplished in your school, if not on a regional or national scale, there will be someone better on a global scale. Rather than bother you, this fact should inspire, push you harder and enable you to learn from your fellow artists. Take something new from each roll, from each technique applied and each technique applied on you. I am always in competition, not with others but with myself, the constant strive for improvement should be relished in, in all aspects of a student’s life.

3. Getting Beat Builds Character

There is no shame in getting beaten, as long as you learn from it. Sure it can be initially embarrassing if you get dumped on your ass by the newbie, but that will teach you not to underestimate opponents. There are lessons to be learnt each time you get knocked down, no matter the scenario. If you accept this, the only way to move is onwards, in your training, performance and personal life.

4. 9 to 5 Isn’t Everything

BJJ helps put aspects of your life in perspective. Through is fundamental lessons of accepting defeat, dedication to improve, prioritisation of actions and endurance can be applied to both work and personal situations. If you lose a job, you’ll be back up looking for another just like losing a roll. If you try something and it doesn’t work out, you learn from it and try again. BJJ is just like any other sport, mastery takes time, practice and dedication. We live in a society where we expect success to be immediate, change to be fast and are driven by fads and crazes. BJJ teaches you to take a step back, take time to build a solid foundation of basics on which you can begin your climb to success.

5. Your Body IS a Temple

The best birthday present you ever got was your body. Without it you’d be useless, it takes battering on occasion but it’s always there for you. It’s capable of greatness if you condition it, care for it and don’t waste it. I’m not saying never drink, never have a binge day, I’m talking on a wider scale. By physical conditioning, eating well and training hard, you’ll be amazed at the knock on effects it can have. You’ll have more energy, sleep better, perform for longer and you’ll look fantastic. BJJ helps hone your body into an efficient, sculpted, straight-up-beast.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

Top 5 Reasons To Date a BJJ Guy

Posted on March 7, 2014 by myackulic

It’s no secret that girls love guys who are tough, strong and got the moves. These moves don’t just have to be for dancing for romancing however; if a guy knows Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) then you know he is going to be different than other guys. Here are five reasons why you would love dating a BJJ guy.

1: They are Health Conscious

BJJ involves a lot of cross training, unlike other sports that focus on just one aspect. Even though BJJ gets the guys in shape, they know they have to incorporate other fitness techniques to supplement their training. It can be jogging, weightlifting or any other sport to complement their BJJ. They are always conscious about what they eat and train hard to improve themselves. Rest assured, your guy will be in good shape and probably stay that way.

2: Motivationally Strong

People have a hard time finding it in themselves to say no to junk food and work out on a regular basis. If you have difficulty motivating yourself then you can count on your BJJ practicing boyfriend to help you. He will motivate you and help you make the effort to overcome any weakness you may have. Just by being together, you will immerse yourself in to the BJJ way of life.

3: They’ve Got the Moves

Girls love a man who can dance to the beats and find nothing more attractive than a guy who knows his hip movements. That what most dances require, the perfect hips for the perfect moves. If you want to have your guy salsa dance for you then make no mistake, he will move like nothing you have ever seen. Let’s just say that you will find a BJJ guy’s hip training very useful!

4: Tougher than Any Man

If you want to date an alpha male (why wouldn’t you?) then look no further, BJJ guys are the real alpha males of Edmonton or any other city. BJJ guys are low-key and confident. They don’t go about kicking and smashing anyone that tries to bad-talk them because most of the time those guys are trying to compensate for something they don’t have. But when it comes down to the real deal, your Jiu Jitsu guy will defend his woman.

5: More Confident than Others

BJJ guys are not confident because they are tougher than most guys out there, it’s because they have trained hard on the mats of their gym and come up on top. All the trials they had to overcome can be applied to everyday life whether it is work ethics or being humble towards others. If you’re a girl that loves confidence and humility at the same time in your guy, then a BJJ guy is the one you should date.

You can even do some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu yourself at Arashi Do Martial Arts in North Edmonton. Our fun and experienced BJJ instructors will ensure that you learn the amazing ways that can make you tougher than any guy you know.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

Kettle Bells Workouts

Posted on February 23, 2014 by myackulic

If you are considering getting into the combative sports world, you will undoubtedly have carried out a bit of research about what the requirements to get started are, if a particular form of the combative arts is indeed for you, where you are now and where you want to be after your involvement in your chosen combative art.

Reading this information right now will serve as part of that research but here you will be introduced to a side of the combative arts very rarely discussed, since it is seen as marginal in many instances, but it is exactly those margins which could ultimately set you apart as a great combative artist, instead of just an ordinary combative artist who is merely making up the numbers.

Those margins come into play during combat as well and this is where a number of practitioners and instructors of the combative arts fail to realize just how much of a difference the margins can make. Those margins could mean the difference between winning and losing and they can come into play at the most important of times, like in the final fight of a tournament or a decisive one which determines weather you make the cut to represent your region or not.

For the beginner however, all of that will naturally come down the line, when one is a little bit further in on their journey through their combative art of choice, but nobody ever died of the brain having an information overload and it can only do your cause a world of good to have this kind of information this early on.

Even if it is just for the sake of having a reference point, at least you will have the information and it could start to only make sense once your combative arts expedition is in full-swing, at which time you will have a reference point to go back to and implement the information you had to ensure you keep advancing in your craft.

If you are inclined particularly to something like the martial arts, kickboxing or mixed martial arts, you will very soon learn that some advantages of strength could come in very handy, especially during combative times when you are very evenly matched with your opponent.

You could very well fall under the same weight division as somebody you are coming up against, but you could still have a little bit of an edge in strength, which is an advantage that could come in handy in the competitions which are a lot closer than what comfort would allow.

This is where you would have to phase in some supplementation in your training methods, to ensure you amass that extra little advantage, in the form of the type of strength which could be built up by incorporating the likes of kettle bells into your regime.

Kettle bells are very well known, even beyond the scope of the combative arts, to target key areas of strength — those areas which would otherwise be very hard to target conventionally, adding a whole lot more value to your combative arts arsenal.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

BJJ in Edmonton: Maintaining the Culture

Posted on February 3, 2014 by myackulic

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, no matter where in the world it is practiced, always strives to maintain the purest element of culture which it is so well known for. With the popularity of BJJ growing so fast there is less and less risk of anyone getting a watered down version of BJJ. That being said it does bring out some who want to take advantage of the number of people wanting to learn.

Arashi Do has been part of the BJJ scene in Edmonton since the beginning. Professor Mike Yackulic was the second person in Edmonton to get a Black Belt. He has taught more than any other instructor in Edmonton and to a wider range of students than anyone as well. From children 3 years old to those over 50, he helps them all achieve their goals.

Even though Arashi Do is many miles away from the original land of the combative art, Brazil, he has keep up on his training. Training with his BJJ Instructor, Mestre Sylvio Behring (7th Degree Black Belt) twice a year and many trips to Rio De Janerio to train and compete.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructors don’t necessarily have to be Brazilian to ensure that the highest standards are upheld, such as those maintained at Arashi Do Martial Arts. Many of the Instructors at Arashi Do began their training in other Martial Arts which helps offer a more complete picture for blending Arts together, with their interest in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu often growing from an initial interest in other, more traditional forms of the marital arts.

It is an extremely rare occurrence for a Jiu Jitsu teacher to have started their Jiu Jitsu career by diving head first into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as it is somewhat of a highly specialized art, requiring a lot of skill and dedication to master. Patience goes a long way too, but Brazilian Jiu Jitsu novices need not worry about taking too long to really get going, as the basics are quite easy to grasp, especially if some understanding of the combative arts is already present.

If you do not have any experience in a previous martial art do not worry, in no way puts you at a disadvantage however, as this is actually an advantage, if anything, because the slate is completely clean and there are no bad habits brought over from any other forms of fighting. As an instructor I always find it more challenging to teach those that are unable to adapt the moves from their previous experience.

A fundamental mistake that many beginners make however, is thinking that the grappling-focused combative art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu requires nothing but making it up as you go, as in on-the-spot planning, quick reaction and high levels of improvisation can be misleading in that way.

A very high level of skill goes into mastering the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and, in most cases, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructors, who run competitive BJJ clubs are often so passionate about their art that they would want to deliver their knowledge in a way that reflects well against them, while maintaining the purity of the art form, in honor of the greats who have entrusted them with the same knowledge that they are now tasked to pass on.

With all of these considerations, the culture of BJJ at Arashi Do Edmonton will never die. Our instructors are professionals that strive to learn from the best and bring back that knowledge to you. We not only bring experience in the technical side of the art but experience in teaching. Since Arashi Do North Edmonton opened it’s doors we have taught over 46,000 classes, making our school one of the most experienced ones in the city.

Nobody wants to disgrace the combative art form, doing all they can to preserve the kind of output demonstrated by Arashi Do and that is advantageous for all those wanting to learn BJJ in its purest form.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Building Self-Confidence Through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Posted on January 27, 2014 by myackulic

Self confidence can come through a number of different channels, one of which is discovering you are actually born with it. The truth is though, everybody is actually born with a plethora of positive traits, in their purest forms, one of which is self confidence indeed. The only thing which would deter anyone from displaying that self confidence is if it was stifled by the interactions they have with the environment around them, particularly other people they come into contact with.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is one of the best ways through which to restore any dormant self confidence, in anyone who has lost it, since everybody simply has a deep reserve of self confidence in them, amongst other positive traits that could have been stifled along with that self confidence.

In fact, building self-confidence through BJJ is one of the best ways through which to tap into that natural reserve of positive attributes which simply need reawakening, which is why a lot of budding combative artists choose to take up Jiu Jitsu for a number of reasons, one of which is indeed rediscovering their dormant self confidence.

In all likelihood, there was a recent or past incident which prompts the budding martial artist to have the kind of introspection that has them saying enough is enough, but they naturally do no know which is indeed the best method through which to regain or build the kind of self confidence that would have a positive influence on the overall or immediate quality of their lives.

But what is it exactly which makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu one of the best self confidence builders?

It’s quite simple really — or at least in concept but it can prove to be very effective in practice as well.

BJJ is one of the most effective means through which one can defend themselves or hold they own very well in combat, as is discovered by those who take up Jiu Jitsu as their combative art of choice.

The participant need not necessarily be the very best mixed martial artist in their circle of competitors and compatriots — all they really need is the basic fundamentals which make them competitive enough to defend themselves successfully or at least compete at a reasonable level.

This breeds a kind of power which can be tapped into at anytime when the need arises, and in this way building self-confidence through BJJ proves to be one of the most effective ways to do so.

Although it has been mentioned that one need not necessarily be the very best mixed martial artists to successfully build their self confidence through BJJ, the very nature of practicing BJJ will require them to apply themselves in such a way that they become competitive and effective enough to acquire a set of skills that instills self confidence, in that they will naturally believe in their new-found abilities and lose the fear.

The self confidence spills over into different areas of the livelihood, subsequently, since the new-found ability to overcome nervous situations breeds even more confidence in other areas of one’s life.

Come down to Arashi Do North Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

How Much Is It to Train?

Posted on January 20, 2014 by myackulic

Academy prices, the programs, and scheduling may affect where you want to train. JIU-JITSU school prices typically range from $100-150 dollars per month. This is the price range that is most common. The second price range is under $100 and the third most common price range is over $150.

Obviously, price may depend on where you live and what the school offers. Many schools today offer multiple pricing programs with multiple time slots. It is no surprise to see schools in some higher income areas reaching close to $300 per month for multiple programs. Is it worth it? That will depend on what you are looking for. Schools also adjust their rates based on a number of factors. Rent and Utilities, Staff, Cleaning Services, Special Amenities offered and Self Worth as an Instructor to name a few. When I first opened my doors 10 years ago my rates were much cheaper, but over the years I have grown as an Instructor and Mentor as well as improved my skills immensely.

Jiu-Jitsu can be either recreational for you or a full-time commitment. If you are or plan on being very dedicated, then you obviously want to take as many classes as possible. For many schools there will be extra charges for this, some schools will offer a reduced rate and others will offer special Open Training times for those dedicated to excelling.

Some schools offer beginner programs at a cheaper rate. Some programs have you sign a contract or an ‘agreement.’ Make sure you read the agreement carefully. Some of these agreements may say they are for a certain amount of FREE time. Sometimes this is on the back end of the agreement. This means if you sign up for a year the last month may be free or something to this effect. Some gyms require a sign up fee and may give you a uniform in the package.

Some other factors you may consider are insurance and media material. Some students do not like being seen on film or print media for professional purposes. Many schools today also use a third party collection agency that will collect for your school if you cannot pay the bill. If this is the case, be aware of it so you can make sure you have the necessary funds in your account.

Many schools offer multiple programs, like I mentioned. Schools are really starting to add more structure in terms of separating classes to fit different students’ needs (beginner through advanced). Some programs also offer other aspects of MMA that will be held at different time slots. Hopefully your program is not too stressful or complicated. Karate and traditional martial arts models work and are very successful, so this trend is really starting to carry over into the BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU sphere.

Always read the fine print and only enter into a contract you can commit to financially. School prices are higher than the local YMCA because you are learning an art. You are learning an art from a teacher who is a professional and had to spend years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to be able to teach. The owner has to pay rent and support their family, so respect whatever price is put in front of you, and if you don’t like it just train somewhere else. It’s that simple.

Come down to Arashi Do and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Fighting Tips, Part 2

Posted on January 17, 2014 by myackulic

When it comes to applying technique, there are two sets of BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU fighters: pattern fighters and adaptive fighters. A fighter who has a pattern will usually learn techniques, use them well, and transition with them well. Some BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU fighters are great at this, but an adaptive fighter is one who may not just know the patterns but can adjust and adapt to the situation at hand.

I understand it is always great to have a coach for support and technical guidance. But I think being an independent, adaptive BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU fighter is of utmost importance and it is truly what leads you to understanding your game. Your coach is just there to help you along but should not always hold your hand.

Let’s look at it like birds. When a bird leaves its nest it has to spread its wings and fly on its own; it will be hard for another bird to simply carry it. You want to fly on your own. When it is your time to spread your wings, you should spread them your way. And when you are in mid-flight you may need to adjust your speed, distance, and height. If you are hurt or have a broken wing, you may have to adjust your path to survive. If your game is intelligent and you are a calm fighter, you will find the right movement. If your positions are not working and you run out of movements, you have to use what you do know to create something useful to advance your game.

You can also take a look at Russian wrestler Buvasaer Saitiev. He is a not a big, quick, or particularly strong athlete. He is a just an exceptionally technical athlete. He has competed in four Olympics and is a nine time World Champion (including three Olympic gold medals). I think this says something for his longevity and the type of athlete he is. He is a cerebral wrestler. He uses his mind and understanding of his technique to adapt and win. He is certainly tough in many ways, but what makes him so special is his wrestling skill coupled with his adaptive tendencies. He is present in his matches; when something difficult or complex happens against him, he reacts quickly and creates countering methods on the spot that turn into his offense.

When you tap someone during sparring, do not brag about the tap or tell your friends who you tapped. Often, this person wasn’t going 150% against you anyway because sparring in the gym is not a competition, so bragging that you ‘beat’ a guy who was going easy on you makes you look foolish and puts you in line to get a rude awakening later on. And don’t keep score every time you roll, people will get annoyed at this type of behavior—just have fun.

Come down to Arashi Do and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! What are you waiting for?

Call or text us at 780-220-5425 or email us at myackulic@ArashiDo.com

Fighting Tips, Part 1

Posted on January 14, 2014 by myackulic

If you want to train when you are 80, start today. – Carley Gracie

In reality, sparring is not always about who is better or who is tougher. Sparring is a great way to learn and get better at BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU. Sparring is something many schools will offer from the start. However, some schools may make you learn a certain set of skills before you spar. Developmental skills programs are slowly becoming the trend; you may in fact choose a school that makes you take a beginner course before you engage in sparring. Sparring should always be at your instructor’s discretion.

Here is what an instructor wrote on a forum: “My approach, and the choice I was given, was to be ‘thrown into the fire’ from the beginning. What I mean by this is that I sparred with everyone, no matter what rank or level they were at. I enjoyed this approach because I am competitive by nature, but I understand it is not for everyone and it can be dangerous. Some may feel discouraged when getting tapped or beaten from the outset. Discouragement from the outset can be detrimental to a student and they may quit. This is a common mistake I made when I started teaching: I did not introduce BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU to people properly, and I did not explain it well enough to make them understand how difficult it was to just come in off the street and be good at it.”

Like anything else, it takes time and effort to develop your skills. No matter which approach you take or what approach is thrown upon you, do take sparring seriously because a lot of learning can take place during sparring if you are not just using thoughtless energy.

I also advise you to try something called “flow rolling.” Flow rolling is going about 50-70% while actually sparring. It is a smooth way to train without putting your ego on the line in terms of who submits whom or who dominates which positions.

Sparring is a time to learn, not always to compete. When you spar with the goal of increasing technical awareness, you will often learn more long-term, and that is the focus: to get better technically and to be more efficient for when you do have to go 100%. Don’t always overcompensate for your lack of technique by using strength. It happens; just make it happen less—your body will be thankful.

Again, I am not suggesting that being strong or athletic is inherently negative in sparring or for any aspect of BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU. In fact, it can obviously be a huge advantage. Anyone can get stronger, but to get better technically happens in BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU class and that takes a long time. Basically, you are learning BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU to learn BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU; many of the movements are not strength-based.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton North and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! What are you waiting for? Call or text us at 780-220-5425 or email us at myackulic@ArashiDo.com