A Smarter Approach to Learning BJJ

Описание: Brazilian jiu-jitsu training needs an update- our conceptualization of techniques isn't accurate. These inaccuracies aren't just academic, they're holding us back. So, it's time we get an update from the world of motor learning.

In Jiu-jitsu, grappling, and many other sports, we're taught that techniques are a simple, linear series of steps to be memorized, practiced, and refined. When you're in closed guard for example, you can break your opponent's posture, get a cross collar grip, get a second grip on the other collar, then perform the cross collar choke to submit your opponent.

Anyone who's done BJJ before knows that doing the cross collar choke (or any technique) against a non resistant, vs a resistant partner (during sparring or a competition) are 2 completely different things. But it's absolutely not because you're just 'not good enough' at performing the technique that was shown to you. It's because the linear series of steps that you saw is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the actual information and skill you'll need to perform it against resistance.

There's a concept from motor learning of perception action coupling feedback loops. (see here    • I Spent Over 100 Hours On This Video (Intr...  . Basically, when performing a skill, your brain is constantly engaging in these feedback loops based on current perceptions of the environment, predictions of the future, and performing actions based on them.

When we work against a resistant opponent in any sport, our perception-action coupling feedback loops are pitted against each other in an information processing- movement war. On the macro scale, each person works to progressively increase their own movement options relative to that of their opponent, until the opponent only has one option: submit.

On a micro scale, we work towards that by attempting (failing) and successfully executing techniques. These techniques are not truly the simple series of steps you were shown, they're extremely complex webs of perception action coupling based on prior and current experience- In the video I visualized this with an animation of interconnected spheres (representing positions) and lines (representing movement between the positions). Rather than a series of steps, techniques (against a resistant opponent) could be more accurately visualized with this 'funnel of despair'- where we work to gradually move down the funnel, where there are gradually less and less options for the opponent, until their only option is to succumb to your technique (reducing their overall movement options), or submit (when all their movement options have been removed, or in the case of a joint lock, would result in a broken limb).

Working with a partner involves the same feedback loops, however rather than working against each other, you work together, towards one or many goals. To be clear, in the video, I attempted to visualize this with 2 funnels feeding into the same end sphere, but this isn't quite accurate as remember, each sphere represented a position of both you and your opponent. Hopefully this makes sense though.

Working without a partner also involves the same PAC feedback loops, except that without a partner to fight back, there isn't nearly as much complexity of information processing required- these feedback loops become concerned with your own inaccuracies/errors in performing the movement in question. BTW, this also is what happens when you work against a grappling dummy, or in the case of much of current BJJ culture- a human grappling dummy (non-resistant opponent)


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