Why Jiu-Jitsu Takes So Long To Get Good At Your Guide to Accelerating Progress
Chasen Hill 
Unravel the secrets to accelerating your Jiu-Jitsu progress with our in-depth blog post. Master the art faster with these key strategies and insights.
Why Jiu-Jitsu Takes So Long To Get Good At Your Guide to Accelerating Progress
Getting good at Jiu-Jitsu can often feel like a long and winding road. Many practitioners need clarification about why the process takes so long. This blog post aims to demystify this process by providing three key strategies that can help you speed up your progress:
- Understanding the complexity of Jiu-Jitsu
- Effective skill development
- Finding direction in your training
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, these insights can significantly impact your training journey.
Understanding the Complexity of Jiu-Jitsu
One of the biggest reasons people struggle with Jiu-Jitsu is due to underestimating its complexity. Jiu-Jitsu is a collection of moves and a deep and intricate system of skills and techniques. If you focus solely on guard passing, you might neglect other essential components like submissions, escapes, and sweeps. When you first start training, the layers of knowledge can be overwhelming.
The various techniques, strategies, and principles make it feel like you're constantly playing catch-up. Poor expectations often exacerbate this overwhelming feeling. Many students expect to grasp everything quickly and become frustrated when they are still waiting to see immediate progress. It's crucial to accept that Jiu-Jitsu is a deep well that requires time and patience.
Achieving a black belt can take anywhere from 8 to 12 years, and true mastery can't be rushed. Once you accept the complexity of Jiu-Jitsu, you'll find that your training becomes more peaceful and enjoyable. You'll stop stressing about learning everything at once and start appreciating the beauty of incremental progress. This understanding empowers you to take control of your learning journey, making it more peaceful and enjoyable.
Effective Skill Development
The second major hurdle many students face is ineffective skill development. Jiu-Jitsu is comprised of numerous complex skills, and understanding how to develop these skills efficiently can make a big difference in your progress.
Often, students need to adopt the most effective methods for skill development. Many go with the flow of group classes, sporadically trying out different techniques without a structured plan. This approach is akin to randomly swinging a hammer, hoping to build a house. Skill development requires consistent practice over time. Drilling a technique once won't make you proficient. You need to integrate that technique into your training consistently.
The key is not just the quantity of practice but its quality and consistency. For example, learning an arm lock and drilling it 500 times in one session is less effective than spreading those 500 repetitions over a month. This consistent practice allows the technique to sink into your long-term memory, making it second nature. Avoid the "heroic effort" approach, where you try to cram as much training as possible into short bursts of motivation.
Instead, develop a sustainable training plan that focuses on consistent practice over the long term. Understanding what skills are essential and structuring your training around them can lead to faster and more reliable progress.
Finding Direction in Your Training
Finally, a lack of direction is one of the most significant factors that can delay your progress in Jiu-Jitsu. Unlike many other martial arts, Jiu-Jitsu has no standardized curriculum from white to black belt.
While there are general fundamentals that most schools teach, mastery is a very personal journey. Many students experience 'paralysis by analysis' when it comes to deciding what to focus on. The key to overcoming this is to assess your strengths and weaknesses and to develop a structured training plan around them.
Conduct a self-assessment and identify areas where you are strong and need improvement. This can help you create a roadmap for your training, allowing you to focus on specific skills and concepts consistently. Having a training plan and holding yourself accountable can lead to rapid improvement. This structured approach provides a sense of relief, allowing you to focus your efforts and make meaningful progress rather than bouncing from technique to technique in an unorganized manner.
Conclusion
Getting good at Jiu-Jitsu takes time, but understanding its complexity, developing skills effectively, and finding direction in your training can significantly speed up the process. Accepting that Jiu-Jitsu is a long-term journey will help you appreciate the incremental gains and make training more enjoyable.
Consider joining my coaching program if you find these strategies helpful and want more personalized guidance. A good coach can help you assess your needs and develop a transformation plan tailored to your goals, whether preparing for a competition or advancing to the next belt.
This sense of community and support can make your training journey more enjoyable and less isolating. In the meantime, keep training, stay consistent, and enjoy the journey. For more insights and tips, check out our other articles and videos. Until next time, happy training!