Life is short; do more reps.

I frequently tell people you need to be very selfish about your training. I don’t mean this in any narcissistic, or careless way. I simply mean that your jiu-jitsu is about you and your training partners at your dojo, gym, or hole-in-the-wall-with-mats that you work on. Everything else is a kind of fandom that doesn’t really improve your jiu-jitsu.

We have a joke when folks want to talk about a favorite UFC fighter or technique du jour that they have on their phones, the joke sounds like this, “No reps”, “Gosh, still no reps”, “Wow, even more NO REPS!“. It might sound mean to quash excited folks who want to share things they’ve been watching, but the point is talking and watching is not DOING.

What is the best thing you can do for your training? More reps.

How will you improve your jiu-jitsu? More reps.

How will you make yourself a valuable partner? More reps.

Frankly, what are you doing Jiu-jitsu for? Is it for you? Is it to stay in shape, have fun, be able to defend yourself better? Yes? Then, more reps.

I am a firm believer that doing 20 arm bars is the best way to improve your armbar. Even if, ultimately you’re not hitting it in your rolls, the action of practicing it will improve it. The longer you’re in this the more exhausted you will be with the internet instructors who hog a spotlight and TALK for ten minutes (or more!) about a move rather than encouraging their students to practice. The reason for this is clear, the internet isn’t about our individual practice, it is about trying to sell us a product. Those 20 arm bar reps are better than all the videos you can watch about Jiu-jitsu.

Turn off your phone. Get on the mat.

Do More Reps.