JaxBJJ Blog
Keeping the Knife SharpFriday, January 02, 2009
I did something today that I haven’t done in a long time, and that was to get in the Academy with one of my trusted students, and work on my own techniques. And I’ve got to admit it was quite a refreshing experience for me. It was good to take some time to be more the student, than to be the Instructor, and to be able ask for and receive feedback on the techniques that I was specifically working on. I plan on doing this much more in 2009.
I also had a fun time this past year in how I worked on my own BJJ game. I enjoyed picking a particular position, or set of submissions and worked on them for a month or two at a time.
For example:
--After tweaking my back a while ago, I began working the half-guard, I worked on it for months and it became almost second nature to give up the full guard and work to half guard. I’m not saying that is the thing to do, but with the fear of additonally straining my back, I worked on an alternative and it essentially improved the scope of my jiu-jitsu. Working sweeps and taking the back from half guard became a very comfortable position for me to be in and to work from.
--Later in the year I really started working on various chokes. For a few months, all I worked on was varios chokes. From guard, from side control, in transitions........and a variety of lapel chokes that I like to play with.
--Then it was near and far side arm bars and shoulder locks from side control/knee belly.
The point I am making is that none of these positions or submissions were ‘new’ to me..........however, the blade had become dull for various reasons, so I decided to change things up a little bit in my own training, to try to sharpen it up.
I begain to come into class, with a goal in mind of specifically working on a particular position or string of submissions, over time, to where it forced me to ‘set up’ what I wanted to accomplish, and it also forced me to complete repetition upon repetition, to a point where what I was working on began to feel better and better. In practically every class, somewhere along the line, we discuss the importance of repetition of the techniques. We work on it in class on specific techniques, but it is also good to challange yourself to do the reps on your own. It also forces you to plan in your sparring to set up and advancing yourself to the position that you wish to work on. Talk about a game plan! This is basically what I was doing with the examples above.
I worked on some various postions, transitions and set-ups today. During training next week, try to see if you can figure out what I am personally working on this month. It won’t be hidden very well!!
What do YOU plan to improve in your jiu-jitsu game this week, this month, this year? Select something and work on it for weeks or even months at a time. It’s well worth the effort, and it will indeed keep the knife sharp.
Good Training,
Prof. Larry Shealy
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year to all the friends of JaxBJJ. I have had a fantastic time away from the Academy...........alot of rest, relaxation, time with family, and many, many hours chasing the Little Man. I’ve caught up on some reading, sleeping and planning for the New Year. I’ve actually stayed off the Christmas cookies...........so we won’t kill the cardio when we get back, quite as bad as in previous years!! Thats not to say we won’t work hard though. I did receive a few new decks of cards for Christimas. (some of you just love the pain! lol)
Shegog, Koojitsu and I spent this morning on the beach, just down from the JaxBeach Lifeguard Station.......We were there for the WaveMasters Society annual Polar Plunge. Rules are simple: wear a bathing suit, run into the water, go under, get out, and go home. Well it’s not that easy, as it was rather cold and windy to begin with, and add a brief dip into the Atlantic Ocean and you’ve got a recipe for a ‘big chill’. There were a few hundred folks, some clowns (real clowns, not just the clowns like us who were there for the event), and a cast of characters who apparently just finished their New Years Party in time to refresh themselves with a cool dip in the Atlantic. Anyway, the Wave Masters Society did a good job, and the “Three Amigos” had a good time together. See you there next year!
Now on to all you Jiu-Jitsu junkies who have contacted me over the holidays, and also those who have not...... It seems like absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder! It appears that you guys are missing some time on the mats. However, I hope that this time away has given everybody time to relax and heal up some of the nicks that we carried into the last part of the year. I’ve also heard from a few guys who haven’t trained in a while and who will be back training with us in the New Year......it will be fun to see you guys again.
And then there are those who are thinking about possibly trying out Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai or Haganah FIGHT, or even Kid-Jitsu for the kids............all I can say is: come check us out and see for yourself. Take a few free classes and you will get a feel for who we are and what we do. Dress like you are going to workout at the gym or play basketball. I will assign an assistant instructor to you who will assist you during the entire class.
For all of you who are contemplating taking a martial art...........remember the old Chinese axiom: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago...........the next best time is NOW.”
Is now the time for you? Think of any excuse you may have and run it thru the questions below:
--I can’t train because I am too old!............I was 37 when I began BJJ. That was 14 years ago.........you do the math.
--But I’m “out of shape” or “overweight”.........our Assistant Head Instructor came to us 3.5 years ago, weighed 230 lbs and didn’t even know how to spell Jiu-Jitsu.......he is now 170 lbs and is a very good and technical player and has developed into a very good teacher as well.
--I just don’t have the time.......... We have doctors, lawyers, small business owners, military, police, teachers, computer dudes, etc.. who work all kinds of wierd hours..........who train. Check our schedule, there is a time in there for you, I promise!
--I have family........... So do a large percentage of our student base. We have programs for men, women and children. Give your family the gift of a sport that you can all be involved in.
--I don’t have a family: What kind of excuse is that? Get busy and start training.............you’ll have enough time for BJJ, Muay Thai and MMA!
--I don’t have the money............... How much is your health and well being worth to you and your family? Quit the Starbucks everyday, and you can afford this. Skip a fast food lunch per day, and you and your spouse can train.
--I’m not athletic, or strong, or whatever..............good, you don’t need to be. BJJ was developed by Carlos and Helio Gracie and their brothers, who were about 140 lbs, as a complete self defense system for the average person to defend themselves in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. It is about leverage, timing and technique.
--The sun got in my eyes (one of my all time best excuses in baseball, when I’d misjudge a pop fly)......................come inside and train jiu-jitsu!!
For those JaxBJJ students who have completed your Goal Setting and Action plans, and wish to discuss them with me.............please email me and we will set some time aside over the next few weeks to discuss your plans.
Just a few more days left until we get back after it. Enjoy your weekend.
Boomer Sooner!
LS
Between Christmas and January 1, 2009Thursday, December 25, 2008
Gang, now is a good time to sit down and commit your goals to writing. I recommend setting goals in many areas of your life: family, business, personal, fitness, financial, community, etc.. Set SMART Goals with action plans and refer to them frequently...........Next year at this time, if you follow through, you will be very glad that you did. Merry Christmas.
Merry ChristmasWednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas to all. Remember what ‘the reason for the season’ is all about. God bless you through the holidays, have fun, and be safe. LS
Planning for TomorrowMonday, December 22, 2008
The article below is written by John Will. He is well known in BJJ circles as a good practioner and teacher. The curriculums he has published are very good. I’ve met him at many Trade Shows and he’s a great guy. Good guy, good reading, good advice. Enjoy. LS
John Will’s personal log ...
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Super Squirrel
For myself, life has always been about LIVING. I have never been one to put too much thought, focus or effort into financial security and such. That being said though, it is important that even though we should live fully for TODAY - there is no doubt that we should plan for TOMORROW. Now, there’s no need to be obsessive about it, but by turning say 10% of our thoughts and focus onto putting away for tomorrow, we greatly increase the scope of our options for the future.
Recently, I have caught up with some old martial arts friends from the past, and have been saddened to see them struggling financially. A big part of the martial arts is about the understanding of leverage - and so not to apply those self-same principles to our lives off the mat or outside of the ring, seems a great pity. it takes work, that’s true - but to fully live our lives in the ways that we want to live them, usually requires money. Even squirrels store nuts for the winter - and they have brains the size of .... well, squirrels!
So when making those new years resolutions next week - or when buying yourself or someone close to you a gift - perhaps include a book or two on ‘planning for tomorrow. ‘The Richest man in Babylon’ for example, is great small book on the power and leverage of savings - an easy read - and it can make a huge and positive difference in your or someone else’s financial health.
Don’t become fanatical about it - but don’t bury your head in the sand either. Gather a few nuts BEFORE the winter hits. Be the Super Squirrel ...
Happy Christmas to everyone,
JBW
The Richest Man in Babylon (Paperback)
http://www.amazon.com/Richest-Man-Babylon-George-Clason/dp/1438243561/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229914881&sr=8-2
Sunday, December 21, 2008
In yesterday’s blog, I failed to mention perhaps the single most important benefit of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. And that is that it was developed by people of small stature and average athletic abilities, to be used by the average person. Their premise was that your opponent would always be bigger, faster and stronger than you. Carlos and Helio Gracie are well known for tweaking Japanese Jiu-Jitsu to work best for them, and their slight builds, in protecting themselves in the mean streets of Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Leverage, good conditioning and flawless technique was paramount. To even hint that strength was an absolute necessity, I believe, would make these great Grand Masters.........uh........., at the very least, not very happy! 
Train Hard, Train Smart!
LS
Strength in Jiu-Jitsu?Saturday, December 20, 2008
In the past few months I have had 2 of my students at Jacksonville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu come to me with the exact same story. If I had only heard this once, I would have let it go.........but I heard it twice. in a short period of time, so I want to address it. They had spoken to another Martial Arts Instructor, who does not specifically specialize in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and he had, what I thought was an interesting, but misguided theory. This Instructor said that in Jiu-Jitsu “strength always wins.” I could not disagree more. If there was a way to disagree more than I do...........then I would! lol
Jiu-Jitsu is known as “the gentle art” and for someone to say strength is the only key to winning in a jiu-jitsu match, I believe, is one or more of the following: naive, not very smart or they must flat out suck at Jiu-Jitsu. Does leverage, knowledge, cardio, technique not come into play at all? What about athleticism, heart, desire, competitiveness, will, quickness, etc…
I am going to make my point, using examples of guys who no longer train at my school. With this said, I believe this will be a totally unbiased viewpoint, other that a bias for good Jiu-Jitsu. I may be wrong, but it is my viewpoint.
I know some very good BJJ players who are incredibly technical and not very strong, and they fare very, very well against the stronger guys. I also know some extremely strong guys who do very well in BJJ, but they ALSO have good technique in BJJ. We have had some talented guys train in our Academy. One who comes to mind is a guy who was an Instructor at JaxBJJ, who moved to Georgia. He was known for his strength. Pound for pound he is the strongest person I have ever met. He competes in tournaments and wins quite frequently, but he has never been given credit where credit is due. People acknowledge him as being very strong..........however, what they invariably fail to mention is that he also has incredibly good jiu-jitsu technique, heart, dedication, cardio and athleticism, and many other intangibles to go along with it. When he starts his MMA career, I have no doubts that he will do very well.
I had a wrestler who was big, strong, fast and athletic, but when he came to us, he was kind of raw. He benched about 500 lbs at the time. But he humbled himself and learned the techniques the “Gracie Way”, and quickly became a force to recon with, and I mean a REAL force. He came in with the athleticism, quickness, strength and wrestling, and, in the beginning, was getting caught, by some training partners who were not as big or strong as he was. He soon thereafter used his size, strength, quickness, wrestling and athletic abilities to fight guys his size and win in the tournament circuit........and oh yeah, he used his BJJ technique too!
The last examples I will use, are two brothers. Great guys. The older was perhaps 185, came in the Academy tough, but with limited BJJ, and from what I recall good standup. He busted his butt, and over the years has continued to work the cardio, the technique, the stand-up, etc..and has gone on to successfully compete in the MMA and Tournament Circles. I’ve heard that his technical abilities have won many matches and fights for him....not to mention his competive nature and his heart. His brother, was about the same height, but didn’t weigh as much.....I’m guessing 165 or so. He is alot like his brother, but not as big and strong as his brother. However he became very technical in BJJ. I have heard that he has fought guys who are much stronger than him, but the technical abilities that he has developed has helped him become a good fighter.
These few examples, I believe, are great examples that the extremely strong guy does not always win in Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve given examples of guys of varying sizes, and strengths. They all have developed into good fighters, and they all have a few things in common, and it’s not strength. How about: Desire, Dedication, Determination, Cardio, a strong work ethic, heart,...............and very good Jiu-Jitsu. They have varying degrees of strength.........but they ALL have good Jiu-Jitsu.
If strength is what it’s all about, then why do these guys and other guys who fight even bother to train in Jiu-Jitsu? If strength is the main ingredient, then they should just pump the weights and start the steroids and go fight! I truly believe that Jiu-Jitsu is an integral piece of the fighting and self-defense equation. It’s not the only thing, but is a big piece of the puzzle. MMA fighters understand that they have to be multi-faceted in their game: punching, kicking, wrestling, knees, elbows, cardio, a good ground game. They also need the intangibles: heart, dedication, determination, a will to win, etc.. And yes, they also better be strong.
Unless someone has lived in a hole for the last 15 years or more, they would understand that “strength alone does NOT always win” in Jiu-Jitsu,........and they certainly know the difference between BJJ and MMA. I would bet a drink that the guys I referenced above would probably agree with me on this.
Good training guys!
Professor Larry Shealy
Jacksonville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Inc.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Make it HappenThursday, December 18, 2008
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it - but sail we must”. - Oliver Wendell Holmes
What do you believe in?Monday, December 15, 2008
What do you believe? I have some beliefs that are not necessarily politically correct........but I’m not “politically correct” anyway. Here are some of my beliefs:
--Christmas is not about the toys, gadgets, and a fat dude in a red suit
--Christmas is about Jesus Christ
--Political correctness has spawned a generation of some overly sensitive people
--It’s also clouded our vision between true and false, right and wrong
--I believe in Merry Christmas...........not Happy Holidays.
--Your beliefs are yours, mine are mine. If we differ, thats okay.
--Spinning is a politically correct way of saying “Lying”
--Second hand information is generally incorrect, Third hand information is a lie.
--Our parents did their best, get over it
--Old people should be honored, not ignored
--If you want to be miserable you should:
--Complain alot
--Complain about things you cannot change
--Complain to everyone you come in contact with
--And if you insist on being miserable, please stay away from me
--Whiners are annoying
--Winners are never whiners
--There is a difference between welfare and charity
--The one where the government is involved.....doesn’t work!
--Qutting is easier than following thru on anything
--I love people who follow thru on their dreams
--Losers let it happen.....Winners make it happen! (Denis Waitley)
--Negative people can suck the life out of you......avoid them at all cost.
--Loyalty, Honesty and Integrity have lost their traction in our “what about me” society
--Our troops are heroes and should be treated as such
--Military, Law Enforcement and Teachers should be paid more
--Kids are gifts from God
--There is nothing sweeter than the innocence and laughter of a child....my Little Man is a reminder of that!
--I am third.
--God is First, My family and friends are second, I am third. (Gayle Sayers quote)
--We are the sum total of the choices we have made
--It’s never too late to make better choices in our lives (it ain’t over till it’s over!)
--We should forgive more and judge less
--True friends, who are with you through good and bad, right or wrong, are blessings. I am very blessed!
--The United States is still the best country in the world.
--People from other countries who don’t like the U.S. should go home
--Success means bearing the criticisms of envy. I’d rather be criticised than be a failure.
--If you don’t want to be criticised......do nothing.
--We should believe in ourselves
--Different is not bad, or wrong............just different.
--God is Good!
Merry Christmas!
Does practice make perfect?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
How many times have you heard the term: “practice makes perfect?” Do you agree with this statement. I certainly don’t.
You see if “practice makes perfect”, then what happens if you are practicing something completely wrong? In this case your practice would be making whatever it is you are practicing “perfectly wrong!” I see this alot in guys who just want to “roll”. Guys who don’t take the necessary time to fine tune their game and the technques that make up their individual Jiu-Jitsu game. They just want to spar, doing the same things today that they did yesterday. This habit is not good, because doing it this way is trying to take a short cut to success. Short cuts tend to take more time than the ‘long road’. There are no short cuts to success in any endeavor worth achieveing.
It’s easy to want to take shortcuts in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. But when we do this, we are developing and practicing bad habits, that when practiced incorrectly will become our way of doing the technique..... and this technique will be wrong! Please remember that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is grappling efficiently, it is an art that uses leverage, timing and technique. Constantly depending on your strength and athleticism to dominate an opponent is not Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. It is grappling inefficiently. The problem here is if you find someone who is bigger or stronger than you, or is quite good in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.......you could be in for a world of hurt.
Question: How do you practice to make your techniques perfect, over time? Answer: You practice the techniques correctly, with hundreds of repetitions, slowly implementing them into your Jiu-Jitsu game. Period.
Practice doe not make perfect.............................."Perfect practice makes Perfect!”
“Train Hard, Train Smart!”
Professor Shealy
For the WeekendFriday, December 05, 2008
“The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.”
----Duguet
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Q: Is there a difference between Gracie Jiu-Jitsu sport competition and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense?
A: Yes! When training to enter sport competitions, you prepare differently then you would if you were training to defend yourself on the street. In sport competitions there are rules, time limits, judges, points, weight classes and fan/team support. Because of this, students must train to learn how to play according to those rules and how to use those rules to their advantage. None of that exists on the street so you had better be prepared for no rules, no time, no weight class, no judges, no fans and no teammates cheering you on.
This is an awsome question/answer that I ran across the other day and thought it to be very timely for our school. The roots of our school is Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for Self Defense. As many of our students love to compete, we conduct our competitions for the adults with no time limits, with wins coming by submission only. We will take this a step further in the new year in some of our training classes. What we will be doing in the new year (in addition to the MMA classes), will be to train more often without the kimono top, with mma gloves, and train as we typically do, with more emphasis on “keeping each other honest” with the need to defend punches, in a controlled environment. I believe there is a tendancy to get a “false sense of security” with our BJJ, and the need to defend punches will keep us all honest.
Please understand that we are a Traditional Gracie Jiu-Jitsu School and, though we use the Kimono and the timer in class............the Kimono forces us to be more technical in our execution of GJJ technique, while the purpose of the timer is just to keep the class moving. Emphasis should, and will always be on “being prepared” in a street fight scenario....no clock, no rules, no weight classes..................NO PROBLEM!
Mike Tyson use to say “everybody has a plan, until they get hit in the mouth.” Let’s have our plan in place.......that will work in the streets, even if the punches are flowing!
Good Training Guys.
L
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Whether you think you can .......or that you can’t.......you are right!
Tis’ the SeasonMonday, December 01, 2008
Can you believe that it’s already December? The year 2008 is almost “in the books”, but we still have a great month ahead of us. It’s a great time to reflect on the previous year, and to begin getting prepared for the upcoming year..... 2009! It’s a time to share with others, and to give thanks for our many blessings. It’s a time to connect with our family and friends, and meet new ones at Christmas festivities and at Church events. It’s a time to refresh ourselves thru the holidays and re-charge the batteries for the upcoming year. December is a great time of the year.
We’ve discussed the goals vs. resolutions thing, and I highly recommend running with the goal setting and goal achieveing mentality. The beginning of the new year is a great time to re-tool our whole attitude and success structure, moving forward. Take the time over these holidays to set your game plan for 2009.
“Losers Let it Happen, Winners Make it Happen” Denis Waitley-Psychology of Winning
Let’s make it happen in 2009.
LS
Psychology of WinningSunday, November 30, 2008
I have approached this subject in a very ‘simplistic’ form, but hopefully it will give you a format from which you can work from. Once you set you goals in all areas of your life, and put together action plans to reach each of these goals, then it is time to put your plans in place. Some important things to do at this time:
--DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE. There is a big difference between activity and accomplishment. Your activities should revolve around your goals, which should always be “fresh” in your mind, and your currently dominant thoughts, day in and day out.
--Believe in yourself and believe in your goals.
--Picture yourself as already accomplishing your goals.
--Surround yourself with positive, like minded people. Many people, who may have good intentions, will tend to “pull you down” versus lift you up.
--Think BIG and go out and do it.
--Share your goals only with someone you totally trust.
The Psychology of Winning, (Waitley) discusses these thoughts in great detail. In closing, define what success is to you in your life. Not comparing ourselves to someone else, but in becoming the best we can be in our lives.
In Jiu-Jitsu, there can only be a certain number of “World Champions”, “MMA Champions”, etc.. These are the elite. Most are professionals.........do this for a living. That doesn’t mean that we can’t reach our highest potential given our various stations in life. In our school we have some folks who compete and do very well, we have those who train for self defense, those who train to stay in shape, and some who are simply “addicted” to Jiu-Jitsu!!!
We have doctors, lawyers, policemen, military, businessmen, painters, pastors, etc.. All walking a different path in their respective lives. All can reach as high as they want in life. The key is knowing what we want, defining it, writing it down, set a plan, believe it, make it our dominant thought, and then, as the Nike commercials say: “Just Do It”
If you have any questions on this material, or would like assistance in working up your Goal Setting and Action Plans, please either call me, or talk to me at the Academy. I was taught this information back in the mid-1980’s, by my mentor, Evans Wisner. It has been a very helpful roadmap for me in many areas over the years. I hope this shared information will also help you in some way.
Good Training,
LS
Action Plans
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Now it’s time to devise our action plans toward reaching our goals. Goals that are set, without actions, are only dreams or wishes. So, as we use the example of attaining your blue belt lets continue the process.
Your SMART Goal: I, ___________, will attain the blue belt by August 2009.
Your actions plans could look something like this:
--I will attend classes at JaxBJJ a minimum of 3x per week until I reach my goal of Blue Belt.
--I will take notes after classes and seminars and review them on a daily basis
--I will try to perfect my fundamentals as I add on advanced techniques on a weekly basis
--I will ask higher level belts for constructive assistance, as needed, on a weekly basis
As you can see, the action plans are a call to.....you guessed it.......action on your part. Obviously progress is based on time on the mat, technical abilities, execution, etc.. Your action plans are a reflection of this, spoken in the 1st person, as a positive, “I will” statement, and with a general timeline attached to it.
Just like your major goals, your action plans for each goal should be written down and reviewed frequently. If you carry a daytimer or calendar, you keep them in this location for quick reference. These types of “quick references” will be the “good food” for your mind that can carry you toward any goals that you set, to attain successes that you might never have thought possible.
Next time we will briefly discuss the mindset of Goal Setting and the “Psychology of Winning”, that I have referred to from Denis Waitley’s writings.
Until next time.......L
S.M.A.R.T. GoalsSaturday, November 29, 2008
Yesterday I mentioned setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals....................Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevent and Trackable. A few thoughts as we build on this idea. When building your goals, you must always:
--Put them in writing--once you’ve put it in writing, your brain automatically begins ‘taking you’ toward the goal.
--Speak in the 1st Person--"I, Larry Shealy, will ..................by June, 1, 2009.
--Make the goal your dominant thought--think about it to a point where it becomes part of your life. Think it, see it, touch it, smell it...........implement all of your senses to bring the goal to life.
--Visualize the goal as if you have already attained it----just like a basketball player, while standing at the free throw line, visualizes making the shot..........you too must ‘visualize’ yourself already attaining your goal.
An example of a SMART goal would be written like this:
I, ___________, will attain my blue belt in BJJ by August 1, 2009.
From here you plug in the SMART principle and see if it fits
.
Specific? Yes you want to attain the blue belt and have attached a time frame to it.
Measurable? Yes, again the belt is the measurement in this example
Attainable? This depends on, how long you have trained, and the action plans that you put in place and work toward daily (we will discuss this in the next blog)
Relevent? If you are training BJJ...........yes it’s relevent
Trackable? Yes, count your classes, count your time on the mat, count the extra hours you put in for your cardio and reviewing material and then record the day you attain the blue belt.
Setting the actual goal is just the beginning of the process. Tomorrow we will discuss your action plans toward taking you to your goal. Goal setting is like the road map of your life. Action Plans will identify the “roads” that you will take toward reaching your destination..........the goals you have set.
Good Training. L
Time to plan for 2009 and beyond
Friday, November 28, 2008
Okay gang, it’s time to get ready for 2009 in all areas of our lives: business, physical fitness, family, financial, community service, spiritual, mental/education, etc..
If you don’t already do so, instead of setting “resolutions” that rarely work, begin to set goals and objectives for the new year and beyond. Begin to think about some ‘areas of improvement’ that you may have (also known as weaknesses--lol), and we will set goals and begin a plan of action to reach these goals.
An acronym I have used for many years has been to be S.M.A.R.T. when setting goals. Goals that are:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevent
Trackable
Think of a few things that you would like to accomplish in 2009 and thereafter, and tomorrow we will “build on it” with some specific thoughts and actions.
Good Training!
L
Friday, November 28, 2008
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
Confucius
To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.
Elbert Hubbard
Thursday, November 27, 2008
“If size mattered, the elephant would be the king of the jungle.”
Rickson Gracie
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Assorted quotes/thoughts for the Holidays!Tuesday, November 25, 2008
A few more thoughts as we move into the holiday season.
“The worst wheel of a cart makes the most noise.”
Ben Franklin
“Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong”
Calvin Coolidge
“A nail is driven out by another nail. Habit is overcome by habit.”
Desiderius Erasmus
“He who believes is strong, he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.”
Louisa May Alcott
“There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.”
Michel de Montaigne
“Tis the only comfort of the miserable to have partners in their woes.”
Cervantes
“Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly.”
Plato
“Respect the burden.”
Napoleon Bonaparte
“A man lives by believeing something: not by debating and arguing about many things.”
Thomas Carlyle
“No pressure.....No diamonds!”
Thomas Carlyle
“Better to be alone than in bad company.”
Thomas Fuller
Let’s chew on some of these thoughts for a while. If something strikes us, that can help us on the mat or in our personal lives........great. If not, we’ve only lost about a minute reading it. As Waitley says, our minds are like computers......"garbage in, garbage out.” Let’s feed our minds some good food over the holidays.
JaxBJJ’ers, don’t forget, we will be closed for 4 days, beginning Thanksgiving Day. We will re-open on Monday with regular Academy Hours.
Quotes through the HolidaysMonday, November 24, 2008
As most of you know, I’m a quote hound. Thru the holidays I will be sharing some of my favorites with you. Have a great Thanksgiving Weekend.
“Nothing in the world can take place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Calvin Coolidge
TeachingSunday, November 23, 2008
“If you can’t teach it, you don’t know it.” Rorion Gracie
Vince Lombardi on WinningThursday, November 20, 2008
Hall of Fame NFL Football Coach, Vince Lombardi, has been quoted as saying: “Winning is Everything”. However, that is not what he actually said. He really said: “The WILL to win is everything.” The phrase takes on significant changes with the addition of a few small words.
The former quote is a ‘win at all cost attitude’ which will leave you empty, because you can’t win at everything. However, the latter quote, places a spotlight on our character. Our will. One’s will is composed of a blend of many different aspects of our character: persistence, discipline, determination, courage. Going against the flow of what “everybody’s” doing. It’s a never say die attitude. And it’s heavy!
Qutting is easy. We do it every day. We quit high school, college, jobs, friendships, marriages, studying, growing. We quit trying. We give up on our goals, our dreams, our aspirations. We get discouraged by our failures, and we fail more, we quit more. Quitting is easy, we do it everyday.
Winning is heavy.....it takes alot of work. It takes alot of blood, sweat, tears, sacrifices. It comes with large doses of criticisms from friends and foes. It’s heavy. It’s not a drive thru, instant gratification mindset that we all want in today’s society. Winning is heavy......but it makes for much lighter work if one has a rock solid, strong will to win (ie: become the best person we can be in ALL areas of their lives), along with lofty goals and a gameplan to get us there. Winning is heavy!
OUR WILL can define us. I agree with Coach Lombardi’s words, with a twist: “The WILL to win, at life, is everything!”
Have a great weekend!
Regrets
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The pain of discipline is short lived.
The pain of regret lasts a lifetime.
Author unknown.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
One of the most memorable speeches in the past Century was only 7 words long. It was delivered by one of the world leader’s at the time. In the speech’s simplicity it conveyed so many subjects: attitude, persistence, courage, hope........and a way of living that can take us all to new heights. The 7 word speech is below:
“Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Never, Quit” Sir Winston Churchill
Have a great week. L
Just do it!Friday, November 14, 2008
As I write this, I’m about 30000 feet over Charlotte, NC heading toward Nashville, TN for another Tradeshow for the Kid-Jitsu program. Earlier on the trip, I was reading a book by the great UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden. In his book, like so many others, parallels can be drawn between sports and life. Coach Wooden was talking about initiative and the need to take assertive actions to reach toward successes on the basketball court as well as in our lives. What he actually said is that we should take “assertive actions based on proper assessment of risk.”
This quote struck me instantly as something we can certainly apply in BJJ. How many times have you been training, and really want to try something new and just couldn’t pull the trigger, or have gotten to a position and have ‘frozen’ in fear of losing that position. Of course that happens to us all. The problem here is that we miss opportunities to learn by not ‘going for it.’
Why don’t we ‘go for it’ more often. I think it is a fear of failure, fear of losing, fear of being embarrassed. Fear is a four letter word that has the ability to kill great ideas and great actions. I can say that……..because those are certainly feelings I’ve had and continue to have in various areas of my life. The problem with this type of thinking, and action, (or lack of action) is that by not acting instantly, we miss many opportunities.
I look back on the investments I should have made, decisions in business I could have made for the better. I did the due diligence, I knew what I wanted to do, but was fearful to take that next step. In BJJ, we all sometimes have the tendency to play it TOO safe. I’m not saying not to be smart and stay within our abilities……..but if we want to learn, and succeed in life and on the mats, after all the prepping and practice, we’ve got to take the initiative to DO SOMETHING. As it’s been said, it’s impossible to get to second base, with one foot still on first base.
Another quote from Coach Wooden was “failure to act is the biggest failure of all.” My thoughts here is that with proper education, training, practice, etc., we must step out and take some risks. Not careless actions, but carefully calculated risks. If we lose, we learn, which will prevent future losses.
Lord knows I’ve lost a thousand more times than I’ve won in my life and on the mats. But I’ve learned from my experiences, I’m losing less and accumulating some wins in the process.
In closing, let’s try not to be so afraid of making mistakes……….that’s how we learn, and that’s how we get better in all that we do.
Got for it!
LS
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It is so cool to see so many people enjoying the many, many benefits of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at my school in Neptune Beach, as well as the many Kid-Jitsu/Wolfpack affilated schools that Professor Charles and I work with. We joke around about how BJJ helps us “tame our demons”, how it can be an “addictive” sport, and for some it has become “a way of life” You know you have been bitten by the “BJJ bug” when you plan your days, and weeks around your training. I have had people mention that they have become bored and decided to cut back on running, and/or the weight room to add BJJ into their busy schedules.
What is it that people like about BJJ?
A few thoughts about that are:
--They can get a great workout
--It only takes about an hour to get a tremendous workout
--They are challenged mentally and physically
--They are learning something valuable in the way of self defense in the process.
--They simply have a blast training and enjoy the competitive nature of our art.
--They like the camaraderie of other students
--Some people have changed their entire being with weight loss, quitting drinking and/or smoking
The reasons for embracing BJJ differ from person to person, but the list above respresents a large number of our students.
BJJ can become a way of life. Training hard, eating better, sleeping better. Replacing some poor habits with some good habits.
Like attitude, when one changes their actions, they can change their lives. Think it. Do it. Live it!
Good Training.
Prof. Larry
Denis Waitley on Success
Monday, November 10, 2008
“The price of success means enduring the criticisms of envy!” Denis Waitley
Saturday, November 08, 2008
For a very long time I have been preaching, lecturing and sometimes begging for people to “relax”, “smooth it out”, “breathe” or “don’t work so hard”.. In a seminar today with Professor Flavio Almeida from Gracie Barra America, he succinctly put into words exactly what I have been wanting to say, but have not had the right words to articulate it.
Professor Flavio was talking about grappling versus Jiu-Jitsu and this is what he had to say:
“Jiu-Jitsu is grappling with efficiency. If you are using your opponents weight to your advantage........you are doing Jiu-Jitsu. If you are going against your opponents strength and his weight with your strength.....you are grappling”.
Think about this for a minute. If you are training and are trying to continually force the pace with your strength....you are not using the efficiency of Jiu-Jitsu. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is an art, and it behooves all to develop ourselves within the art. Next time you are training, take a look at what you are doing and ask yourself: Am I grappling? Or, am I grappling with efficiency? When you can answer the latter question in the affirmative.....you are well on your way to developing yourself in the gentle art.
Good Training!!
“The Strength of our School”Friday, November 07, 2008
Earlier in the week I was discussing attitude. I’ve had some great conversations about Tuesday’s election results. We have a President elect that we are all pretty much unfamiliar with........BUT.........he will be our next President. The sky has not fallen, the world is still rotating......and by and large as Americans, our life is good! Again, it’s not what is happening outside.......it’s what’s happening “inside” of us that matters. We control our thoughts and we change our lives for the better.
To end the week, I’d like to share something from Rudyard Kipling. As a school we are a very tight knit group. We have kids, adults, parents teaching their kids in the kid’s classes, and alot of folks who have become friends through the relationships they have developed at JaxBJJ, etc. Although we are all from different walks of life, we have a few things in common.......we are striving to be better in our BJJ and also in our lives. I share with many people how impressed I am personally with the people who make JaxBJJ the awesome school that it has become. The analogy of the school that I draw from Kipling is: “The strength of our school is our people!”
The Law of the Jungle
(From The Jungle Book)
by Rudyard Kipling
Now this is the Law of the Jungle—
as old and as true as the sky;
And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper,
but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk
the Law runneth forward and back—
For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf,
and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.
Have a great weekend!!!
LS
November 5, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
“It is the journey that makes us happy, not the destination”.
~ The Peaceful Warrior
Monday, November 03, 2008
Today is a very big day in the history of our country, as we will be electing a new president in one of the most volatile times in our history. The bottom line is we are going to have a new president, and whoever it is will do his best job to make America a better place. Like it or not, our new Commandar in Chief will be the leader of our country........and there is not a thing in the world that we can do about it, but try to support him and the leaders of our country. This is one of many external events that we will deal with in the coming years, and typically external events are totally out of our control.
What I would like to talk about today is something that is totally in our control........ our thoughts. Those who know me realize that I love to read. I have tried to read a new book every 7-10 days for over 20 years now and try to take something away from each book I have read. By and large I have been on track with this.. Virutally everything I say and do has been learned from someone elses thought and their wisdom. Some of my favorite readings have been from the ‘self-help’ section of the book stores. Authors like Denis Waitley, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Brian Tacey, etc. along with people in the sports world like Vince Lombardi and Bobby Bowden, have been my ‘heroes’ and distant mentors for many, many years. The reason I like these types of authors is that typically I can cull some good information from their writings that I can plug into my life to help me be a better me. Two of my favorite quotes come from Denis Waitley..........and they both deal with our thought life. As mentioned in the above paragraph, external events are out of our control, but our thoughts are totally in our control.
“We become what we think about most of the time...........(ie: our dominant thoughts)” is one of the Denis Waitley quotes that I really like. If we think good, we get good. If we think garbage, we get garbage. There are people who can light up a room when they enter it. They are positive, outgoing vibrant people who try to shine the best light onto all that they come into contact with. However, have you ever been around someone who complains all the time, is negative about everything, who can find nothing good to say about anything, who gossips and runs other people down? These people light up the room.......when they leave it!! I refuse to associate with these types of people. The gossipers and malcontents have no room in my life. I have enough problems of my own to deal with than to waste my time, and theirs, and be dragged down by these people with, as Zig Ziglar calls it, “stinkin’ thinkin”. So if I am going to try to be the best person I can be (and God knows I am one flawed human being), I feel it is important to surround myself with people who tend to be positive in their own lives.
Another Denis Waitley quote is: “It doesn’t matter what happens in your life......it is how you take it”. Again this is all in the attitude. You cannot be all things to all people. I realize that I am not going to be agreed with and/or liked by everybody. When I ran for public office back in 2001, and was elected by a 70-30% margin..........I felt very good about it...........until a good friend of mine pointed out that 30% of the people who voted didn’t like me enough to vote for me. Boy did that really put things into perspective for me? People have their own thoughts, values, mores and perspectives in how life should be. Thats fine with me and I try not to let it affect how I run my home life, my business life and my schools. I’ve found that if I simply try to consistently do what is right for me given my own thoughts, values, and mores, and, try not to hurt anyone in the process...... then things tend to work out just fine.
Whoever is going to be our new President will have won, with almost half of the country voting ‘against’ him. The most powerful man in the world will have immediate detractors and ‘enemies’. But, something tells me that he will not dwell on the people who voted against him. I believe he will immediately be thinking about 100% of the people in this country and how he can help make our world a better place.
I think in our own way that each of us can do the same thing for ourselves in our own lives. When we change our thoughts............we can change our lives, and become the best people that we can be.
Good Training!
November 3, 2008Monday, November 03, 2008
Welcome to the JaxBJJ Blog. I will be using this blog for my students and potential students to get a feel for JaxBJJ, to discuss BJJ thoughts and techniques, to share stories and quotes, etc.. I look forward to communicating with you in this format moving forward. As election day is tomorrow, please remember to vote!
Please remember to sign-up online for the Flavio Almeida Seminar on Nov. 8th. Also, the 3rd annual “Fall Sprawl” is rapidly approaching. The “Fall Sprawl” is a gi tournament that will be held on November 22nd and is open to all Children and Adult JaxBJJ Students. Pre-Registration is a must for both events. The sign-up links are in the news section. Please sign-up ASAP.
Many thanks for your continued efforts.
Train Hard....Train Smart!!
Professor Larry Shealy
November 3, 2008
