Inverted Gear Blog
Tag: Jiu-Jitsu Advice
Big Panda Swinging
I started my BJJ career at 190 pounds, and I put weight on over the years, moving from middle heavy, to heavy, to super heavy, and now back down to middle heavy. I have always been on the big side of the room when it came to pairing up for as long as I can remember. But for years, some of my best training partners were much smaller than me. They were in the featherweight or lightweight divisions. Fast forward: my wife is 120 pounds and one of my most technical black belts I have in my immediate surrounding, so how do you train with people much smaller than you? What rules should you follow? Concede the bottom position. If...
Challenging the Traditional Logic on Teaching
When I was first learning how to teach, certain “best practices” were common knowledge. These were the “right” ways to be a good teacher, run a good class, and design a good curriculum. You see these in the teaching guides in any field: A logical step-by-step progression is necessary for optimal learning Each technique and each class should logically follow the previous one Stick with a single topic or technique until you have it down perfectly Doing many deliberate, precise repetitions is the best way to get clean technique A good instructor explains everything in great depth and shows every detail Students have ideal learning styles such as visual, auditory, verbal, or kinesthetic These are uncontroversial and “everyone knows” they...
Evicting Ring Girls (and Other Cage-Side Thoughts)
Sometimes you have to kick a ring girl out of her seat, and other insights from working the corner in MMA fights.
The Four BJJ Archetypes - Which Are You?
Over my years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I’ve come up with a theory of four archetypes for like-minded jiu-jiteiros that I call The Competitor, The Scholar, The Hobbyist, and The Traditionalist. Let me describe these archetypes, and you can see if you recognize yourself in any of them: The Competitor wants be challenged and test themselves against others. Most obviously, competitors are eager to hit up tournaments in hopes of taking home gold. That said, not everyone with the “competitor’s spirit” goes to tournaments, but they may just approach their training with a heightened intensity. Competitors are likely to put in the extra work to stay in shape and eat right so they can achieve peak performance. They can be selfish...
Why Lower Belts Make Great Instructors
Did you just show up to class to discover a blue or purple belt covering? Never fear. Here’s why taking classes with blues and purples is good for you and for the team.
How to Return to BJJ After a Long Break
Sometimes life gets in the way of BJJ. Accidents and injuries will knock you out of training. When you are sidelined with an injury, illness, or even a blessing like a new baby or a job promotion, it’s easy to go stir crazy. What’s the secret to a smooth return? Here’s my advice for getting you back on the mats ASAP:Set realistic expectations. Taking two weeks off to go on spring break is different than being laid out for six months after ACL surgery. Don’t expect to jump right back in at your previous intensity level if that’s unrealistic. Take it easy at first and only push yourself when it makes sense, not because you’re impatient or because someone else...
Me vs. White Belt Me
In his latest article, Marshal reflects on how his perspective on jiu-jitsu has changed in the 10+ years since he first stepped on to the mat.
A Jiu-Jiteiro’s Guide to Surviving the Workday
Most of us spend our days sitting in front of screens, whether that’s at work desks or our couches, and this takes a toll on our bodies we often fail to take seriously. Sitting all day may seem “low stress” since it is low effort, but being sedentary has its own damaging effects on our physical and mental health. We then act surprised when we go to BJJ and hurt our lower backs or pull muscles and wake up the day after training with stiff necks and sore joints. What makes us think sitting bent over at a desk all day will prepare our body for the stress of training? In this guide, I’ll give you the practical advice you...
What to Do with “I will never use this” Techniques
Ever learn a move in class and think to yourself, “I will never use this”? In Marshal’s new blog, he talks about why these techniques are important and what surprising results often come from them.