Being one
of the smaller athletes in my gym, I find myself getting frustrated with my size
and how it disadvantages me whenever I roll. No matter how hard I try to keep up with some of
my teammates in my jiu jitsu school, I just get myself stuck in awkward
situations where I end up uncomfortably pinned to the ground. This always happens because I give them the opportunity. I find myself trying to play the same game that I play with smaller people, which can be a bad idea. It really used to
bother me when this would happen. I was never mad at my teammates for doing so,
but the fact that I had allowed myself to get into that position really bugged me.
I knew I had to create a new mindset for myself and mentally realize that my
size wasn’t the issue. I have to work extra hard on my techniques because I
can’t depend on my strength while rolling with people who can overpower me.
Through
jiu jitsu, you learn how to use techniques and your body weight, no matter how
much you weigh, to perform moves and grapple in a beautiful way. When you do a move,
you use your body weight and technical details. It’s almost like using an
“action-reaction” philosophy. You can make your opponent move one way, so that
you can force them to move another way more easily. You have to learn how this
philosophy works, especially if you’re smaller. You can’t just try to muscle
your way in and out of things. You have to use your head. You have to think.
How am I
going to be able to use what I do have against my opponent in order to win? I
can use my agility to move around my opponent. Because I am smaller, I can move
quickly without getting easily fatigued. Eventually, I can adapt to this way of
thinking and learn how to efficiently pass. I can also use my smaller build to
get underneath people and work my guard. Jiu jitsu was made in ways so that a smaller person
could realistically beat somebody bigger than them. Technique is key in order
to do so though. Strength is important, but having a good knowledge of the
essential techniques is what excels jiu jitsu athletes into improving their
game.
When you
see yourself falling into a rut and becoming frustrated with your performance,
take a step back and analyze your game. What am I doing wrong? What am I
constantly confronting and how can I fix this problem? Instead of making
excuses about why you are not doing well, look at yourself and change what you
are doing. Think of it as a positive learning experience as to what you can do
for yourself in order to succeed. If it's important to you, you will find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse.
--Morgan Beverly
Normally I would use BJJ to make a Spiritual point instead of the other way around but...
ReplyDeleteRevelation 3:8 says, "I know what you've been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name." Many people are hung up and discouraged that they are not strong powerful beings (Physically, Financially, Mentally and so forth) but that is not the point. The point made is that you do have some. What you do with what you posses matters.
Keep up the good work :-)