Martial arts and business have a lot of things in common, more then most people think. I heard a saying one time and it goes like this; “wanna learn something new? Read a book that’s a 100 years old” Interesting saying right? Well, yesterday I was riding along in my car and I was listening to one of my old business CD’s and the guy on it said something that was an awesome idea and then I thought about it for a sec…I used to do this but stopped! Why I stopped doing it I’m not sure, did it work so well i got bored or did i just get bored? Either way somewhere along the lines I forgot about it, so what’s old has become new again and the excitement is there as if I just discovered it. This will happen to you in life and for sure in the MMA gym.
This sort of thing happens to me all the time. This is why I think it’s important to take notes in class all the time. When you get a lazy Sunday at some point, use that time to flip open your notes and start looking up some past techniques. I mean, what’s the point of taking notes if you never look at them right?! I’m willing to bet if you have enough notes that you’ll be like “ah ha I totally forgot about that move!” And then you go back to the practice room and begin re working on the skill or skills.
I guess what I’m getting at here is while at the same time always be looking for new tricks and ways to be doing things but also at the same time don’t forget all the good stuff you know. Lots of times the problem with people is they go around looking for the next big thing and they forget about the basics and what’s worked for them in the past.
This is something that happened to a lot of fighters at some point in their training. They get so good at a certain technique that they can just do it to pretty much anyone in the room at any point. What’s the problem with that you ask? They get bored of the move/technique and stop doing it! So then in time they forget about it even through it’s a super good technique. Odd as it may be it happens a lot. You just have to get to that level. My advise, stick to what works for you on the highest level opponents. That’s a Black Belt tip guys…
A little story on this. When I was around 20 or 21 years old I had a technique that I used from the half guard that I could do to pretty much anyone at any time. Not everyone of course but I could do this technique to most opponents. I hit it so much and so often that it got boring to me and I just stopped doing it. So a while pasted (years) and I was in Mexico training with my friend at his academy and I remembered this technique just out of the blue and started doing it again. I remember being like a kid on Xmas morning because I rediscovered this move and was having a blast trying it all over again. Now I work on it daily, lesson learned on that btw. In case you’re wondering, the technique was a lift using the legs from the half guard, we call a Saulo sweep.
In closing, take notes, study and don’t forget the good stuff that works. If you do forget, it’s fine, go back to it and try it again, it’s going to add new life to your training and make you remember why the skill is so awesome in the first place.
Oh and of course, some videos for you guys and gals to study. A mix of a few things today.
