心技体 read in Japanese shin-gi-tai, is a martial arts philosophy often seen in calligraphy on the walls of martial arts dojos. This philosophy is based on an interconnected idea that a practice in each singular area contributes to polishing the other areas of yourself.
Shin, 心 means heart. When the heart is full, the body is forged further and your skills are polished
Gi, 技 means technique. When you polish your skills, the heart grows full and the body is forged stronger.
Tai, 体 means body. When the body is forged fully, the heart becomes full and steady while your skills dyed into the self.
While this is one simple explanation, the philosophy of shin-gi-tai is quite multi dimensional and this explanation alone shouldn’t be an end to understanding but rather the beginning to a more complete understanding of your self.
I would challenge all martial artists to intermittently check in to the idea of shin-gi-tai in your journey and practice of martial arts. In fact, many other skills or activities like calligraphy, flower arrangement, and ceramics have also referred to shin-gi-tai as a component of developing the in the art.
Check in to the idea of shin-gi-tai and see how it does or doesn’t relate to your practice. How has your understanding of the philosophy changed or been reinforced?
Learning is the process of acquiring and developing skills. While the act of learning is a one time activity, the process of learning is a continuous activities of repetition.
Here we talk about the mindset of learning in a three part process.
LEARN
REVIEW
REFINE
At first glance this three part process seems very simple and basic. However, there are layers upon layers of repetition to each step.
First is LEARN. Anything new needs to be learned, but different teachers will emphasize different ideas, elements, or concepts. Therefore having an open mind to learning is helpful. We can sometimes fall into the trap of dismissing basic ideas, movements or positions because we have “already seen it.” This is a common trap in never quite being able to execute a technique and fully learn or understand the material. Approach training and the process of learning with an open mind.
Second, REVIEW the material often. Review is the step that people skip. They fall into a trap thinking they understand and start refining when they never took it upon themselves to put in the repetition under different circumstances. Revisit what the coach talked about, explore other material that is similar to the topic of conversation. Review and repeat. Don’t try to add your “flare” to the technique quite yet. Instead, try to understand what the instruction was all about by working it as much as possible.
Finally REFINE. This is when you get to truly own what you have been working on. I also think this is the process of mastery (again, not a final destination, but a mindset and mentality). Refine the details not just to better your understanding but also to better be able to adapt the technique with different types of opponents. Many people want to immediately jump to this stage because it’s fun to put your “flare” and make it your own, but unless you put in the energy and effort to review and repeat, the final process of refining seldom is successful.
Most importantly, I believe we need to understand that learning is a process and not a result of a few actions. This requires the student to have the mindset in how they approach the process and have the self awareness to know what stage of learning they are looking to develop.
This is a documentary video not just on SUMO, Japan’s national sport, but also an insight into the lifestyle of traditional martial arts as a cut throat professional competition.
While this is NOT what we look to replicate at our jiujitsu studio, there are valuable ideas, lessons, and philosophy we can take and understand from the documentary. Needless to say, if you understand stand up grappling, wrestling, and body position, it’s a fun technical look into the art of takedowns.
While this documentary centers around the career of KYOKUSHUZAN “SHU,” it’s also includes the similar difficulties experienced by other non-Japanese wrestlers.
Some ideas discussed:
Training for long term vs short term
Understanding the BIG picture
Rank and responsibility
Mental toughness
Size, strength, speed, and technique
Mentorship and apprenticeship
Again, this isn’t the type of culture we want to replicate at edhbjj. However, it’s important to understand the different dynamics that exists within an ultra competitive environment of martial arts. Better understanding these dynamics allows us to better what we do at our jiujitsu school.
There are two main ways you can learn and improve your jiujitsu while being off the mat.
Visualization of jiujitsu
Watching jiujitsu
This post will focus on some ways to observe, study, and analyze jiu-jitsu. In general, there are several different ways of watching jiujitsu. You can watch jiujitsu competition, jiujitsu technique video, and recently there are new and innovative ways that bridge the gap between these two distinctly different types of jiujitsu study. (Some people have filmed themselves training with voice overs, some have clipped together jiujitsu movements by the same of different athletes with a technical breakdown inserted into the video) These are great tools to help you boost your ability in watching and observing because it allows you to LOOK for WHAT you are LOOKING for.
If you’re new to jiujitsu and/or new to watching jiujitsu competition start with the WHITEBELTS. (even if you are not a white belt any more, if you have few hours of jiujitsu study, you are most likely lacking in the “skill” of analyzing jiujitsu). Here is what you should look for in watching the competition:
Patters in positions (What are the common positions you notice?)
Patters in movement (What are the common attacks you notice?)
Watching the BEST of the BEST competing in the PINNACLE of the SPORT is a fun way to experience jiujitsu (especially LIVE and IN PERSON) There’s so much energy in the arena, I would encourage everyone to to and watch the world championships at some point in their jiujitsu journey. However, this might not be the best or most efficient way to learn and improve for YOU. Watching the best in action is fun and exciting, but sometimes won’t translate directly to you being able to execute what you saw for yourself. At the highest level, there are many more variables of strategy, rule bending, and athleticism.
Much like the practice of jiujitsu, where you train and incrementally learn and rank up in belt, there is a skill to learning how to watch, learn, observe, and analyze the game. The more engaged hours you spend watching jiujitsu competitions the better you become at interpreting the information for yourself and others to understand. So, don’t shy away from watching ALL LEVELS of jiujitsu competition. You might find yourself able to learn better from watching a blue or purple belt competition. In theory, their technique and attacks are a little more simple and less disguised. You may find the activity more enjoyable than watching a 10 minute black belt match with little to know action (don’t hesitate to fast forward). When the times comes, you should also rewind, and replay multiple times!
A good phrase to remember when competing for yourself and also when watching others compete: “The best athlete doesn’t always win the competition, the athlete who competes the best is the winner.” Observing who is competing the best on that day, observing who finds a way to win regardless of the odds is another fun part of watching competitions.
As we continue to roll through 2021, taking on challenges and ambitiously working towards your goals, it’s important to stop and think about what you are avoiding.
What am I avoiding during my training?
A bigger stronger person
A new student with no technique
A smaller person
An experienced veteran who always wins
A competitor
My weak points
While the list goes on, it’s important to remember there are things that should be avoided in training.
Bad hygiene
High intensity without technique
Rude behavior
Illegal moves and holds
Today we’re talking about the first list, not the second, and the importance of addressing them with the skills and tools we have available. The more we work on addressing what we avoid, the BETTER we will get! It’s important so I’ll repeat that… The more we work on addressing what we avoid, the BETTER we will get! I use the pleural “we” because it usually involves you and your training partner problem solving and the ripple effect from that makes US ALL BETTER!
The first step is to think about and figure out WHAT you avoid (maybe both on and off the mat). This could be a conscious thing, it could be a subconscious thing. The next step is to think about WHY you avoid certain aspects of training.
ex: “I avoid warm ups because they are hard.” “I avoid people who roll hard because I don’t like to train hard.” “I don’t do leg locks because I have bad knees.”
Once you know WHAT and WHY, it would be good to think about the TOOLS and SKILLS you have available to work through or work with what you have been avoiding. Usually things involves the practice of COMMUNICATION (A constant practice and sometimes difficult thing but very useful and important).
Don’t hesitate to talk to a coach first. Your coach has experienced many things multiple times and might be better equipped with the tools and skills to address what’s being avoided.
In our mind, we might be thinking this isn’t going to be easy. We often avoid things because we know (or just think) something is going to be difficult. That’s why it’s important to consult with a coach or a training partner who has been around longer for help. They can guide you and hopefully show you how to better take on something you’ve been avoiding with ease.
In the process of learning jiujitsu and working towards your goals, it’s important to prioritize consistency. Consistency is the base of the pyramid when it comes to taking on big challenges, accomplishing an ambitious goal, and embracing a lifelong practice of health and wellness.
Coach Aaron coined a great phrase, “don’t let your intensity surpass your technical ability.” When talking about rolling on the mat. This has been a phrase we use to help students understand the importance of both technique and intensity. While this phrase may not seem related with consistency, it’s an important part of staying consistent on the mat.
Many times, students who only prioritize intensity lack consistency. Intensity can lead to injuries which result in time lost on the mat. Intensity can also lead to the student not able to recover enough to consistently make it to practice. Intensity is a part of the equation but consistency needs to be at the base in working towards a task.
Another way to look at it: If I were to assign you to write a 365 page book, in a day or a week… Many of us would probably fail from the overwhelming intensity it would take to complete. However, if we had an entire year to accomplish the project, writing 1-2 pages everyday, it would be difficult but doable. CONSISTENT action would allows us to finish the task with relative ease. A good way to flip what we are saying: BE INTENSE WITH YOUR CONSISTENCY NOT JUST YOUR INTENSITY.
Consistency might look different for different people. Where you are on the “map” will determine what your consistency looks like. If you eat 3 meals a day for 7 days a week, that’s a total of 21 meals. If you’re looking to eat healthy consistently, then it would be good to look at your total meals and see how many of them are good or bad. Maybe all of your meals are fast food takeouts. Then simply changing breakfast or dinner to home cooked meals might reflect a step in the right direction.
Things to remember when thinking about consistency:
Focus on the process not the results
Look at the big picture: 21 meals a week
Define what consistency means or looks to you
Be intense with your consistency not just your intensity.
The new year is full of excitement and enthusiasm. We tend to be super excited to welcome the new year because it is a symbolic representation of a phase or moment in time ending and a new beginning. These transitions mark an opportunity for us to set goals and challenge ourselves and those around us. Resolutions and goal setting are a great thing to do with the new year, but can be done at any point in life.
In taking on goals and challenges, there are some helpful ideas to consider. First, where do you “exist” on the outline of your goal. We can think of this as a map, that helps us see where we have been, where we are and where we would like to go. Often, we only think of our destination but when you go on a journey it’s important to consider all three points of perspective. Where did you start, where are you now, and where are you going. The map is a good reminder that there are many towns and cities to experience along the way. The map also shows us that there are usually more than one road to take to get to the final destination.
Second, you need to know what direction you are traveling in to get to your destination. A compass is like a coach, mentor, a good friend, a family member, and even yourself that helps you move in the correct direction. You could have a great detailed map, but without a compass… You could be heading north when you need to be going south.
While the map and compass are the essential tools needed to move in the direction of your goals, it’s nice to have a dependable and appropriate mode of transportation. The vehicle in martial arts is your body. You need to maintain the body with good fuel, periodic oil changes, maintenance, and new tires. These changes represent not just the body but the mind as well.
The ability to maintain your vehicle is related to the ability to adjust with the different terrain. You will face different adversities, get stuck in mud if you are going on a dirt road and address the hazards of the path. The more accurate your map and compass are, the better you will manage through these difficult situations. Notice, while much of this is a quest of self awareness and reflection, having trustworthy tools to help you navigate and make adjustments are very important.
Goal setting is a helpful component of martial arts practice because it allows us to better understand ourselves, our motivations, and our why. Knowing the answer to why we are doing certain tasks allows us to better follow through on tasks with meaningful intentions. A map and a compass allow us to better enjoy the journey and appreciate the scenery along the way. While there are going to be unanticipated surprises, a concrete goal gives us the ability to reset and get back on the road whenever possible. Our personal success is a result of our hard work and determination, but it’s also a reflection of teamwork, collaboration, and people who have your best interest in mind.
Tasks to consider:
MAPPING: Reflect on where you were, consider where you are, and project where you want to go.
COMPASS: What guidance or system do you follow. Do you listen to advice? Who do you have that will give you helpful advice.
TERRAIN: How do you adjust with the adversities that you face. Do you seek help from your map and compass? Can you make adjustments.
VEHICLE: Do you maintain and tune up your transportation? What type of fuel do you provide? Do you ignore signs of wear and tear?
Tanner (a white belt who often did the nogi and wrestling classes) was training at a nearby gym recently and suffered from a seizure. He was in a coma and sent to intensive care. Unfortunately, he passed away less than a week later. He was 25 years old.
On Tuesday, Oct 13th @ 5 pm Tanner’s parents are coming into Urban Sprawl, where Tanner was last training to talk about their son.
We don’t know what the gyms protocol is on social distancing, etc. Please be prepared to follow their guidelines.
Blue belt promotion for Kyle: Kyle is a college student who has a part time job and still find the to train consistently.He is a scholar athlete. Pursuing a degree in nutritional sciences, he has ambitions to make an impact on people by educating them about food. Originally a skater, he found himself getting injured and turned to jiujitsu as activity. We’re excited to see him continue to progress as a student and an athlete!
Brown belt promotion in the hills Matt has traveled the world working and experiencing jiujitsu. He came with a big tool belt of knowledge, happy to share what he knows and an open mind to learn. In training himself and mentoring others, he doesn’t hold anything back. Congratulations!
