With Xande Ribeiro, Mendes Bros, Robert Drysdale, Luanna Alzuguir and Sophia McDermott in Sydney around now, for all the people that have asked me this week "Why should I attend a seminar?" here are my thoughts:
1. Meet someone
We live in a world obsessed with celebrity, where people aspire to be like someone else, or are inspired by someone else. Why can't this apply to your jiu jitsu? Why don't you have role models that do jiu jitsu?Have you met BJJ practitioners from another gym or another country? Do you have knowledge of what constitutes achievement in BJJ and the people that are acknowledged for it?
At the most basic level, attending a seminar means you get to meet someone new, learn about their story and the way they approach the Art - you get to meet someone that trains BJJ in another country and make a friend that you'll probably visit later on in your BJJ career. You don't have to be a coloured belt to benefit.
2. Learn some BJJ technique
Then there's the obvious - learn some technique. The answer I get to this point is usually "I'm a beginner - the techniques will be too advanced" or "I already saw his instructional video" or "I'll just learn it from someone else that goes". I'm sure that if you've stuck with training BJJ, you've realised how fiddly it is, had the frustration of something not working, and had that 'ahhh' moment when you've realised its all about the detail. I've found that the delivery of these detail varies amongst instructors, and sometimes, you just understand the way one person phrases an instruction over another - you just "get it" better. Why rob yourself of an opportunity to "get it" because you've just started? Isn't that the point of being a student? I think white belts benefit from this the most.
Nothing compares to someone who is an expert in a particular area looking at your technique and making suggestions on how you could do it better. A fellow student might show you the technique after the event, but are you getting all the details - remember playing chinese whispers when you were a kid?
3. Learn some BJJ philosophy
Seeing someone else teach their take on a common technique might give you a renewed insight or different perspective on BJJ. Why is that important? Because BJJ involves conceptual learning and a bit of imagination. Sometimes you need to see something from a different angle. Sometimes you need to think about WHY you are doing X technique and HOW X technique works biomechanically rather than just where to put your arms and legs.Seminars are often the place that instructors do talk about philosophy, because they cannot take for granted that everyone in the room is familiar with their views, nor do they have tomorrow (or the next lesson) to revisit the topic. Is it ever too early for a lesson on how to approach your learning in jiu jitsu?
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| Take advantage of opportunities to get another perspective... |
4. Learn some BJJ history
Meet a member of the Gracie family. Listen to stories from back in the day. Get informed. Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it. Alternatively, they will fail to identify when circumstances change and neglect to adapt to the situation. Getting informed doesn't require a coloured belt in jiu jitsu.
5. Learn how you learn BJJ
Instructors teach differently, and if you train with the same group of people every day, often you'll be subjected to the same verbal, visual and physical cues whenever you are learning. Learning from someone else in a different teaching style or context gives you an opportunity to appreciate and learn about how you and your instructor relate to eachother. Do you learn by watching? Do you need to hear it a different way? Do you need the technique demonstrated on you? |
| Getting a different angle on things, in another country |
6. Get a wider, more informed perspective
If you require an expert medical opinion, do you go to just one doctor? Do you go to a GP or a specialist? Do you go to a doctor straight out of med school, or someone with more experience?I think the same applies to BJJ. You have your instructor, your team - just like your regular GP, that know everything about you and teach you all the basics. Doing seminars is like seeking more opinions, or a specialist opinion, on how to do jiu jitsu. Getting more information allows you to make a more informed decision on how you go about learning your jiu jitsu and applying your arsenal of BJJ techniques.
Have you been to a seminar lately? What do you think?
All very valid reasons Laura! Wish I'd gone to Saturdays seminar "0)
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