Jiu Jitsu is Life

Guess which one of us is the best jiu jitsu guy in the world.

Since 1998 I have had the good fortune of training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with a great group of guys. Our instructor is Rickson Gracie black belt Craig Husband, who may tip the scales at 170lbs, but feels more like a 1970s-era Buick. BJJ is an evolution of Jiu Jitsu originating in Japan, but BJJ's aim is to take the fight to the ground, with a focus on leverage and positioning over power and athleticism. Which is great for those of us getting longer in the tooth!

We who train in BJJ share an instant camaraderie, not unlike many sports. I feel a close kinship with the others in our group, and an instant friendship with others who train.

Sometimes when I travel, (more during the earlier years), I would go find a local BJJ joint and pay $20 to train for the evening. I would also wear a white belt instead of whatever belt rank I had at the time. (FYI, people love catching those with higher belts in submission holds and making them tap out, I know I used to!) But now I just want to come in and roll, with no expectations except learning. The last thing I need is some testosterone-rich lower belt wanting to hang my head on their wall as a trophy.

But that changed when I got my black belt in 2012. First off, I felt pretty darn unworthy (and still do) when Craig promoted me to black belt. Only studs get black belts, and I still can't hit a flying arm bar or an inverted triangle. But also, when awarded the belt, I was advised that I had to defend it. So I felt at that point that showing up at another club without my black belt would be disrespectful to my instructor. Also, if I showed up and some purple belt mopped up the mats with me, I was concerned that would reflect poorly on Craig.

But this year I turn 50, so now I have the AARP excuse!

My instructor with his.

I have learned a ton in my nearly 20 years, but without a doubt, the most important thing I have learned is what is called "base." Base incorporates posture, positioning, balance, etc., but also, at least for me, is mindset and breathing. When competing, only one person can have base, and interestingly, when you have base, your opponents are helpless to use their technique, strength, conditioning and heart against you. In fact, it is when a person doesn't have base that they tap into their strength and heart to try to compensate. While the concept of base is tough to articulate, it is easily understood when good guy gets a hold of you.

In the western classic "The Comancheros," John Wayne helped his partner differentiate a gopher snake from a rattlesnake, "You see those markings? A cross hatch over light. It makes him look like a rattler. But you can see a thousand like him. But when you see your first rattlesnake, you'll know the difference."

As soon as I get my hands on someone, I know what I am tangled up with. Either they got base, or I do. When UFC commentator Joe Rogan earned his black belt, he said there's no BS in jiu jitsu, and those who have trained for years totally get that. As soon as you tie up with a training partner, you immediately know their skill level. Some McDojos hand out belt advancements for paying a testing fee and doing a kata right, but that doesn't mean the person can fight their way out of a paper bag. In BJJ, application is everything.

It's all about that base.

This translates into other areas of life, which is why you sometimes here in BJJ circles, "Jiu jitsu is life." When in stressful situations, I focus on my base, and all is good. For some reason, the physical state affects the mental one, and the resulting base yields a favorable outcome.

Call us the "Silverbacks Club."

OSS!