Learning to Teach (Part 3)

In the previous anecdotes, I have discovered the necessity of having confidence in what I teach and having a proper plan in place. By stringing a common theme into the lessons, the students are more likely to remember the concept rather than memorizing specific moves. Now to expand what teaching regularly has taught me to journey further outside my comfort zone in order to deliver a better product. When I say product, I mean giving the people the tools they need to better their games based off how they have been progressing.

There is a constant feedback loop when you watch people drill and roll, which opens up a snapshot of the person's potential direction with their game. It could simply be an area that they are lacking or a prediction on where they may prosper. Either way, reading your students and their progress/struggles is an absolute necessity. If you don't tailor your teachings to the needs of your audience, both parties lose.

It doesn't take long before you'll notice these trends in class and once the light has been shined on an area of interest, it is important for you to begin your deeper research in that specific area. I constantly find myself going down the rabbit hole in terms of the reactionary side of a situation. I emphasize more detail because I want to ensure that the idea isn't linear and can deviate upon different circumstances. Jiu jitsu is a living art-form based off everyone involved. Rolls will differ from one another like snowflakes, which can be frustrating to replicate a new idea. It's important to stay persistent in learning games other than your own to further your team's development as well as your own.

So you found an area that is lacking in someone's game and you've done your research, now what? It's time to extract the key points of the solution and translate it to where this person may be showing weakness. For example, if someone is having a difficult time getting out of the north-south position and they aren't that flexible, it's beneficial for them to know that they can transition back to side control to work their more dominant escapes. Likewise, if they are constantly failing to get back to side control and need a different tactic of relief, it may be beneficial to introduce them to the benefits of inverting to recover their guard. Understanding where the individual is struggling and what they are already trying to do can cut down on the time of finding a solution and help select the best option(s).

Now what about finding areas in someone's game that are non-existent that would improve their overall experience? Finding an area of focus for someone is not only good for immediate improvement, but also gives the person a goal to work towards. Some people need the extra push to set goals for self-improvement. Be a good guide by not only telling the person what may help, but do your research and give them options.

Finally, once a new idea has been put in place for a person to work on, it is crucial to make sure that there is a follow up. Are they still having problems? If so, at which parts of the move? If not, is there anything additionally they discovered in the process? Take the time to recognize the progress and learn from the student to improve your own jiu jitsu. Teaching is a two-way street! Before you know it, you'll be implementing those same changes to your own jiu jitsu.

Never stop learning and always keep building together. Jiu jitsu is infinite and constantly evolving. With the input of your peers, you can adopt the principle of becoming a little bit better each and every day! As always, keep training and never stop rolling.