Relative Progression in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts – Youth Program
Have you ever felt like your ju jutsu, jiu jitsu, jiu-jitsu or jujitsu (however you want to spell it…) or mixed martial arts game wasn’t getting any better? Like you were working hard and seeming to stay in the same place? Are you consistently performing better than some people and consistently getting controlled by other people? There may be a reason for this and it is not that you are not getting better.
The reason is relative progression. What does this mean? This means that as you are training, working hard, learning, and, yes, getting better; so are all of your teammates. As you are improving, they are improving at the same speed. They are getting better right along with you. You are all getting better, stronger, smarter, and faster. So you stay in the same relative position to them.
Sometimes, this can be frustrating. When we work hard, we like to be rewarded by seeing that we are getting better. So when we cannot see the progression daily, it can be frustrating. If this has happened to you or is happening to you, don’t worry; it happens to everyone. You are not alone in this.
What can you do about this? Is it always going to be like this? Are you ever going to feel like you are progressing? Let’s take these one at time.
Can you do anything about this? The answer is yes. You can keep training jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts consistently. What you will see is that as you train consistently, others will not be as consistent. You will start to see that you able to move easier and with less effort against those who are not as consistent. You will see that your abilities will start to match or surpass other’s abilities that previously were superior to yours. You will grow confident and patient knowing that, even if your progression is not always evident, your consistency will keep you moving forward.
Is it always going to be like this? Yes and no. Yes it will and you want it to be. You want your teammates growing right along with you. You need them to get better. They need you to get better. Growing together is one of the great things about jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts
And no, because you will stop being frustrated and by this and learn to accept that it is beneficial to you and your growth.
Are you going to ever feel like you are progressing? Most of the time no. But, you are. You will see this most evidently when a new student joins class. You will see that you know a ton! After just a few classes, you know so much more than someone who knows nothing. You will see and feel this if you work technique or train with the new person. You will be shocked at what they do not know because to you it is beginning to become second nature. Then you will realize how much you have learned and how much you are progressing.
The takeaway for this is that if you want to get better, go to your jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts class consistently. If you want to see how far you have progressed, should you beat up on the new guy? No. The takeaway is that progression is going to be tough to measure. Much of the time it will feel like you are staying in the same place. The key is to realize this is a good thing. This means that, yes, you are getting better. It also means you are part of a strong jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts team that is getting better right along with you.
This same concept applies to children in martial arts. They may not think they’re learning self-defense because of all the fun they’re having but they are without a doubt! Sure many things can get in the way of them wanting to train such as getting singled out by friends or in the teenage years they believe they are too cool. Well if the parent keeps the child strong and consistent than the child will follow and be consistent on their own. Contact us now to enroll your child in out Youth Mixed Martial Arts program or to enroll yourself as well and see the Relative Progression that follows upon signing up.
Renato Migliaccio
Head Coach,
Sampa Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Academy
Glendora, California
(626) 335 – 4971