Choosing a BJJ or MMA Instructor

Today was one of those mornings. I woke up early, but also stayed up real late working on some things. It's been the norm lately. I was planning to train this morning, but I was simply too tired. Again, it's the ongoing challenge to balance different passions in life. No complains thought. At least I'm doing what I enjoy. (Also, I had a pretty bad burn on my tricep from the ropes while training MMA, which just started to scab and heal quicker.)

I thought about the different fighters, trainers, and instructors I've learned and trained with my entire life, and tried to determine who had the most impact on my developed skills (i.e. who "taught" me the most). Everyone had a different teaching style, emphasis, philosophy, and overall approach. Some taught by way of a strict class and lesson structure, while others advocated an unorthodox style of trial and error, and question and answer. Choosing a good instructor is very important and I wanted to share my thoughts on the subject.

Now, this is not a blog about visiting schools, feeling out the instructor and/or deciding whether you're a fit. To me, that is common sense when joining a martial arts school, taking private lessons, or attending seminars. This blog focuses more on the various teaching styles instructors have and which methods seem the most effective to me.

I'd say that over 75% of the "seniors" I've trained with were the type that focused too much on techniques. Being technical is not wrong. What I mean by focusing too much on technique is that these instructors simply taught a lot of techniques to students. Day after day there would be new techniques; but, there wasn't enough understanding and drilling of the positions. No one really had a chance to get a good grasp of the techniques. Likewise, many people forgot a lot of the techniques. I'm a visual learner and tend to rehearse moves in my mind well, so I didn't have much difficulty just seeing a technique a couple of times. But, I know a lot of other students struggled because they needed more practice.

Out of the remaining 25%, I would say 10% were "traditional" instructors who showed maybe 4-6 techniques/positions/moves for months. I think there was a time where I did the Americana and Ezekial choke for three straight months. This was back in the 90s, and clearly, these instructors were trying to hold back. Unfortunately, these instructors' students often get beat in competition now.

The other 15% were simply the best instructors I've ever experienced. I should say that they still are, too. I find it amazing that the 15% that I know are respected by the MMA/BJJ community, but they do not get the credit they deserve--and I tell you, they deserve a lot of it. They aren't as popular as other instructors, but their knowledge and experience blows the competition away in many areas. These instructors were not about feeding you a ton of techniques. They were not "BJJ encyclopedias" who just continued to throw technique after technique at you--to the point where you might get confused or overwhelmed. These instructors were people who knew the little details that many other "professionals" did not know. The details that make all the difference in the world. The 15% were the type who taught a technique, its details, and then conducted drills until the technique was strongly understood and could be applied when sparring. There was never wasted time, and there wasn't endless and "useless" repetition (as opposed to the "traditional" instructors I had). Also, athleticism was never needed to pull off the techniques they showed, but athleticism did make using the moves even simpler.

If you're looking for a class to join, about to attend a seminar, or take private lessons, I recommend that you learn from someone who conveys that he/she truly has a deep understanding of many areas--not just superficial technique, but specific reasons behind very specific moves (e.g. hand placement, hip movement, etc.). When I say very specific, I mean, extremely. One instructor told me to listen/feel for when a person inhales/exhales and how it will tell me when they were going to "burst." It's been years, and that little detail has held true. No one has ever come close to teaching me that or hinting that they knew/know about it.

Keep in mind, you'll want to learn from someone who is a "teacher." The best teachers can break things down into little pieces of information that you can absorb quickly and more effectively. Remember, a good fighter does not always equal a good teacher. However, to get the best of both worlds is ideal. You want to learn from someone who is a great fighter and excellent teacher. If you're still not sure, look at a school's team or instructor's students. How did they do in competition? How are their attitudes? How do they train? Often, their actions reflect a lot about their instructor.

Tags: instructor, brazilian jiu jitsu, philippines, mixed martial arts, schools