In an earlier article on the responsibilities of an athlete, I mentioned I’d give an example of how I have owned my training in the past, to provide more clarity about what I mean when I talk about it. As I indicated in that article, I ask myself the following questions when I think about
In my most recent article, Why a PhD and BJJ Aren’t So Different, I suggested Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu be studied the way academic disciplines are studied. I also suggested one of the similarities between BJJ and an academic discipline is in how the practitioners demonstrate autonomy. The demands of academe are endless; there is always another
The longer I spend training and thinking about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the more fervently I believe it should be treated and studied as an academic discipline. I would like to see smart people develop theory, collect empirical data, and otherwise treat BJJ with the same respect afforded to fields in which people can earn an advanced
Female participation is becoming quite commonplace at Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. In ever greater numbers, fighter girls put on a show all their own and lend further beauty to the gentle art. At any given championship or academy, the environment becomes less course and the mood, lighter. That’s all quite ordinary when in the USA or Brazil, but in the Middle East, no one was expecting it. At least not so soon.