If there's one thing I can confidently give advice about, it's HOW TO IMPROVE THE MOST IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME POSSIBLE. The one thing that should be constant is that training more will make me better than training less (to a point). If I train for 1 year, and a clone of me trains for 2 years, then the clone that trains for 2 years should be better than me. HOWEVER, that doesn't apply to 2 different people. Just because I train for 1 year, and someone else trains for 2 years, doesn't mean I can't be better than that person. The reason is simple: Most people don't optimize their training time. Even most "good" grapplers don't do this, which is why it takes them 10-15 years to do something that should only take 3-5 years. This is actually the same for most domains, not just Jiu Jitsu, but I will show you how to do this specifically for Jiu Jitsu.
White Belt:
Make a list of the positions in Jiu Jitsu, and identify what you know from each one. This will give you a good idea of your overall knowledge level, and you'll be surprised how much you've learned once you start listing it all out.
Fill in the holes. First, start learning new techniques from, and improving, positions that you are weakest at. Everyone was weak at every position until they worked on it, so get the "I'm bad at this" feeling out of the way early, while you're SUPPOSED to be bad at it (at white belt), so you can start to at least feel comfortable from all the positions. The things you'll want to prioritize first are pin escapes (side control, mount, back, turtle) and guard retention, but after that, go through the rest of the positions and make sure you know a few things from each.
Explore. Make a list of each position again, except this time don't add what you already know. Look through (preferably instructionals) the internet (youtube or wherever) and add 1-2 techniques from each main position that you're working on. You'll have to memorize the list, so when you end up in those positions during sparring, you'll be able to remember and attempt whatever move from that position you're working on. Once you hit a move a 2-3 times in sparring, swap it for a new move on the list. Keep this up for awhile, and you'll have hit a wide range of moves in sparring, which will make them easier to dial in later, since you now have some experience with them.
Blue Belt:
Depending on your commitment level, you can keep using YouTube, OR you can pay to win, and by that I mean buy INSTRUCTIONALS. Ideally you will want to pick a competitor to emulate, and thus you can stick mostly in his instructional catalogue, but if you want to learn from who you think has the best material in certain positions, then you can mix and match. It's all up to you.
Start watching an instructional and write down a couple techniques you saw. Now, after class (or before) drill the moves if you think you need to feel them first. If you think you can hit it in sparring without drilling, then go right ahead. Once you hit it a few times, move on in the instructional. If you had problems, review and try again tomorrow.
Rinse and repeat. You can honestly keep using this process through all the belts, until you've learned and perfected a complete system from all positions and submissions.
Most people need help figuring out a training methodology that actually works efficiently. Give this a try. If you do it right, I doubt you'll even hit any/many plateaus. I never really felt like I hit any, and this is what I still use currently.
Thanks for reading!
Caleb Yonkers
Owner
Flow Theory Grappling
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