Jujitsu

The Secret To Achievement In Jiu Jitsu and Beyond

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Jun 20, 2019 ·

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu's Marc Hagebusch promoting Billy Mullino to Black Belt. — Texarkana Jiu Jitsu’s Marc Hagebusch promoting Billy Mullino to Black Belt.

How To Speed Up Your Jiu Jitsu Progress and Develop Your Real Potential

Applying Anders Ericsson’s ideas to becoming better at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

No one is born great. We don’t suddenly become an expert.

We can become great at many things, but it takes work.

Learning allows us to develop our potential.

What’s the best way to learn a skill like Jiu Jitsu (as well as anything else)?

The main gift that experts have is that they use focus, not some innate ability.

It’s about expanding your potential not arriving at your potential. If we stay in our comfort zone, we do not get better and will over time get worse or get passed by.

In order to become your best at anything, you can’t rely upon 10,000 hours of mindless practice contrary to Malcolm Gladwell’s book and popular idea.

Mindless practice often causes skill regression.

You get worse if you practice errors or to say it another way, you get better at making mistakes.

Other people pass you by if you aren’t continually pushing your boundaries.

Gladwell based his book on the work of Anders Ericsson who also wrote a book, Peak – the new science of expertise.

Ericsson talks about utilizing Deliberate Practice which requires being uncomfortable and pushing yourself to grow.

Deliberate Practice means employing the 3 F’s…

1. Focus on a particular area.

2. Feedback immediately during execution. Ericksson talks about the importance of an expert coach to correct errors right away. During drilling a coach and even a training partner can help you correct the error. You can see errors in yourself also during training against an opponent. The correction of the error can be a little trickier if you do not know the skill.

3. Fix it. Correct the error and practice the correction so that you don’t continue to make the error. This allows ongoing growth as you correct the margins of your game, the areas that you are developing.

Expert Performers continue to try to improve their practice and to get better.

They do not feel like they’ve arrived and then start mindless practice because this will result in decreasing performance… so it requires ongoing growth and improvement not just to get better but to also prevent losses in performance.

Kids Martial Arts For Respect

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Apr 26, 2019 ·

Shaking hands before and after a match helps kids put the experience into perspective.

Everyone wants to win.

Only one of the two wins in each match though.

Accepting a loss so you can learn from it and respecting your opponent are an important part of every competition for both kids and adults.

We’re proud of everyone who puts in the time and effort to prepare then puts it on the line in competition.

Our kids learn good sportsmanship, respect for others, confidence in themselves, develop the mental toughness and grit to succeed on and off the competition mats.

Why Are So Many People Training Jiu Jitsu?

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Apr 25, 2019 ·

Learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Texarkana!

Jiu Jitsu is the fastest growing martial art in the US.

Here’s Why…

Kids, teens, adult men and women are discovering that they can get involved in a martial art that helps them quickly develop confidence, self defense, fitness, mental toughness, and a lot more at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu!

If you’ve watched mixed martial arts and the UFC, then undoubtedly you’ve heard Joe Rogan and the other commentators talk about how effective Jiu Jitsu is in MMA (and in self defense).

You’ve probably heard many prominent youtubers and podcasters like Jocko, Joe Rogan, Sam Harris, and others singing it’s praises.

You have an opportunity to see for yourself in Texarkana. Find out why so many kids, teens, men, and women have been training with us at Texarkana Jiu Jitsu since we first opened in 1999.

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu

4025 N Stateline Ave, on the TX side across from Holiday Bowl
Contact Us!

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for everyone age 4 through adult men and women. No experience necessary. Beginners are always welcome. 🙂

Interested in trying out a first class or have a question?

What’s Better for Self Defense, Judo or BJJ?

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Mar 11, 2018 ·

Which Martial Art Is Better for Self Defense… Judo or BJJ ?

This question comes up so often and is very polarizing. Everyone has an opinion based on their own experiences.

I have been fortunate enough to train both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with some incredible instructors.

I don’t believe that there is a single right answer here.

Should you train BJJ or Judo?

It depends on the specific gym, the instructor, the other students, and the individual that is thinking about training.

These probably matter much more than the art itself in this case… and because a wide variety exists in all these variables and what may suit you may not be the best for many others.

It depends a lot on you because if you don’t like the training or are training at a place where you are often injured due to poor safety standards then you won’t get good enough to use the techniques in a self defense situation.

Judo for Self Defense

My Judo instructor, the late Vince Tamura, was very ‘old school’ and taught his family’s style of jujitsu as well as Judo in a pretty well rounded curriculum that still predominately focused on competitive Judo for the most part.

I don’t think the self defense techniques were all that necessary to allow any of the Judoka I trained with to defend themselves against an attack.

The throws, conditioning, and the groundwork would give you a huge advantage in a fight over an opponent that likely knows nothing in the grappling area either stand up or ground.

There is a little less variation in curriculum between Judo schools, but it’s still very variable depending on the coach.

Judo tends to really stand out in the clinch/throwing department.

There’s more to Judo than throws though as I mention below.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for Self Defense

Restating the idea above, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu may be the best art for you.

It depends.

As far as self defense goes, the greatest danger is when you are in close combat – not when you’re throwing punches at each other while at a distance.

If you aren’t in the clinch already you are likely able to get away in most situations… or you can very likely get there quickly.

In close combat, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner is going to have a huge advantage over the average person.

The specific Jiu Jitsu school curriculum does matter to some degree.

If the training is too focused on competition techniques without covering basic foundational Jiu Jitsu techniques then it might not be quite as effective… even so, the average sport focused BJJ practitioner will have a big advantage in close combat over most attacks.

If there are no clinch or takedown techniques it might not be ideal for self defense.

I haven’t done a formal survey of BJJ schools, but I would guess the vast majority teach some stand up grappling to varying degrees.

Judo or BJJ for Self Defense

The reality is that both martial arts are likely to help someone be able to defend themselves for a variety of reasons.

These are both grappling based martial arts that will give you skills in close range combat where the vast majority of the public have no technical skills.
Both martial arts are generally trained against a resisting opponent giving the practitioners a more realistic type of training where the practitioners have to develop strategies that work in a real situation.
These arts tend to push your fitness, conditioning, and balance which will give you an advantage over the vast majority of people that do not train and are out of shape.
Both Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will help practitioners develop mental toughness and perseverance through constant challenges that will help you in a self defense situation when things may get tough.

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu

Texarkana is a small town. We don’t have a separate Judo gym here.

My own gym, Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, trains a good amount of Judo in our Jiu Jitsu class.

At my school, Texarkana Jiu Jitsu, we spend a significant amount of time on takedowns in our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes although not as much as the average Judo school.

This time is vastly more than the individual you are likely to fight in a self defense situation has in stand up grappling… and more than the average BJJ school.

The ground matters, a lot, particularly for women’s self defense who in the worst scenario will be put on their back against likely a bigger, stronger male… but the ground matters for everyone that gets in a fight.

Mostly to be able to get up or sweep from the bottom, as well as being able to dominate in the top position.

Coach Marc Hagebusch

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu For Self Defense?

Texarkana Jiu Jitsu and Fitness · Feb 16, 2018 ·

“Can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu work in a street fight?”

It depends. Great answer, I know!

What does it depend upon?

It depends on the situation and the practitioner.

The best approach is to not fight and leave if at all possible.

Unfortunately, in some cases this won’t be possible.

It might be that the person is cornered or in a situation where they need to protect others like friends or family.

In this case, you have to fight.

It also might be that the other person(s) grab you.

In this case, you no longer have the ability to leave/run… so you’ll have to engage to some degree.

In this case, you may be able to use grappling/BJJ to disengage and then leave the situation.

Stuck in the grappling range without this ability means you are in very serious trouble.

This is part of the problem with the ‘BJJ is useless against multiple opponents’ idea.

Anyone against multiple opponents is in greater trouble.

It doesn’t matter what art you train.

Yes I know there’s a youtube video showing a boxer taking out multiple opponents.

It can happen.

It also might go really wrong if one of the opponents grabs the boxer (or non-boxer).

See Art Jimmerson, a skilled boxer, against Royce Gracie in UFC 1.

Art was helpless against Royce in the grappling range… so were his other opponents who had no significant grappling ability.

No one should want to be too entangled on the ground in a fight, especially if there is a possibility of someone else jumping in.

Here’s an interesting question…

Why is it always assumed that BJJ practitioners have no friends around, but the street fighting guy is part of some gang of brothers or something?

I don’t think that training BJJ means you’re always alone and friendless.

Anyway, it’s not really relevant to the question.

Most opponents will be completely lost in the grappling range.

They will be out of position and essentially drowning on land.

They will be very frightened as they realize this.

They will also become tired very, very quickly.

This is due to several things…

⦁ they have no idea what is going on,
⦁ they get a massive brief adrenaline dump,
⦁ they are very likely way out of shape playing the averages,
⦁ if if they are not out of shape for general society – they will be out of grappling shape if they have not been training regularly. They will very likely have no sport specific endurance/conditioning…
⦁ and if they do because they train BJJ, you had better know what you’re doing.

**I can assure you this is true.**

I have trained for 22+ years and own a school. I have seen this countless times.

The people coming in to train experience this the first time they ‘spar‘ even in a very safe and friendly situation on mats.

In a situation where they will be taken down to the ground quickly landing on very likely a bad surface and not know how to fall – it will be much worse.

Virtually everyone has some sense of throwing a strike.

Even a pure sport BJJ guy/girl.

As mentioned above, virtually no one knows what to do in a grappling situation.

As soon as someone is taken down (with the landing possibly ending the fight right there), the BJJ practitioned does not have to have great striking skills to strike from a superior position controlling an opponent who is very likely completely helpless.

A few strikes to the head which is against the ground and no where to go is likely to end the fight.

You don’t have to mount, take an opponent’s back, or play guard in the vast majority of situations.

A very common position in BJJ is knee on belly.

This allows an excellent, high pressure control which allows you to strike very, very well and to get back to your feet immediately in a fraction of a second.

What if you end up on the bottom?

You had better know what you’re doing or again you are in big trouble

If possible, use BJJ to get up and leave the situation OR at least protect yourself and get to a better situation.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gives you the ability to control of another opponent.

It also provides an excellent platform from which you can strike, use a submission, or get up as necessary.

It also generally promotes a healthier lifestyle including getting the practitioner in shape. *Again some limited variance here from practitioner to practitioner – but generally very true.

This alone could save you in a self defense situation OR may save you from serious health problems / death from an unhealthy lifestyle.

**Most people will not be in a fight, ever, once they’re an adult.**

If they are it’s likely because of their occupation (a police officer or a bouncer for example)… or they’re in a place that they probably shouldn’t be in.

Avoiding these types of places is excellent self defense.

If you are otherwise forced to defend yourself, being proficient at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be very, very valuable for the reasons I posted above and so many others.

Coach Marc