TESTING … TESTING …
I have been – and will continue to be – running abbreviated curriculum tests on people that are around their second stripe (regardless of belt color). Think of this as a spot check, to make sure you’re not only understanding the curriculum and ready for your eventual belt test, but also the purpose of the curriculum and testing in general. These spot checks will only take around 20 – 30 min. and we will work together to schedule them at your convenience.
Testing is a controversial subject in modern Jiu-Jitsu, but it’s actually very simple. All major competitive academies/teams have curriculums. Curriculums ensure that students of Jiu-Jitsu are receiving a broad knowledge base in the art, and also that they are evolving with the art/sport. Without a curriculum, it would be very easy to never learn large segments of the art: even disregarding entire positions (I’ve seen it happen). Having a broad, deep, and evolving curriculum ensures that each student is receiving not only the most current iterations of positions/techniques, but also that they will have a well-rounded knowledge-base and understanding of the art of Jiu-Jitsu. Therefore, testing on any given curriculum ensures that students meet a minimum threshold of quality. It is a standard, and having standards is important in any educational endeavor.
Like I always say, you will not be asked to test for a particular belt until you are actually ready for that belt – that is, until you have outgrown your current belt in terms of individual growth, skill, potential, and character. The test is simply a final barrier to entry; ensuring that you are meeting the standards of knowledge required by Sanctuary Jiu-Jitsu and CTA. I want all of the students at Sanctuary to represent our Jiu-Jitsu and that of CTA with full confidence.
GUEST INSTRUCTOR SERIES VOLUME V
It is one of our missions at Sanctuary to consistently and regularly bring in global, national, and regional talent in order to elevate not only our own Jiu-Jitsu but that of the larger Madison Jiu-Jitsu community. It is so important to learn techniques, positions, and systems outside of that to which you are accustomed. When people are open, sharing, and cooperative: growth and innovation occurs.
Our Guest Instructor Series was conceived as a way to bring in local/regional instructors, competitors, and academy owners to share their Jiu-Jitsu with our students without the regular accompanying seminar fee. It is a way of not only showing our appreciation to our students, but also to the Guest Instructors that we are inviting. It is just as important to us that our Guest Instructors are good people that cultivate good cultures, as it is that they have good Jiu-Jitsu.
Aaron was our first Guest Instructor because I saw and loved what he was doing with his academy in Illinois, Pica Pau Jiu Jitsu. Aaron is an amazing guy that has a very similar bullshit-free approach to Jiu-Jitsu as we do at Sanctuary. Him and his partner Tam have created an incredible team at Pica Pau that inspire us to follow this similar path. On top of that, Aaron has been an incredibly active competitor – and now competition host! – in the Midwest for as long as I’ve been around the scene. We are incredibly excited to have him back!
This clinic will be free for all Sanctuary and Pica Pau members! Non-members will pay our $25 drop-in fee. The clinic will be held on Friday, February 7th at 6pm. All other classes will be canceled this evening, so to hit up the Fundamentals lesson of the day, make sure to come out to the noon class! We look forward to seeing all of you there!
Fundamentals: last week we worked on chokes, chokes, chokes. Starting on Monday studying the Overhook position and attacking the Triangle and Collar Choke, moving on to reviewing the Cross Choke from the Mount, and finishing the week with a study of the Cross Choke from the Guard. Hopefully you were all able to see and/or make the conceptual connections between these techniques to better serve your overall Jiu-Jitsu and not just in those particular positions/techniques.
Advanced: in Advanced class we studied a Deep Half entry, pass, and connection to the Waiter Guard. As you climb the ranks in Jiu-Jitsu it’s important to study all aspects of position; which includes attacks, defenses, and connections to ancillary positions/techniques.
REVIEW OF THE WEEK!
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