“Train the mind. Make savage the body. ”

If Miyamoto Musashi said this, it must hold true for all martial artists, right?

Myiamoto Musashi was a part of this earth a long time ago. Since his days, we’ve learned lots more about the human body.

And this oversimplified dichotomy between mind, and body that is ever so persistent can also lay to rest in peace, for good.

It’s easy to make the distinction between what happens in your head, and what happens within your body. It makes it seem like your brain is responsible for the thinking, and that’s located in your head. Meanwhile your neck down listens to commands as an obedient soldier and does what it’s told.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

While your brain is located in your head, it’s connections travel far and wide throughout your body, and then back up again. It’s wired with multiple nervous systems, and their job is to send signals back and forth as a way to keep you functioning as you do.

A brain without a body cannot think, just as a body without a brain couldn’t move.

Each are interdependent of each other. And change in one area will result in change in other areas. It means that your thoughts govern how you move, practice, and perform whether you are aware of it or not.

When your thoughts are scared, your body shows this by rounding your shoulders forward.

When your thoughts are panicked, your heart pumps harder, and faster.

And if you are sad, you deflate and lose the snap in your step.

Discipline is for Dummies.

When you think of discipline as a fight between your eager brain and your lazy body you are underestimating the power of your own self.

It’s because you are at your best when these parts of you work together, not against each other. If you are regularly forcing yourself to do different things, you are not working as a whole unit in harmony, and it creates unfavourable results.

How does this affect your Jiu Jitsu training?

Your brain does way more than you think it does.

It’s how you feel your opponent, how you transition from technique to technique, how you breathe in battle, how you move, and ultimately how you navigate yourself on the mats.

This is why you need to pay attention to your brain.

You need to acknowledge how you think and how you treat yourself inside of your thoughts will determine how you learn, and improve, and do jiu jitsu outside of them.

Your muscles and your bones aren’t working independently of your nervous system but as one inseparable whole.

Start optimising your learning environment, working with your whole self, and your ability on the mats will improve.

Learn How to Learn

Here are some tips to relax your will and work better with your brain:

• Be calm and relaxed in learning, as that will help you delve into details.

• Don’t seek to learn via force of will, but instead with playful curiosity. It’s how your brain works best.

• Don’t be rude, nasty, or hateful to yourself. Instead, be your own best friend. That means being grateful of your efforts.

• Be patient. Learning is a complex process and it will take time.

• Keep it playful. Stay hungry, and healthy, always.

In jits,

John.