Earn the Right to Battle
How to Approach Leg Locks
Off the Scroll Holes and Onto the Mats
Higher Jiu Jitsu Sydenham – Coming Soon!!
Why Aren’t Australia’s Police Training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
Armbar Drill to Tight Armbars from Guard
#029 To Compete or Not to Compete?
They say pressure makes diamonds. So are the joys of jiu jitsu locked in competition, now and forever? Or can we enjoy jiu jitsu and learn and flourish on the mats and off, without the rigours of competition? This article discusses the pros and cons of competition and how you can think about it to do it better.
Predater vs Prey: The Strategy of Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Jiu Jitsu mats are a big world of beautiful mechanics, and technique, and fun. Beyond these moves is the strategy that is required to make it all work. Are you the hunter or the hunted?
10 Ways to Annoy Your Jiu Jitsu Buddies
We know you’re a good guy. But there’s some things some people do on the mats, and it's very annoying. Make sure you’re not a culprit of one of these!
Infidels of Jiu Jitsu: Please Read.
You never wanted people to choke you, and you never thought it’d be so fun to practice self defence. And here you are.
On Repetition and Re-Learning of Basics
As you learn, you improve. At some point, it goes full circle, and you see the common trends inherent in our martial art. These are the basics of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, and they’re not just for beginners.
When There’s No Choice But to Change
What’s the difference between Gracie Jiu Jitsu or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Aren’t they the different names for the same thing? That’s what I thought too. Then I met some problems, and great teachers, and now there’s no going back.
Women’s Only Scholarship
The students of Higher Jiu Jitsu have banded together to create a scholarship for women who want to learn but may lack the finances. Supported solely by the community of students, the scholarship includes 3 months of their Women’s Only program and a uniform.
Be A Good Uke. Here’s How.
Your instructor calls you out and you’re the dummy of the class. It’s your turn to shine as uke. Here’s how to do it well.
Self Defence: Preparation or Paranoia?
Just because you’ve never been in a fight, doesn’t mean you don’t need self defence. The skills we learn in jiu jitsu are there to help you if ever the situation came about. It’s not paranoia, it’s preparation. And so much fun along the way!
The Brilliance of Burak & The Strategy of Survival
Rolling with a monster like Burak Sarman has it’s perks. And so does being under the tutelage of Master Pedro Sauer. In Melbourne I had the opportunity to do just that. I survived. This is my story.
Curiosity On the Mat Doesn’t Kill the Cat
On the mats, curiosity won’t kill you. It’ll help you survive. And it’s how you can do jiu jitsu without fighting, and for a lifetime.
Hey Parents – Jits4Kids Has Arrived!
We're bringing Gracie Jiu Jitsu to the kids, and we’re excited! Maybe it's because we've dealt with bullies too. Then came jiu jitsu. And now things have changed. So we’re compelled to share the benefits of the martial arts with the kids, and serve the Sydney community, both of today and of tomorrow.
Ladies, It’s Time.
Gracie Jiu Jitsu was created for smaller, weaker people to defend themselves against bigger, stronger opposition. So why are classes around the world predominantly male? Ladies, it’s time to step up and learn self defence, and we’re here to help you along the way.
The Jiu Jitsu Shoulds
The shoulds are a nasty affliction. They'll run through your innards faster, and more painfully than a heavyweight's kneeride. It'll choke your lungs with shame and fear, like a Kron Gracie cross collar choke. Eventually, the Shoulds will make you tap from the pain of disappointment and despair. But there is a different way ...
Study the Science of Jiu Jitsu
When you become curious about how jiu jitsu works, you allow yourself the space to feel differences, and come up with better solutions to problems. That's why you ought to study the science of jiu jitsu.
Internalise – By Leon Comino
This is a recounting of a fight. A feeling that changed the angle of the lens I view life through... By Leon Comino.
On Cranking Necks & Cracking Joints
How do we stay safe on the mats while maintaining the integrity of our art? Here is one way to train with effectiveness, and still be able to do it for a lifetime.
Come Back! Jiu Jitsu Loves You.
You trained for some time, but you got injured, and you decided that this art just isn't for you. That's unfortunate. With some strategies you can mould your luck to have fun and be safe on the mats.
Tune In To Tune Up Your Jiu Jitsu
You can look around all you like and you may find something. But when you start to search within, this is where the answers lie. Doing a mind/body scan is the way to build self awareness. Try it and see for yourself.
You’re Sidelined. Now What?
You feel the pain more than ever when you're prevented from being on the mats. You hate having to sit out and watch when you could be learning, and growing, and having bundles of fun. But you're injured. Now what do you do?
Know Thyself: The Essential Jiu Jitsu Journey
You do jiu jitsu to help yourself. To help yourself you need to look out for others. This is very much an inner journey, and yet it's done with the others around you. Your teammates need you. Help them out.
Seek The Treasure to Find The Jiu Jitsu.
Fighting your opponent's movements is a path to nowhere. Instead, work with their energy, and the workings of nature. This is the way of Higher Jiu Jitsu.
The Return of Dave Camarillo – Reflections.
Dave Camarillo came to Higher Jiu Jitsu for his second seminar instalment. These are the reflections of head coach John Smallios.
Jiu Jitsu: Friend or Foe?
You love jiu jitsu. It challenges you and you've never been so enthusiastic about anything in your life. But how much do you rely on it? How much jiu jitsu is enough? Just like on the mats, you seek balance as a way to keep yourself on your feet. Here's how..
The Jiu Jitsu Mission and Our Higher Vision
Day in and out we don the gi and we go to jiu jitsu. The techniques, and the rolls are like the gateway to something much bigger. When you sow seeds of learning, you benefit for years to come. We play the long game, and this is the bigger purpose we serve.
The Jiu Jitsu Gold Digger
You want to be good at everything you do, jiu jitsu included. And in order to win, you feel the need to bring your A game to every class. Your game is a good guide, but it's a terrible protector because you never let yourself learn. Screw your game. Be a gold digger instead.
The Jiu Jitsu Imposter. Are you One of Them?
Who are you to enjoy jiu jitsu? Who are you to wear that colour belt? What makes you think you can help others on the mats? If you've ever been paralysed by these thoughts, you're not alone. Here's how to work with Imposter Syndrome within jiu jitsu.
Your Jiu Jitsu Secrets – Tap Them Out.
You want to be happy. But something is off. While everyone else is off getting better, and making the most of their jiu jitsu time, you're being held back. You think certain things, yet you wouldn't dare tell anyone else. This is what's holding you back. It's time to start talking. It's time to start telling the truth. These are your jiu jitsu secrets. Tap them out, and you flourish for life.
The Hammer and the Nail.
Jiu jitsu is like a rollercoaster of emotions. Sometimes you win big and sometimes you lose big. At the end of the day, the real measure of success is being in it for the long haul.
The Third Place & Why You Need One Too.
They say home is where the heart lies. Then there's your jiu jitsu academy. You show up to practice martial arts, and the benefits go well beyond this. The community and the camaraderie within the dojo is one to be felt. Here is why.
Be your Best Jiu Jitsu Self
You want to get better, so do you roll hard or light? This is an ongoing question and from this point on it's a futile debate. Be your best self. This is how you get better, and this is how you do jiu jitsu for a lifetime.
Jiu Jitsu Saves the Day
You're hanging in there. Between work, and life, being healthy and tending to yourself feels like a chore. No matter how hard you try it's just one big struggle. Fear no more, for jiu jitsu is here.
On the Scale of Progress – How To Get Better.
You show up day in and out to train jiu jitsu. You love it, yet you're constantly left frustrated at your lack of improvement. Perhaps you're just not looking in the right places. Here's another way to look into getting better at jiu jitsu.
Do You Need an Accountability Partner?
3 Ways To Get Higher with Jiu Jitsu
You're also a good person. You don’t intend on kicking people upside the head. There’s never been a need to break an arm so far, so why care about learning self defence now?
From Discomfort to Delight – This is the Way
Jiu jitsu is a martial art that prepares you for a fight. But you don't learn it by fighting. Training like this will only lead to injuries. You get better in an environment of learning. This is how your jiu jitsu will excel and this is how you will prosper in life.
How to Listen your Way to Comfort
You want to improve. So you;re told to train hard, and fight for the things you want.
Sure, you need to show up. You ought to come in with a good attitude.
But how much effort is too much? When does your enthusiasm get in the way, and how can you use it in the right way?
Read on for more.
A New Look, A New Year.
"There is no top rung. And no bottom rung. There’s only the next rung of the ladder. And the one after that (and of course, the one after that, ad infinitum)."
The Expert vs The Supercoach
An expert tells you what to do while a coach guides you through the process. At Higher Jiu Jitsu you won't be told what to do as much as asked how it feels? The most effective knowledge lies within yourself. It is our aim to faciliate the jiu jitsu, and help you uncover that for yourself.
Higher Jiu Jitsu = Life
Is jiu jitsu on your mind all the time? Do your dreams all include jiu jitsu?
Face it. You're in love. So am I.
And it only gets higher. Because in jiu jitsu, there is no perfection, only endless refinement.
This is life, and always will be.
And the Winner is: Quality
When you seek to move with quality, you may do less, but you’ll do it better.
That’s as good a goal as any.
Injuries Stink . Prehab Says No.
Injuries suck. I hate them. And so do you.
Misdirected enthusiasm, coupled with ignorance is a dangerous combination. The trap of thinking you are invincible is an easy one to fall into.
We can do better. We can be smarter.