TFS#102: The Timeless Guard, Finger Restoration, & The Cost of Goals

I write a lot.

But I write more than I talk.

And I enjoy writing about the things I experience.

Whether it’s in the form of technical teaching, narrative writing, or simply tweeting a thought, writing is a unique way for me to provide you with value.

And I hope one day my newsletter encourages you to share and enables you to create value for others.

It’s one of the best things you can do for a hard working community.

Which makes me wonder, would you be interested in joining a community board where you could exchange ideas and share discussions with dedicated black belts and other BJJ peers?

It’s a great way to push our knowledge forward.

Now on to today’s topic…

TECHNIQUE OF THE WEEK

Closed Guard Reality

How is your Closed Guard?

Seriously.

Are you confident you can control and manipulate your opponent from there?

What if they start to posture up?

Regardless if you’re a newbie or a grizzled vet, a strong Closed Guard is an extremely valuable guard.

It helps you control people of all sizes and slows the pace of the match.

Where good technique shines a bit more over strength.

Don’t let Closed Guard be your weakest link.

Watch this quick video to pick up on some sneaky attacks.

Your own chain of attacks might be different.

But I always find it useful to watch someone else’s chain to see how I can improve my own.

JIU-JITSU LONGEVITY

Finger Restoration

Did Jiu-Jitsu mess up your fingers?

Constantly going through rolls of finger tape?

Here are a few exercises you can use to help restore your fingers to full strength again.

I’m going to start incorporating these myself since I’m a heavy keyboard user and want to avoid arthritis.

MORE RESOURCES

Resources You’ll Love

👉 Use your water bottle to improve your Jiu-Jitsu. (link)

👉 Avoid injuries and build practical Jiu-Jitsu strength with just one exercise. (link)

🥋 Here’s a deep dive analysis of Roger Gracie’s Closed Guard. (link)

🥋 If you want to take it to another level, here’s a sweep and Triangle threat from X Guard. (link)

🥋 If you refer subscribers, I’ll feature you in this section! (link)

Links with an 👉 emoji is an ad or affiliate link.

CLOSING THOUGHT

The Cost of Pursuing Your Goal

“Jiu-Jitsu taught me discipline!”

Anytime I read that sentence, it makes me think about what the person meant by that statement.

In what ways do you feel more “disciplined?” How has it helped you off the mats? Is consistency and resiliency enough to define discipline?

So naturally, I thought about what goes into discipline.

And the underlying quality in discipline is a level of selfishness.

There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just a reminder of opportunity costs.

When I was in my early 20s, I was obsessed with competing in Muay Thai.

I scheduled my life to optimize the number of workouts per day, planned meals, stuck to a sleep schedule, and constantly passed on social events.

I was determined to compete and get the most out of my experience.

Did I struggle with regrets? At that stage in my life, yes.

…But more on that another day.

Just don’t forget that if you choose to dedicate your time to one pursuit, you’re giving up an opportunity for something else.

And there’s nothing wrong with it, just don’t hang onto regrets.

See you on the mats,

Wayne

P.S. Small actions prevent regrets.