#230 Adapt your Jiu Jitsu

Today I woke up with a nagging shoulder injury. Of course it happened the day before I was scheduled to work with a private group of women in the Palm Springs area. Luckily, and thanks to some CBD roll on and my ever trusted Aleve, by the time I got there it had loosened up. The self defense course went on without any hiccups and 90 minutes went by in a flash. After finishing up, I headed back to Six Blades Jiu Jitsu La Quinta to watch the rest of Open Mat. While watching the other students train I was reminded of the importance of limiting yourself in ways which force you to develop weaknesses and how an injury can force you to do just that. I recall watching Xande Ribeiro training just months after an intensive surgery with a cast on. Interestingly, what stands out about Xande’s Jiu Jitsu is his ability to fight anytime, anywhere, under any rule set, something not many fighters boast. To do this, one must possess an unparalleled level of adaptability developed through years of training through less than ideal circumstances. To understand this fully, the next time something bothers you, if you do not believe it deserves medical attention, go train with the sole focus of protecting yourself and surviving until your moment of opportunity arises. Not only will this be challenging but it will prepare you for the upcoming battles ahead by developing the proper mentality of survival punctuated by your attacks.