Train with the Force: Jedi Edition /// By: Anthony Chin Loy

Another Star Wars Day has come and gone (May the Fourth be with you) and while watching the beloved series in the "Machete Order" and heading to training I started to think about this post and tying together jiu jitsu and Star Wars. It's been done before, by this time you have heard the famous quote by Olavo Abreu comparing the jiu jitsiero and the Jedi. “Jiu Jitsu is like being a Jedi Knight… The knowledge is with you all the time. You dream it when you sleep. You can see it walking. It surrounds you. You go out alone but you are never alone because you have Jiu Jitsu.” Much like The Force, jiu jitsu is an ever present being that binds us together, controls our actions, but also obeys our commands. While the movies begin to introduce us to this omnipresence, the Expanded Universe really dives into what it means to be a Jedi. Being the nerd that I am, while studying the Jedi Creed, it really started to resonate with my jiu jitsu philosophy. If Star Wars is not your thIng (that's ridiculous, but ok) I hope that this post will have you rethink that course of action but also help to develop your thinking as a jiu jitsu philosopher. Are you ready to learn about the Jedi and The Force? Good! This is your first step into a larger world!

There is no emotion, There is peace

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge

There is no passion, there is serenity

There is no chaos, there is harmony

There is no death, there is the Force

There is no emotion, there is peace

There are several reasons to start jiu jitsu. Some may have come from previous grappling arts, some come for self defense, some come just to learn a martial art that has been known to dominate in situations. When we first begin as white belts, we are fearful of what to expect in class. Usually, the beginner takes this emotion into their drilling and their rolling. They are fearful of getting destroyed on the mats and left for dead by the bigger, stronger and more experienced grappler. Their movements are jerky and their bodies are stiff. Due to this, they use death grips and paralyze themselves in positions, burning through energy while holding on for dear life. They continue to expend themselves until they are left as a shell,  their tanks empty and their ego bruised. Unfortunately this is when many beginners get angry and quit. They first let the fear prevent them from tapping into the flow and energy of the Force, they become angry that they are not better, then discouraged, then their disappointment prevents them from coming back. Instead, if the emotions and ego were checked at the door, they would find a burning desire to return and learn. 

Upper belts are not immune to letting their emotions get the better of them either. As we progress and add wrinkles to our game, we start to build a shield of ego on the mat. We can become consumed with winning by any means necessary and when things are not going our way we become angry and let that fire consume us. This can be reflected in overly aggressive rolls with lower belts, forgetting our technique and relying on brute force to subdue our opponents. Cracks in our shield will appear if we are tapped by lower belts. Instead of enjoying the roll as a learning experience between to practitioners, we bring aggression to the roll. If we experience trouble with the lower belt we may begin to avoid the lower belt that got the better of us in the last roll or worse, tap too deeply into emotion and injure our training partner. Rolling with too much emotion prevents us from opening up our game and taking chances as we try to be king of the hill. Stunting our development of new techniques and the creative process.

"There is no emotion" is not to say we are void of emotion, rather it is to temper our emotions to find a deeper connection with our jiu jitsu. As you bring good energy to training and your rolls with your partners, it is returned! The rolls become significant. The shared energy results in a synergy with your partner and contentment with your training.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge

I touched on this part of the creed in my last post. We must be open as learners from a variety teachers not only in our own martial art, but also in other martial arts. We must be sure to learn new techniques from different professors, travel to different academies and schools, and be open to spread our own techniques to others. While training with Marcos “Yemaso" terragrossa this past week, after he handed me a thorough thrashing I commented that I was probably not much of a challenge to him. His response: "it does not matter if one is technically superior or inferior, every roll is a chance to learn. As a visiting student, I have never rolled with you before, so you have new movements, new entries, new twists to techniques and it's a learning experience for me." After I caught my breath and thought on his comment, I realized that what we say is true: Even white belts can teach us new things, maybe not small details on a technique, but feeling their movements and reactions to our movements contribute to our understanding of jiu jitsu. It allows us to study action and reaction, expanding our knowledge base for new situations.

Secondly, lately I have noticed a disturbing trend of jiu jitsu players to dismiss many traditional martial arts and practices. Though definitely a more modern marital art, we must not lose touch with the traditions and roots of our history. Many traditional martial arts can tune our jiu jitsu by teaching us different positions and movements that we can integrate. While there is surely some "less than authentic" martial arts out there, do not be so quick to tune out what it may be teaching you under the surface. Legends in marital arts like Rolls Gracie and Bruce Lee would integrate whatever they found useful into their own art. To never experience an art form because of our first impression would be short sighted. Never stop in your pursuit for a deeper understanding of jiu jitsu, even through different forms.

There is no passion, there is serenity

This statement relates closely to the first line of the creed. Again, as jiu jitsukas we are not devoid of passion. We must display passion for the art everytime we step on the mat.  That passion must se surrounded by serenity and grace under pressure. During your path to black belt, you will be tested multiple times (physically and mentally). If we let our passion go unchecked we become one dimensional, meaning that we are not able a to connect with people on any other level. We must be sure to enjoy ourselves outside of Jiu jitsu as well. I love to train and spend time in the gym, but as a father I must make sure I make time for my family as well. This benefits my Jiu jitsu as well as the positive energy that they bring to me also transfers to my extended mat family as well. 

My passion for the art is amplified by knowing that I will be able to share this with my daughter and future kids as well. This puts my mindset more to learning intricacies and details in technique rather than domination of the mats. My passion is not unchecked, instead I use it to form my goals in learning the art. With clear goals to my training, it brings a solid foundation that I can depend on when I'm not able to train as much as I would like. 

My serenity is found in knowing that Jiu jitsu will always be a part of my life.

There is no chaos, there is harmony

I know for myself and many others, Jiu jitsu serves as a centering point in their lives. With the madness that can be brought on in life and career, when I'm on the mat everything seems to make sense. I can clear my head completely in combatitive meditation. Much like the Jedi who trained their body for brutal missions and light saber battles, jiu jitsu tempers the body with the physical effort of training as well as hardening the mind to confront the difficulties you may experience in life. Several times during e fantastic documentary, Jiu Jitsu vs The World by Eat Films several long time practitioners recounted experiences In their life where they were able to apply principles learned in Jiu jitsu to a hardship and came out on the other side better for it.

While the Jedi were known for meditating several times per day, a Jiu jitsukas meditation comes in the form of drilling techniques, working through positions, and rolling with training partners (combative meditation). At those times, your mind is empty from distraction and you are a vessel to be filled with information. Constantly you are reminded to be present in training or get ready for a thrashing.

There is no death, there is the Force

Truly if you are reading this you are already a big fan of and practice Jiu jitsu. You may also love Star Wars and we can be best friends. I know its just a movie, but the idea of an ever present Force is how I try to live my life and shape my training. In the end, we are all trying to become better versions of ourselves, whether that be mentally or physically, thru Jiu jitsu. We are trying to create something lasting in ourselves and something for the future. For me personally, i hope to pass my Jiu jitsu to as many as I can and one day to my own children. Using the idea of the Force and the Jedi philosophy around it, I was trying to show you how I approach my training and life. I keep my emotions and ego in check on the mats to open my understanding to my professor, training partners, and Jiu jitsu without restriction. I understand (although cemented recently) that knowledge can come in many forms, even that white belt trying to pull a reverse berimbolo to heel hook that he learned on the YouTube dojo the night before. My passion for the art does not become a limiting factor in my relationships to others, but can be used to make many friends, brothers and sisters across the world. It's cemented by knowing I will practice for the long run. My mind is kept present and thankful for each day that I can train. For the life lessons Jiu jitsu has taught me: How to approach hard times with fluidity, leverage and the right amount of strength.

 While I may not be immortalized among the champions of the sport, my Jiu jitsu will live on with my training partners that I have taught and learned techniques from, in my daughter and future children that I will roll with, and of course by putting into writing my thoughts on how a boy from humble beginnings can one day hope to become a Jiu jitsu Jedi.

May The Force be with you, Always.