The transfer of knowledge: One of the greatest attributes we humans have is the ability to transfer knowledge from one person to another and one generation to another. It is this feature of our species that makes progress from one generation to another possible. If each generation had to start at the beginning of knowledge acquisition every time, there would be no progress – just repetition from one generation to the next. Only the fact that each generation can build upon the prior work of the previous generations by learning their lessons through language is progress over time possible. This applies in jiu jitsu also. However outstanding the current crop of jiu jitsu athletes may be, I am very confident that the following generations will be better, as they are the beneficiaries of the knowledge given to them by the current generation and can build upon and improve upon that. Indeed – I would say that MY CAREER AS A COACH WOULD BE AN UTTER FAILURE IF I COULD NOT RAISE A CLASS OF STUDENTS WHOSE SKILL LEVEL WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN MY OWN. Anything less would mean I had failed to convey all that I knew and created students who had absorbed it all and had the individualism and initiative to improve upon it. Here I work with Gordon and Nicky Ryan on the mechanical tightness of their Achilles lock. When they go home for the evening they will work again with each other, experimenting and researching and then testing it in live sparring over the next few weeks, making small modifications for their own bodies along with their own insights. When I look at this photo I smile as I can see the intergenerational growth of the sport in a very clear and positive way.
