Watching vs Observing: When we think of training in jiu jitsu, we typically think in physical terms – drilling, sparring, movement and strength training etc. These are undoubtedly the most important forms of training. Nonetheless I believe that real supplemental progress in your game can be made by observing jiu jitsu as a spectator- provided you approach it in the correct fashion. one of the most impressive examples of this occurred a few years ago when the great Mendes brothers visited our academy. They were in nyc as part of their seminar tour program and stopped by to teach some private classes. As they finished, the famous Monday afternoon class at RGA began. Rafa Mendes came on to the mats to observe the big class. He had to go on to teach afterwards, so he could not participate, but sat alongside me as I taught and coached. When the sparring began I noted his intense gaze as he followed the movements of the many advanced students grappling in front of him. He was not merely WATCHING the matches as most do – entertained by the action as a spectator and seeing nothing more than who wins and who loses. He was truly OBSERVING the class – he appeared to be considering second by second what he would be doing if he were in any of the matches that were unfolding in front of him. Unlike most, he was an ACTIVE OBSERVER rather than a PASSIVE OBSERVER. I was deeply impressed by his powers of focus and concentration as his eyes followed the action and looked into exactly the areas most relevant to deciding the outcome of each match as his mind raced for solutions and answers for whatever problems he saw. This was clearly a man who could learn and grow merely by observing and use observation as a useful supplement to his physical training. What for most people would be an hour of entertainment watching athletes battle each other, was for him a MENTAL WORKOUT that doubtless he could carry with profit into his next PHYSICAL workout. It was an impressive display of the kind of mental acuity and focus that champions carry in addition to their physical skills and attributes.
