The path from knowledge to skill: When all is said and done the single biggest determinant of how successful you will be in Jiu jitsu by far is the depth and quality of your SKILL SET. Most people go through their Jiu Jitsu careers thinking that skill is someone that magically forms over time – you train long enough and the skills will come. There is certainly some truth in this – it's impossible to train for a long time without picking up skills along the way. However, when it comes to skill acquisition, you will do much better if you begin the quest for SKILL with a quest for KNOWLEDGE. If you KNOW what the right thing to do is from the start, it takes a lot less time to build that into a skill. Remember that skill is a knowledge that has been hardwired into the movements and reactions of your body. Knowledge and skill are linked but not the same. Many people know what they ought to be doing but lack the physical ability (skill) to actually do it – that's why you don't see any knowledgeable but old and decrepit red belt masters on the winners podium at the world championships. The pattern of your development is clear – if you want to shorten the time taken to mastery – begin by seeking knowledge and then embody that knowledge through an intelligently crafted physical training program to turn that mental knowledge into physical skills.
