As a father, I’ve always assumed that I am the leader, and my child is my follower. That is mostly correct, of course.  However, the inverse helped me get through some personal struggles in the last year.

My son and I train together.  He is currently 14 going on 15, and has been consistently training Jiu Jitsu since he was about five years old.  As he has grown significantly in the last year or two, both physically and mentally, his skill and prowess on the mats have skyrocketed. 

During that same time period, I was struggling with some health issues as well as some setbacks in Jiu Jitsu.  (Some for legitimate health reasons, some due to me being stuck in a rut and just not wanting to train.  Watching my own son do so well in Jiu Jitsu and wrestling lit a fire in me.  He inspired me. 

Most of all, I started to sense that my son could clearly see my own weaknesses at play.  He might not fully understand what’s driving those weaknesses, but neither do I, to be honest.  Excuses.  Procrastination.  Delays in taking action.  All of these were sliding into my life while my son was doing the exact opposite  — there was never an excuse to miss training or even some exercise in between.  Procrastination? Nada.

He took action on his own to improve his strength and diet.  He listens to his coaches (in BJJ and wrestling).  It became very clear to me that, although I wasn’t actively being a source of inspiration and leadership for him, he was taking matters into his own hands.  I started to realize that he was going to work towards greatness, with or without me. 

We’ve heard that it takes a tribe to raise a warrior. I believe there’s no such thing as too many positive role models in a child’s life.  I know that my son will be fine without me, with all of the positive role models surrounding him. His work ethic is there. He’ll someday likely pass me in rank in Jiu Jitsu.

Is this fear of missing out on my part? Maybe. But, what kind of father would I be if I don’t do everything in my power to be one of the leaders within that tribe?

When I sensed all of this, a decision had to be made.  Do I want to be a part of this, or do I want to passively let others do my job for me?  The answer was clear.  Action had to be taken.  I must be part of my son’s “tribe.”

[Improve at Any Age with Better Sleep, Diet and Stretching]

Role of the Shoshin mindset

What’s the point of this?  Having a shoshin mindset can break our traditional thinking habits, such as only listening to those senior to us.  We can learn from our juniors too.  We can listen. 

At work, using shoshin, we can truly listen to the younger workforce and make changes when necessary. On the mats, we can take inspiration from younger or less experienced martial artists.  A beginner’s mind lets us leave our egos behind and allows us to learn from unconventional sources. Those with less experience also have unique thoughts and perspectives.  If we don’t pay attention, we could be missing out on many things.

We all know that good leaders take action and lead by example.  I might not be able to keep up with my son in Jiu Jitsu as he grows and capitalizes on almost a decade of consistent mat time.  I might not even be as quick at learning and adapting.  My own fitness and health are more of an uphill battle as I approach 50 years on this wonderful planet. 

Yet, those don’t have to be excuses, either.  I can show up.  I can remain humble.  I can choose health over comfort and fun.  I can work hard to reclaim my place in the tribe as a leader, one based on actions rather default hierarchy. 

Hopefully, this will become contagious to those around me.  If I can take that mindset and help even one new white belt not get discouraged at how hard our martial art is, it’s worth it. Or remind that older blue belt that we don’t need to compare ourselves to the younger, athletic men and women. 

After all, it’s the journey up the mountain that we should be in love with, not the summit itself.  Is there a summit in martial arts?  I don’t know if I want there to be.  I don’t know if I want a finish line in martial arts.  We can always learn and grow, and we can always find leadership and inspiration in places where we might not be looking.  

And, to my son: thank you for reminding me of this and helping me through some tough times.  You didn’t plan it, and you might not have even noticed, but your hard work and wisdom beyond your years has inspired me to take more action.

It’s inspired me to look in the mirror and make adjustment, and to realize that my role as your father and leader should never be taken for granted — yet continuously earned.  You are a champion in my mind, and I’m thankful every day for your existence.

Is BJJ For Me? Am I Too Small Or Too Big?

The post Find Guidance Anywhere With Shoshin Mindset appeared first on Easton Training Center.

The Japanese use the term Budo in describing modern Japanese martial art — directly translating to “the martial way,” otherwise known as the “warrior’s way” or “warrior’s path.” 

Budo utilizes 5 spirits, or mindsets, crucial to the growth in their martial art. These five elements no doubt contributed to the samurai’s success in becoming such a powerful fighting force in their time. 

Although most of us that practice martial arts in modern time aren’t full-time warriors and aren’t fighting in hand-to-hand combat with real stakes, it benefit us all to incorporate a warrior’s mindset. If not in all aspects of daily life, at least when we enter the academy and train.

The 5 “sprits” of Budo are as follows,

• Shoshin:  “Beginner’s mind”
• Zanshin: “lingering mind”
• Mushin: “no mind”
• Fudoshin: “immovable mind”
• Senshin: “enlightened mind”

Let’s break them down!

Shoshin

The spirit of Shoshin literally translates into “beginner’s heart” or “beginner’s mind.” I believe this mindset is what we should all start with the second we start training. 

Many of us have heard black belts say things like, “When I received my black belt, a whole other journey began….It doesn’t end with the black belt.”

Jiu Jitsu, for example, has more techniques, and variations of techniques than we will likely ever come close to mastering.  Highly intelligent people from all walks of life are constantly analyzing and adapting their game and many then share their adaptations on social media. 

None of us will ever get to a point where we can assume that we know it all and can learn no more.  It takes a beginner’s mind to navigate through life. 

Regardless of experience or rank, we should all continue to learn, and that learning can come from anyone and anything: that white belt who’s been training for a month, that fundamental technique we assumed we knew well, but taught by someone with a new detail we’d never seen.

This is how we evolve and adapt. With a beginner’s mind, we continue to grow and capitalize on every experience. 

Shunryu Suzuki, a Zen Buddhist monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States, said, “In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”

Zanshin

“Lingering mind” is how zanshin translates into English.  Lingering mind may sounds similar to “wandering” mind, or daydreaming, but  that’s not what the word means. On the contrary, zanshin is about alertness, awareness and mindfulness. 

What’s going on around you?  What are individuals in your periphery doing?  How efficient is your breathing?  How is your opponent breathing?  Are you utilizing technique, or muscle strength? Staying aware and mindful of what’s going on when you train, you’ll be able to answer all of these questions.

Zanshin becomes even more important in a self-defense environment.  The first step in a self-defense situation is to avoid it entirely. However, if you are forced into a fight, a higher degree of alertness and awareness could mean the difference between life or death. 

What objects around you could you use as a barrier or an improvised weapon, or even obstacles that someone could trip over?  How many threats are near?  Escape routes? 

Without zanshin, even a skilled fighter would struggle.  When applying zanshin, we’re living purely in the moment and aware of everything. 

We aren’t focused on the past, nor worrying about the distant future; we are completely in the moment.

Mushin

We learn a technique; we practice it hundreds or thousands of times; we drill it; we attempt it during live training.

Only after this muscle memory takes hold can we attain mushin, or “no mind,” with our martial art. This doesn’t mean you have to be an expert to utilize mushin; beginners can also invoke this spirit of Budo.

Bruce Lee may not have been referring to mushin directly when he said this, but I think he defines it perfectly:

“Empty your mind…be formless, shapeless, like water…You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.  You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle…. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.  Water can flow…. Water can crash… Be water, my friend.”

This is mushin!  Similar to zanshin, you live in every moment, but without over-analyzation.  Just being, just doing. 

It’s like driving a car — when we first learn to drive, we’re thinking about every move, every step on the brake or accelerator.  Over time, mushin takes over and we just drive.  No thinking about the controls or traffic, just doing and reacting in real time.  This is how we get into a flow state. 

Fudoshin

“Immovable mind” becomes the meaning of fudoshin in English: stability, fearlessness, control and bearing under extreme pressure.  Fear and emotional instability can almost literally paralyze us from action.  The answer is fudoshin. 

When being smashed by a heavier opponent, do you panic and tap out? Sometimes, yes.  When we master the spirit of fudoshin, we can remain calm, breathe, defend ourselves from submissions and work on an escape. 

When overwhelmed by the offense of a more superior striker, remain calm, breathe, defend yourself, and work on creating distance to reset or retreat. 

We’re lucky to have competitions throughout the year to test our fudoshin under pressure, in a controlled and safe environment. It’s one thing to remain calm in regular training, but another when surrounded by an audience with stakes on the line.

Breathe, remain calm, take action.

Senshin

Senshin represents the “enlightened mind” and transcends the other four spirits of Budo.  When an individual has completely embraced the four  other spirits and achieves a constant state of shoshin, zanshin, mushin, and fudoshin, they reach senshin. 

Although this seems near impossible with our daily lives and constant distractions, I believe senshin should be our ultimate goal in martial arts: constantly learning, fully aware, in a flow state, and with a fearless and stable mindset. 

Similar to the other spirits of Budo, one doesn’t reach a “finish line” with senshin; it’s something that would likely take years or decades of constant work and discipline.  Can we do it?  I don’t know the answer, but it is worth trying. 

While we don’t necessarily need these for survival in today’s society like they likely did in ancient, feudal Japan, I think it’s worth striving for.  Not only to be a skilled martial artist, but to be a good human that can survive adversity and remain balanced under duress. 

The post The Five Spirits of Japanese Budo appeared first on Easton Training Center.

In the second part of Steven Pressfield’s book, The War of Art, “Combating Resistance”, he mentions the difference between an amateur and a professional. However, his definition doesn’t so much define the literal meaning of the two. 

He doesn’t define the professional merely as someone who gets paid for his or her activity.  He defines the professional as an ideal. 

“The amateur is a weekend warrior,” Pressfield writes. “The professional is there seven days a week.”

How many of us, especially in the beginning of our Jiu Jitsu journey, have obsessed over YouTube videos, told everyone who would listen about Jiu Jitsu and how amazing it is, yet only show up to train a few times a month?

That is the amateur. The professional shows up at every chance she has, bowing in 15 minutes late because her work meeting ran over. 

The professional comes to Randori on Saturday, his kids patiently (hopefully) sitting on the benches. The amateur might legitimately say, “I couldn’t find a babysitter this weekend. I should be able to come to Randori next week.” 

I’m not implying that all of us are destined to be that professional, nor is there anything wrong with being an “amateur.”  We get to decide for ourselves what we want to achieve.

[Resistance: Defining What Stands In Our Way (Usually Us)]

How to be miserable

One of my favorite chapters in The War of Art is titled How To Be Miserable. I can’t think of a better chapter that can relate to our time on the mats.

Pressfield reflects on his time in the United States Marine Corps and how “Marines love to be miserable.” Marines take pride in having the worst conditions and the crappiest equipment. Why? Because it reflects their ability to embrace and overcome adversity. 

The same goes with Jiu Jitsu.  How many hours do we spend getting smashed by heavier and more skilled practitioners? How much sweat have we left on the mats?  How much sweat from others has landed on us? How many times will we have broken hearts from not being able to make progress?  It is for sure miserable, and often so.  Do any of us actually wish it was easy? I doubt it.  

In Rickson Gracie’s book Breathe, he tells a story of feeling scared and claustrophobic during his early days in training. He intentionally had one of his brothers roll him up in a carpet and to keep him trapped in the confined and hot space. He forced himself to be comfortable in an uncomfortable situation, and ultimately faced his fear head-on and found ways to overcome it.

We can all combat our own fears and resistance in various ways. A couple simple ways: be a “professional” and show up when others might not, embrace uncomfortable situations, and embrace the suck. 

Invoking the Muse to help

Pressfield, in his final section of his book, writes of “invoking the muse.” He believes that there is a muse, an outside power or source of inspiration, that guides him with his creativity. Every day before he starts writing, he recites, out loud, the beginning of Homer’s Odyssey. I sometimes think of these muses when I bow during Jiu Jitsu training.

I don’t always give a genuine bow when entering the mats. I often go through the motions, just a quick duck of the head and the obligatory hand-slap to my sides. 

However, I sometimes give a deeper and more heart-felt bow to something or someone specific.  A bow to the pictures of our lineage. The pictures of Jigoro Kano, Mitsuyo Maeda, Helio Gracie, and of course our own Amal Easton and Eliot Marshall.  A bow to the belt display.  A bow to our amazing instructors who take the time to help us better ourselves.  A genuine bow from the heart. Who knows? Maybe this is how we invoke our muse on the mats.  

Another part of this last section of the book pays homage to the Hindu scripture, The Bhagavad Gita.  In the Gita, there is a verse that basically states that we are “entitled to our labor, but not entitled to the fruits of our labor.”

We should train and strive to better ourselves for the love of the art, not for the accolades or attention. Although we all want that next belt promotion, it shouldn’t be the end goal. The love, and perfection, of the art should motivate us, not the next belt color.

I think we can all look ourselves in the mirror and take lessons from The War of Art.  We can learn about our own internal resistance and understand the difference between an excuse and a true obligation.  We can find ways to battle resistance. I don’t think there is a BJJ black belt that exists that hasn’t somehow overcome extreme adversity.  And, I am not talking about learning the actual martial art. I;m speaking of their Resistance.

There are many more pages in the book that can inspire us to improve in our Jiu Jitsu journey, and I highly recommend picking up a copy.  It’s a great reference for inspiration, on and off the mat — a reminder that we’re not alone with our internal battles with the Self. 

It is a reminder that the enemy is within and a reminder that this enemy, the Resistance, can be defeated.

The post Resistance: Embrace the Suck + Invoke the Muse appeared first on Easton Training Center.

He aims to show readers how to get to that next level in their passion, whether writing a novel, starting a business, or running a marathon.  I have personally found this book invaluable, having initially purchased it with writing in mind.  However, as I was reading, I found many of the topics helpful for my journey in Jiu Jitsu.  

In the introductory pages of the book, Pressfield states:

“Most of us have two lives.  The life we live, and the unlived life within us.  Between the two stands Resistance”. 

Pressfield always capitalizes the word Resistance and defines it as the enemy.  He says that Resistance is invisible, infallible, universal, and impersonal. 

Overcoming Resistance

Most of us that train in the gentle art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu dream of overcoming our weaknesses and achieving that next belt, hopefully eventually getting to the highest ranks and skill levels.  Some of us have obstacles more challenging than others.  All of us have Resistance.  In War of Art, Pressfield breaks things down in three subsections

1. Defining The Enemy
2. Combating Resistance
3. Beyond Resistance

We don’t always know when Resistance is in our way, being “invisible and impersonal.” After all, we all have legitimate obstacles and situations sometimes where we can’t make it to class.  We have responsibilities off the mats, injuries, and family emergencies.

I personally believe that Resistance takes advantage of these situations.  For example, a meeting ran late at work and you couldn’t get to the academy on time.  So, you go home and get your Netflix on.  Out of your control, right?  There is always tomorrow, right?

Is that 100 percent true?  It’s what you tell yourself, and you can easily justify it.  However, is there anything wrong with showing up 15 minutes late?  How many of us have seen that dedicated Jiujiteiro run in 10 or 15 minutes late, work clothes still on, gi in hand. 

When I see that individual, I don’t see someone who has a problem with punctuality.  I see a dedicated person overcoming his or her Resistance to train another day.

“I have an injury, so I’ll stay home and rest tonight.” 

“Tonight” can easily turn into two weeks.  We’re not recommending training despite a glaring injury, but perhaps we can ask ourselves, “Can I still come to class with injury X?  Is it safe to isolate said injury and only do static moves?” This way, once the recommended doctor’s-orders training break has passed, we’re not tempted to extend it.

Let the challenge strengthen us

At a previous academy, a black belt told me a story from his earlier Jiu Jitsu days during a severe shoulder injury he had. He needed surgery, and his doctor told him that he was likely going to be off the mats for several months.  To him, this was an impossible situation.  He negotiated with his doctor to allow the shoulder to be wrapped and isolated while training Jiu Jitsu. 

While he healed, he literally trained with one arm.  His injured arm he wrapped, isolated to his ribs.  Best part of this story was that it was his strong arm that was isolated, making things even more difficult. 

Those several months training with only his weak arm strengthened him in ways he couldn’t predict.  His “weak” side was now just as good as his strong side.  He not only found a way to continue his training, he was able to find strength in more ways than one. 

Since I heard that story, I continue to ask myself: “Would I have the strength to do the same in that situation?”  The honest answer is probably a “no.”  However, I can continue to define my own Resistance, and attempt to overcome it.  It is very possible with this daily work that I can change that answer to a confident yes.

We’ve have had, and will continue to have, legitimate reasons to miss our training.  We just also need to have the foresight to catch Resistance in its nefarious ways. If we can do this, then we can separate legitimate responsibilities and obstacles from that inner voice that tells us to procrastinate. 

The post Resistance: Defining What Stands In Our Way (Usually Us) appeared first on Easton Training Center.

The above statement is directed at new students, welcoming you all to our crazy world of martial arts. We genuinely welcome you.  We want our community to grow.  We want more training partners to learn with and learn from. 

Remove the comma, and the statement can also be directed towards existing students of all ranks, who should give new students a friendly welcome.

You may have heard the term “Adopt a white belt.” Given the new year, we’re likely to get a new wave of students wanting to challenge themselves, get fit, learn self defense, become the next world champion, or possibly all of the above.  We never know what motivates someone to enter Easton’s doors and step on the mats.  

For the new students

A black belt is a white belt that never gave up.

I don’t know who originally said that, but it’s a simple truth.  You will have many reasons to quit soon after starting. You might feel intimidated.  You might experience complete bewilderment as to what is going on. 

It could be months before you even grasp a fraction of the techniques.  Discomfort and pain: a guarantee.  Jiu Jitsu is derived from the Japanese word jujutsu, which means “The Gentle Art”.

“Ju” means gentle, flexible, or pliable.  “Jutsu” means art, technique, or technician.  I’ve heard it compared to a willow tree, which can bend significantly during a storm, but will not break.  With all of that said, you will leave the mats with bruises and possibly some small cuts.  You will be sore at times.  At some point, but hopefully not, you might experience a more significant injury in your martial arts journey. 

It happens, although never intentionally; this is a combat sport.  However, you will also be taken care of.  When you first enter a training program, you will have time to get used to the techniques before “sparring” or “live training”. 

At Easton, there are requirements for entering the advanced or live training rounds.  For example, you must have two stripes before live training rounds.  Another technique instructors implement to help new students: you will often be paired with a more experienced higher belt when training. 

I saw a meme once that was a picture of two full grown silverback gorillas charging each other, with a caption something like this: “Two new white belts sparring”.  Although humorous, it is somewhat truthful. 

When two inexperienced individuals are paired together, strength and ego take over and it can become a battle of two “animals” just fighting for supremacy.  This becomes counterintuitive to Helio Gracie’s quote on the art that he helped improve and pioneer: “Jiu Jitsu represents the triumph of intelligence over brute strength”. 

When you’re partnered with someone of a higher belt rank, don’t be intimidated.  They will usually understand when to apply pressure without causing too much stress or pain.  They know how to allow you to attempt the techniques you just learned and give pointers along the way. They will allow themselves to “lose” to give you a bit of confidence on the technique you just learned.  They hopefully remember the first time they were on the mats and how they felt.  They want you to come back. 

For the veteran martial artist

You might have forgotten what the intimidation feels like.  You might even feel a bit irritated with the new students.  How many people show up, then quit?  Why should you help them? 

There are many reasons why.  The first, and obvious, is purely because it’s the right thing to do.  We aren’t living in 14th century feudal Japan.  Although we are practicing an ancient combat martial art, we’re all paying customers who mostly have our own day jobs.  We should also reflect on our own journey and what made us stay. 

I have personally attended five Jiu Jitsu academies over the years.  I felt welcomed at most.  There was one, however, that I remember feeling extremely intimidated.  It was like walking into a lion’s den.  New white belts were put through a gauntlet of abuse nightly, and it wasn’t always fun. 

One could argue that this culture creates strength and resilience, and they would be right.  And, that culture could work out if that particular academy’s goal is to only have world champion quality fighters. 

One could also argue that a culture like that could cause a higher attrition rate.  That is why we need to remind ourselves of the varying, and all important, reasons that people walk through the doors of a martial arts academy.

Maybe they are that motivated and athletic young individual who wants to be a world champion, and maybe a professional MMA fighter.  But, what if they are middle-aged and overweight, just wanting to get in shape in a new way? 

What if they just left an abusive relationship and want to learn self defense?  No matter the reason they enter, it is important to them, and we want them to succeed.  We want them to grow with us. We want them as good training partners. 

We should also reflect on this:  What if Helio Gracie was told that he is too weak to try Jiu Jitsu and didn’t pioneer what we enjoy today?  What if Amal Easton was intimidated on day one and decided that soccer was a better alternative.  I bet he would have been a pretty good soccer player, but we wouldn’t have our amazing academy.  

So, if you are new and curious, we welcome you with open arms, literally. 

We want to embrace you in our world and help you with your journey, no matter what your end goal is.  If you’re an existing and more experienced student, remember your first days on the mats and embrace the newer folks.  Learn their names.  Maybe even inquire about their goals and help them. 

Most of all, realize that that new white belt, with her belt tied incorrectly, might just be the next world champion.  She might become an instructor of her own academy someday.  Try to be one of the many that helps keep her happy and motivated to return.  Don’t be the outlier bully that she remembers as the reason for quitting. 

Welcome all of them, no matter their reason(s), with an embrace and a smile.  Thank them, genuinely, for training with you.  You can learn from them as much as they can learn from you.  

Most importantly, for students of all levels: keep showing up and keep taking care of each other.  And remember, no matter your belt color, you are always a student and can always learn something new.  

The post Welcome, New Students appeared first on Easton Training Center.