Jiu Jitsu: Like learning a new language.

Here Roy Dean breaks down Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as if one were learning a new language, a physical language. First you learn the words, how to spell them, how the words sound.  Then you will learn to put together words, soon sentences. Then you can communicate, then debate.  

The purple belt is barely even half way through the traditional belt grading. One would argue that it is truly still on the starting line of this difficult art.  It is about building a deep command of the language, so that you can communicate more clearly, and then debate and win arguments.  This is a slick video showing just some of the amazing endless algorithms of each position.  One will quickly see that one must begin the process of working all 4 limbs towards a task commanding transitions and progressions into positions of submissions to "end the debate". One must command positional awareness in all positions, inverted being interesting at the start. One should quickly see how deep this process and art can go if the purple belt barely, hardly, represents the starting line of this journey. One should also see why this art is considered "the gentle art" and how it is build on finesse and skill over strength and size.  Here, a skilled opponent can, and will often, triumph over a larger opponent.  Oh, one more thing, this video only shows the offensive aspects from a purple belts repertoire, this does not even touch on the biggest part of this art's game, defense. This rabbit hole goes deep and wide. Some call it "human chess", two people playing a game, having a debate, testing their skills, looking for that moment your opponent slips up, and uses the wrong word.  And that, is where the true learning begins, with failure. Now one can have an enlightening dialogue.  

-Shawn Allen, blue belt, Gracie Barra Downers Grove, Illinois