At Archimedes Jiu-Jitsu, we love coaching, mentoring, and helping every student grow — but at the end of the day, there’s a truth we believe in deeply:
You are the boss of your own Jiu-Jitsu journey.
No one else. Not your coach. Not your professor. Not your teammates. You.
It’s easy when you’re new (or even years in) to look to your instructors and teammates to set the pace for you. And yes — guidance is important. Good coaching can save you years of trial and error. But there’s a point where you have to step up and manage yourself like an athlete, because ultimately, no one knows your body, your mind, and your goals the way you do.
Your Body, Your Rules
Some days you need to push yourself harder.
Some days — honestly — you need to sit out.
If your body is broken down, if you’re hurting, if you’re sleep-deprived, it’s not “weakness” to recognize it. It’s wisdom.
You cannot build great Jiu-Jitsu on a foundation that’s constantly cracking.
Listening to your body is a skill.
If you tune in, you’ll know when it’s the right day to hit that extra roll — and when it’s the right day to drill light or even take a day off.
Travel Happens. Life Happens.
You may travel during your Jiu-Jitsu journey. You might move cities.
You might have to train at another gym for a while. Or take a break.
That’s normal.
Jiu-Jitsu is not a straight line. It’s a journey — a real one, with twists and turns. You’re not “off course” just because your path looks different from someone else’s.
Coaches Are Guides, Not Gods
At Archimedes, our coaches work hard to offer you the best technical advice, encouragement, and training environment possible.
But here’s the honest truth: we don’t know everything.
No coach does.
What works for one student may not be the best fit for you.
Sometimes you have to take what’s useful, filter out what isn’t, and apply it your way.
Being a great student isn’t about blindly following every suggestion — it’s about learning, adapting, and ultimately trusting your instincts too.
Manage Your Week Like an Athlete
If you want to progress in Jiu-Jitsu long-term (and feel good doing it), you’ve got to manage your whole life — not just what happens on the mats.
Think about it like this every week:
How are you eating?
(Heavy junk food = sluggish rolls. Clean food = sharp, clear-minded training.)
How are you sleeping?
(Sleep is when your brain locks in everything you learned.)
How much are you training Jiu-Jitsu?
(Not too little. Not too much. Enough to progress without burning out.)
How much cross-training are you doing?
(Strength work, cardio, mobility — it all supports your Jiu-Jitsu.)
What’s your intensity like?
(Not every roll needs to be a war. Sometimes drilling lightly is exactly what you need.)
You are the director of all of this.
No one else can know exactly how much you should train, eat, sleep, or lift.
Take ownership. Adjust as needed. Stay flexible.
Fall In Love with Your Journey
When you start managing your BJJ journey actively —
when you stop outsourcing it to anyone else —
something amazing happens:
You fall in love with the mats in a deeper way.
You stop feeling anxious about “keeping up” with others.
You start seeing your own steady growth.
You build a sustainable, joyful, powerful Jiu-Jitsu life that will carry you for years and decades, not just seasons.
At Archimedes Jiu-Jitsu, we’re here to walk that path with you — but you’re the one holding the compass.
And that’s exactly the way it should be.
See you on the mats. 👊
