At Archimedes Jiu-Jitsu, we respect our instructors and professors deeply. They guide us, correct us, and open doors to new understanding. But when it comes down to it, there’s one relationship in this art that defines everything — your relationship with the mats.
The mats don’t care who you are, how long you’ve trained, or what belt you wear. They only respond to what you bring — your consistency, your attention, your willingness to suffer through frustration and come back the next day. Your professor can point you in the right direction, but they can’t crawl inside your mind and build the instincts, reactions, and timing that make Jiu-Jitsu come alive. That happens only when you spend time with the mats.
A strong relationship with the mats means showing up even when no one’s watching. It means drilling on your own time, replaying what didn’t make sense during class, and asking yourself what don’t I know yet? It means listening to others — to how higher belts think about control, pressure, frames, and escapes — and then testing those ideas yourself.
Instructors are your compass. The mats are your proving ground. Growth happens when you combine both — when you take what’s taught, wrestle with it on your own, and make it yours.
It’s worth taking time to watch instructionals and breakdowns online from credible black belts and reputable academies. While you can’t believe everything you see on social media, there’s real value in observing how skilled practitioners move and explain concepts. The key is to approach what you watch with curiosity and caution—test techniques carefully at the gym, see what works for you, and always check in with your instructor before trying anything risky or unconventional.
In the end, your love for Jiu-Jitsu isn’t measured by how many classes you attend or what promotions you receive. It’s measured by how often you return to the mat, hungry to learn, even when it’s hard. That’s where real progress lives — in the quiet hours, the sweat, the repetition, and the self-driven curiosity that keeps you coming back.
If you are not intentional with your Jiu-Jitsu, be the driver in your success, actively learn and ask questions of yourself and your team mates and coaches, you risk sitting idle and not progressing for years. Few will tell you this.
Train often. Listen carefully. But above all — build your relationship with the mats. That’s where Jiu-Jitsu really begins.
