This was my second time at the BJJ Worlds, and first time to get to stay through Sunday and watch the black belt finals. I did have to miss a few matches to take one of my friends to the airport to catch his flight (which turned out to be booked for Monday!!), but it was still an amazing experience. For any BJJ athlete or enthusiast who has never been, I HIGHLY recommend planning your trip for next year. It’s insanely cool to see all your BJJ idols putting it on the line in real life, and the BJJ showcased lives up to the hype.
In the aftermath of reflection, I felt overwhelmed by everything I’d seen and experienced, and as we got back in our rental car Sunday evening, I was exhausted! Trying to filter through the remnants of excitement, nerves, emotions and technique, I’ve summed up my take-away from the whole experience into 3 main points:
1) The energy of the whole event is incomparable
2) BJJ is not linear
3) The winners are never surprised
THE ENERGY IS INCOMPARABLE
At some point, every competitive BJJ fighter entertains the question: Could I be the World Champion? This question seems to become a consuming, burning ache for some of them, to be pursued and realized at all cost. For others it’s a hypothetical scenario with an uncertain answer. For others still, there is a definitive, “NO, not me,” which heightens the elusiveness of the title.
Competitors from all over the world then come together where their energies and emotions mingle, clash and collide, all contained within the walls of the Pyramid. From the palpable nerves of the hoards in the bull pen, the rallying teams in the stands, irate coaches screaming at diplomatically reserved referees, and the joyous faces of the victors, to the occasional athlete crying under the bleachers, the energy of the event seems to have a chaotic pulse of its own.
Then during the black belt finals on Sunday that pulse became one united, intensified beat. No more chaos. No more teams scattered around the arena. The air grew denser with reverence and anticipation as the matches unfolded one by one.
The desire to be “World Champion” that permeates the BJJ community has manifested itself in the awesomeness that is the World Championship. The BJJ Worlds is the pinnacle of gi competition for this reason.
BJJ IS NOT LINEAR
This is kind of a no-brainer, something we’ve all experienced at the gym, and possibly in competition too, but somehow since it seems to defy common logic, it still mesmerizes me a bit. Here’s what I mean:
If A > B and B > C, then A > C. right? Obviously! But in BJJ it just doesn’t add up that way. Have you ever watched someone you tool at the gym tool someone else who tools you? It’s kind of mind warping. Take all the legitimate phenoms out of the equation (they’re like infinity and can’t be surmounted by us mortal integers), and you’ll see the unpredictability of the battle field. This is probably true on the most elite level too, but they operate their warbled mathematics on a different dimensional plane.
On the same note, the variability of the competitive endeavor is fascinating. The same two opponents, on different days, or even hours, may have entirely different and unpredictable outcomes. That very variability is part of the thrill and frustration of competition, for competitors and spectators alike.
THE WINNERS ARE NEVER SURPRISED
I saved the best for last, because I think this is most important. Sure, the winners might be relieved, or express a lot of gratitude, but let’s be honest. No one becomes a BJJ World Champion and later says they never really thought they could do it! I think there is a serious mental lesson to be learned from this example. What are the champions doing that all of the 2nd place runner-ups or first-round-out warriors are not? I believe there is a delicate balance of confidence, resilience (both mental and physical), experience, talent, technical skill, technical execution, health & fitness, and training, which harmonize to create champions. They are prepared to fight and to win. The mental edge is part heart and part solid knowledge of the effective preparation they have done.
Some people believe in themselves so much they probably think they can actually fly. But they don’t practice flapping their arms like wings, it’s just a fun idea they hold on to. Some people do all the hard work, all the grueling training and drilling and conditioning, but never believe they could actually win, so they don’t. The champions have it all; they have the belief and do the work to reinforce the belief. Then they come out on top.
I may be wrong, but that’s what I think. How about you?
Leanna Dittrich, 2012 BJJ Worlds brown belt silver medalist
In the aftermath of reflection, I felt overwhelmed by everything I’d seen and experienced, and as we got back in our rental car Sunday evening, I was exhausted! Trying to filter through the remnants of excitement, nerves, emotions and technique, I’ve summed up my take-away from the whole experience into 3 main points:
1) The energy of the whole event is incomparable
2) BJJ is not linear
3) The winners are never surprised
THE ENERGY IS INCOMPARABLE
At some point, every competitive BJJ fighter entertains the question: Could I be the World Champion? This question seems to become a consuming, burning ache for some of them, to be pursued and realized at all cost. For others it’s a hypothetical scenario with an uncertain answer. For others still, there is a definitive, “NO, not me,” which heightens the elusiveness of the title.
Competitors from all over the world then come together where their energies and emotions mingle, clash and collide, all contained within the walls of the Pyramid. From the palpable nerves of the hoards in the bull pen, the rallying teams in the stands, irate coaches screaming at diplomatically reserved referees, and the joyous faces of the victors, to the occasional athlete crying under the bleachers, the energy of the event seems to have a chaotic pulse of its own.
Then during the black belt finals on Sunday that pulse became one united, intensified beat. No more chaos. No more teams scattered around the arena. The air grew denser with reverence and anticipation as the matches unfolded one by one.
The desire to be “World Champion” that permeates the BJJ community has manifested itself in the awesomeness that is the World Championship. The BJJ Worlds is the pinnacle of gi competition for this reason.
BJJ IS NOT LINEAR
This is kind of a no-brainer, something we’ve all experienced at the gym, and possibly in competition too, but somehow since it seems to defy common logic, it still mesmerizes me a bit. Here’s what I mean:
If A > B and B > C, then A > C. right? Obviously! But in BJJ it just doesn’t add up that way. Have you ever watched someone you tool at the gym tool someone else who tools you? It’s kind of mind warping. Take all the legitimate phenoms out of the equation (they’re like infinity and can’t be surmounted by us mortal integers), and you’ll see the unpredictability of the battle field. This is probably true on the most elite level too, but they operate their warbled mathematics on a different dimensional plane.
On the same note, the variability of the competitive endeavor is fascinating. The same two opponents, on different days, or even hours, may have entirely different and unpredictable outcomes. That very variability is part of the thrill and frustration of competition, for competitors and spectators alike.
THE WINNERS ARE NEVER SURPRISED
I saved the best for last, because I think this is most important. Sure, the winners might be relieved, or express a lot of gratitude, but let’s be honest. No one becomes a BJJ World Champion and later says they never really thought they could do it! I think there is a serious mental lesson to be learned from this example. What are the champions doing that all of the 2nd place runner-ups or first-round-out warriors are not? I believe there is a delicate balance of confidence, resilience (both mental and physical), experience, talent, technical skill, technical execution, health & fitness, and training, which harmonize to create champions. They are prepared to fight and to win. The mental edge is part heart and part solid knowledge of the effective preparation they have done.
Some people believe in themselves so much they probably think they can actually fly. But they don’t practice flapping their arms like wings, it’s just a fun idea they hold on to. Some people do all the hard work, all the grueling training and drilling and conditioning, but never believe they could actually win, so they don’t. The champions have it all; they have the belief and do the work to reinforce the belief. Then they come out on top.
I may be wrong, but that’s what I think. How about you?
Leanna Dittrich, 2012 BJJ Worlds brown belt silver medalist
