Motion Creates Emotion

It’s frustrating.

You have goals you want to achieve in 2023, but you don’t feel motivated. You don’t feel like getting out of bed. And when you do, it’s straight to the sofa for some mindless TV.

I’ve been there.

On some days, I feel stuck. I don’t want to create; I don’t want to network; I don’t want to contribute. I just want to sit and scroll through social media all day.

However, doing this leads to me feeling more stuck and unmotivated.

To get out of the loop, I use one of Tony Robbins’ most famous concepts, “motion creates emotion.”

What does Tony Robbins mean by emotion is created by motion.These are some strategies I use to get unstuck and prevent me from falling back into the slump.

1. Move

One of the easiest ways to create emotion and get yourself motivated is by doing a physical activity.

Take a walk, do push-ups, join your kids on our online sessions or get our beginner course and learn strep by step in your own time premieronlinedojo.co.uk

Moving your body stimulates your brain to produce endorphins, which help to get and keep you motivated.

And that’s not all!

Walking also helps to boost your creativity and productivity.

You’ll be surprised at how motivated you become after you perform a physical activity.

2. Find an Accountability Partner

The road to success is a lonely and long one. If you decide to walk it alone, chances are you’ll feel less motivated and eventually give up.

However, this shouldn’t be the case.

Rather than trying to achieve success alone, get someone whom you can walk the lonely road with. That someone is an accountability partner.

An accountability partner helps you show up when you need to show up and makes sure you put in all your effort as you work towards achieving your goals.

3. Put on a Soundtrack

What happens to your mood when your favorite song comes on the radio? Even if you were bored, you immediately lighten up and start singing or dancing, right?

It’s because music has a way of improving your mood.

So whenever you feel stuck and unmotivated, switch to a more upbeat playlist. By doing so, you’re more likely to feel motivated and start moving.

4. Organize and Declutter your Environment

(My wife and I did this today with our home office)

Look around you. What does your environment look like?

Is it messy, dark, dusty, and clustered? Are your storage drawers overflowing with unorganised items?

If yes, this could be why you’re feeling stuck.

An unorganized home or office is more likely to make you feel stuck and unmotivated. Part of this is because you require more energy to perform basic tasks. In an unclean environment, you’re more likely to spend time looking for certain items than a more organised one.

Organising your environment can also include moving your furniture around. Rearranging your furniture tricks your brain to think it’s in a new environment, which in turn results in increased motivation.

5. Step Back

One of the most common problems I’ve noticed with some of my Kickboxing & Jiu Jitsu students is that they keep taking the same approach despite repeated failures. Rather than stepping back to see the big picture, they push and try harder to use methods that don’t seem to produce results.

And the result!

They end up feeling stuck.

To avoid such a situation, it’s best to step back and look at things from a fresh perspective.

As Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

Stepping back allows you to look at your problem from an outsider’s perspective, which in turn forces your brain to come up with new solutions; therefore, allowing you to regain your motivation.

6. Reconnect to your Intrinsic Motivation

The reason you’re feeling stuck could be because you’ve forgotten the reason why you’re working so hard. You’ve forgotten your WHY.

In the book, the Compound Effect, Darren Hardy, argues that lack of motivation isn’t the reason why most people give up on their goals. It’s the lack of a strong WHY that leads to people giving up. I’ve had countless conversations with parents at Premier over the years about their kids quitting kickboxing or Jiu Jitsu classes, and I say the same thing..... “remember why you enrolled them in the first place”, if it was for confidence, do they not want their kid to be confident anymore or if it was for self defence, do they not want them to be able to defend themselves anymore?

If you’re feeling stuck, take time to remind yourself of your original intention and overall goal.

Reconnecting to your intrinsic motivation will give you the extra fuel you need to keep working on your goals despite setbacks and roadblocks.

7. Change your Diet

Do you at times feel devoid of the energy to do anything?

It could be your diet.

If you eat unhealthy foods, you’re more likely to feel tired and bloated. You’re less likely to get the motivation to work on your goals after binging on junk food.

However, healthy foods have the opposite effect.

When you eat healthily, you’re more likely to have higher energy levels, be more alert, and are more likely to remain motivated throughout the day.

8. Read an Inspirational Book

I say this often, “readers are leaders”, that quote is actually in our Premier Instructor Training Manual. This is one of my most favorite ways of regaining motivation. Whenever I feel stuck, I look for an inspirational book to read.

Reading inspirational books allows you to reshape your mindset from one of negativity to a more positive one.

Reading inspirational books also allows you to learn new approaches you can use to achieve your goals. Books also help you learn what other individuals did to regain their motivation after falling into a slump.

Other than reading, listen to the book on Audiable.

You don’t have to use all of the above ideas, even applying one into your life will have a drastic impact on your performance.

Remember, motion creates emotion.

So just start.

How to Be a Good Martial Arts Parent

Imagine the horror:
• You’ve been driving your kids to class, tournaments and seminars for years.
• You’ve spent boatloads of money on uniforms, belts, gradings and equipment.
• You’ve invested hundreds of hours to relentlessly push your kids to the limit.

Then one day…

BANG!

They quit. Just like that.

You’re Flabbergasted. Why?!

You try to talk to them. You try to convince them to continue. You tell them they’ve come too far to quit now – give it another shot, kiddo!

But nothing works.

When a child makes their mind up, there’s not much you can do really.
So…

Naturally, you start to blame yourself.

“What did I do wrong? Why did this happen? Am I not a good parent? I bought the best trainers, the best gear, the best…”

Stop.

I’ll tell you what you did wrong:

You got so spellbound by performance, glory, spotless track records, pride, success and hard work that you forgot what TRULY matters.

Joy.

Now repeat after me:

Kids are not a physical manifestation of my own unfulfilled childhood dreams.
Got it?

Look…

In my 38 years training & 20 as an instructor and coach, growing up in a sporty family myself, I’ve witnessed too many talented kids get their enthusiasm sucked dry by well-meaning parents who unknowingly treat their kids as human bricks in a game of parental glory.

And it sickens my stomach.

If your kids’ success – whether in martial arts, football, academics or ballet – is just another status symbol for you, then you should prepare to face a sh*tstorm of consequences once they grow old enough to understand this.

But don’t worry.

There’s still hope left.

According to psychological research, there are scientifically proven phrases that parents can use with their kids to ensure they stay motivated and super happy with their performance – no matter if they’re playing piano, throwing balls or kicking ass.

The top three statements mums/dads can make as their kids perform are:

Before Performance
• “Have fun.”
• “Do your best.”
• “I love you.”

After Performance
• “Did you have fun?”
• “I’m proud of you.”
• “I love you.”

But wait.
It gets even better.

Elite coaches B. E. Brown and R. Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC once conducted a three decade long survey, asking successful college athletes what their parents said that made them feel best when they played sports as kids.

Guess what their #1 answer was?

A simple phrase consisting of six magical words:

“I love to watch you practice.”

That’s it.

Nothing aggrandizing like “you’re the champ,” or discouraging like “try harder”. Not even a deceptively supporting “here’s a couple of things you can improve.”

just...

“I love to watch you practice!”

Simple, elegant and incredibly powerful.

This 6-word phrase, parents, is the key to ensuring your kids will love to practice martial arts for years to come – with grades, belts, accolades and trophies acting as natural byproducts – not goals.

The only thing your kids really want is your undivided attention and approval anyway.

So give it to them.

Tell them: “I love to watch you practice.”

Since they love you back, the rest will take care of itself.

Greatness cannot be forced upon anyone.

It grows from the joy of practice.

Coach less.

Love more.

The Importance of BJJ for Self-Defense

The global spread of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gave our martial art thousands of practitioners, which is surely great for everyone. Unfortunately, what did not grow in the same way was the importance linked to the basics of BJJ.

In the 40s, Grand Master Carlos Gracie created many challenges to present the jiu-jitsu developed by him and his brothers to the public. During these events, Grand Master Carlos would emphasize the importance of the self-defense and how it could make a difference in people’s lives.

While the gentle art has developed much more on the ground, the Gracie family prioritized the teaching against strikes, knives, guns and other dangerous situations that ordinary people could experience in their everyday lives.

The years have passed and a lot has changed about the teaching and propagation of this fight style created by Carlos Gracie, many teams of different strains have emerged around the world. Similarly, competitions have also increased. That was a way to maintain the continuous growth of the fight, but in the sports realm. Medals and trophies have then become the priority. The basics and the self-defense portion were put in a second and third plan, if not excluded, in the practitioners’ lives.

That’s why you can still be surprised by seeing someone who claims to have “20 years of jiujitsu” not knowing how to defend against a striking opponent. There are a number of people who get the black belt and do not even know the minimum about self-defense.

At Premier BJJ we know how much the basics can make a difference. We have a curriculum specially designed for beginners, we will cove the fundamentals of Self defence situations and sport jiu jitsu.

Remember that all current techniques somehow originated from the basics, from the concept of defending yourself against aggressors. Knowing and understanding the basics is like having real knowledge of the gentle art’s history.

Why You Should Attend Basics Classes (Even If You’re a higher grade)

At Premier BJJ we offer basics classes, they can be a great way for beginners to learn the basics of jiu-jitsu before (or in addition to) getting overwhelmed with more advanced techniques.

Basics aren’t just for new jiu-jitsu practitioners, though. Even if you could do armbars and flower sweeps in your sleep, these “basic” classes can help improve your understanding of jiu-jitsu techniques you already know and even teach you something new.

Many of us learn simple BJJ techniques on the fly or as “side notes” rather than in full, comprehensive lessons. Lots of fundamental techniques are used in class as building blocks to more complicated techniques instead of as the focus of the lessons themselves. Plenty of jiu-jitsu students can remember a time they helped a newer student learn a basic technique — say, a simple closed guard break — so that they could then move on to drill the actual technique of the day. Chances are good that, despite your best efforts to be thorough, the explanation was at least a little rushed and not as detailed as you might’ve hoped to make it. But hey, now the newbie knows the basics of how to break guard, and surely they’ll get the opportunity to refine the technique at some point, right?

Well, maybe. In all-levels or advanced jiu-jitsu classes, an instructor isn’t likely to spend a lot of time going over a move most students learned within their first month or two of jiu-jitsu. Chances are good that the quick summary of the technique will be all that student has to work with, and while they’ll surely figure out what works and doesn’t work for them as they progress, they may be missing out on key details that would’ve been covered in a proper class on the move.

At Premier you can get this opportunity to re-learn the basics as they were meant to be learned. Even if you’re years into your jiu-jitsu journey, revisiting a basic technique and spending time drilling it can be an eye-opening experience. Your coach may know details about “basic” submissions that can drastically increase your finishing rate — details that may have been skipped over the first time you saw the move or figured it out on your own.

Beyond this, having another experienced jiu-jitsu practitioner in fundamentals class can be super helpful for newer athletes. Some people thrive when they have to work through techniques with someone else who isn’t quite sure what to do, but many others need to be walked through the movements even after the coach has demonstrated the technique a few times. Being around to partner up with newer practitioners can help them learn quicker… and teaching the move yourself might help you learn more about it as well.

Even if you put all the direct effects aside, attending fundamentals class can be just one more excuse to get into the gym and train. Sometimes, having an “easy” class that doesn’t send our brains into overdrive can be refreshing, much like how your body feels a bit less sore after a day of rest. If you’ve been getting frustrated with yourself in more advanced classes, it can help to go back to the basics. You still get your training in, but since you likely know the material being taught, you can spend some time working on refining details instead of trying to cram a lot of big information into your head.

Fundamentals are fundamentals because they work. You need to learn the building blocks of jiu-jitsu, and you can only benefit from reviewing them again in a structured learning environment. If you’re using basic guard passes or submissions or sweeps every time you roll, you’re only doing yourself a disservice by thinking of yourself as “too advanced” to learn them again and pick up on new details.

Whether you’re a day-one white belt or an experienced brown belt, basics classes in BJJ can be an important asset on your journey. Take advantage of our classes even if you’re already using the techniques in your game on a daily basis. You never know if you’ll learn something you didn’t even know you didn’t know.

Why Premier BJJ Will Help You Unleash Your True Greatness In Life

Life is tough. It can throw us curveballs every now and then, even in the moments when we think everything is going great. For those of us who practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Harrow, Ruislip or Newton Abbot, we’re ready to accept these challenges. If there’s one thing that Premier BJJ eaches us, it’s how to deal with these challenges and harness them into making us better, stronger individuals.

6 Reasons Why BJJ Will Help You Unleash Your True Greatness In Life: 

1) Because it teaches us humility 
Sparring is the biggest eye opener. Even if you are able to execute techniques well, there’s nothing like linking them all together and using them against an opponent. When you spar, you realize that no matter how strong you are or how technical, there’s always going to be someone better than you.

Humility is the toughest lesson one can learn from BJJ. Years of training, tapping people out and getting tapped out yourself is undoubtedly character building. It could be especially tough in your first few months of BJJ – you could feel discouraged because you aren’t able to execute techniques properly or because you get submitted by other opponents.

However, how well you survive these difficult times makes all the difference. Humility teaches us how to respect our opponents as well as our instructors. Because of this, we become more open to learning and become more appreciative of criticism in our daily lives.

2) Because it forces us to take risks 

The more you practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Premier, the more comfortable you become with taking risks. You’re aware of the consequences and you’re ready to accept them because you know it’s all part of training.

The more risks we take, the closer we come to unleashing our greatness. After all, only those who have achieved greatness know that taking chances is the only way we can get to where we want to be.

Great BJJ practitioners such as Roger Gracie 10x BJJ World Champion, took many risks in his BJJ career, opting to put his legendary name on the line to try MMA. Pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones should be part of everyone’s life motto. By taking risks, we avoid missed opportunities, giving us the chance to be the greatest version of ourselves possible – what’s more awesome than that?

3) Because it builds focus 
Known to be technique-intensive, BJJ requires more focus than most martial arts. Premier BJJ students need to be detail-oriented, picking up on all the little intricacies that go into a single technique. These details could make all the difference in your repertoire, as more advanced BJJ students know.

When you become more deeply involved in your BJJ practice, you begin to forget about your horrible day at work or even the noisy pad hitting in the background. You learn to become completely present and focused, more than you have ever felt in your life.

When we learn how to focus in training, it translates into our everyday lives as well. We become more productive and efficient, making us better employees (which in the end, gives us more time to train)!

4) Because it develops patience 
BJJ can be frustrating, especially when you first start. The techniques might seem so complex; it is then that you realize how many repetitions you need to do just to learn a technique. Just like studying for an exam back in college, you’ll need to review constantly to make sure that you know it by heart.

However, the most difficult part of learning a technique is how to actually apply it during sparring. While you’re still in the learning stage, you’ll probably get submitted quite a few times – and that’s a true test of patience. Unfortunately, the only way to improve is to keep on practicing the technique over and over again.

It may take days, months, and sometimes even years before you can utilize a technique during sparring. Instead of getting frustrated and quitting completely, you persevere because you know that you’ll never get anywhere if you give up. This makes you a much stronger person compared to others because you know that you don’t surrender that easily. After all, as they say, nothing worth having comes easy!

 5) Because it helps us deal with fear 
Learning how to keep calm during extreme situations is a skill you’ll develop from practicing BJJ. Whether you’re sparring or doing drills, you’ll always be subject to bad situations. It’s up to you how to use technique wisely in order to escape.

Whether you’re under someone’s 100kg sidemount or trapped in a submission, practicing defense is one of the most difficult aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Knowing that your opponent is putting 100% effort in his technique while you’re simply struggling to survive is undoubtedly unpleasant. And using technique against him just feels completely impossible.

The way we deal with these situations in class can be applied to the way we deal with compromising situations in the real world. Instead of flailing our arms about and panicking, we should stay calm and think first before doing anything rash. Just like in BJJ class, we anticipate what our opponent is going to do next before doing our next move.

6) Because it gives us an unbreakable warrior spirit
When you train at any of the Premier BJJ Academies, you know that there are no excuses on the mat. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, male or female — everyone is equal as soon as you bump fists. BJJ is a true test of mental and physical strength, constantly pushing you out of your comfort zone.

BJJ separates the strong willed from the weak, forcing you to dig deep and harness your warrior spirit even when you’re ready to tap out. And when you tap out, you’re ready to bump fists and roll again, because that’s how strong you are.

There’s no doubt that training BJJ at Premier is a true test of willpower. Every time you convince yourself to keep on going, even when you think you can’t, is definitely proof of an unbreakable warrior spirit.

In order to unleash greatness, there’s no doubt that one must go through challenges that most people would choose to avoid. As a Premier BJJ student, you learn how to face these tough times and use them as inspiration to do better in life and achieve greatness in life.

So what are you waiting for?
Start BJJ and unleash your greatness today!

Jiu-Jitsu & The Art of War

“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved” –Sun Tzu

I have always been fascinated with teachings of Sun Tzu, I read The Art of War when every time I coach the Premier fighters, I often send quotes to Stuart, Rick, Sean & Alex during their fight camps as I was setting their training plans and strategising how to beat their opponents.

For those who are unaware, Sun Tzu was a military general whose writing “The Art of War” is quite possibly the most influential book in history with regard to military strategy.

Most of his teachings were based on how to be victorious in war with little expense. There is an enormous psychological and sociological component inherent in his stratagem. His teachings in warfare are incredibly relevant to many different aspects of life, but much more importantly to those of us practicing Jiu Jitsu, they are relevant on the mats.

For example, are we, as Jiu Jitsu practitioners not concerned with ending a match with little to no effort? The value of economy in war, as Sun Tzu taught it is equally relevant to our economy in a fight.

He taught at length about victory, however the message behind the words always comes back to awareness. I believe that from awareness, the ability to deceive and manipulate becomes so much more powerful.

“All warfare is based on deception” -Sun Tzu

I was doing a little thinking the other day about a training partner of mine when I first started training Jiu Jitsu in 2005.

Rolling with him was just one big “mindblown” moment after another. He was a purple belt at the time, very close to his brown and I remember our professor always commented on how deceptive he was.

All of those “mind blown” moments were the result of me having absolutely no clue how he had just strung together his attack. I was always caught off guard and I was always second guessing myself because he was able to take such great advantage of my own mental short-comings.

I think at that point, rolling with him, I started to really appreciate the psychological aspects behind training. These moments, seemingly random, were always well planned and well-manipulated pieces to a giant puzzle.

I realized here that there is no secret that there is a huge psychological component to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I feel like one of the more interesting psychological facets of Jiu Jitsu is that of deception and the ability to manipulate situations for your own benefit on the mats.

One thing I always aim to work on is my ability to get my opponents or training partners believing that I am going one direction while my intent is to go to the other. To me, it helps preserve my energy because I rarely have to fight to get into positions. by manipulating my opponent’s movement, I am able to get to where I need to be much more easily.

If you get the chance, download or read the book, it can help with strategy in life, business and your training.

Why Your Instructor Won’t Promote You (Yet)

In every BJJ academy there is somebody that has been training Jiu-Jitsu for years, sometimes even more years than most of the others and they are still stuck at their current belt and Premier BJJ is no different.

Why won’t the instructor promote them? Every instructor has their own set of criteria and maybe the students doesn’t fulfil them yet. Progressing through the ranks in Jiu-Jitsu is a long, long process and students should focus on improving, instead of being obsessed by belts.

Let’s look at some of the reasons why instructors won’t promote their students to the next belt level even though they have been training for years:

-Being a ‘belt hunter’ or obsessed with being promoted to the next belt

A big No No in Jiu-Jitsu is to openly ask your instructor for a belt. It raises a massive red flag for your instructor who can actually start to think that you are only interested in being promoted so you can brag about your level in BJJ instead of being interested in the other important aspects of the art. There are several cases in which people keep training just to acquire that desired promotion and after that they completely disappear from the academy. At the end of the day what you should do is to enjoy the ride and absorb as much knowledge as you can, because once your pass this specific stage you are not coming back there.

Solution: Forget about the belt. Just enjoy the Jiu-Jitsu journey.

-You have a negative attitude /are a smartass / are too big headed or arrogant

As an instructor, when I get a new student, I will always be sure to put them in the right path. That means to make sure that they have the right mentality. In my academy, if you have a big ego, you will have a bad time. I have seen young champions that started winning everything and their instructors were never able to keep them humble and next thing you know, they start becoming full of themselves and arrogant. That’s why I would never promote anybody to the next belt unless they have the right attitude. You can win the worlds, but if you’re a bad person or arrogant, you’re staying where you are until you change to being: humble, positive, perfect teammate, example to lower belts.

Solution: Work on your personality and be less selfish and egotistical.

-You constantly make the same mistakes

Bad habits should be neutralized right at the start. when it becomes clear that your instructor gives you advice on how to perform a technique and you keep repeating the same mistake time after time it can mean only one thing, that you are not paying attention at all to what he says. Yeah sure, you might think your coach doesn’t know how it feels to roll with your body and what feels more natural to you, but well, who is the coach there? You can be sure that he took a long road to earn that black belt and that you aren’t the first person he has ever had to teach something to. If he is telling you to do, try or correct something, listen to him, it’s the voice of experience giving you advice right there. Doesn’t it feel natural? Well, I’m sure it didn’t feel natural at all to you on your first class when you had someone mount and smash you but now you can easily deal with it, with exactly what your coach showed you to do.

Solution: Focus and concentrate!

-You just do No-Gi

First of all, what do you want a belt for if you don’t even value the training in the Gi? Helio Gracie already said that the belt is only to hold the Gi jacket closed and if you didn’t know, at the early days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu there were only white, light blue and dark blue belts being used. Later on the belt system we have in use nowadays was adopted to differentiate the students in level and proficiency. The moment you decided to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu you accepted to train it by its rules and even though there is the No-Gi part of it the Gi is fundamental for you to keep going forward in the art. If you do No Gi, then you don’t need a belt. Wrestling doesn’t have a belt system for example.

Solution: If you prefer to do just No Gi, then that’s fine and great, just do not expect to be receiving a belt (which you don’t even need).

-You don’t train enough / are not regular enough

There are some people that will train for a month and then disappear for half a year before coming back again. Being regular in your BJJ training is so important in terms of progressing. One of the things that you need to get to the next level is obviously for your instructor to see that you actually are applying everything that they have taught you and of course to be able to apply it in a real situation, which in this case is rolling with other people of the same level. A belt promotion comes when you are able to demonstrate a specific set of skills required to obtain the next belt, if you cannot demonstrate it there is no way to have you evaluated.

Solution: Come to class as much as possible. Minimum 3 times a week to progress properly.

-Too much strength, not enough technique

This one goes completely against everything that Jiu-Jitsu preaches, starting already by doing the complete opposite of that the own translation of the name Jiu-Jitsu means, “Gentle art”. The whole concept of Jiu Jitsu is based on the efficiency in which a smaller and weaker person can submit and dominate a bigger and stronger opponent with the use of leverage and specific techniques, so obviously trying to match the strength of a stronger guy already defeats the purpose of the art.

Solution: Imagine that your opponent is 30+ lbs heavier than you. Would that technique that you muscled work against them? Start rolling lighter and slower and using more technique. Your technique will improve, and your instructor will notice your improvement.

-You’re new at the academy and have been ‘jumping from academy to academy’

This person is often jumping from academy to academy, for various reasons. It can be because they didn’t like the vibe at the old academy, or because ether felt that they could improve more at the new academy. Many instructors will want to know what kind of person you are, how dedicated and how much love you show for Jiu-Jitsu. At the end of the day, when your instructor puts a belt around your waist you are, in this case, a blue belt under him. So not only your techniques but also your behavior and character will reflect what you have learned and absorbed from your instructor.

Solution: If you are new and have been gym hoping before that, make sure to explain your reasons for your past ‘instability’. Just keep a low profile, train hard and let the instructor and teammates’ trust you slowly but surely.

-You’re a one trick pony/ not well rounded/ Focus only on ‘sneaky’ techniques

Of course it is good to have a ‘go to technique’, that one that you are so good at that even higher belts fear when you start it’s setup, but is also can mean that you are not focusing enough on whatever else your instructor is teaching you. It can be a strong signal that you are basically ignoring him or not paying enough attention to what he is teaching at a specific day or week just so you can still focus on working only on that specific technique you decided is the best for you. Imagine that you are really amazing at a certain submission and works only on it, what happens when you face a certain guard you cannot pass? Keep that in mind.

Solution: Be more well rounded but still have a good ‘Go To move’.

Jiu Jitsu is meditation

We are all consumed by worries and responsibilities from the moment we wake up. These include amongst other things our careers, relationships and finances. But when we are on the mat sparring against a resisting opponent – our thoughts are focused on only one thing and that is the moment. Jiu-jitsu is meditation – or at least a form of meditation. In my opinion, this is the reason for the massive global explosion in popularity and especially BJJ in Ruislip and Harrow, that BJJ has experienced over the past decade. People start training for the usual reasons - self-defence, fitness etc. and soon become hooked. I believe we are all ‘meditating’ on the mat and most of us don’t even know it. Perhaps our minds crave this release from our daily concerns and that is why we find training so enjoyable.

Finding Peace in violence

If you tell people you do jiu-jitsu in Ruislip or harrow or any other kind of martial arts, it usually comes with a variety of actions. Most people that do not practice martial arts or have no experience with it may look at it as violence, or simply just don’t understand why you would pay money to fight people for fun, but that couldn’t be more untrue.There is something that attracts so many people with a variety of backgrounds to martial arts, and it may be the biggest benefit that comes from practicing these arts on a regular basis.

If you told someone you could find peace in violence, they wouldn’t understand. Only the people that have experienced it first hand, or know someone that has changed as a person in a positive way because of it, are the only ones to truly understand the benefits we experience from doing a “violent” sport. The best times to train are when you are going through tough times, as it is likely most of you have experienced this. It is a lot tougher to motivate yourself to go train in those rough moments in life, no matter what the situation may be, but it is very likely you will receive the best benefits from your training if you can push yourself to make it there.

We all have the constant thoughts and worries about life that we get on a consistent basis that can send us in a downward spiral, but training is the one thing that can take our minds off this. If you are having a bad day, week, month, or year – go train. This is not the time to take a break from training because you have too much going on. Training is one of the few things that can totally take your mind off those negative thoughts and bring you into the present moment. In my opinion, this is why a lot of individuals over-train. Being on the mats is the only place where they can truly relax mentally and physically, and be in the present moment.

The benefits go beyond being on the mat too. It actually does make you be a more peaceful and calm person, especially in high stress situations. Do you remember how you reacted to stressful or negative situations before you started training? How about when you are training on a consistent basis? It is night and day difference for most people. As a result of your mind being in a more peaceful place, the way you act will be too.

Have you ever wondered why jiu-jitsu and martial arts has such a diverse population of people who practice it? This is why! We are all going through struggles in life, and this is the place where we can be at peace. If you don’t have a good support system at home or in life, your teammates will always be there for you no matter what, and this goes for wins and losses in life and on the mats. Your teammates become your family as quickly as you are open to it. Remember that the next time you are going through challenging times. Go train!

10 White Belt Tips

Here is a small list of tips and recommendations for the beginner student, aimed to help them make the most out of classes, stay injury free, and stick with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Harrow & Ruislip for the long run.

1. Be a good drilling partner. Allow your partner to learn the mechanics and timing of the technique, help them, give them your feedback.

Move naturally offering just enough resistance, so they can practice the technique and develop their reflexes.

Drilling is different than live rolling, so don’t try to counter the technique they are just learning, but at the same time, don’t be too lazy and just lie down like a dead man. Find a good balance where both of you are engaged in the activity.

2. Tap on your partner, NOT on the mat. This is a big one, especially if you are rolling with another beginner.

Chances are that your partner is so focused on the submission that they won’t hear or see you tapping if you tap on the mat.

They won’t even know that the submission is getting tighter, so you may end up getting hurt or choked out unconscious.

On the rare occasion where both of your arms are trapped, and you can’t tap on your partner with your hands, make sure you stomp your feet hard on the mat repeatedly so they can hear it and stop the submission. Verbally submitting is also another option if you are able to.

3. Don’t wait until it hurts. As a beginner, you are still discovering the limits of your body.

You may think that just because a joint lock submission is not “hurting enough,” you should keep trying to escape and not tap. You may be able to escape, but that’s gonna take a toll on your body, keeping you on the sidelines for weeks or even months.

Remember, if it’s hurting it is because it’s already damaging. By the way, some submissions don’t even hurt that much, like toeholds and heel hooks, so if you wait too long, something is gonna pop!

4. Master the bridge and the hip escapes. These are the 2 most important movements to master in order to develop a great escaping game.

If you are a beginner, you are gonna find yourself under Mount and Side Control quite often, and a lot of your time is gonna be spent trying to escape from these positions.

The good news is that almost all escapes are based on those 2 movements.

Execute the Bridge to unbalance your opponent, and Hip Escape to create distance between you and them.

5. There is no magic pill. I often hear students asking “what’s the secret to becoming good at Jiu Jitsu?”

Well, it’s the same secret of becoming good/successful at anything: persistence, consistency, resilience, hard work, dedication, willingness to learn… that’s how you get good at Jiu Jitsu.

Jiu Jitsu can be very complex and overwhelming at times, even after receiving your Black Belt you still feel like there is so much more to learn and master… it’s definitely a lifelong journey.

6. Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. When you are drilling techniques make sure you don’t skip any steps, drill them slowly so that the correct motor patterns are ingrained.

If you don’t remember a step or detail, ask your instructor for help. Quality reps are more important than quantity.

Once you have been able to execute the move perfectly several times, then you can start adding speed, as long as you are maintaining perfect form.

Pushing your nervous system to perform faster than it’s trained to will simply cause you to fumble what you’re doing.

7. Master how to do break falls and forward/backwards rolls. These are the 2 most important drills to be learned in order to prevent injuries.

Learning how to break fall is absolutely crucial in Jiu Jitsu, as otherwise you will get hurt sooner or later, guaranteed.

Also, it’s an important skill to have in your daily life. It saved people a few times when they were skateboarding for example.

Learning how to execute forward and backwards rolls are also essential for your safety. Knowing how to tuck your chin and roll over your shoulder will save your neck from devastating injuries.

8. Be open-minded. The more you know, the better.

Learn all aspects of Jiu Jitsu, with no judgement. Self-defense, sport, gi, no-gi, leg locks, takedowns, top game, bottom game.

Sure, eventually you may have your preferences, but why limit your knowledge?

9. Don’t compare your progress to others. You are unique and have your own journey.

Some students train 3x per week, some train 3x a day. Some are athletic and young, some are older and have physical limitations. Some will get their blue belts in under a year, some will take 10 years.

Just do the best you can do, be the best you can be, and remember tip #5.

10. Don’t let your emotions take over, especially when you are in a bad position. If you panic or let your opponent know that you are tired or feeling uncomfortable, they will be able to exploit that and make things even worse, eventually overwhelming you.

Train your mind to stay calm and relaxed while working your way out using the techniques you have learned, step by step, so if you ever need to use them in a real-life situation outside of the gym, you will be able to think and act sharply under pressure.

5 Reasons You Should Start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Premier

One of the best ways to start the year right is by putting your New Year’s resolutions into action. If getting in shape is part of your list, why not try BJJ in Ruislip or Harrow? Not only is it a great workout, it also teaches you self-defense, among many other awesome things. If you’re ready to take your fitness journey to the next level, here’s 5 Reasons Why You Should Start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Premier BJJ Ruislip or Harrow.

1) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is for everybody

You don’t have to be physically fit or under 50 to start training BJJ at our academies in Ruislip or Harrow. Virtually anybody, regardless of age, gender or fitness level can start training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Because it’s designed to empower the smaller, weaker individual, you’ll discover that the techniques you learn will work against someone much stronger and heavier – it’s amazing!

2) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will put you in the best shape of your life

If lifting weights and doing cardio in a gym isn’t for you, perhaps you should consider Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Without even realizing it, you’ll work every single muscle in your body from the warm-ups to drills to sparring. Unlike other martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu requires resistance – you’re constantly pushing or pulling your training partner as you practice techniques over and over again!

3) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an art you can practice for the rest of your life

As we mentioned in #1, anyone can start training BJJ and keep on training as long as they like. Also known as “the gentle art”, BJJ is a lifestyle that one could continue to enjoy well into the later years of his/her life. Helio Gracie, one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s forefathers practiced jiu-jitsu until his death at 95 years of age. In fact, the IBJJF, or the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, established a tournament for BJJ practitioners over the age of 30.

4) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will make you a better person

There’s a reason why only a very small percentage of BJJ practitioners will get their black belt – not everyone has the perseverance to keep on training for 10 years to receive it. But the more you train BJJ, the more you understand the value of resilience. Although there’s instant gratification from performing a technique properly in sparring, it will take many, many tries before getting a technique right. This will teach you how to follow through, an equally useful quality off the mats.

5) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will challenge you

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is also known as the game of human chess. It will teach you how to harness both your physical and mental strength and apply it in sparring. You will learn countless techniques, and over your years of training, you’ll see them evolve right before your very eyes. You will spar many different training partners and become exposed to many different styles of Jiu-Jitsu, teaching you the importance of being well rounded. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself analyzing your every move, both on and off the mats.

So what are you waiting for? Take the challenge of your life and start your BJJ journey this year!

A Martial Arts Parent

One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money and spend so much time running around for your child to do Martial Arts ?" Well I have a confession to make: I don't pay for my child's martial arts lessons. Or their boxing gloves, sparring gear & uniforms. Or the gradings.

So, if I am not paying for martial arts, what am I paying for?

- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they feel like quitting but don't.. 
- I pay for the opportunity that they can have and will have to make life-long friendships. 
- I pay for the chance that they may have amazing instructors that will teach them that martial arts is not just about movement but about life.
- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined. 
- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body. 
- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be a proud , supportive, kind and respectful team member.
- I pay for them to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that stripe they hoped for, or fell during a move they practiced a thousand times, but still get up and are determined to do their BEST next time...
- I pay for them to learn to make and accomplish goals. 
- I pay for them to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a black belt or a champion, and that success does not happen overnight. 
- I pay so that my children can be on the mats instead of in front of a screen...

I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for martial arts; I pay for the opportunities that martial arts provides my child to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their life and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others.

From what I have seen for many, many years, I think it is a great investment!

Warrior Spirit

As students its important that our training is consistent, we also need to develop more than simply the next technique. We have a duty to train to be strong in both mind and body and work to maintain our focus and strength throughout each week.

Here are some of the few things we look for when developing that “Warrior Sprirt” in our students at Premier:

GRIT. This is the perseverance, the will & toughness to push forward in spite of adversity. We encourage firmness of character within our students, an indomitable spirit and courage. Don’t forget that means mental toughness and perseverance too, not just physical strength.

BLACK BELT ATTITUDE. This can take many different versions of a definition, but often we are saying the same thing. A Black belt Attitude is polite, courteous, and respectful. Be on time. Be humble. The list often goes on.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN TRAINING. As a beginning white belt, the majority of responsibility to improve first sits on the instructor's shoulders along with their ability to teach. As the students advance though, responsibility should begin to shift to the student. They must be accountable to push themselves to continue to learn and to be increasingly better martial artists. They should take ownership of their journey, and not simply depend on their instructor to direct them. Introduce practice habits, goal setting and self-analysis.

When you focus on these three areas on and off the mat, you will begin to take pride and ownership of your training. you will begin to push boundaries and feel accomplished or satisfied in your training.

7 Awesome Tips To Make You A Formidable White Belt

Blog post taken from: BJJ World

Being a white belt in Jiu-Jitsu is a difficult period. No matter how much you thought you knew about BJJ, you’re inevitably going to be shocked. After surviving “initiation”, or being destroyed by everyone, you start to comprehend the complexity of it all. It is as difficult psychologically as it is physically to keep pushing through. It is, undoubtedly, the only way forward and it is more than worth it to endure. Believe me, I know, I went through all of it too.

A white belt has a long road in front of them. Have no illusions, it is going to take around a decade before you get to strap the black around your waist. Now, knowing that it is going to require blood, sweat, time and sacrifices, are you still willing to persevere? If you decide that you are, here are 7 crucial tips that will make your life easier at white belt:

1. Accept The White Belt Struggles

Get to terms with the fact that you’re at the bottom of the food chain. BJJ takes time, there’s no way around it. So do not get discouraged at your apparent lack of success. Although you might consider tapping so often a failure, you’re in fact, improving with every second spent on the mats.It is completely normal to “lose” to higher belts. Actually, accept that you’re going to get beat by more experienced white belts as well. After all, they do have more experience (however slightly) and more knowledge than you. What is inevitable is that you will catch up, or even surpass them. You only need to keep working and do not get discouraged. Like everything else in life, you have to start slowly and gain momentum as you go. Trust me, nobody is perfect from the start.

2. Take It Easy On Yourself

As much as you might be a perfectionist, you will never, ever be flawless at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This is another extremely important notion that you have to understand from the get-go. After all, perfection is a moving target that can never be completely reached.

In BJJ everyone makes mistakes. Even black belts are capable of making a wrong move or two. As a white belt, you will be prone to mistakes more than any other belt. You can’t expect anything else from an art where opponents actually try to force you to make errors. Instead of getting furious with yourself over doing something stupid, accept it as part of BJJ and move on. Dwelling upon it is not going to make you better. Learning from it is. Trust me, you will never repeat the mistakes you make in competition unless you sulk over them.

3. Constant Curiosity

The defining trait of a white belt should be constant question asking. White belt is the time to be curious about everything and anything. There are no stupid questions when you are a beginner and you should not shy away from asking them.

First and foremost, instructors are not divine creatures that you can’t approach. Quite the opposite, they should be the person you talk to most during class. Never be unsure about asking your instructor anything about BJJ. They are there for that very reason, to try and make things clear for you. The best way to gather knowledge is to inquire about things that you do not completely comprehend.

Apart from your instructors, higher ranked belts are also there to clear up uncertainties. Ask your training partners every time you’re unsure about a move or technique.

4. Everyone Is A Good Partner

Whether it is rolling, drilling or just learning new moves, as a white belt, you cannot be picky about who you train with. It is simple, everyone is a good fit regardless of belt level.

The more people you work with, the more experience you will gain. The aim should be to work with as many different kinds of people as possible. Both heavier and lighter partners, members of the opposite sex, beginners and advanced students, no one is out of bounds. This kind of diversity will teach you how to act in as many different situations as possible and help you grow much faster.

Not every move works the same for everyone. Higher belts are more experienced and will see you coming from a mile away. If you’re not a lanky person, your triangle won’t work on that broad-shouldered giant with the blue belt. And, despite being heavier, you won’t even know where that brown belt girl is when she kicks your ass. So, gather as much experience as you can, because it will be the foundation to build your own game later on.

5. Do Not Underestimate The Warm Up

The warm-up is by far the most despised part of BJJ class. People do all sorts of things just to get around those boring 20 minutes or so. Well, guess what? It is the wrong thing to do and that holds true in particular for white belts. 

It is needless to say that turning up to class late just to skip the warm up is unacceptable. It is disrespectful towards your instructor, the academy, and your training partners. Slacking your way through the warm-up is even worse! Does it really take that much to really engage? After all, you’re already there.

Apart from getting you ready for the upcoming training session and preventing injuries, they have an even more important role. In BJJ, warm-ups often consist of movements specific to the art. As a white belt, your focus should be mostly on mastering the basic movement patterns of BJJ. So, you need to take warming up seriously in order to have any hope of advancing in the art. You’re doing the work for you, not your instructors so buckle up and show some enthusiasm!

6. There’s Nothing Scary About The Higher Belts

Despite all the memes suggesting that white belts are only food and the higher belts are hungry, circling sharks, this is not the case. Well, no completely. The fact that you’re on the bottom of the food chain shouldn’t be a reason to avoid more advanced students.

Rolling with your peers or people near your level is a recipe for disaster when you are a white belt. Despite being extremely humbling and uncomfortable, you need the experience from those rolls. It is the best way to learn what not to do, which is kind of the point at white belt. Later on, you’ll be the one inflicting the discomfort, but that comes only after being on the receiving end. Moreover, when it is time for drills, it is wiser to look for a more experienced partner. That way you’ll get a partner who knows what they’re doing, as well as someone to consult during the drills. Again, do not hesitate to ask higher ranked partners anything. They all went through what you’re going through and are generally more than willing to help out.

7. Keep Showing Up

To end with, nothing is going to help you learn BJJ as fast as consistency. There’s no better advice than to just keep showing up for class. Get as many hours under your belt as you can, and it’ll start changing colors in no time.

That said, there’s no need for A white belt to pull off double sessions in a day. Make sure you train at least 4 times a week, and that your time in classes spent wisely. Ask lots of questions, be mindful when drilling and be on time to warm up. All those confusing names of the moves and elusive details will become much clearer if you are consistent with your training.

Team up

Training at Premier BJJ, the ultimate goal is to make it to Black Belt. Black Belt means you are now a serious student and the real learning begins.

For most adults a BJJ Black Belt takes about 7 to 10 years of consistent training, kids will be considerably longer. That can be a long time and obstacles, roadblocks, and challenges are likely to pop up. So when this happens should we throw in the towel and quit? NO WAY!

For juniors there can be temporary periods when their interest and motivation dips. This can happen for a number of reasons. Their progress might be off track because they were sick or on holiday. They may be discouraged because one of their friends earned a stripe and they didn’t.

This is a chance for us to team up and strengthen their character. Quitting can become a habit no one wins when a child gives up on a goal or themselves. So the next step is to work together to find out what the issue is and team up to fix it. When obstacles pop up, communication between the parents and instructors should be the next step!

For adults the challenges could be an injury, a busy work schedule, or stinkin' thinkin' which can lead to hardening of the attitude. Again, this is time to increase the communication. We are confident that when we put our heads together we can come up with a solution and keep you on the climb towards Black Belt!

Tony Robbins says, “There is always a way if you are committed.”

Thank you for trusting Premier with your development, we wont let you down.

The Impact of Memories

As a martial arts teacher, I interact daily with lots of people. I’m acutely aware that as a teacher, I have a certain amount of influence with my students, of course more with some than with others. Although I may not always succeed, I try to leave them a bit better from our interaction. Whether its a class, a formal progress check or just a quick mat conversation, I do my best to give them my full attention and to leave them with a “nugget” when I have one to give. Hopefully, I’m creating some positive memories. Perhaps sometimes it might not even quite be a memory, it might be just a feeling, nothing they can put their finger on, just a sense of acceptance from someone they might respect. I have had a lot of really great role models, people who have created positive memories for me and who, for one reason or another, have really made an impact on how I live and view my life.

Like most people, I have also experienced, first hand, examples of really poor role models. I’ve seen people demonstrate exactly how to create a bad memory for someone else. I’ll never forget the first day of in a new junior school.  After being introduced to the class by my new teacher, I was shown to my desk. It was the place that I would spend my days for the next several months. My first interaction with another student was when William, the kid to my right, put gum on my seat. Then, at break time, he called me out. I didn’t even know what that meant, but I knew it couldn’t be good. He had to explain it to me.

Over time, I learned that William was pretty harmless. A lot of bark, but that was about it. I ended up making plenty of new friends and school turned out okay after all.

I wasn’t traumatised for life by William (although the fact that I’m sharing the story now is probably a bit telling). I just didn’t like him. Ever. We went to school together for years. At one point, in an effort to become friends, he even invited me over to his house to play. However nice he was to me, I just couldn’t forget the memory of trying to remove gum from the seat of my school trousers without looking stupid.

If William walked in to my academy today to say “Hi,” would I want to give him a “Private lesson” and show him what I’ve spent my life practicing? Honestly, no. But…we were kids. It was just junior school. We all did stupid stuff back then. Most of us probably still do. So, if William, walked into my school today to say “Hi,” I would greet him warmly, talk of old times and then wish him well, sincerely. But, it wouldn’t be the same as seeing Robert, the kid who stuck up for me on the playground, or Miss Elledge the teacher who encouraged me when I really needed it.

We all are creating memories for others every day, those of us that are teachers even more so.

Years from now, when those you used to know, those you used to teach, see your picture or hear your name, what memory is going to rise in them? Let’s make some memories.

Thanks William, Robert & Miss Elledge for the great lessons.

Why did I Start Training?

I love my profession. I’m extremely proud to call myself a Martial Arts Instructor. I believe that one of the most important factors that will increase my student’s success in Martial Arts, or anything else for that matter, is my own belief that they can succeed.

Do you remember your first “white belt moment” – a moment or epiphany early in your journey when things clicked into place for even an instant and you realised for the first time “I can really do this” or you thought “Jiu Jitsu is for me!”? I remember my first Taekwondo lesson when I was only 7 years old: my instructor taught me a punch and a front kick. At the time there was a bully at my school that was making life unpleasant for me and many of my friends. Although I never had to use it, I clearly remember the moment of learning the techniques, thinking it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen, and instantly feeling more confident and empowered, and i never looked back. I was hooked on all martial arts and over the past 12 years Jiu Jitsu has been my obsession.

I’m sure you have a similar “white belt moment” or “ah-ha” where everything clicked into place for you emotionally, mentally, and physically. What was it? What was its lasting impression on you? How did it steer you towards your current path as a martial artist?

There may not be only one white belt moment that we remember either. Many moments may have combined together to set you on your path and purpose. Just as you can remember this moment or series of moments, what is so wonderful about what I do is that I like to think I create similar memories for others every day with my students, families, even for myself!

It’s important to remind ourselves of these types of moments – the sparks that ignited our passion, or the reasons why we fell in love with the lifelong journey of Martial Arts. This week, reflect on the following questions:

• What prompted me to start training?


• What was my first “white belt moment”? What goals did I want to achieve at that time?


• What goals do I still have today?


• Who was that positive person who guided me along my martial arts journey?


• If you are an instructor, are you that positive person for your students?


• Would I be the same person now if I did not train at all?


• What does it mean to me to share white belt moments with my students?


• What will nurture my instructor enthusiasm with my students so every class feels as exciting as my first class?

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I remember the first time I got my hands on a self-improvement book, I had just turned 25 and I was baffled. At that moment I realised my fate was not set in stone. I could become my own drill master and coach. The books I read would set out the training course for me to overcome. All I had to do was listen to that voice that aspired to climb higher and higher. Every time I committed to a new challenge I knew it was going to be outside my comfort zone, but after enough iterations, I also knew it will not just be part of my repertoire, it will be part of me. While I acknowledge some inherent dangers in the concept of self-improvement, I still believe in the beauty of self-directing your life. 

The title of this book doesn’t capture it all. Covey shares with us seven habits one should adapt to become truly effective in whatever you would like to achieve. Of course, it is not as easy as it sounds. He stresses the fact that we need to go through a paradigm shift – a fundamental change in how we perceive the world and ourselves. This book can be read as a guide, with practices and everything, to go through the stages in order to make such a shift happen. Part shock-therapy, part ageless spiritual wisdom, Covey’s book is packed with wisdom that actually makes a difference. And, as I mentioned, don’t let the title of the book fool you; it is about much more than just becoming more effective. It is about becoming a person who not only seeks the best in oneself, but also in the people around them. A must read for anyone who feels there is always something left to learn.

Balance of a Martial Artist

The ideal martial arts instructors are always where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be there, physically, mentally, and emotionally. They are not irrational or imbalanced, regardless of personal circumstances, are able to lead by example with the qualities of a champion. This is something we should all be continually striving for on our journeys.

Balance is a critical piece of this puzzle. In order to be an outstanding Martial Artist, one must have a good sense of balance. If you lose your balance in a fight, you could easily lose the fight. The keys to maintaining your emotional balance are to stay calm, centered and focused even when faced with extreme difficulty at hand. The parallel human quality to balance is rationality. To be rational means to think logically and clearly without emotion.

You can always find a reason to be irrational or emotional....especially if you are looking for one. Have you ever known someone that is easily offended...someone that practically looks for reasons to get upset? I thought so. Me too.

How about someone that can remain calm in a chaotic situation or rarely takes personal offense to anything...? Someone that gives others the benefit of the doubt and does not take things personal or with poor emotion? Yeah. Me too.

So today's question is... Which person are you? Which person do you want to be? How can you channel your inner champion by remaining calm in an otherwise challenging spot?