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- TFS#58: Every Day Off-Mat Hours
TFS#58: Every Day Off-Mat Hours
What you do off the mats is more important than what you do on the mats.
Wayne Terran
June 18, 2023
I’ve recently been thinking a lot about this “just show up” meme and how often people reference it.
But no one talks about the other 22-23 hours you spend off the mats.
The time you’re not training has a large impact on your Jiu-Jitsu.
This is important when gearing up for competition, or even if you can smell your promotion coming up.
No one sees your hard work
Your instructor will see your performance during your rolls.
And they can probably feel out your level of interest in Jiu-Jitsu on how quickly you’re improving.
But no one sees how you treat yourself off the mats.
That also means it’s easy for us to “get lazy” when no one is watching.
Did you go to bed on time? Did your cheat meal turn into a cheat day? Did you do active recovery during your off days?
The little changes you make to your daily life style will compound over time.
And this is how you get better when not training.
No one notices that you cut the extra pack of sugar in your coffee.
No one sees the extra 5 minutes of drilling you do after class.
But you need to do it for yourself to see the change over time.
Special note for technical fighters: This is most true with technical fighters...
At the white and blue belt level, you haven't developed enough technical skills to be considered "extremely technical" so even though you may have better Jiu-Jitsu than an opponent, they might win due to being a scrappier fighter.
But once you hit the purple belt level, your technical skills will help you "catch up" to those scrappier fighters.
And if those scrappy fighters don't develop a strong base, you'll likely surpass them.
Remember that building a strong foundation now and putting in the extra work is investment for your later game.
Goals, plans, and influences
A goal is a destination you want to reach while a plan is the vehicle you’ll use to reach that goal.
If you’re not setting goals and developing plans, you’re just floating and hoping the currents take you somewhere.
The currents are influences in your life that are pushing and pulling you in different directions. An example of an influence would include your spouse cooking healthy meals to help you prep for your weight cut or friends trying to get you out for a night of drinking.
None of these are “good” or “bad” but you have to understand which current you want to ride to help you get closer to your desired destination.
Where you want to go
The rise of hobbyist Jiu-Jitsu has made the whole scene much more competitive, hence this newsletter.
If you feel like you’re “stuck” or not making progress, it’s most likely because the rest of the gym is progressing too.
You’re all drilling the same technique and learning the same variations and counters.
So everyone is leveling up together.
It’s hard to distinguish your skills this way and that’s why it’s important for you to seek your own studying material.
“Just show up” is a great start, but if you’re looking to rise above average, you’ll need to do a little bit of extra work.
And if you’re happy with just showing up and only drilling the technique of the week, that’s fine too. As long as you’re okay with that.
…But then again you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter if you were.
Closing Remarks
Every day is an opportunity.
An opportunity to start.
An opportunity to finish.
An opportunity to adjust your trajectory.
I'll see you on the mats,
Wayne
Your best is what you can provide at the moment. Some days it’s not very much and on others it can be something miraculous. On any particular day, you won’t know what you’ll get. So always give your best.
P.S. Ganbatte (頑張って) is a Japanese phrase that means “Come on!” “Let's go!” or “Go for it!” in English. I use it in place of "Good luck!" when cheering on my teammates. As always, I'm rooting for your best.
For The Dedicated
→ “Getting good FAST” is used everywhere as a headline. Instead, I’ll say this: You can get good efficiently. Here’s how.
→ Learn these 10 tips to avoid silly loses.
→ These are the golden rules of playing guard, listen here.