Open Mat Jiu-Jitsu is not about competition. It’s about challenge. Competition creates the false drama of win or lose. Challenge speaks to learning, growth and cooperation.

Train long enough and you’ll collect some injuries. Avoid them as much as possible, but accept their reality when necessary, understand them, and understand the needs of others in dealing with their own.

My old injuries are simple facts, not excuses. They demand attention in certain areas, but they do not keep me from advancing my competitive skills–even if slowly so–nor from being a decent person, a good training partner, and a good coach.

From Jiu Jiu’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blog.

The guys who won’t train with you because you’re too easy for them. Guys who won’t train with you because you’re a woman. Guys who won’t meet your eyes. Guys who treat you like you’re a flower. Guys who treat you like a threat to destroy. Guys who are afraid to touch you. Guys who are afraid to lose to you. Guys whose wives are threatened by you. Guys who think you’re hitting on them. Guys who hit on you.

Read the entire article.

“There are several personalities that, whether they realize it or not, behave in ways that inspire people to want to impose The Beatdown. Personalities like “Let’s Just Go Light Guy”(who says he’s injured or tired and wants to flow roll but then comes at you as if he’s been told he’ll be castrated if he gives any ground), “Chick Who Knows Very Little Technique But Tries to Hulk Smash through Everything” (self-explanatory), and “Brand New Dude Who Saw Some Sh*t on YouTube That He Thinks Will Counter What You Were Taught in Class Because He Pulled It Off on His Cousin Who Is Like Twelve” (also self-explanatory) seem to be asking for The Beatdown.”

Read the entire, excellent, article by Valerie Worthington
here.