Well said...

The True Beauty of Jiu-Jitsu

It's an expression of my individuality. I may have many fingerprints from my teachers all over my game, but at the end of the day it's MY jiu-jitsu - just as it's YOUR jiu-jitsu. We may all know how to do the basic armlock from guard - but each and every single one of us does it differently. No matter how inexperienced, physically limited or old you are - there is a specific technique or movement that nobody does as well as you - you can move your body more efficiently in that direction or sequence than anybody else! Human beings have the innate desire to create. So many of us today work boring, repetitive jobs that completely suppress our creativity. But on the mat we can awaken this creativity and merge it with our individuality. This is manifested in many ways - how we absorb what we are taught and adapt it to our physical abilities and body types and how we integrate new techniques into our existing game are just two examples. Making up moves 'on the spot' to get of certain positions or apply leverage is another. Rickson Gracie is often quoted as saying that how we grapple reveals our personalities - something which I find truly fascinating. One example I can think of - at my academy there used to be a guy training who was super-charismatic and outgoing. Watching him spar was a direct reflection of this - the guy was always a bunch of big, wild movements - which totally mirrored his extroverted character. Conversely, one of the blue belts at the same gym is the quietest guy you'll ever meet. To watch him roll you can almost "see" the silence in his movements. So the next time you are about to roll think of it as if you were about to play a piece of music or paint a picture - out of the six billion people on this planet there's no one else who can do it quite like you. Courtesy of www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com