Juan Pablo Garcia is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 4th-degree black belt, coach, academy owner, and founder of EDJ Association. Through Growth Notes, he shares lessons on Jiu-Jitsu, leadership, coaching, academy culture, and personal growth built from decades on the mats and years of running successful academies.
Stop Trying to Learn Everything
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One of the biggest mistakes in Jiu-Jitsu is trying to learn too much, too fast.
But progress in BJJ usually comes from going deeper, not wider. The athletes who improve the fastest are not the ones who learn the most techniques. They are the ones who repeat the basics, study positions carefully, ask questions, and refine small details over time. A simple technique, executed with great timing and understanding, will beat complicated Jiu-Jitsu most of the time. Focus on Positions, Not Random MovesInstead of collecting techniques, focus on understanding positions.
Ask yourself:
The more clarity you have in each position, the faster your Jiu-Jitsu will improve. A Small ReminderYou do not need to win every round to improve.
That is part of the process. Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep refining. Consistency beats motivation in Jiu-Jitsu. This Week’s Action Step Pick ONE position this week and study it deeply. During class and sparring: Small, focused improvements create long-term growth. See you on the mats. — Juan Pablo Garcia |
Growth Notes
Juan Pablo Garcia is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 4th-degree black belt, coach, academy owner, and founder of EDJ Association. Through Growth Notes, he shares lessons on Jiu-Jitsu, leadership, coaching, academy culture, and personal growth built from decades on the mats and years of running successful academies.
Today we celebrate 250 years of the United States. Freedom isn't something we think about every day, but it's what allows us to pursue our goals, raise our families, build businesses, and step onto the mats to become better versions of ourselves. At EDJ, we're grateful to be part of a country where hard work, opportunity, and community can thrive. To everyone who has served, sacrificed, and continues to protect those freedoms, thank you. Have a safe and Happy Independence Day. 🇺🇸 Happy 4th of...
Consistency is important, but consistency alone isn’t enough. Don’t just come to class. Come to get better. Every week ask yourself: Am I improving? Am I fixing my mistakes? Am I getting a little better each week? If the answer is yes, keep going. If not, change your approach. Show up. Learn. Improve. Repeat. See you on the mats! – JP Garcia P.S. If you’ve been thinking about joining me for one of our BJJ camps, now is the time! We only have a few spots remaining for our July 17–23 Dominican...
Hi Reader, One of the biggest lessons Jiu-Jitsu teaches us has nothing to do with submissions or sweeps. It teaches us how to become comfortable with change. Every time you step on the mat, you’re changing. You’re learning a new technique, fixing a bad habit, facing a training partner who gives you problems, or discovering that something you thought worked… doesn’t. Growth requires change. Sometimes that change is exciting, like earning your next stripe or belt. Other times, it’s...