Mental Toughness in Judo/BJJ

Thanks for taking the time. It really put things in perspective for me.

Great advice!

I totally get what you are saying! ! Thank you for this awesome advice.

Travis, What are your thoughts on MMA??

Thanks Travis, Very enlightening its hard not to fall into auto pilot while training. You've inspired me to focus my mind as much as possible during training.

Great, video thanks for posting it

Thanks alot Travis. This was actually very enlightining for me as I ALWAYS make that mistake of going into autopilot and I never even realized that was a bad thing until you pointed it out and I remember repeating my mistakes over and over because of that. Really thank you very much Travis much appreciated. If possible could you make a video explaining the differences in BJJ and Judo and how does BJJ affect your judo and how to train in it in a way to benefit your judo? I had surgery a few months back in my knee and I can't do judo for a while but I think I can do BJJ so I'm considering practicing BJJ until I get back to Judo so I could improve my Newaza. Anything on this matter would be much appreciated! Also love your Ippon Seoi Nage :)

Thanks for posting this video.

Thanks for this.. I'm just a green belt in judo and a white belt in bjj and I'm getting ready for my second competition and this is going to help me a lot I believe. I need to be more mental.

Damn, this actually hit it on the nail for me. I feel like I've just been going through the motions and more or less just winging it when live rolling. Will have to slow it down and think about what I'm doing more often.

wow man, this is great advice.. i feel like you were speaking to me personally as i come across these type of mistakes in my game all the time. im a blue belt and will make adjustments so it doesn't become habits! thanx Travis

How someone unlike this ...

Always be inspecting your techniques for correctness i call getting good work thanks Travis for your great points.

Congrats on your Olympic medal, talk about mental toughness!

Thank you for the video Professor. In my time doing Judo in high school I would have my teachers tell me often that it seems like I'm over thinking my movements, and that I should just flow and let what I've drilled come into my throws. I took some years off and have since taken up BJJ recently and hope to get back into Judo, but I feel like I will carry that mindset into training now for both sports because of how I've been taught. Can we over think what we do when we train? When does thinking when going live become a distraction? Should it at all? Would love any feedback. Thanks!

Great video overall... the only point which I can relate to is one which you made early on in this piece. Fitness training is largely about the mental focus and decision making that will be available to a person (or not) as they reach the red-line of cardio-pulmonary stress. I think people have to push (often by an exterior coach, particularly when young) beyond the red-line regularly in order to start to address that issue. By just experiencing that extreme distress (the thoughts of 'sit down, please sit down' or 'coach, please take me off the field' are not uncommon in later sprints/rounds/etc.), we can acclimate to the feeling. I think THEN adding the layer of 'ok, you are in cardio-pulmonary strain, can you respond physically or mentally at a high level?' becomes more useful. Obviously, a coach could do that on day one, I just think that having a handful (different for every athlete) of experiences with the 'red-line' makes the introduction of intentional mental focus in that state more effective. Perhaps I am not saying anything interesting or new, since I'm really just saying "add devices one at a time"... haha

Anyway, just sharing my perspective on it, I think you addressed it thoroughly.

Judo is a powerful chess. But it is overwhelming fast chess!!! Mind is the must

Very good insights. Thank you very much for sharing. I believe maybe what you're saying is more "Next Level" mental toughness. Where as for a beginner it's simply just surviving.

Isn't not thinking more fluid than thinking in sparring

So the samurai who told Tom cruise "no-mind" was wrong?

This is the best advice I have received on competition. I realize I often lean on dirty tricks to get the win when my backs against the wall and it’s actually just because I’m competing against people who don’t know how to defend but my fundamentals are not be examined at the highest level. Thanks I’m really inspired to start holding myself to a higher standard of what would really work against top level opponents.

I practiced meditation before getting into bjj. It's very helpful to be mindful and aware of what your body and your opponent's body is going through in order to learn. Plus, the mats are liberating so it's a pleasure to be present to what's going on even when exhausted 😀

loved this video, been dooing bjj for 2 months and i found my self having problem with remembering a spar sesh. So will focus on that thnks

Thank you bro for always speaking truth about everything as it pertains to grappling.

Great advice. Thank you for sharing your perspective.

In my opinion, this is the best advice anyone can hear. Thanks!

I completely understand what you mean. Correcting this problem for myself now. At first when my cardio was shit I would go into auto pilot and just get thru class. Working on staying mentally aware the whole class and not slipping into that mindless state.

Watched this video about a year or so ago. After losing at sr nationals, I am back watching it again as a reminder about self improvement. Thank you for posting this!

Sounds more like mindfulness than thinking

Dude you're awesome I love your videos. Would kill to have you as a coach

I feel like this video found me at the right time.

That was good, I wish I had done in my years in Judo!

Incredible video I like your perspective

It’s sounds like deliberate practice. What you have explained is really a game changer but takes a special guy like you to have that discipline.

I wonder if you have a rehearsed script that you’re doing the whole time or just running through the three questions in a loop making the learning deeper as you go.