I’ve been to many seminars over the years and there’s always something to be gleaned. It may be a new technique, or a set up to a technique you already know. The seminar could be drill centric with the coach setting out a drill and everyone repeating it for seemingly gelatinous huge swaths of time. Some seminars are in what’s now referred to as the ecological approach, with clearly defined goals set out for participants to pursue. I can honestly say that my understanding of Jiu jitsu has expanded with each seminar. I can also say two other things. First, the understanding doesn’t end when the seminar ends after the group picture has been snapped. Understanding continues. There’s a process of rumination which continues as the process one was exposed to at the seminar is continued through application, i.e., regular, and consistent practice. Second, not all seminars are created equal. Some are phenomenal and some are not. This may not entirely be the coach’s fault. The coach should be expert. The material should be comprehensible to the audience. However, the attendee brings along with them in terms of ability to comprehend the proffered processes is important. Seminar students may have various capacities that better mesh with one seminar style versus another. The recent Pritt Mihkelson seminar at Catch Jiu jitsu in Kaohsiung was an example of, in my opinion, a phenomenal seminar. It was a seminar with an ecological approach. There were processes with clearly defined goals. I attended day 2 of a two-day event. It was four hours of action, and knowledge was expertly conveyed. Impressively, Pritt circled and re-circled the room coaching each group. Seminar hack, snag a good partner. I lucked out and was able to snag a partner who I’ve wanted to train with for a while. He asked about the frog on my rash guard. I wanted to say because it made me feel hoppy, but the moment passed. I hadn’t worked that hard for some time. The sought after goals were challenging to achieve and although there is always risk a competent partner mitigates it. There is much to practice and think about from the seminar. Perhaps most importantly, how to apply the ecological approach successfully in normal training. I was gloriously sore when I got home and I’m still sore as I write this the next day. I took copious notes, but I won’t share the details. Ink keeps dripping from the quill held in my shaking, wrist locked too often hand blotching the costly parchment.
