George Washington Jiu-Jitsu

This is my first post on the jiu-jitsu fighter and I hope that people will enjoy it. Conan said that this is a good place to post our thoughts on jiu-jitsu and any reflections that we have. Thinking about my own strategy after class on Friday I realized that I often go for "Pyrrhic Victories." Pyrrhic was the king of Epirus who fought the Roman army way back in 280 B.C. Although he defeated the Romans initially, the losses he sustained were so great that it ultimately lead to his army’s demise. In other words his immediate short term victory cost him the war in the long run. Thinking about some of my own tendencies and faults I realize that many times I am seeking only Pyrrhic victories. For example, I often go for guillotine chokes and even when it appears that I am not in proper position I will hold on to it. In essence all I am doing is tying up my arms and allowing my opponent to better his position. I may be able to maintain the hold for a period of time, but I have little chance of gaining a submission from it. The result is that I achieve a Pyrrhic victory, tiring myself out and allowing myself to be put in worse position.

In the future I hope to abandon my Pyrrhic ways and begin practicing George Washington Jiu-Jitsu. Now it’s true that living in 18th Century America Washington probably never learned jiu-jitsu. Give the guy a break he had a country to run and a war to win. However, he was a great tactician and strategic thinker. Both Pyrrhic and Washington were faced with overwhelming odds, in the forms of the Roman and British armies. Unlike Pyrrhic, Washington did not rush into battle. Most people don't know this but Washington had a terrible military record, in terms of battles won. But, in his many losses he never lost many troops, he would simply retreat when ever the tide turned against him. Finally, after wearing down and frustrating the British he went for the K.O. Think Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans, Evans spent most of the time in the fight retreating and looking for an opening before a frustrated Liddell gave it to him. So instead of holding on to my useless guillotine I should retreat either to my feet or to guard and live to fight another day.

Facing more experienced opponents is tough and personally my first instinct is to rush to gain an early advantage, which more often then not results in me ending up in bad position. Hopefully in the future I think more like Washington and not foolishly seek to gain Pyrrhic victories. I hope you enjoyed my first post and don’t worry all my posts won’t be about obscure historical examples, this was just what was on my mind today.