Mindset Methods of Champions

Below, you'll find the mindset methods of six champions of combat

sports--and one interesting entry from the world beyond sports.
All of these methods can help both the serious jiu jitsu competitor and
the jiu jitsu hobbyist make the most of their training and competing
experience.
All the best,
Coach Connors

Chapter One
CAIO TERRA,
SEVEN-TIME BLACK BELT
WORLD CHAMPION

http://caioterra.com/
What better source of advice than a seven-time Black Belt World
Champion? Here are five tips from a really informative interview by
www.bjjhacks.com. (You can find the link to the interview below.)
These are Training Mindset tips, but if you follow them you will surely
fare better in competition.
1. If you're not concerned about winning or losing in the gym,
you'll focus on improving your technique.

The trap some jiu jitsu players can fall into is when they insist on
winning at every jiu jitsu round of randori. In order to improve and
expand your technique, you have to put yourself out there in training.
When you're trying to introduce something new into your arsenal of
techniques, you'll likely not "win" every round of training. The primary
goal of training should be improvement of your technique, not
winning.
2. Make the conscious determination to be good, or to improve.
If you do not decide to make improvement of your game a priority,
there's a real likelihood that you will not only improve at a much
slower rate, but you might not improve at all. There's nothing wrong
with enjoying jiu jitsu as a hobby, but everyone can make
improvement if they decide to make that a goal.

3. Be happy to train - you need this attitude to put the

appropriate energy and time into studying and drilling jiu jitsu.
If you really enjoy training jiu jitsu, you will put the time in to get
better. If you want to be a world champion, then you had better really
love jiu jitsu because it's going to take a lot of work to get there.

4. There's a difference between being the best jiu jitsu player

right now and being the best you can be in the long term.
Focusing on improving your technique will yield the ultimate
best you, instead of focusing on just adding more speed and
power to the techniques you already possess.
Work on being well-rounded and strengthen your weaknesses to be
better in the long run.
Follow the link below o view this inspiring interview, and check out
other great BJJ interviews and videos at www.bjjhacks.com.
http://bjjhacks.com/2013/02/caio-terra-the-keys-to-success-in-jiujitsu/

How can you apply these tips today?

1. Make the conscious decision right now to improve your jiu jitsu:
I, ____________________, have decided to become the best jiu jitsu
Print name
player I can be: ____________________________, ____/____/____
signature
date

2. The next time you got to train jiu jitsu, go with an attitude of joy and
happiness.

3. The next time you train, do not concern yourself with winning.
Instead, focus on improving your technique in one of your areas of
weakness.

Chapter Two
MARCELO GARCIA, FIVE-TIME
BLACK BELT WORLD CHAMPION

https://www.mginaction.com
Marcelo Garcia is considered one of the greatest jiu jitsu players of all
time. But believe it or not, Marcelo lost his very first jiu jitsu match!
Fortunately for us, that did not deter him from developing into the
great competitor and teacher that he is today. Below you'll find some
Training Mindset tips as well as Competition Mindset tips.
1. Many athletes use visualization techniques to reach their peak
performance state, but Marcelo Garcia used his imagination
early on to teach himself jiu jitsu techniques.

According to the biography in Marcelo's book, The X Guard, early on

in his jiu jitsu career, Marcelo would await the one monthly jiu jitsu
magazine that was published in Brazil. It's hard to believe in this
information age, but at that time there were no websites, or books, or
DVDs about jiu jitsu. Just this one magazine. Here's what Marcelo
says about it:
" Every time I got my hands on one, I would examine it like a
mad scientist. It wasn't like the publications today where they
show step-by-step instructions of the various moves. All they
had was a single snap shot of a competitor finishing his
opponent with a certain submission. I would then have to try
and figure out how he set up that submission and where to
apply pressure. I spent a great many hours on this form of
analysis."
Could this process have been the key to developing Marcelo Garcia's
jiu jitsu mind? Being limited like this initially might have forced him to
learn how to understand the techniques at a deeper level.

2. How does Marcelo Garcia handle the pressure of competition?

He turns his back on it.
When Marcelo attends a competition, he does not spend a lot of time
scouting the competition. He is only interested in their initial move or
takedown. He's more focused on bringing the match into his world of
jiu jitsu than trying to counter what his opponent might do.
In an interview, Marcelo said that he turns away from the competition
when he's warming up so as not to get too anxious before the match.
When the match starts, he's relaxed and ready to do what he does
every day in training.

How can you apply these tips today?

1. If you're competing in the near future, invest some time visualizing
your successful match. Use as much detail as possible.
For training purposes, use visualization to review the techniques that
you learn in class. When watching instructional videos or pictures, try
to visualize how and why the techniques work. What are the
principles that apply?
2. The next time you compete, try this trick directly. Avoid watching
other matches while you're warming up. Focus on your game and
what you intend to do, not on your opponent.

Chapter Three
FELIPE COSTA, BJJ BLACK BELT
WORLD CHAMPION

Felipe Costa is the first competitor to ever win a World Championship

in the black belt division without having ever placed (first, second or
third) in a major competition prior to receiving his black belt. Felipe
competed before in the lower belt divisions, but had never won a
major tournament (Mundials, Pan Ams, Europeans, etc). So, here is a
guy who has won at the highest level, but also knows about struggle
and losing. In fact, he did not win a single match in the first four years
of competing. In another great bjjhacks.com interview (link below),
Felipe said:

"There is not one fight in a tournament where it doesn't cross

my mind that, 'ah I already lost'... Every time is like that... I try to
neutralize those thoughts... I try to think... No I'm not giving
up..."

Here are two tips - one that applies to both Training or Competition
Mindsets, and one Competition Mindset.
Tip number 1: Expect to have negative thoughts when
competing or training jiu jitsu. Everyone has negative thoughts
at times. Just be prepared to answer those negative thoughts
back.
Felipe found that he could perform well in his academy, but his
performance degraded at the tournament. He found the environment
"scary". How did he overcome his anxiety?

Tip number 2: "I would concentrate and try to think as if I was in

the academy. I would actually say 'this is my academy' and
repeat things like this... It helped me. By saying this, and
actually believing in my mind that I was in my academy, I would
think 'this person, my opponent is visiting my academy. This is
my house, I need to do something.' And little things like this
helped me a lot.

To view this inspiring interview, follow this link:

http://bjjhacks.com/2012/06/behind-the-scenes-felipe-costa/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAf4aRszdT8

How can you apply these tips today?

1. Simply apply the first tip directly in training and competing. When
you hear that negative voice on your shoulder, just answer back "No.
I'm not giving up."

2. Try the second tip out the next time you compete. Even if you feel
a little silly, don't worry, it's all in your head. No one else has to know.
But the more consistently you apply the idea, the more fully you
commit yourself to the idea, the better will be you results.

Chapter Four
RICH FRANKLIN, FORMER
UFC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION

http://www.richfranklin.com/
Rich Franklin is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship
Middleweight Champion and is widely respected for both his physical
and mental toughness. Franklin has stepped into the cage to face
some of the most dangerous fighters of the modern era. How does
this former schoolteacher prepare himself mentally to meet the
challenge? I discovered four of his secrets from Brian Cain's excellent
book, Champions Tell All:

Tip number 1. Hard work during fight camp instills confidence.

Rich works incredibly hard during his fight camps. Not only does this
prepare him physically for the challenge, but he uses this fact to
bolster his confidence. In his mind, he should be confident, because
he has earned it.

Tip number 2. Use mental imagery and breathing exercises.

Like many successful athletes, Rich uses mental imagery to visualize
the successful outcome of his match. Breathing exercises help him
lower anxiety in the moment and allow for better performance.

Tip number 3. Use the inevitable anxiety to fuel performance.

Just like Felipe Costa, Rich found pre-competition anxiety to be
inevitable. Instead of worrying about the anxiety and creating a
runaway vicious circle, accept the inevitable physical symptoms and
realize that they are just your body's method of preparing itself for
combat.

Tip number 4. Stay inside your circle of control.

Just concern yourself with things that are within your direct control.
You can't control what your opponent will do, or what the referee will
do. You can't control the amount of traffic you encounter on the way
to the event. So let your concern about matters like that fade away.
Focus on your own personal preparation and performance.

You can find Brian Cain's Champions Tell All as well as other great
sports psychology books at:
http://briancain.com/

How can you apply these tips today?

Rich's Tips speak for themselves. How many of them can you
introduce into your practice?

Chapter Five
DIEGO SANCHEZ, UFC VETERAN

When it comes to mental toughness in the octagon, there is noone

who surpasses Diego Sanchez. Fight after fight he just displays
incredible mental focus and toughness. He might not win all his fights
but he never quits and has never been submitted in an MMA match.
Tip number 1. The "Yes" Cartwheel
Diego is perhaps infamous for his "Yes!" cartwheels. He performs a
series of cartwheels while enthusiastically exclaiming "Yes!". You can
check out the cartwheels here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md_8WJzhsow

But Diego doesn't limit himself to cartwheels. As one of the top UFC
fighters, he chants "Yes!" to himself in training and as he walks into
the cage. This not only gets him into a peak state and (as he puts it)
"flips the switch", it also drowns out any negative voice. He's
screaming to himself "Yes! I'm the greatest fighter in the world! Yes!"
If the fight starts to not go his way, he doesn't let the inevitable
negative voices get in; he screams over them to himself. And it works
for him. Win or lose, he never gets discouraged or lets up.
"Yes!"
For more on his approach, check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAheK2yGD80

How can you apply these tips today?

You can try this "Yes!" technique today in your training. You don't
have to do cartwheels, either. And if you feel self-conscious saying the
mantra out loud, just say it to yourself and observe the effect it has on
your training and competing.

Chapter Six
MIKE TYSON, FORMER BOXING
HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION

"Cus D'Amato, who trained Mike Tyson, said emotions, particularly

anger, are like fire. They can cook your food and keep you warm, or
they can burn your house down. Many great athletes use anger in a
positive way. Anger motivates them. Anger steels their resolve. It is
much better to become angry than to become afraid." - Gary Mack,
Mind Gym

Tip number 1:

"Discipline is doing what I hate to do but doing

it like I love it" - Mike Tyson

Mike is referring to the type of training that many athletes find boring,
mundane or even painful. Tyson would try to approach all those
necessary training activities (footwork drills or shadow boxing,
perhaps) with a joyful zeal. You'll get much greater effect from your
training if you approach it with joyful enthusiasm as opposed to
dreading it and just trying to get through it. 10,000 hours of practice is
not enough. You need 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to master
something.

Tip number 2:
self talk.

Learn from Mike's pre-fight visualization and

Check out the two minute video below to listen to Mike explain his
process of psyching himself up before the fight. Take note of the
change and progression. Tyson starts off nervous and gradually
grows in confidence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPVlyBDCMIs

How can you apply these tips today?

Can you make yourself love what you need to do to reach your
goals?
Can you apply this Tyson style of self-talk to enhance your
performance?

Chapter Seven
MANDY PATINKIN, AMERICAN
ACTOR AND TENOR SINGER

Mandel Bruce "Mandy" Patinkin (born November 30, 1952) is an

American actor and tenor singer. Mandy is well-known for his
portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride in 1987. He currently
plays Saul Berenson in the Showtime series Homeland. If you've had
the opportunity to enjoy one of his performances you might be
interested in what methods he uses to achieve his optimal
performance state.
________________________________________________________

I listened to Jian Ghomeshi interview Mandy on Studio Q. Here's

what I picked up on:

Tip number one: Meditate.

Before going on set each day to do Homeland, Mandy does a
meditation--a mix of Hebrew prayers, Shakespeare, and Sondheim
lyrics. He finds that it calms him before any performance.
Tip number two: Appreciate the moment.
"I also do another thing which is part of that meditation which is
based on a line that Oscar Hammerstein wrote in the musical
Carousel. He wrote in that play, "as long as there's one person on
earth who remembers you, it isn't over." And because of that line, I
recite every person's name that I've ever known that has passed
on, to just keep them alive and present in my mind. It both gives me
an appreciation for the fact that I'm here, that I have the opportunity
to live the life that they could no longer live, and to just appreciate the
moment..."
For the entirety of this fascinating interview, check it out here on
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLc-qxF-Gxc

How can you apply these tips today?

Mandy's process is obviously quite personal and meaningful to him.
Can you use his methods as inspiration to develop a calming
meditation to aid you in achieving peak performance?

Is This The End?

You've come to the end of this guide. What have you learned? Can
you apply at least one of these ideas to your current training and
preparation?

Maybe, you're thinking "Yeah, I can use a couple of these things, but
is that all there is? Is there some system I can methodically use to
take my MENTAL GAME to the next level?"
The answer is "YES".
I have created a complete system for you to use in conjunction with
your jiu jitsu training to DELIBERATELY AND DIRECTLY TRAIN
YOUR MIND.

Are You Missing Out on a Huge Opportunity to

Improve Your Jiu Jitsu Performance?
You've read about some of the strategies that world champions and
world class performers use.
You've seen a simple and streamlined method to FLIP YOUR
SWITCH.
You're working hard in training.
You're studying the science of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
You're working hard to get in great physical condition.
But are you still missing out on a HUGE opportunity to Improve your
grappling performance?
Well, if you are not working systematically on your MENTAL GAME,
week in and week out, the sad truth is "YES".
Without a proper system of mental training your natural operation of
your nervous system will act like a brake slowing (if not stopping)
your progress.
Why not release that brake now?
With a deliberate program you can train your mind to become
stronger and keep it there with that training.

My Mindset Mastery System will give you that program. It will lay out
the steps, the daily practices, the insights you need to release the
brakes off of your full potential.
Go HERE now to claim your Mindset Mastery System and release the
brakes that are holding you back. I have a limited inventory, so don't
wait.
Here's to you reaching your best,
-Coach John Connors