Rodrigo Cavaca is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a coach of many BJJ champions. Back in the day, he made spectacular improvements on his Straight Ankle Lock (back during his win-it-all 2010 year); which made it a popular submission in Arte Suave.
Today, Cavaca leads Zenith Jiu-Jitsu alongside Robert Drysdale. In a text that originally appeared on Graciemag, he shared his views on the relation between life and training BJJ… As well as how important it is to gain values through each process:
Today’s world is very lacking in care, respect and other values that the martial art offers people. Obviously, I mean the values that are demonstrated and taught when we stick to the essence of this martial art. Jiu-Jitsu, for example, adds these values and principles, but not all places promote such teachings. This learning takes place from the mat to life and vice versa, that is, there is an exchange of experience and energy, in addition to establishing a connection with other people.
In or out of the competitive sphere, having a career in Jiu-Jitsu is a challenging objective that requires commitment and continuous effort from those who seek to be successful. Armed with the experience he has accumulated over the years competing and teaching in the gentle art, BJJ world champion and Team Zenith founder Rodrigo Cavaca has put together seven tips to help you on the path of success in Jiu-Jitsu.
From analyzing his relationships to focusing on a goal, Rodrigo unravels each of the aspects that, according to him, helped him to evolve inside and outside the sport.
1. Avoid negative environments:
“Negative environments push us to defeat, as it normalizes the act of losing, after all we are surrounded by people who lose daily to themselves and you end up living in the same stream as them.”
2. Run away from toxic people:
“I often say that it is better to walk alone and happy than with negative and toxic people. It is easy to identify if you are surrounded by toxic people as they are usually the ones who make you revisit the past. The past only serves to bring teachings to the present day and prevent mistakes from being made. You must shield yourself from people who live in the past.”
3. Select your entertainment:
“You don’t have to watch what people want you to watch. You should consume what you want, content that makes sense for your personal and professional growth. You are the one who controls it.”
4. Know where you want to go:
“When I talk about having a direction, some people think it’s trite, but knowing where you want to go is having a goal in mind. As the phrase goes: ‘If you don’t know where to go, any way will do’. And this ‘any way’ can be negative.”
5. Be strong:
“Driving without strength is not much use either, after all, you need to know what to do and how to act to get where you want. Want to be champion? Walk alongside champions. Want to be successful? Join successful people. That’s how you will find the necessary strength.”
6. Plan for the long term:
“One of the main negative habits is, without a doubt, the focus on the short term, as it entails a lack of constancy, discipline and persistence on the right path. Those who shoot for all sides do not finish what they start, judging as “lucky” those who reach their goals. Those who focus on the long term, on the other hand, have the clarity that they are walking daily with direction and strength.”
7. Don’t expect something in return:
“I was not in the habit of generosity, as I gave the world something waiting in return. However, I realized that, in giving expecting retribution, I wasn’t giving from the heart. With this awareness, you achieve true generosity and even your ‘good morning’ is different. This generosity helps life to flow better.”
Finally! Learn How To Easily Defeat The Younger & More Athletic Guys At Your Gym By Using Powerful Footlocks and Various Tips – Even If You Are Slow & Inflexible – From One Of The Best Coaches On The Planet, BJJ World Champion Rodrigo Cavaca.
Check out Rodrigo Cavaca’s 4 DVD series “Wiseman BJJ” here
The post Rodrigo Cavaca Shares his Proven Recipe for Success in Jiu-Jitsu appeared first on Bjj Eastern Europe.