It’s been almost exactly five years since I wrote Basics. And in my private lesson this morning, we again went over the clinch, body fold takedown, and cross collar choke. “Basic” stuff. I’ve been teaching these techniques for over ten years. Not just doing them, actually teaching them, which should presume I’m proficient at them.

It’s funny, because as I suggested them as today’s topics, my teacher laughed, and said, “Again? You really like these, huh?” And the thing is, I don’t love them. They’re basic. And I’m certainly “good enough” at them. But I know I can be better.

I think about the trap and roll technique. Only now, after a very long time of training, do I even dare to say I’m “kind of OK” at it.

When I watch students practice a technique twice, and then chat the rest of the time, I ask them to keep going. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. And that’s fine. Everyone is on their own path, and I hope they eventually realize that they’re not as good as they think they are.

I have students that ask if it’s worth coming to class if they’ve already seen lesson 13 three times. And I’m like, “How many times do you think I’ve seen lesson 13?