Simplifying the message can sometimes feel like you’re dumbing it down. That’s the curse of knowledge¹. We forget what it’s like to not know what we know.

So, we worry that if we simplify, we might oversimplify. Experts don’t want to appear as non-experts.

(Gracie certified) instructors attend an instructor seminar once or twice a year. We are always reminded to use lowest common denominator language. It’s one of the keys to being a good teacher. We’re also told not to talk too much.

I see this mistake sometimes when advanced students attend the beginner classes and pair up with white belts. They can’t help themselves from going over every little detail while drilling. They end up talking so much that neither partner gets more than a couple of reps in.

If you’re an advanced student, resist the urge to explain everything or correct every tiny mistake. Trust the process. No one gets the move perfect the first time they learn it. They will improve. And they will appreciate your tips and tricks a lot more later, after they understand the basic application of the technique.

If you want to become an instructor, practice allowing a small mistake to slip in. It’s hard. You want to correct it, to show you know the correct way. Unless it’s a huge error that makes the move inefficient or impossible, focus instead on what they’re doing right.