[cheath]

As with most new people (2 months) I've been getting a little frustrated lately that I'm slow to catch on. The only sports I've ever played I've really excelled at, so I'm not used getting it handed to me. That got me thinking so I decided to approach the frustration and "will I ever move to a blue belt" questions from a different angle than the other threads thus far.

Do you need any natural talent to excel in BJJ, or is it just a matter of mat time? For example, someone could practice basketball a few hours a week doing drills, doing pick up games, but they could still suck really bad after as much as a few years just because they have no natural talent for the sport. My view is that many sports are like that, and with my view that BJJ is also a sport, I was just wondering if it follows suit?

So what do you think, do you have to have a natural inclination or natural talent for BJJ to get any good, or do you just have to practice? Thanks in advance.

[armtriangle]

with practice almost anyone can become proficient (good enough to tool thier friends).

some measure of talent is needed to become "good" though.

but anyone can rise to blue belt level. if you have any measure of athletic ability at all, that is all you need, plus mat time. all the best bjj players i have known- black and brown belts- had no special ability, just perseverence. some learn faster than others, of course.

IME it takes athletic people a little longer to get good at jiu jitsu, because they have to learn to rely on technique, rather than physical attributes.

[DaRuckus337]

It's a sport like any other. Excelling is 1 part work ethic 1 part natural ability. You cannot truly excel if you lack either, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself and become very proficient.

[TallguyBJJ]

having natural talent at anything is fine and dandy but if you don't put in the time you still won't be all that good. I feel the same way now and again that I'm not improving for a while then something clicks and i understand a position a little better or a sub. Just stick it out, the first few months were frustrating for a lot of people.

[BrokBakJiuJitsu]

with anything in life you do it long enough you'll get better, at least you should, unless your a complete douch and make the same mistakes over and over. You won't be a Mundial champ without talent though. I remember I wanted to play for the NBA, I practiced everyday. I realized my dream was over after Jr High cause I was short and uncoordinated. no talent

[Afrofeet]

Originally Posted by armtriangle

IME it takes athletic people a little longer to get good at jiu jitsu, because they have to learn to rely on technique, rather than physical attributes.

You say that guys who are athletic are inferior to guys who are not athletic when it comes to bjj??!?

[backyard_champ]

Originally Posted by Afrofeet

You say that guys who are athletic are inferior to guys who are not athletic when it comes to bjj??!?

no said it takes them longer to get good at bjj. they might be able to win in a match, but thier bjj skills often take longer to develop. IMO, if you rely on physical attributes, you ultimately hinder progress.

seen it many times, including myself.

[armtriangle]

^^ yup

[David_Jacobs]

As others have said, it is like any other sport and it takes both talent and practice to excel.

In my 10 years of BJJ, I've seen people who are awesome at other sports/very good athletes have difficulty with BJJ in the beginning. Others who have been awesome at sports/great athletes have picked it up quickly.

On the other hand, I've seen people who were never any good at other sports pick up BJJ quickly AND seen some people who have just as much trouble with BJJ that they had with other sports.

In summary, it's impossible (in my experience) to make generalizations about who will or won't be good at BJJ based on pure athletic talent.

You never know who will shine.

Of course, almost everyone (except for some judokas) has a tough time with BJJ the first few months. It can be frustrating - especially if you are used to dominating in other sports. However, beware of falling into the negative trap of blaming genetics/talent/etc. for not progressing as quickly as you want. That kind of attitude will ensure that your progress remains slow. Don't make excuses. Just get on the mat as much as possible.

[Frodo]

I will never believe that you need genetics or natural talent as an absolute requirement. I believe that they do give a head start or make it easier. But with enough hard work, anyone can achieve great things.