One of the most common conversations we have with new students and parents goes something like this: "My child likes it, but they say it's too hard sometimes." They're right. Jiu jitsu is hard! In fact, if it didn't feel difficult at times, we wouldn't be teaching real jiu jitsu. Unlike activities where students can memorize the sequence of movements and repeat them the same way every class, jiu jitsu is built around problem-solving. Every training partner moves differently and every...

When did practice become a spectator sport? When I was a kid, parents dropped us off at practice and came back for games. Practice wasn't a performance, it was where mistakes were welcome, where we got messy, tried new things, and learned. Lately, though, practices across all youth sports, including jiu jitsu, are starting to look like mini tournaments in the eyes of parents watching from the sidelines. Somewhere along the way, "practice" turned into a place where progress is measured by who...