Should I focus on one area at a time or multiple areas?

[Ivan]

Hi guys, I've recently returned home from Scotland to stay with my family for Christmas and New Year and went back to the gym that I usually train at when I'm here. I'd recently been working a body-lock pass for BJJ and it's almost at the point where I can use it comfortably; I just need to tidy up some details and get more confident and aggressive doing it. However, this has made me start to wonder what systems or techniques to start improving on next. I decided to work on the back control strait jacket system - my reasoning for this is that although I don't tend to prefer or chase back control if I do get it, I seldom finish from it, if at all. The way I see it, if I manage to learn a system that gives me a much greater chance to submit from back control, mathematically, I am greatly improving my chances of finishing rolls or competition bouts by submission. However, this had me thinking: back control is a very difficult position to obtain, so unless I start every roll from it, which isn't feasible, I won't get much time to practice it. I have formed a habit of only focusing on one position or area and polishing it to the best I can, and this usually takes months. But would it be alright for me to attempt to work one technique or system per position? Or work three positions, instead of only working one or all of them? What can you guys recommend?
I am worried about stretching myself too thin, and simulatenously, not progressing as fast as I could be as I am not focusing on enough positions at a time. Realistically, except for some tidbits here and there, I have been almost exclusively focusing on my passing for a year now. I wonder how much more progress I could have made if I'd focused on not just passing, but say for example, mount submissions and side control submissions too.

 

[Star Dragon]

Hi,

Sometimes it's a good idea to temporarily focus on one element of your art which could use some improvement, while not totally neglecting its other aspects.

Remember that improving any particular aspect will to some degree have a positive effect on others as well (and vice versa, of course), as you will be enhancing your understanding of your art's basic concepts and principles in either case--not to mention the more general physical and psychological attributes of a fighter.

So, in summary, my advice would be to emphasise training of your preferred technique until you become more confident with it--all the while working on the other sides of your art as well, though less intensely.

 

[skribs]

I don't think there is one right answer. I think sometimes you need to focus one thing.

• If you're getting ready for a competition, focus on your gameplan.
• If there's one technique you keep getting caught with, focus on defense against it or ways around it.
• If there's something that is really drawing your attention or a specific project you want to do, then focus on that.

For example, there's a great series of videos (with a production well ahead of their time) that are all something like "46 armbars in under 6 minutes", or something to that effect. I imagine that the person who made those videos probably focused on armbars for a time before making that video. That video may have even been the culmination of a research project into armbars.

But you are right, you also need to diversify. You just don't need to diversify all the time.

 

[Gyakuto]

Multiple areas.

The analogy I like to use for training in the martial arts is that of erecting a tent. You have tighten one guy rope a little and the tent lurches toward it, so you tighten the opposite one a little and the tent twist to the right so you tighten the left one etc etc Eventually, with little, multiple changes in several directions you end up with a nice straight, stable tent.

Similarly, in training in the martial arts you have to tend to many different aspects to keep everything true and straight.

 

[HighKick]

Multiple areas.

The analogy I like to use for training in the martial arts is that of erecting a tent. You have tighten one guy rope a little and the tent lurches toward it, so you tighten the opposite one a little and the tent twist to the right so you tighten the left one etc etc Eventually, with little, multiple changes in several directions you end up with a nice straight, stable tent.

Similarly, in training in the martial arts you have to tend to many different aspects to keep everything true and straight.

I get what you are saying, but there is definitely a singularity to much of the work. Especially, in the beginning, the information overload can be too much for some.
As a person settles into training, they can better take on more and different aspects, IMHO.

 

[Gyakuto]

I suppose like most things in life, a little of both is a good way to go.