“Simplicity boils down to two things. Identify the essential; eliminate the rest.” — Leo Babauta, Zen Habits
What is the most important thing to know in Jiu Jitsu?
Can just one thing be identified?
As the coach at Zenyo Jiu Jitsu, I’ve organized our training around what I consider the nucleus of Jiu Jitsu.
Nucleus is defined as “the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.”
Positioning is the nucleus of all martial arts. The way you do this in grappling arts is even more important because of the restrictions of gravity and ground.
I consider being angled to the side, both standing and on the mat, as this nucleus. I refer to this position as the zone. (This idea recently formed into “the zone” after years of thinking about it.)
Maximum Efficiency In The Zone
On the feet, the zone helps you keep the structure of the body without being folded at the hip easily. It also creates movements that use rotational power, a key element to athletic power and skill.
On the ground, if you are on your back, you have to leverage the relatively weak muscles of the abdomen. (To make it known this position is crap, I call it bungus.) The zone allows you to leverage the large muscles of the femur — the strongest muscles in the body — to achieve maximum efficiency with minimum effort.
“My Jiu Jitsu feels ways better. Like something kinda clicked recently. The zone magic is working.” — Jack Colliver
The Magic of the Zone
Being “in the zone” immediately makes you stronger, more coordinated and focused. It can feel like magic, as one of the athletes at Zenyo said. The zone brings organization to Jiu Jitsu. Techniques are no longer random assortments of moves, but inter-related rings of the same cell — all connected to the nucleus. Read more about the zone and how to apply it the ABCs of Jiu Jitsu: ABCz: Armbars, Butterflies, Chokes And Zones
Andy Murasaki finishes the armbar in the zone. See Zenyo Instagram for more Zone examples.
Bungus guard, bungus mind.
Stay out of bungus!
No bungus, zone!!
There’s a bungus amongus
Bungus elsewhere, not among us, we’re zone!