Gracie Barra blog has interviewed numerous Gracie Barra black belts from GB academies all over the world and the instructors always share valuable training advice and philosophy about jiu-jitsu.

When Gracie Barra asked some black belt sintructors the question:
“What is the  most important life lesson you have learned from Jiu-Jitsu?” here is what they shared.

“If you have a dream, you have to fight for it , because nothing falls from the sky and many adversities will appear along that way. If you don’t get to reach the sky ( your dream ) will get to reach the stars (close to it ).” Prof. Cristiano Dantas

“There is the Progress with your Professor’s help and individual progress ” – this is what makes Jiu-jitsu the best in the World!” Prof. Aleksejs Kalins

“Anybody can pick their dream and with hard work make it come true. All I need is a gi and a way to get to jiu-jitsu.” Prof. Max Goldberg

“For me jiu-jitsu is about reconnecting to what is real. We’re constantly bombarded with what seem like critical issues and decisions in our daily lives and for many people it can become overwhelming and lead to anxiety or even depression. The reality however is that most of the things that cause us anxiety aren’t really all that critical in the grand scheme of things and there is, for me at least, no better way to come to this realization than trying fight off a submission from a skilled opponent. I challenge anyone to worry about whether they remembered to send a work email while trying to escape from a triangle. 
It can be done.” Prof. Randall Huot

“Jiu Jitsu is FOR everyone: no matter age, background, shape etc. Jiu Jitsu teaches perserverance.” Prof. Yang, GB Surrey

“I entered martial arts and jiu-jitsu for the sole purpose of Self-Defense and to improve my skill set as a professional police officer.  Due to my training and experience I was always confident in my skill set and abilities.This is important in law enforcement work and translates into a better police officer. If you are aware that you can handle the situation you are less likely to have to use force in any given situation.” Prof. Dave Ogden

“When your opponent blocks one way, go the other way around. Do not waste power by running into walls. This can be applied in many ways to everyday situations.” Coach Maik Henneberg

“Naturally, what I learned from my professors is what I pass on to my students: put your money where your mouth is, be humble, self-aware and able to coop with stress. But that is not all. BJJ connects people and shape you as a person once you become addicted to the sport. Mostly, you either love it or you don’t. But once addicted, you become part of a social group that has a strong shared interest. You start to learn from each other in different kind of ways. It shapes your ground game with all kind of chokes, locks, and tactics. But also your mindset and how you deal with different kind of situations. The benefits are endless. Whether you want to lose weight, get in shape, start building your confidence, gain strength, want to be a part of a group, do a total body workout, become flexible, want to practice a martial arts, want to compete etc. BJJ can offer all that. It is a beautiful and intelligent sport that challenges and shapes everybody. Mentally and physically! My main message is therefore “If you think you like it, embrace it and enjoy the ride!!” Prof. Bart Albers

see also : Gracie Barra Techniques: GB Techniques: Partner Drills

Credits: Mark Mullen 
Gracie Barra Black belt based in Saigon, Vietnam
Twitter: @MarkMullenBJJ