22,000 ways to improve your jiujitsu today

Right in our first few jiujitsu classes, we learn to seek maximum effectiveness with minimal effort. That is, to see how apparently banal, perhaps unimportant details can take our training—and life—to a new level.

Physical trainers and healthy-living specialists have realized the value of this philosophy. In case the person is sedentary, without any excitement for sports, the turnaround can start out slowly. For example, with 150 minutes of physical activity weekly, or walking an estimated ten thousand steps a day—easy and effective for all ages. One just has to leave the car at home and walk to the gym, for example.

If the person cannot control their appetite or is overweight, the change also starts with a very short first step: it's enough to reduce by 10% the amount of food on the plate, in every meal. If you usually ask for three spoons of rice, you'll be eating two and a half. Instead of two full ladles of beans, you can use smaller ladles, or slightly emptier ones. And so on.

In case the biggest discomfort relates to sleep, there are also little measures to take, such as being aware of what you've been consuming after 5 p.m., like coffee, teas or maté. Or dialing down the TV or phone use before bed.

It's part of being human, therefore, to seek (and find!) small solutions that make big differences in our life. But there are few that can beat a simple exercise, worshiped by leading athletes and even samurai like Master Rickson Gracie.

It's an exercise that takes only five daily minutes, which helps us acquire emotional control, mental health, less anxiety, sleep improvement, less tension, and clarity of ideas.

Yes, that exercise exists. Science says that, on average, you breathe twenty-two thousand times per day—that is, your lungs do not stop working. Specialists and researchers realized that the simple fact of making yourself aware of your breathing, and striving to breathe in a paused manner for five minutes, inhaling and exhaling slowly, makes all the difference in your health—both the physical and mental varieties of it. With time and constancy, this exercise can help lower blood pressure and more.

To get started, a small effort will suffice for maximum effectiveness: think of the number 426, and go to town for five minutes. It's four seconds breathing in, two to hold the air in, and six to slowly exhale.

With time, you will become a master of breathing, and realize how that helps you move and think progressively more efficiently.

Now check out, in the following video, one of the twenty-two thousand ways Rickson knows to improve your jiujitsu.

22 mil maneiras de melhorar o seu jiu-jítsu hoje mesmo

Logo nas primeiras aulas de jiu-jítsu, aprendemos a buscar o máximo de eficiência com o mínimo esforço. Isto é, enxergar como detalhes aparentemente banais, quiçá desimportantes, podem levar nossos treinos, e nossa vida, a um novo patamar.

Os preparadores físicos e especialistas em vida saudável perceberam o valor dessa filosofia. Caso a pessoa seja sedentária, sem ânimo algum para o esporte, tudo pode começar devagar. Por exemplo, com 150 minutos de atividade física por semana, ou uma caminhada estimada em 10 mil passos por dia — tranquilo e eficaz para todas as idades. Basta deixar o carro em casa e ir à academia a pé, por exemplo.

Caso a pessoa não consiga controlar o apetite ou esteja acima do peso, a medida também começa com um primeiro passo bem curto: basta procurar reduzir em 10% a quantidade de comida no prato, em todas as refeições. Se você costuma pedir 3 colheres de arroz, vai comer 2 e meia. Em vez de 2 conchas cheias de feijão, pode usar conchas menores e usar conchas levemente menos cheias. E por aí vai.

Caso o incômodo maior seja em relação ao sono, há também pequenas medidas, como reparar no que você anda ingerindo até as 17h, como café, chás ou mate. Ou diminuir a TV ou celular na hora de ir para a cama.

Trata-se de um exercício de apenas cinco minutos diários, que nos ajuda a ganhar controle emocional, saúde mental, diminuição da ansiedade, melhora na qualidade do sono, diminuição da tensão e clareza nas ideias.

A ciência aponta que você, em média, respira 22 mil vezes por dia. Isto é, os pulmões não param. Especialistas e pesquisadores perceberam que o simples fato de atentar para a respiração, e procurar fazer uma respiração pausada por 5 minutos, inspirando e expirando lentamente, faz toda a diferença na saúde das pessoas — física e mental. Com o tempo e a constância, esse exercício pode ajudar a baixar a pressão arterial e tudo mais.

Para começar, basta um pequeno esforço para a máxima eficiência: pense no número 426, e mande ver por cinco minutos. São 4 segundos inspirando, 2 para segurar o ar, e 6 para expirar lentamente.

Com o tempo, você vai se tornar um mestre na respiração, e perceber como isso ajuda você a se mover e raciocinar de modo cada vez mais eficiente.

[thedudeabides]

I had to laugh when he just stared and said "That's it?". That was a little funny. I will say at the Rickson seminar I went to, I saw him take a single breath and it took him around 3 minutes of exhaling to finish. He said, if you do this breathing exercise, you will increase your lung capacity 30-40% and you will be able to actually warm yourself up and control your pulse. He may be older now, but in his prime, his physical skills were quantum leaps above everyone else. He also said he is still a student.

[connorperrett]

"Wear yoga pants and a tank top to class tonight. We are doing some conditioning."
"I shouldn't wear my gi?"
"It's going on YouTube."

[drjimjam]

Master Rickson, your book, “Breathe” is one of the best books I have ever read. (Couldn’t put it down!) Thank you so much for sharing your life and knowledge with us.

[TakedownsForJiujitsu]

Intentional breathing is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of martial arts.

[yojaw]

“Pay attention “ - Gracie, lmao that killed me 😂

[ivanferraz]

I compited judo and did 6 fights in one day. I lost because of wrong breathing. 2 weeks later I used a breating technique and I won the same guys that I had lost 2 weeks ago. So Rickson is 100% right, it works not only to competition, but also to life.

[Alexandre-lnpg]

Rickson Gracie. Parabéns pelo canal, fiz essa descoberta hoje e já me inscrevi...Deus o abençoe.

[mohammedhassan]

Men of culture, I see we have gathered

[giampieroparma]

GRAZIA MAESTRO RICKSON PER LA SUA DEDIZIONE E SEMPRE UN ONORE APPRENDERE IMPARARARE LE CONOSCIENZE DEL JU JITSU DELLA SUA FAMIGLIA AUGURI DI BUON LAVORO A LEI E AL SUO STAFF

[statictech]

Respectfully, this woman has one of the most impressive physiques ive ever seen. She must be an incredible athlete.

[futurehofer]

esse sotaque brasileiro ai impossivel de passar batido hahaha mt bom vou tentar

[smoothieguy]

Pay Attention, lol ... I mean it is Rickson so that is Yessir!!

[stefank]

I used to train with his cousin henzo in nyc 25 years ago or so, matt serra (was ufc champ) was there with me and he was only blue belt, i seen henzo submit one really good grappler in unbelievable move, people told me there that rickson made henzo look like take my dough guy 😂

[belgrano]

Definitely awesome but why the fast breath with the mouth and not the nose? Just curious because mouth breathing in general is horrible. Breathing through your nose is harder but you get better oxygen from it.

[tylerpierce]

Why was I doing this today when I was told to plank in a warm up and then now we see it UK what I'm just going to take his word on his merit 🎉

[ButterBallDog]

Secrets being released. presenting it like this is just very new wave

[RealityRanger-FAFO]

Imma need a friendly match between RICKSON and EDDIE BRAVO .

[cwr]

Why's she dressed like a peppermint

[elijahwilson]

I recommend downward dog and transition to push up and them downward dog again.

[ivanraimi]

He looked so disappointed that she lasted only 9 seconds