Dojo Discernments
Hi all! Here is your weekly dose of Dojo Discernments where I share nuggets of thought gleaned from the mat!
In Boredom Lies Excellence
The game gets infinitely more fun when you realize, and accept, that we’re doing the same things every day: maintain good position, clear wedges, get to the target.
No need to overcomplicate what’s happening. In fact, the real work is in simplifying.
Simplicity creates sharpness. Repetition creates mastery. In boredom lies the path.
No Hiding at the Top
If you’re aiming for the top, you can’t hide. Not behind strengths. Lest your weakness be exposed on gameday. That’s why high-level growth demands something most aren’t willing to do: willingly reveal your weaknesses.
Letting go of comfort, identity, or archetype isn’t easy. But the path to mastery demands it. You must submit yourself to change before your opponent forces you to it.
True progress comes when you stop avoiding the mirror and start training not for what is but for what is to be.
Where it Starts
The game begins with stance and hand fighting. Whether in standing position or passing guard. Stance and handfighting. Be in sound position, don't let your partner make grips onto you, and be ready to attack.
Pay attention to the detail and intracicies of the handfighting battle.
Renraku-Waza & Chain Wrestling: Connected Offense
In Judo, there's a term: renraku-waza, a cluster of techniques that flow together. Not a single, isolated move, but a sequence that adjusts in real time. Wrestling calls this chain wrestling. The names are different, but the principle is the same: connected offense.
Your first attack probably won’t work. It’s not supposed to. But it forces a reaction and the second or third move is what lands. This is where pressure builds. Not from speed, but from relentless clarity.
The Key to Strength and Health
Myofascial Lines
Myofascial lines carry force, coordinate movement, and keep you balanced under load. When one segment in the chain is tight, weak, or overloaded, the whole line compensates: When one segment in the chain is tight, weak, or overloaded, the whole line compensates, which is why the root of pain or dysfunction is often upstream or downstream from where you feel it.
There are 4 primary Myofascial Lines
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Superficial Front Line
quads, hip flexors, abs, pecs, arms
Supports posture and forward motion -
Superficial Back Line
calves, hamstrings, QL, shoulders
Drives extension, pulling, and upright positioning -
Spiral Line
hips, obliques, back
Powers rotation, lateral movement, and anti-rotation control -
Arm Lines
From fingertip to fingertip
Controls grip, framing, posting, and upper body tension
Understanding myofascial lines helps you move, heal, and train at the truest applicable degree! Explained!
If one of these bullets hit you extra hard, forward this edition to a friend! Dovadoggdojo
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