BJJ Notebook Paperback – September 1, 2011

I just got this book b/c I recently started training no-gi after years of doing various other (primarily Japanese) martial arts. While I have numerous notebooks and notes for my other styles, and the concept of someone NOT keeping a notebook is ludicrous to me, I felt like this would be a great way to keep a concise collection of beginner's notes for bjj and, to that end, it is.The sections are concise, the questions and material for input important, and over the years you could probably fill up multiple cc's of these books with copious notes. In that respect, it's great.The reason I gave it 4 star instead of 5 is because the opening history of jujitsu (as in Japanese) is woefully lacking. It would lead one to believe that jujitsu (historically) game from some unarmed style of leverage, pins, locks, throws, "aiki" (though he doesn't say it), etc. - basically what you'd see in a judo class or aikido/Daito-ryu school. This is WRONG. I've heard this for years, and it is almost disheartening that no one takes the time to do the research and find out for themselves. What the author is referring to here is more of the gendai/goshin jujitsu (aikido, judo, etc.), but not the corpus of "jujitsu" proper, as in techniques from koryu.Japanese jujitsu did NOT come about by some Buddhist group teaching people aiki-like throws and having smaller people beat bigger people. Jujitsu originated as a series of techniques by which a person with a LESSER weapon (knife, short spear, broken or shorter sword) could beat a person with a BETTER weapon (long spear, sword,). In samurai-era Japan, if I have a sword and you have nothing, you die in 99% of the time, it's just that simple. To teach techniques to try and work around this is an effort in futility. However, if I have a knife and can use it to close the distance, off balance you and stab you, or if with blades I can use "aiki" (don't get me started) to off-balance you and deliver a cut, well then that is much more useful. Over the years as the warring periods ended, armor turned to casual dress, war-time techniques became pugilism, and the syllabus and techniques of styles founded after the Meiji restoration followed suite. Then the pre-cursors of what the author is talking about began to take place, but it was not - and never has been - about some band of Buddhist monks traveling around looking for way to do shionage's on giants twice their size.He also quickly goes over the match b/t Helio and Kimura, when the intricacies of this event are much more interesting (for those, I would recommend Robert W. Smith's, "Martial Musings: A Portrayal of Martial Arts in the 20th Century").Aside from that, I would highly recommend this book and look forward to buying new cc's as mine gets filled up.

I'm only a few days in and I am already starting to work my way out of the training slump I've been experiencing. Not only does this book help to make me accountable, but it's also giving me a strong sense of urgency for getting better.I love the way it's broken up and I've decided to do my best and share my own experiencing on our website (http://verbaltapcast.com/im-just-here-to-pay-my-dues-the-bjj-notebook/). Thanks much, I'll come back sometime down the line and post about my progress, but thank you much for taking the time to create this!

I find the book very useful. I tend to now concentrate on details of my techniques so I can note them in my book. I also attempt to try the techniques the same day during sparring/rolling. It definitely reinforces my learning. I wish I had done this as a white belt.

I really didn't expect the variety offered in this journal. It has a place for personal notes about classes and sparring matches, as well as a place for your instructors notes on your progress. There are flow charts mixed in at random to test your knowledge of techniques and your knowledge of what techniques to move in various positions. I'm very impressed and happy that I bought this journal.

while it's nice way to organize if you're lazy and can't organize yourself... it's just a notebook. would have been nicer if it gave more anectodes, or just was smaller, and came with an iphone app :)

Great little notebook for any BJJ practitioner. Has plenty of room for training notes, seminar notes, injury log, tournament results and more. The only thing I regret is the fact that I waited until I was a purple belt before keeping notes. Would have been nice to look back at notes from when I was a white and blue belt.

Must have for your Jiu Jitsu journey!! Sketches, flow, everything you need to take the right notes

I love this book! It’s a wonderful book to have through your BJJ journey!

Bought for my BJJ fanatic. He loves it

This book is a great idea. 10 concise chapters about the history, philosophy and training practices of BJJ, then a well layed out notebook for recording your training & competition records.

Really useful book ,lots of information and log for new techniques that you may have learned or want to remember.

Im Prinzip ist dieses Buch ein Trainingstagebuch, welches man sich auch mit einem günstigeren Büchlein (blanko) erstellen kann. Aber für den Anfang absolut okay. Es gibt unterschiedliche Kapitel, Seminarseiten, Seiten für Wettkämpfe und das alltägliche Training. Hier können Notizen gemacht werden, gut finde ich, dass auch die Schwächen noch einmal abgefragt werden, so dass man auch später immer mal wieder nachlesen kann, woran man arbeiten sollte. Für einen Überblick und Anfänger auch hilfreich, obwohl ich persönlich nicht viel mit Wettkämpfen am Hut habe. Dennoch werde ich auch in Zukunft meine Trainingsabläufe, Gewicht, Techniken, Schwächen und Erlebnisse im BJJ schriftlich festhalten.Als Inspiration für weitere Trainingstagebücher aber top. Gibt für Anfänger auch noch Erklärungen in Form von Skizzen (zum Beispiel welche Guards es gibt, aber ansonsten ist es ein reines Notizbuch, auch für Auszeiten und Verletzungen im Training). Wer gern alles schriftlich festhalten möchte und zunächst Anweisungen will, der ist mit dem Buch gut bedient.