THE ELEVATE EXPERIENCE

Within each prospective martial art/sport, there are three overarching skill sets and attributes: Mind, Body, and Spirit

While these skills/attributes are indispensable to success in both sports/martial arts, there is a hierarchy.

The first triangle represents the hierarchy of skills/traits needed to be successful in competitive and lifestyle judo. The first skill and most important of the three indispensable skills is the athletic traits or body of the athlete. Traits such as strength, speed, endurance and power encompass this skill. While we can certainly say that genetic athleticism is an attribute/trait, we can also agree that athletes can enhance these given traits through skill acquisition. If athletes do not train this skill appropriately, they cannot compete in national and international competitions. The explosivity of the sport of Judo demands that this attribute be at the top of the hierarchy of necessary skills.

In this context, the Judo student/athlete needs cardiovascular endurance to perform with the utmost confidence. Judo is an incredibly physically demanding sport, with matches decided within the first few minutes, to matches that may last 20 minutes. As the format of Judo competitions is towards a tournament format, athletes must perform at their best for their first and subsequent matches. The cardiovascular recovery between matches is essential, not only for performance but also for the physical safety of the athlete. Fatigue is a determining factor in match outcomes and injury prevention.

The second skill within the hierarchy of importance is the resiliency or spirit of the student/athlete. Motivation, energy, and the student’s/athlete’s inner state are of primary concern. It is these factors that determine the bridge between mind and body. Without the monitoring of our current situation (where am I now?) and asking the primary question (where do I want to be?), it may be all but impossible to navigate towards a successful journey in Judo. Motivation and energy must be high to accomplish goals within one’s Judo journey. And there will come a time when a student/athlete will feel “stuck,” whether due to situations within Elevate or outside of Elevate.

The third skill within the hierarchy of importance is the student’s knowledge or mind. The repertoire of techniques, strategies, and tactics that the Judo athlete needs to be successful is robust. The accumulation of and deep understanding of techniques, strategies, and tactics is invaluable for both a competitive Judo athlete and a lifestyle student. Although placed third in the hierarchy of the three necessary skills, we cannot underestimate the time and commitment a judo athlete needs to develop this knowledge acquisition skill.

The second triangle represents the hierarchy of skills/traits to be successful in competitive and lifestyle Jiujitsu.

There is a change in hierarchical importance between two of the invaluable skills. Mind and Body have changed positions within the hierarchy.

While Jiujitsu competitors begin in the standing position, the current rulesets allow athletes to either remain standing or choose a grounded position. This available choice, and the concentration of match time mostly taking place between athletes in a ground position as opposed to Judo’s match time taking place in a standing position, means that athletic traits, while meaningful, are no longer in the top position of the hierarchy.

Due to the physical change in most common positions during competitions and during practice, explosive movements tend to happen much less frequently than in Judo competitions. Therefore, there is more allowance for measured attacks and defense at a slower pace during a match. With the slower pace, knowledge becomes the prominent skill differential compared to athletic traits.

Continuing with this thought process, it becomes apparent that due to the differences in speed of action between both Judo and Jiujitsu that learning opportunities become more abundant to the beginner student much faster in Jiujitsu than a beginner student in Judo. Accelerator Programs focused on knowledge gain and knowledge retention are more readily available. These programs offer an immense benefit in terms of time and energy. Students can become far more proficient in much less time than by ordinary and common means of Jiujitsu development.

Although there is less of a priority of physical skill over mental capabilities, the physicality of jiujitsu is still immensely prominent. And this physicality invites stress. And the ability to keep a calm mind under stress and duress while solving problems, is one of the greatest benefits of Jiujitsu/Judo.

Notice, however, that Spirit (resiliency, motivation, energy, and inner state) still holds its position between the two sports/arts in terms of hierarchical importance. Consistency of studying, strength training, attending classes, and forging positive relationships with fellow teammates are deciding factors for growth. Without high motivation and high energy, all things in our lives even if we deem them important can fall by the wayside. Developing the crucial skill to ask ourselves, “where I am now,” and, “where do I want to be,” impacts every facet of our lives. When we are in a high state of anxiety and stress, when we feel stuck, progression towards our goals can easily feel out of reach.

To be successful in both Judo and Jiujitsu, there needs to be an alignment between these skills and an understanding of the hierarchies within them. At Elevate, we offer programs that allow our members to become successful in each of these departments.

Mind:

Accelerator Programs

For our accelerator programs, our greatest opportunity to increase capability will be to focus on the critical skill of knowledge acquisition. The focus will be on understanding Jiujitsu/Judo principles and critical thinking. We will be developing the lens to see Jiujitsu/Judo as a system, as a whole.

There will be several Accelerator Programs offered throughout the year that will focus on differing skill development and positional opportunities for Judo/Jiujitsu.

Body:

Mantis Shrimp

Elevate has partnered with Steve Crandall to develop our online and in-house programs for strength and conditioning. These programs will focus on functional training, overall athleticism development, body maintenance, and injury prevention/rehabilitation.

As Judo and Jiujitsu are physical activities that involve hands on interaction with others in both a cooperative and competitive environment, having the physical capabilities to remain safe is a priority. The majority of injuries obtained through the practice of both Judo and Jiujitsu are self-induced. Meaning, individuals ask their bodies to do something that their current physical state cannot handle.

Doing work with Mantis Shrimp Fitness allows our members to understand their current physical limitations and improve their situation. In turn, this will provide more enjoyment and progress towards their Judo/Jiujitsu journey and beyond.

Spirit:

CoreSelf Positioning

CoreSelf Positioning: Getting on the Same Page, Literally introduces a powerful, practical framework to help you pause, reflect, and navigate both personal and professional challenges with greater clarity and confidence.

Whether you’re a leader seeking stronger collaboration, an entrepreneur facing high-stakes decisions, or simply someone ready to break old patterns and move forward with intention, this process offers the tools to help you realign from the inside out.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Activate your Internal Observer to access fresh insights and navigate complex situations

  • Use the CoreSelf Map to clearly see where you are, where you want to be, and how to bridge the gap

  • Strengthen communication and collaboration by understanding your position and others’ perspectives

  • Make value-aligned decisions that lead to sustainable progress and authentic success