So many people get in their feelings, deciding they must defend ecological methods against any slight criticism. It’s like we put the cults of cross fitters, vegans, and MLMs together in one group and told them ‘Ecological methods’ are their new god.

So how many ecological-types read that and already started formulating a response to defend ecological methods (eco)? I hear the crying from here.

Contrary to what some would believe, I AM NOT anti-eco training at all. It has a place, but to me it’s not in the front.

I will not sit here and talk about all the educational journals and science of ABC in this to make my point. Instead, I’m going to make one simple observation I have seen repeatedly, my perspective, talk some shit and let you all make your own opinion (because unlike eco-types, I don’t need you to say that only I can be right…)

Observation:

When you were beginning school as a young child, they wanted you to learn to read and write. To figure this out, they started with providing you an alphabet and instruction on how to say the letters. Additionally, they would provide you with the letters, walk you through the proper way to write them with stencils and repetition.

Eventually proficiency was built, and the assignments changed. Suddenly you woke up with hair on your chest (or wherever) and found out you were supposed to read novels, digest the information, then write papers on your literary analysis. The shit sucks, but it had to be done!

So, what am I trying to say (if it isn’t obvious)?

When people have no fundamental understanding of grappling (ABC’s), they need to learn ‘the alphabet’ to succeed (safely). They should be formally instructed on breakfalls, fundamental techniques, transitions, etc. They should drill the shit out of them to build proficiency and muscle memory of how things should move and what right looks like to keep themselves safe, as well as their training partner. Once fundamentals are established, have them go play eco games/methods (read those novels; write those papers!) to expand their ability.

To me, static drilling is the starting point in anything. It is how you build automatic responses (like failure drills for military-types) and train yourself to recognize and tighten up those movements and get used to performing them safely. 

Static drilling is movement refinement.

Eco methods are movement optimization.

Example: If you learned an armbar from mount and drilled the shit out of it to the point your body could near-perfectly execute it in a half-awake state on a non-resisting opponent– awesome. Now drill individual components of the technique in an ecological fashion to optimize your applications, explore resistances and responses, and further develop the technique. You may find that move you drilled the shit out of isn’t the optimum application method to find success, and now you will be adjusting the technique. Through this, you should develop a superior technique. This seems, to me, like a no-brainer.

Why do you think I don’t recommend Eco up front?

Imagine you went to start school as a young child, and they did it the other way around. Your teacher said, “here is Victor Hugo’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ – your goal is to write me a paper on it.” 

Once again, I hear the eco people yelling “that isn’t even how it works!”. Sure, I jumped the shark in the sense that eco would break it down into smaller bites, like “figure out how to read the first page” (which is still too much), but you get my point. Stop crying.

I don’t hear anyone saying, “I’ve never boxed, but I think I should learn to box ecologically”.

Ok, shit talk over.

I will say it again: ECO HAS A PLACE! I just don’t believe it should ever be in the beginning for the new grappler.

My Recommendations: 

Teach people fundamentals through deliberate instruction to ensure their body builds the pathways to execute techniques safely and their minds recognize what they are doing. Drill often to refine their movements and build proficiency. When this is accomplished and the techniques themselves are smooth, introduce them to ecological methods to optimize those techniques.

P.S.: I’m still waiting on a school that claims to be 100% ecological tell their brand-new student to ecologically learn to tie their built correctly…

Mathematical Jiu-Jitsu starts the learning process with deliberate movements and repetition to refine body awareness, applications, pattern recognition, and safety. After this is established, we explore ecological methods to optimize the techniques for the desired outcomes for the practitioner, then start the process over.