Gordon Ryan is widely considered the current “king of jiu-jitsu” after winning multiple ADCC gold medals. In a recent podcast interview with illusionist Chris Angel, Ryan offered advice for pushing through difficult training sessions and obstacles.
According to Ryan, motivation can sometimes be an issue when you don’t feel like training, but discipline should never falter.
As he states: “Motivation can be an issue, but discipline should never be an issue. So a lot of days I get up and I’m like, man, I’m really f**king tired. But you get up and you do it.”
Ryan explains that it’s not possible to train at 100% intensity for every session when you’re training multiple times per day. On days when he’s tired or sore, Ryan will do lighter rounds against less skilled training partners to work on specific techniques and areas of his game.
“You can’t just go as hard as you can every single round every session otherwise. You just get. So you basically will go in and say, okay, I learned this, always playing around this new move or from my, a move from my back, and then you just get somebody that’s not as skilled as you, and then you basically get on your back and you just kind of, you know, reping that technique.” – Gordon Ryan on adjusting training intensity
Other key advice from Ryan is to pace yourself over the course of a training week, and don’t be afraid to take it lighter some days. Listen to your body and adjust intensity accordingly. Consistent discipline triumphs motivation over the long run.
The interview covered other topics like dealing with online critics, what motivates Ryan, and the potential for a celebrity charity match. But Ryan’s advice applies to anyone trying to overcome obstacles and stick to a rigorous training routine.
