In a recent appearance on the Simple Man podcast, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gianni Grippo offered his perspective on the increasingly debated ecological approach to BJJ training, noting positive results with both experienced practitioners and newcomers to the sport.
Grippo, known for his technical prowess on the competition scene, shared that while his extensive drilling background complements the ecological training method, he’s witnessed surprising success with complete beginners as well.
“I think that definitely helps,”
Grippo said regarding his drilling experience.
“But I also see people coming in that have never trained before and we’re actually able to put them through very limited situations and games where then all of a sudden… they actually look like they know what they’re doing.”
The ecological approach, which focuses on creating specific training scenarios rather than drilling individual techniques in isolation, has become a topic of heated discussion in the BJJ community. Grippo highlighted how this method has produced successful competitors at his gym, even among those who haven’t followed traditional drilling methods.
“There’s a few blue and purple belts at this gym that have basically never drilled, but they’ll go out and compete and compete well,”
he observed, explaining that the approach emphasizes working within “set situations with certain goals in mind.”
BJJ Legend Gui Mendes Laughed Off Ecological Training Movement.
Gui Mendes recently sparked a lively discussion in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community with his response to a question about the “ecological approach” to training.
“You guys and these crazy names. Just say drilling with reaction. We use this training style since the days we were living in Brazil.”
This perspective comes amid an ongoing debate between ecological BJJ advocate Greg Souders and members of the traditional BJJ community. Recently, Souders sparked controversy by criticizing renowned instructor John Danaher‘s teaching methods, leading to a strong rebuttal from ADCC bronze medalist Dan Manasoiu, who trains under Danaher. Manasoiu has accused Souders of spreading “misinformation” and “diluting the essence of the sport.”
The discussion has gained additional attention after Manasoiu’s attempted criticism of the ecological approach using a medical surgery analogy faced significant backlash, leading to the deletion of his social media post. The debate is set to continue with an upcoming discussion between Souders and Manasoiu scheduled for January 29th.
Grippo’s success with implementing ecological training methods adds an important voice to this ongoing conversation about the evolution of BJJ pedagogy, suggesting that both traditional and ecological approaches might have their place. Grippo makes his ONE FC debut against Gabriel Sousa in two weeks.
