Australian grappling sensation Lachlan Giles has shared insights on what makes practitioners progress faster in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, emphasizing the importance of independent thinking and self-directed learning.
In a candid discussion with Craig Jones, Giles reflected on his observations of rapid progress among Australian grapplers, citing examples from his own experience on the El Segundo podcast.
“People that are thinking for themselves are going to be way better than those people that just show up.”
Giles explained, highlighting a pattern he’s noticed throughout his coaching career.
Drawing from his experience in the Australian BJJ scene, Giles mentioned several practitioners who demonstrated exceptional progress, including Kit Dale, Mini Dave, and more Australians. He noted that these individuals shared a common trait: they weren’t afraid to explore techniques independently.
The accomplished coach also pointed to examples from his own gym, specifically mentioning Jeremy, who “would always just be studying his own things.” According to Giles, this self-directed approach to learning consistently yields better results than simply following instructions.
“When you’re coming in with like, ‘I’m going to try this,’ not just ‘I’m going to try what someone said,’ but like, ‘I want to work this’ – you do get better faster.”
Giles emphasized, underlining the value of personal initiative in skill development.
This perspective offers valuable insight for BJJ practitioners looking to accelerate their progress, suggesting that the key to rapid improvement lies not just in regular training, but in developing an independent, analytical approach to the sport.
