Elite no-gi competitor Dante Leon spoke intimately in regards to the methods he want to see the tradition of BJJ enhance.
A world-class black belt since 2017, Dante Leon is a detailed observer of the BJJ group and tradition.
The present Who’s Quantity One light-weight champion just lately spoke to Grappling Insider about a variety of subjects, together with how he believes the BJJ group may enhance.
Watch the total interview under.
At first, Leon believes that BJJ ought to have a greater sense of historical past. He acknowledges that, whereas the artwork is quickly rising, most individuals beginning jiu-jitsu don’t have any data of most of the sport’s high athletes and former champions.
A 2019 IBJJF no-gi world champion in his personal proper, Leon says that many new practitioners are solely conscious of in the present day’s hottest present rivals:
“As a group, I believe we have to research extra and get extra educated on our historical past and the greats that we’ve. There’s a lot nice jiu-jitsu on the market that lots of people simply don’t ever have a look at as a result of they have a look at all the pieces that’s on the floor. They have a look at what’s, once they are available in, they open up Instagram or they open up Flo, possibly they open up the IBJJF’s web page, they usually see a 15-second video of anyone. They go on his Instagram and go searching, they do their homework that means…”
By taking a look at previous champions – even these within the not-so-distant previous, like Xande Ribeiro or Rafa Mendes – Leon believes that new practitioners may have a larger understanding of and respect for jiu-jitsu:
“It’s going to offer you a fairly stable understanding of the place all the pieces got here from. And I believe that may change everyone’s concepts and philosophies of jiu-jitsu. I believe it might impression it positively.”
Past having a greater sense of historical past, Leon thinks BJJ may enhance itself by eliminating the “cliquey” nature present in a lot of the tradition.
Because the proprietor and head teacher of Adamas Jiu Jitsu in Toledo, Ohio, he works laborious to keep away from the kind of drama and pointless competitors between teams that he thinks is plaguing the game:
“I need to see jiu-jitsu be much less cliquey. The competitors scene I don’t see something actually that dangerous with it. I believe it’s going rather well… I simply need to see the tradition be much less cliquey amongst the folks coming in. There’s nothing worse than whenever you go to a jiu-jitsu gymnasium otherwise you stroll into your class and there’s little cliques. Individuals over right here, folks over there, issues like that. Gyms simply have a means of getting cliquey. It’s type of a factor that occurs with jiu-jitsu, type of a factor that occurs with Crossfit. The most important factor I do is attempt to hold my gymnasium drama-free…
“You possibly can’t construct this surroundings the place folks suppose they’re completely different or they’re superior as a result of they do jiu-jitsu. That is an surroundings the place folks want to return in and simply get pleasure from it, simply prepare.”
Leon believes that a lot of this “cliquey” tradition begins on the high with black belt instructors.
He says that many instructors abuse their misplaced sense of authority. As a substitute of merely educating the artwork and guiding their college students, these instructors use their place as a solution to inflate their egos:
“These items comes from the highest down. S*** rolls downhill. When you’ve these instructors who suppose they’re the best stage they usually use that type of power, that type of facade to masks over s***** character, s***** ethics in a gymnasium, that’s when you’ve issues. When you’ve a gymnasium the place you simply lead a gymnasium, quite simple, we’re right here to show jiu-jitsu, we’re right here to have enjoyable, we’re right here that can assist you out, that’s what we’re right here to do. You’re not right here to vent about your day. You’re not right here to beat up folks. You’re not right here to compete with anyone. You’re not right here to argue with folks…
“It’s not a social membership. It’s not a retreat for anyone. It’s not a secret getaway or any type of too-cool membership like among the gyms get to be. I really consider that. I believe it goes from the highest down.”
Leon says that the scenario is enhancing, although.
As jiu-jitsu grows and as an increasing number of persons are promoted to the rank of black belt, he sees fewer and fewer instructors and gymnasium house owners abusing their place:
“There’s not as huge of a chance for the black belts and the folks on the high to bulls*** their means via anymore. You possibly can’t actually lie about these things anymore. There’s too many people who find themselves on the rank of black belt so you may’t actually be an ethereal being anymore, simply having 10 years of expertise or simply since you’re a black belt.”
