Philosophy and Policies
At 150 Grappling, our intent is not only to train students, but to actively coach them. Combat sports are dynamic and highly detail oriented, and so coaching should also be nuanced and iterative. It is common for athletes to become stagnant in their learning and physical progression. There is a marked difference between “working out” and “training,” and we believe that an effective coach is the most critical factor in maximizing an individual’s progress.
The 150 Grappling Philosophy
Teaching requires a student, and the student must have the need or desire to progress.
Without your attendance and presence, both physically and mentally, our potential impact as coach/teacher is severely curtailed. The students have a personal stock in and a responsibility for their own progression. You, as a student, have your own reasons for being at 150 Grappling and have chosen to train with us. As coaches, we can help you frame your goals, chart a course, provide you with tools, and guide you. We commit to always working to help better each student, but you must also commit to working for your own betterment.
Grappling is an individual sport that requires a team mindset.
Grappling is unusual in that it is an individual sport that requires training with a partner and/or within a group: Without an opponent (or, preferably, many opponents), there is no way to improve. As important as it is for you to be physically and mentally present at 150 Grappling for your personal progress, it is just as important that you show up to every class ready to be an excellent training partner. You and your cohort are relying on each other to create a community of grapplers who are respectful, focused, and dedicated to helping each other develop in an environment that prioritizes safety and growth. It is expected that each individual at 150 Grappling take their role as a good training partner seriously.
There is a standard curriculum, but we are committed to working with individuals in an atmosphere of respect and open dialogue.
150 Grappling, a thoughtful curriculum has been developed. There is a rigorous, modular training system that has been fire-tested and will help you grow. We understand, however, that certain moves are more difficult for certain individuals for very valid reasons. We are trying to foster an environment and culture in which rather than defaulting to statements like “I can’t do it” or “I don’t like this move” or “It has to be done this way,” there is honest dialogue about the “why.” Perhaps a student has a hard time moving in a certain way because of an injury, mobility issues, or other discomfort. Talk about it with your coach respectfully and openly. Let us help you tailor a game plan that works for you and leverages your strengths while improving upon your development areas. This is only achieved through conversation.
Competition is necessary for growth; it provides insight into strengths and weaknesses like nothing else.
Nothing puts a student’s knowledge, proficiency, and gaps on display like competition. Individuals learn and retain information at different rates, and it is our job as coaches to help you find your tailored path to excellence and success. Think about running a race. Perhaps you started the year as the slowest runner in your school, but after 6 month you have been coached and trained hard to become the fastest in your cohort. But how to you compare to other runners from other schools? Competition offers critical insight, a means of assessment, and vital information about how you stack up outside of the 150 Grappling bubble. We strongly encourage our students to compete to fire test their knowledge and help plan future development.
Failure to understand is often the fault of the teacher, not the student.
Knowledge, movements, and instruction will be presented in different ways at different times at 150 Grappling. Information should be presented in a way that is accessible to and effective for the individual. We all learn differently. If you do not let us know that you are struggling or having difficulty, we can’t help; so it is incumbent upon the student to let coaches know if there are obstacles to effective learning. It is our job to help you improve, and if we are not making adjustments to improve and increase information retention, then we are not providing a premier service, and that is our goal.