As a grappler in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, wrestling, or submission grappling, setting goals for the upcoming year is crucial for your continual growth and improvement. Goal setting can help you stay focused, motivated, and committed to reaching new heights on the mats. In this blog post, we will explore essential areas to consider when setting goals, including reflection, vision-setting, training schedules, competitions, SMART goals, task breakdown, accountability, and adaptability.

 

1. Reflect on Past Achievements:

To envision a successful future, begin by reflecting on your past achievements. Recall your competition triumphs, technical advancements, and personal training milestones from the previous year. Acknowledging your progress can word to boost your confidence and provide some insight into areas where you can further improve. Celebrate your successes as these serve as encouragement for the goals you will be setting for the upcoming year.

 

2. Define Your Vision for the Year:

Craft a clear and inspiring vision for your grappling journey in 2024. What milestones and accomplishments do you want to achieve? Are you training in GI or predominantly NOGI? Do you aspire to earn a higher belt, compete at a specific level or weight division, or develop a specific set of techniques? Setting a definitive vision fuels your motivation and provides you with a clear compass for your training.

 

3. Plan Out a Training Schedule:

For effective goal chasing, create a realistic well-structured training schedule that aligns with your vision. Along with your regular classes set aside additional dedicated training sessions each week, balancing your skill development, strength and conditioning, and recovery. Consistency is paramount here, so plan your training sessions in advance and make a commitment to stick to the schedule. Consider working with a coach or mentor to design a comprehensive training program that addresses weaknesses and builds on strengths. Most of all, stick to the plan you have created and be consistent.

 

4. Competitions:

Include competition goals in your overall plans for 2024. Identify specific tournaments or events you wish to participate in and mark them on your calendar. Competing provides a lot of valuable experience, allows you to test your level, and offers the opportunity to grow as a grappler. Consider the levels of competition and plan accordingly, targeting the appropriate events that align with your skill level and goals.

 

5. Set SMART Goals:

SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal setting is a powerful framework for grapplers:

 

- Specific: Define precise goals that target specific aspects of your grappling journey. For example, "Improve my guard passing " or "Increase my strength and conditioning to sustain longer matches" or “become impossible to submit.”

 

- Measurable: Establish measurable parameters to track your progress. For instance, "Train BJJ four times a week and roll for at least 60 minutes per session" or "Grapple with higher-ranked opponents and successfully execute your go to takedowns in each session."

 

- Attainable: Set challenging yet attainable goals that stretch your abilities. Avoid being too conservative or overly ambitious. Consider practicing techniques with incremental difficulty and identify achievable milestones throughout the year.

 

- Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your overall grappling aspirations and strengths. Focus on areas that require improvement and will contribute to your growth as a grappler.

 

- Time-bound: Create a timeline with specific deadlines for accomplishing each goal. For instance, "Compete four times before August" or "Submit 3 higher belts within six months."

 

6. Break Down Tasks:

Achieving big goals becomes more manageable when you break them down into smaller, actionable tasks. Identify the steps, techniques, or physical attributes you need to develop to make the progress. An example is if your goal is to master a specific submission technique, break it down into learning the proper setup, executing it during drills, and finally applying it successfully in live rolling sessions.

 

7. Accountability and Support:

Share your goals with a training partner or coach who can hold you accountable throughout the year. Regular check-ins and discussions will help you track your progress, evaluate setbacks, and celebrate achievements. Develop a support system to lean on during inevitable challenging times, as they can provide guidance, motivation, and input to reinforce your commitment. A good option here would be to find a training partner who is on a similar path as yourself. Create the plan together and keep each other accountable, celebrate each other’s successes and grow together.

 

8. Learn and Adapt:

Embrace a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. Understand that setbacks, injuries, or unforeseen circumstances can alter your plans. Stay adaptable and adjust your goals as necessary, seeking alternative paths to progress. Use setbacks as opportunities for growth, learning, and refining your techniques. Remember that you can find ways to learn and train through injuries. Make sure you stay engaged.

 

As you venture into 2024, goal setting acts as a compass to navigate you through your martial arts journey effectively. Setting goals and seeing the progress you achieve acts as a massive motivation booster and can lead to many bigger things. By reflecting on achievements, defining a vision, planning training schedules, targeting competitions, setting SMART goals, breaking tasks down, embracing accountability, and remaining adaptable, athletes can set themselves up for a year of growth, success, and personal fulfillment. Embrace the challenges, commit to constant improvement, and watch yourself soar in your respective art in the year ahead.