7 Reasons Jiu-Jitsu's Greatest Coach Encourages Systematic Note-Taking

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7 Reasons Jiu-Jitsu's Greatest Coach Encourages Systematic Note-Taking

Five templates. One system designed specifically to accelerate your jiu-jitsu progression.

Jiu-jitsu's most renowned coach, John Danaher, has described the benefits of a systematic approach to note-taking across podcast appearances, social media posts, and in his own classes. What he describes is a system that most high-level practitioners eventually assemble for themselves. Journals exist that combine all of it in one place.

01Reason

Recall under pressure matters more than information consumed

“The great challenge of jiu-jitsu learning is not how much you can learn — it is how much you can recall under stress.”
John Danaher

While most practitioners focus on consuming increasing amounts of jiu-jitsu content, high-level practitioners make sure they understand the key details and important elements of what they do learn so they can call on it quickly in competition or high-stress environments. That requires knowing which details to pay attention to when learning a specific technique. The Bushido Journal has a process for tracking exactly this in its training log templates.

System component Quick access to technique dynamics

02Reason

Writing forces you to clarify what you actually understand

“Even if you never read those notes again… the mere act of focus and writing has a good clarifying effect on your thinking.”
John Danaher

As well as improving recall under stress, the act of writing forces you to understand details on a deeper level. Through note-taking you discover which parts of a technique you truly understand and where your blind spots are. The Bushido Journal lets you test that level of understanding in every area of your journey: classes, rolls, and competitions.

System component Stress-testing your understanding by logging session details

03Reason

Elite practitioners capture observations instead of trusting memory

“He'd always be watching tape, and then he'd always be making notes.”
Gordon Ryan on John Danaher

Jiu-jitsu learning extends well beyond class. Useful information can be captured any time you're in a jiu-jitsu environment. Gordon Ryan and Craig Jones both independently described, in their Joe Rogan appearances, how Danaher was constantly recording useful information from those around him. The Vision Board, Training Log, and Mapping templates in the Bushido Journal let you do the same in several different ways.

System component Ability to log any information that assists your jiu-jitsu journey

See the full system

All five templates on the next page

04Reason

Hard training cannot replace intellectual work

“The mental work is the hardest work.”
Gordon Ryan

Jiu-jitsu isn't only about recording technical detail. It's about entering sessions with intention, showing up consistently, holding a growth mindset, and keeping your effort aligned with your goals. The Calendar, Training Log, and Reflection templates keep you on the right path mentally, not just technically.

System component Goal-setting, consistency tracking, and regular reflection points

05Reason

Individual techniques only become useful when connected into systems

“If there's a failure in one part of the system, other parts of the system can be brought in to overcome that failure.”
John Danaher

Jiu-jitsu is a systematic game. It matters that you understand how components relate to each other and what happens when one part of the system breaks down. The training logs, reflection points, and mapping templates are built to develop that kind of understanding.

System component Systematic understanding rather than isolated techniques

06Reason

Actively test your theories against the evidence

“Test your theories and compare them with the evidence before you.”
John Danaher

The best practitioners learn proactively. They think about why they're learning a technique, and they stress-test it against different scenarios. The Bushido Journal's templates let you set targets, track progress against them, and pressure-test what you're building as you go.

System component Proactive thinking about skill development and game progression

07Reason

It isn't persistence — it's persistence of thinking

“The most important form of persistence is persistence of thinking, which looks to push you into increasingly efficient methods of training.”
John Danaher

Moving in the right direction starts with the mind. Consistency is easy to lose, and so is focus on progression. Templates like the Calendar and regular Reflection points keep you honest about how consistent you're actually being, and help you keep moving forward even when you hit obstacles.

System component Tracking consistency and progression over time

System component	Bushido Journal	Plain journal
01Quick access to technique dynamics	✓	✗
02Stress-testing understanding by logging session details	✓	✗
03Logging any information that assists your journey	✓	✗
04Goal-setting, consistency tracking, and reflection points	✓	✗
05Systematic understanding rather than isolated techniques	✓	✗
06Proactive skill development and game progression	✓	✗
07Tracking consistency and progression over time	✓	✗

The Bushido Journal jiu-jitsu training journal

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