The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community is buzzing with debate over a controversial training philosophy that’s dividing practitioners from white belts to world champions. At the center of this storm? The so-called “ecological approach” to BJJ training—and some big names aren’t buying the hype.
Gui Mendes Drops the Mic
BJJ legend Gui Mendes recently sparked heated discussion when asked about the ecological training movement. His response? Pure Mendes wit:
“You guys and these crazy names. Just say drilling with reaction. We use this training style since the days we were living in Brazil.”
Ouch. The former world champion essentially called out the entire movement for rebranding something that’s been around forever with fancy terminology.
What’s All the Fuss About?
The ecological approach, championed by coaches like Greg Souders, emphasizes discovery-based learning over traditional drilling. Think constraints-led training where students explore techniques in live scenarios rather than mindlessly repeating movements.
Sounds revolutionary, right? Not according to the old guard.
The Resistance is Real
Tom DeBlass isn’t impressed either. The decorated black belt recently doubled down on traditional methods: “Look at the resume of myself and our lineage—we have won everything and we always drilled.”
His philosophy? Drilling comes first, then live application. Results speak louder than theory.
Even Mikey Musumeci has weighed in on the debate, though the details of his stance remain part of the ongoing discussion.
The Problem with “Eco”
Critics aren’t just dismissing the methods—they’re calling out the movement’s presentation. One practitioner summed it up perfectly:
“I love training eco, but I cannot listen to Greg (Souders) talk about it. He comes off as if he’s throwing around random words he read in a research paper once to try and sound smart.”
The ecological approach draws from ecological psychology and dynamical systems theory—impressive academic credentials that may be alienating practical-minded grapplers.
Old School vs. New School
Here’s the thing: many experienced coaches have been incorporating discovery-based elements for decades. They just didn’t need a fancy name for it.
As one wise commenter noted: “There is no one, best way to teach every student. Good coaches have been incorporating elements of this approach since before it had a name.”
The Verdict
Is the ecological approach revolutionary or just rebranded common sense? The jury’s still out, but one thing’s clear—the BJJ community loves a good training philosophy debate.
Whether you’re team drilling or team discovery, remember what Gui Mendes is really saying: effectiveness trumps terminology every time.
What’s your take? Are we overthinking training methods, or is it time for BJJ to evolve beyond traditional drilling?
