Sports can be viewed through the lens of gravitropic topolgies in the context of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu1. For the sake of this argument we are looking at the position of a rear naked choke2 combined with a body triangle3. Important to point out in this example is that we have to consider two distinct, but interacting gravitropic topolgies of the same kind. That means our gravitropic dimensions of interest and their respective correlations are equal. One of the two gravitropic topologies unfolds along the shoulder line, and the other unfolds along the hip line of the defender. The gravitropic dimensions in our example are described as attention and execution. Attention defines the cognitive focus that each grappler has on themselves and their respective contender. Execution does then define the physical control that each grappler has about their own body, whether they attack or defend. In this setup, cognitive attention, physical movement, shoulder line and hip line do all represent gravitational centers, and it becomes quite aparent that what we are describing is effectively a complex system.
We can now see a very interesting relationship between the dimensions of attention and execution with respect to the ways in which they are correlated. The attention-execution relationship is asymmetric within each individual as a closed system, while the same relationship across grapplers is symmetric. The attention that each grappler pays to their own execution has a positive correlation, because we generally assume that more attention paid to one’s own execution, typically leads to better execution. And the better our own physical coordination, the less cognitive effort we may have to exert towards it. This execution-attention relationship between contenders is flipped on its head, because the better one grappler executes, the more attention must be paid by the other in order to sufficiently attack or defend.
Another important aspect to point out here are the dynamically allocated gravitropic forces between both topologies along the shoulder and hip line relative to one another. While many different things do seemingly happen all at once during combat, attention is usually more paid to the shoulder line, because this is where the threat of a submission plays out. The best body triangle in the world is not likely to force any serious contender into submission by itself, but even a lousy rear naked choke may do the trick in absence of any meaningful defence. What we have described here is an information-behaviour asymmetry within and accross gravitropic topolgies, which all generate extremely powerful focal points according to their very own thresholds and equilibria.
Questions
Which role plays the concept of transitions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
Most focus in BJJ is typically put on clearly defined positions. The state transitions performed by the human body between those positions are complex and by comparison lesser understood. Since almost nobody pays much attention to this area, the sport of BJJ may greatly benefit from more detailed analysis and practical examples. Further, studies in this area may help to discover more general principles of transitions that are then more broadly applicable to other competitive arenas as well.
How does the intensity of a workout affect athletic performance?
It is commonly known that consistency beats all other dimensions in physical training. What is not so well established conceptually is how varying structures of training schedules affect the athletic progress. Or said differently, the ways in which we train, how often, under which circumstances and in which intensity causes greatly different outcomes to be realized in terms of athletic performance and physical recovery.