This is why some people improve faster than others 

takeaways for me: Factors out of our personal control: 1. start in childhood 2. be blessed with good genetics Factors in our personal control: 1. Stability ball training 2. Tumbling 3. Whole of body exercise movements, e.g., Olympic lifting 4. Frequency of training > intensity of training - avoid injuries

That’s why gymnastics and sprinting training translate so well into any sport because it teaches you the highest level of muscle coordination with very precise explosive movement

Fun fact: Arman Tsarukyan did a bit of wrestling at the early age, but his favourite sport was hockey. Unfortunately he wasn't selected to the team he wanted to join (Amur Khabarovsk), so he decided to dedicate himself to fighting. At first it was grappling, but then at the age of 19 he switched to MMA.

Cyril Gane played football (English not American) from a young age. Football is an amazing sport for cordination and balance.

Bebzi > coke

Always so insightful!

A lot of what you stated has to do with what educators call “schema.” It’s pretty much how people organize new information from what they already understand and know. Those who have a schema about their bodies from their early days have a large database that is organized on things such as how to generate power from a particular position or how to shift their weight. They are then able to assimilate information about martial arts much faster because their minds are so good at making sense of the information.

My buddy and training partner went to an athletic boarding school in Ireland. We started martial arts at the exact time, and he had a huge advantage due to the athletics he built in his youth. It took about a year of training and a lot of personal analysis to catch up with him

started later in life ... "at 20". I'm starting BJJ this year at 34, and this is also my first year of arabic. soul crushing up in here

You're right. Science studies show whatever you obsess over from 10-15 is what you stand the best chance at being the best at

Brilliant, coach. It would be an honor to train under your guidance

*S T A B I L D I T Y B A L L*

Wow excellent analogy with the language. This is actually a recognized theory in language learning. It's Stephen Krashen's theory of language Acquisition vs language learning. This is generally accepted as the prevailing theory. The main example is just what you mentioned, that a native speaker can easily identify speech that's wrong or right but not easily explain why, they know intuitively (acquisition), vs someone who learned a 2nd language later in life. They won't recognize correct and incorrect language intuitively like a native speaker,, but they will be able to explain all the relevant grammer rules much better than a native speaker (learning).

I never played any sport as young but I use to dance hiphop/pop and in my 20s I started kickboxing. The trainer after just 2 months decided to fasttrack me to the advanced group. this video made that part make sense to me...as to why I understood the flow and quick manoeuvres kickboxing needs...coordination.

7:59 stability ball for coordination training 15:48 progression through stability ball training

I did powerlifting in my youth at a decent level and it definitely helped me in MMA specially my kicks a lot of power

This makes sense how Volkanovski somehow got as good as he did starting in his 20s when he just mostly did Rugby

Protect this Man at all cost cause....we are never ever getting such MMA IQ ever!!!

3:48 is so fucking true. Someone that just started at the boxing gym I go to asked me a basic enough question on the surface about how to generate more power with their right uppercut on the teardrop bag. And like obviously from sparring and fighting over the years I know I have a powerful uppercut but I just couldn’t quite articulate it to someone that’s a novice to where they would start to understand the proper mechanics to generating a powerful upper cut. I could show them what I do and I could see something didn’t quite look right when they tried it but I just couldn’t pin point what it was exactly. So that’s when I just flagged one of the trainers down to get another perspective …Being a trainer/coach is a completely different skill set than being a athlete/fighter tbh

Hi Coach, this Zen (Taoism rebranded) parable is specifically about why the best practitioners start young and the best instructors start old: “It is said that there are four kinds of horses: excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones. The best horse will run slow and fast, right and left, at the driver’s will, before it sees the shadow of the whip; the second best will run as well as the first one does, just before the whip reaches its skin; the third one will run when it feels pain on its body; the fourth will run after the pain penetrates to the marrow of its bones. You can imagine how difficult it is for the fourth one to learn how to run! When we hear this story, almost all of us want to be the best horse. If it is impossible to be the best one, we want to be the second best. That is, I think, the usual understanding of this story, and of Zen. You may think that when you sit in zazen you will find out whether you are one of the best horses or one of the worst ones. Here, however, there is a misunderstanding of Zen. If you think the aim of Zen practice is to train you to become one of the best horses, you will have a big problem. This is not the right understanding. If you practice Zen in the right way it does not matter whether you are the best horse or the worst one." -Shunryu Suzuki

The main reason you got those muscles up, is Bc of super compensation, you took time off and you body made a full recovery. Happened to me all the time in gymnastics

A lot of great advice here. I'm not a martial artist, but I started rock climbing when I was 34, I've been doing it for over 5 years now, and I find a lot of this video really applies to my sport as well. After the first year I really hit a hard plateau on my skill level for quite awhile. I've really started getting better lately by showing up more consistently, and actually trying stuff that is out of my comfort zone like coordination jumping moves. Something I've found really helpful for improving my technique is I really try to analyze why I failed and fell. Were my hands and feet actually in the best spot? Was I applying body tension correctly? Did I actually try hard? Then I try to think of what I can change to succeed next time.

Herky Jerky is the difference between Usmans striking and Izzys striking.

This is self-improvement 101. This advice has helped me in learning programming as well. the turtle always wins the race. Thanks coach!

I started learning Arabic in my 30s and can speak fairly well. I think that if I put in more hours everything is possible just like with jiujitsu.

A great book to build upon this is "The sports gene" by David Epstein. Unfortunately genetics plays a huge factor and youth athletics will do a good job of selecting for that so that the talent gets exposure to practice. Even if they nod off for a few years, they can more easily get back up to speed than the person who's been a couch potato most of his life.

You have a wisdom and regular way of explaining things. Highly underrated. Years ago I heard you talk about motivation to exercise in the context of obesity/being out of shape ---and to this day I use it as motivation for life. Respect 🙏🏾

Can you make series of these drills/tumbling. Granby rolls and so forth. Would be amazing coach!

I absolutely love the idea of training with less intensity but more frequency when it comes to skill development such as mma or even a sport such as hockey or baseball. With strength training I favor very intense training and then enough rest that I can once again train with high intensity.

What id add to his initial answer - if you can always be like a child (malleable and enthusiastic with no ego) then you will always be able to adapt to life and learn new things

The way you relate martial arts with examples is just awesome.

I am learning french and judo at 25 and let me tell you everything he is saying is correct People who has been fighting since 6 years old were not concious about the process Same for those who speak and i always have trouble when I ask for a specific detail and they cannot explain it well

Focused and meaningful effort. Like one person paddling in a boat with a clear direction in mind and another smashing the paddle on the water surface all around the boat - just because the latter spent way more energy doesn't mean they'll move the boat further or faster.

So I didn’t do any martial arts in my youth but I was lucky to have lived a very outdoorsy , rugged and adventurous lifestyle. I was always climbing trees, my dads machinery , on the roof , running around barefoot etc. it’s led to me having a really good understanding of my body and in my experience I am blessed to be able to learn sports and movements very fast. I’m 25 and 6 months into bjj and I’m optimistic that if I stay healthy and smart I can make something happen. Nothing crazy … but some good stuff 😁

Training full body movements, co-contraction, stability, balance/proprioception, extensive plyometrics

Yes! The main reason why I made such a fast improvement in training kickboxing and martial arts I think is due to me being an competing equestrian for 18 years before. I was unathletic as shit before (that's why I wanted to start another sport) but my mindset was shaped by learning horse riding. The principles of classical riding are teached for well over 100 years and developed for military training (at least in Germany), it never changed. As a young rider you get teached all these basics and rules, every lesson you still repeat the basic skills, even after 20 years of riding. You have to learn about bio mechanics (horse and rider). As well as the discipline you need to work with your horse every day, don't matter the weather or your mood. You even create a training plan for your horse 😄 before you can compete on a basic level in Germany you get tested in your theoretical knowledge as well as in your riding skills. All these principles helped me to understand techniques so fast. And not being impatient and learning the basics until they're perfect.

Respect to Malignaggi. One of the greatest.

My kids started jiu jitsu in August of 2022, and within the first 3 months you could see their improvement in other sports. My son is 10, and you could see his pass-catching ability increase in flag football. My daughter (7 years old) moved noticeably better around the soccer field. And both kids’ dribbling skill was pretty shocking during basketball. I attribute it all to the coordination and body control they picked up in jiu jitsu. They’ve been rolling for over a year now, and learning how to control their limbs in space has them sprinting/jumping/dribbling/catching significantly better than the other kids. Get your kids on the mats ASAP!

Wow, I didn’t know B-hop started boxing 4 years after he turned pro. That’s impressive. That’s also 17 years after he won amateur champions with a 95-4 record. Very impressive for someone who didn’t start until 27. I can only assume he had a strong athletics background.

The one arm cartwheel is an excellent example. I do it to gauge how in shape I am.

It's so rewarding when you work hard on something through the use of repetition and you put it to the test, whilst seeing improvements overtime. I grew up boxing, swimming and playing basketball, as a kid. Now and days, I have put these sports to the side and have been investing my body more for figure skating. In the beginning, I was terrible at it. I fell so many times on the ice. I took really bad falls. I almost fractured my right knee, inflamed my left hip, and slightly sprained my left shoulder, all from just falling over and over. Luckily, now I know how to gradually fall to prevent severe injuries. But now, I can pirouette (which is spinning in ballet or figure skating), edging, crossover, e.g. I also can do a slight waltz jump, but it still looks meh. I am still struggling with skating backwards, but I'll get there eventually. I can go ultra fast without the fear of falling now. I am at least 5 months in and I already have seen progress since the 2nd month. Due to this, I wonder how I would do within a year. The reason why I had such a head start is because of what Coach Zahabi is saying; if you were involved in a sport or two, as a kid, it is more than likely that you can transition into another and excel quite fast. I incorporate aspects of boxing, swimming and basketball while I figure skate. Yet, my ability to learn came from an adaptation of genetics, thanks to my parents, and of course, acquiring the skill. I love your videos, Zahabi. Be well.

I was placed in multiple sports when I was a child. Tennis helped me learn without realizing coordination, explosiveness, quick angle changes. Taekwondo furthered this for me when I was placed in it at 8. It also helped me be aware of my body moving at faster speeds when it comes to rotations or evading, balance, ankle stability. Swimming has helped me in my hip mobility and how to shoot my hips out when needed. Football helped me with quick angle changes and being light on my feet+ explosiveness when sprinting and other movements. All this has helped me pick muay Thai and understand certain concepts vs someone who may have been sedentary in their youth-so I am very grateful for that.

Wise words as always, thanks. You are just assuring me that what I feel is right for my body - what my body is telling me - is true. I'm more of a meditator than an athlete, but you know, it's all the same, the principles. First I had to open the "universe", now it led me to discovering the "physical" body, to the bone. Many lessons ahead I'm sure. Your channel is great. Greetings from Slovakia 🙂👌

The point about the youth is 100% correct.. You dont have to be a fighter, when you are young. But if you do track and field, for example, the coordination, physique and strengh it gives you will last a lifetime.

12:41 mike menzar hit the nail on the head for this topic

Going with Zahabi's advice has made me a much better martial artist, and much better physically

It’s a sport, some people are just better than others

this is a genius perspective, blown away by how someone is able to explain this

your words just proving how great is Mike Tyson at the world of boxing

1000% I've been wrestling since I was 14 and when I started training jiujitsu at 26 and I got my brown belt in 6 years.

Faras is brilliant.

I was a farm kid. Been splitting wood and bucking hay since I was 4. Been breaking horses since I was 8. By my early teens, my mom used to put me on the bad horses because they literally could not throw me. I would tire them out. Wrestled in mid school. Kayaked for most of my life, started when I was 10. I was in the junior Olympics at 13. I was never strong in the gym. My lifts are weak af. But in real life I seem way stronger than everyone else and I never knew why. What you are saying makes so much sense. Iven been doing BJJ for 2 months now and already its really weird. Im way better than I should be. Day 2 or 3 I had purple belts asking me if I had trained before. Not like I was having success on them or anything, but they were impressed. I can like almost psychically feel my partners balance. I just KNOW when he can be swept. I have no idea what I am doing and no one has ever shown me the sweep, and I couldn't even explain what I did or how. But I just sweep like mad. Cant submit for shit yet. But already I am dominating white belts with a year more training than me, and I am 40 and on a 1k calorie deficit. Imagine getting full mounted from someone who has been whitewater kayaking and horseback riding since before he did algebra lol.

I used to play the floor is lava on the playground rails with my brother and my friend when I was a kid. We used to run outside, climb trees, play football. Jump off the roof. I think it makes a big difference. It just feels like moving. Go with the flow. It’s like a feeling. Also was trained basic mma skills as a kid. All forms of mma are just fun honestly. People have asked me if I have wrestled before and I haven’t, just for fun as kids a lot.

Im swiss so I learnt skiing same time as I learnt walking. Was riding bike from very young age, my mother had to enter a war to get me out of a swimming pool amd I played college ice hockey till 17. I then moved to London after military service, which I did in the elite troops, I tried MMA at the London Shoot foghters and as soon as I started the coach asked me what sport I was coming from as well as a guy we started some rolling cause even without really knowing what the hell I was doing they saw the strenght, conditionning and balance. As soon as I have a kid : swimming, boxing amd judo, if he/she wants of course.

Great video! I'm definitely more interested in the stability ball now

Some anecdotal evidence here. I played football growing up and was an offensive lineman. Imagine the slowest Sprinter of all the other offensive lineman. That was me. Well fast forward about 20 years later and I give Jujitsu a try. Fresh off the couch and completely out of shape but for whatever reason jiu jitsu and my body get along very very well. I just happened to flow extremely well my body moves extremely fast and I'm a 225er. I ended up getting my blue belt in 4 months because I just naturally had the instincts and my body naturally worked well with jiu-jitsu type movements. I walked in giving 4 stripe white belts and blue belts a run for their money. Then quickly stated dominating. Want to race then I'm not your guy but mat quickness 8 have in spades. Really wish I would have started before 45 and tried wrestling in high school. I think some guys just have the right body type and and athleticism for certain sports. If you saw me run you would say I was unathletic. But everyone on the mats would tell me I was super athletic...which was very difficult for me to wrap my head around at first.

Very true, in my young age i was raised by criminals and had to try to survive mentaly and physically almost everyday. This is why im still alive today. Its not easy to stand out and being gifted in this world because you can be in danger just for that. Even if you had good intentions. At 6 years old i was living in a mohawk reserve and i did a wish to a starlight and everything happened like i said to my wish. I was diagnosed with ASD at age of 40, just to tell you how much i was neglicted and tossed aside all these years. That lifestyle gave me the power to be unique and stand out physically and mentally still at 43. For example, the tunnel in Quebec city is my idea and since it was approved by the gn and spread on the new in may 2021 now i am in danger everyday for 2 years.

Thanks for answering my question man!

You are totally right, If you watch people punch punching bags everyone moves a bit different

I can’t believe this type of knowledge is free for us 😢

that cleared alot of doubts. zahabi seems quite thoughtful with great knowledge

I’ve always been good at getting food quick, literally anything, from chess, to poker,to martial arts like boxing, swimming with people better than me, basketball even thought I’m Salvadoran and we don’t do that over there, and I thought about it deeply to get even better, and the key is body coordination, counting your body as one, and doing it as if you feel weak, but in reality you’re just loose, it goes against your usual thoughts ( since we think tense is strong) but it’s not, and also, the main reason why i think is because I ask my self WHY, you know when you teach somebody something in and they just do it, but they don’t understand why, they’ll struggle, or they may understand but probably not grasp the concept, they’ll fall back too, when you’re taught your self something, ask why, why this move? Why? And you’ll comprehend and it’ll make everything easier, boxing was my biggest why, and it’s amazing the science of it, from snapping punches to feeling weak as ever but in reality I’m hitting hard being loose, please, don’t just jump into copying the move, ask your self why, and also, courage to do it.

Flexibility - as in static stretching, from a young age, is super important. Kids who are flexible can move dynamically without looking klunky.

Hopkinhs did his prpfessional debut when was 23 and he had 95 amateurs fights made in the prison...

Actual straight wisdom

This video just opened my eyes

Calisthenics is number 1

I’ve known this for a long ass time. I’m glad it has been confirmed

I would add pick your training partner carefully, both for injury prevention and to help you improve.

I totally agree! I was a two time provincial boxing champion! Started boxing at a very young age! Age 6

The concept of athletic fluency is a really interesting one...

Same goes for physical ability. A guy thats naturally very strong will never appreciate all the work and smart training that goes into getting stronger, and therefore will take for granted speed of progress and max ceiling of potential. "Ah cmon you can be just as strong as me even way stronger you just have to keep training" sounds funny to me coming from a guy that benched 300lb his first day and weighed 190-200lb. On the flipside we have speed/plyometric ability where people dont even bother improving for the most part thinking its completely genetic (false since tendon stiffness and neural impulse CAN be improved).

Firas, as you like stability ball so much, you should practice saying the word. If you stay consistent over a period you will become a master. I guarantee it! (Great content by the way :-) )

I agree, i started playing baseball at 5 til 18, tennis from 7 to 20, and i just took up boxing two years ago, im 23 now and getting amateurs and doing extremely well now, it really does help starting sports at a young age, i pick up sports fast as hell.🤷🏽‍♂️

If i was to a kid again i will learn to run kettlebell then boxing and other martial arts.

I love this philosophical video! More please!

of course that helps starting young but some people just have more talent and gifts that others dont have.

This was a great response

Maybe extreme focus can help you a little bit, atleast you'll have technical improvements

Golden! 💪

Saw the podcast, great to have this as a seperate clip so I can relisten it easier.

Basically if you we’re outside and ANY good at sports as a child you can do it. The act of being in sports alone is enough to translate into good training ethic and just the process in general. Most people who excel in sports are KINETIC learners. So activities that are physical take last time to learn

Precisely. Youths with athletic bodies often improves faster especially with Martial Arts. I play basketball and run a lot in my youth making my body ripped when i was in highschool. I'm not really that good but i play everyday. 22 now currently into muaythai and wrestling and people says that my body is already coordinated to perform the technique. Still not that crazy good tho just doing martial arts for fun.

Always the best advice ! Thank you!

beautiful teaching thank you very much! God bless you friend!

That last part about training at 70% is so important to remember. You don't run your car at full throttle all the time because you'll destroy it very quickly.

muscle ups on a bar are harder then rings, bar requires more strength and some technique. but rings is way more technique but because you can go through the center unlike the bar where you have to go out and around it it makes it easier. so long as you to you correct technique of thrusting your hips. this is also my personal experience, of course i'm happy to be shown how i am wrong.

You explained alot in a short video, thanks for the info 👍

Coach, I think it's time for you to have a session with Dr. Andrew Huberman. That would be epic!

1:50 "You cant forget ze bebsi!"

excellent discussion coach

Awesome video, I totally agree. I always tought like this.

This is why i don't teach much technique to young kids. I just teach them how to move and run. If they then to move and play hard they'll learn technique naturally. it's better for kids to watch the sport then actually playing the sport because they can't actually play the sport properly until junior high.

Ciryl gane grew up playing soccer thats why

There are only 18 letter in the Gaelic alphabet. There are words in English which Irish people struggle to say correctly, even though the penal laws to outlaw the Irish language happened centuries ago. Irish people still unintentionally still mispronounce many words in English, although it's the only language most of us have ever spoken. This is unrelated to the physical, but I thought it was an interesting thought

Zahabi is the Bruce Lee of our time !!!

To convert days to years, we typically divide by 365.25, accounting for the leap year which occurs every four years. So, taking the 41,666.67 days we calculated before: \( \frac{41,666.67 \text{ days}}{365.25 \text{ days/year}} \approx 114.079 \text{ years} \) Therefore, 1,000,000 hours is approximately 114.079 years. Millions of hour of English. 😅

Super interesting comparing athletic performance to language

I truly believe that a combat athlete can dramatically improve their combat specific conditioning with simple and accessible training that one can easily perform at home. 1.) Kettlebell ABC EMOM Complex 2.) Burpees 20 EMOM for 30 min 3.) Jump Rope A person can get in peak physical conditioning with lower skill exercises, these are at home lower skill supplements for O Lifts, Gymnastics, and Sprints. The more simple the less risk. The easier to master, the more benefit.

I fist fought and wrestled with my brother a lot when we were young and learned very fast back when I was training. I went to state wrestling tournament my first year of wrestling and also took second and 3rd back to back in my first jiu jitsu tournament. I was never able to keep training consistently though due to constant injuries.