The concept of “Aliveness” in martial arts training, as explained by Head of SBG Global and 5th Degree BJJ Black Belt Matt Thornton, represents a fundamental shift in how we approach combat sports training. At its core, Aliveness is about creating training environments that mirror real situations as closely as possible, ensuring that techniques work against resisting opponents.
The importance of Aliveness stems from its ability to create authentic training experiences. When training is truly alive, it becomes incredibly fruitful: it prevents deception and false claims, ensures techniques actually work in real situations, and promotes honest self-assessment.
This is the key differentiator between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and other martial arts commonly sought after for self defense: Taekwondo, Krav Maga, Karate, Aikido. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu your opponent can fully resist to the best of their abilities without increasing their likelihood of harming you. This massively increases the relevance of your training to a real-life self-defence scenario while still ensuring your safety.
This doesn’t mean that Aliveness is inherently and insurmountably intense or suited towards a certain demographic. Intensity is progressive and controlled, adapting to the student’s ability and comfort level. This means that aliveness can be practiced by, and therefore benefit, practicioners of all shapes, sizes, and skill levels.
