Chess Rating to Assess Progress in Combat Sports w/ Kabir Bath
May 30, 2024
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Kabir Bath, founder of Kaboom Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, discusses using the elo chess rating system to assess skill development in combat sports, tackling tournament sandbagging. Topics include exploring player styles, nurturing natural talent in coaching, measuring progress in combat sports with Elo ratings, and simplifying grappling techniques for effective learning.
Individual development in martial arts is a continuous process, evolving skill sets and game styles over time.
Mistakes are crucial for skill acquisition; instructors should focus on long-term learning and consistent improvement.
Deep dives
Embracing Individual Development in Martial Arts
In martial arts, individual development is key, with the initiation of a style of play not necessarily representing the final mastery. Players evolve over time, going through an attractor states process, where their skills and game style transform with practice and exploration. Coaches should allow students the freedom to explore and fail, guiding them through the iterative learning cycle to develop their unique strengths and game strategies.
Learning Through Mistakes and Nonlinear Progression
Learning involves making mistakes, and it is crucial for skill acquisition. Instructors often aim to correct errors instantly, but this may only lead to transient performance improvements without long-term learning. Understanding that skill acquisition is nonlinear and encompasses consistent improvement over time is essential for both coaches and athletes in martial arts.
The Importance of Zooming Out and Assessing Skill Development
Zooming out to assess holistic skill development provides a clearer perspective on athletes' progress. Viewing skill acquisition as a journey with fluctuations in performance helps instructors avoid focusing solely on immediate successes or failures. Recognizing the stability and consistency of skill execution over time, rather than short-term performance peaks or pitfalls, aligns better with the principles of learning and development in martial arts.
Josh and Kabir discuss the elo chess rating system and how it might provide an approachable way to assess skill development across belt levels — and end tournament sandbagging permanently.