They're not "basics," they're fundamentals.
Every Jiu-Jitsu beginner will be asked to attend some form of a “fundamentals” class. For an hour or more, you’ll be taught the first moves and techniques everybody encounters at the start of their journey.
While these are the basic moves, what’s interesting is that they are also advanced moves. Ask a blue belt who’s done the technique a hundred times to explain it to you, and you’ll get a different answer than if you asked a brown or a black belt.
This is as it should be.
We don’t call these classes “basic” or “beginner” because everybody must continue to practice them. Sure, the higher belts start showing up less and less as they try to pick up more advanced techniques, but it would be a mistake to neglect the classes entirely. For all martial arts, the advanced moves are combinations of fundamental techniques.
You can’t perform a flying armbar without first learning a basic armbar. You won’t know how to throw combinations without learning the jab, hook, and cross. You can’t perfect the Tai Chi forms without first learning to breathe.
In life, as in any martial art, the “basics” require continued commitment, or the advanced stuff won’t work.
Take sleep: I have tried to get more done by sleeping less for much of my life. Over time, I’ve noticed that I'm a zombie the day after an all-nighter. Easily distracted, slow, and all-around unproductive. If I try to get by on an hour or two less sleep than I need, I might be able to accomplish a few things and even have “productive” days, but eventually, my mood is affected, and my motivation wanes. And then I need days of doing nothing but napping to make up for it.
Sleep is the most fundamental practice for anyone trying to be a basic human being. And yet so many of us neglect it. Later, we blame the resulting struggles on external factors. We fly into rages over what would have been minor annoyances. Get depressed over small setbacks. Sooner or later, we feel unwilling to carry on.
Sleep, food, water, exercise, and social interactions are all ‘basic’ human needs necessary for us to function like basic people. And because everything is connected, they are also foundational to spiritual training. According to the Buddha, you can’t reach enlightenment without first training your morality. And you can’t train your morality if you choose to live in ways that bring out your worst aspects.*
Spiritual growth is often compared to a tree because it proceeds upwards. If a tree only grew branches without spreading more roots and strengthening its trunk, it would collapse under its weight.
So perhaps it’s time to stop viewing the “basics” like they’re superficial and start respecting them as fundamental.
Basic is a starter, like cheap underwear or $2 wine that you discard as your sophistication grows. You also start with fundamentals, but you must build upon them to reach something greater.
You dismiss basics and respect fundamentals. Because without the latter, everything falls apart.
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*Later, you might practice with less sleep to enhance your insight, but only after you’ve mastered practice with optimal sleep.