BJJ Diary vs Journal: What's the Difference?
For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners looking to document their training, the terms "diary" and "journal" are often used interchangeably. However, there are subtle but important differences between a BJJ diary and a BJJ journal that can impact how effectively you track your progress. This guide explores those differences and helps you choose the approach that best fits your training style.
The BJJ Diary Approach
A BJJ diary typically follows a more chronological, free-form style of writing that captures your day-to-day experiences on the mats.
Characteristics of a BJJ Diary
- Chronological entries organized by date
- Personal and introspective writing style
- Focuses on feelings, experiences, and impressions
- Often includes details about training partners and atmosphere
- Tends to be more narrative and less structured
- Captures the emotional journey of your BJJ development
Example BJJ Diary Entry
March 15, 2024
Today's training was intense. Felt tired from yesterday's conditioning, but somehow found energy during the rolling sessions. Coach Mark showed a new guard pass that I struggled with—my hips weren't moving right. Rolled with Alex who caught me in an armbar twice using that same setup he always gets me with. Need to watch for that earlier.
Sarah mentioned my posture in closed guard has improved. That made my day after all the work I've been putting in. Left feeling both exhausted and satisfied.
Benefits of the Diary Approach
- Captures the emotional and psychological aspects of training
- Easier to maintain consistency with less structure
- Creates a more personal record of your BJJ journey
- Often more motivating to review and see your personal growth
- Helps identify patterns in how you feel during different training scenarios
The BJJ Journal Approach
A BJJ journal tends to be more structured and analytical, focusing on techniques, drills, and specific aspects of your training in a more organized way.
Characteristics of a BJJ Journal
- Structured format with specific sections or categories
- Technical focus on moves, positions, and strategies
- Often includes diagrams or step-by-step breakdowns
- May use templates or predefined fields
- Emphasis on technical details rather than emotions
- More easily searchable and categorized
Example BJJ Journal Entry
Date: March 15, 2024
Class Type: Competition
Duration: 90 minutes
Coach: Mark Smith
Techniques Covered:
1. Toreando Pass - Key detail: grip pants at knee while controlling shoulder
2. Knee cut variation - Use posting elbow to prevent underhook
Rolling Notes:
vs. Alex (Blue): Got caught in armbar from closed guard 2x. Need to address arm positioning.
vs. Sarah (Purple): Maintained better posture in closed guard. Successfully executed toreando pass 1x.
Areas for Improvement:
- Hip mobility during knee cut pass
- Defensive awareness in closed guard against armbars
Next Session Focus: Closed guard defense and escapes
Benefits of the Journal Approach
- Better for technical retention and reference
- Easier to track specific progress on techniques
- More effective for identifying patterns and areas for improvement
- Creates a valuable resource to review before competitions
- Better organization facilitates finding specific information later
Which Approach is Better for You?
Choose a BJJ Diary If
- You enjoy reflective, free-form writing
- The emotional aspect of training is important to you
- You want to capture the full experience of your BJJ journey
- You find structured formats restrictive
- You're more likely to maintain the habit with less structure
Choose a BJJ Journal If
- You want to focus on technical details and progression
- You prefer organization and structure
- You want to easily search and reference past techniques
- You're analytical about your training
- You want to track specific metrics and improvements
Your learning style plays an important role in which approach will be most effective. Visual learners might prefer a journal with diagrams, while reflective learners might get more from a diary-style approach.
The Hybrid Approach: Best of Both Worlds
Many successful BJJ practitioners find that combining elements of both a diary and a journal provides the most comprehensive tracking system.
How to Create a Hybrid BJJ Diary-Journal
- Start with structured sections for techniques, drills, and rolling partners
- Include a free-form reflection area for thoughts, feelings, and personal insights
- Use templates for technical details but allow space for narrative
- Incorporate both diagrams/technical notes and emotional reflection
- Use tagging or indexing to make entries searchable while maintaining chronology
Example Hybrid Entry Format in BJJ Notes App
Date: 2024-03-15
Length: 1h30m
Notes
What Went Well:
Rolled well with higher belts today. Kimura sweep from half guard worked twice. Guard retention improving.
What Can Improve:
Still having trouble with X guard entries when opponent stands. Need to work on pinning leg during heel hook attempts to prevent defense.
Additional Notes:
Coach mentioned a competition next month. Should consider signing up. Daughter's first birthday party tomorrow - need to finish preparations!
Techniques:
- Toreando Pass
- Knee Cut Variation
Endurance:
- Total Rounds: 5
- Total Rolls: 4
- Round Length: 5m
- Round Rating: 3
Submissions (2):
- Kimura from Half Guard (top)
- Ezekiel Choke
Taps (1):
- Armbar from Closed Guard
Sweeps (1):
- Kimura Sweep from Half Guard
Training log generated by BJJ Notes Progress Tracker App
Going Digital: The Modern Solution
While paper diaries and journals have their charm, a digital BJJ training log like BJJ Notes offers the flexibility to combine the best aspects of both approaches.
Advantages of a Digital BJJ Diary-Journal
- Perfect balance of structure and freedom - track metrics while adding freeform thoughts
- Comprehensive submission, sweep, escape and takedown tracking
- Round-by-round endurance tracking with ratings
- Separate sections for what went well and what needs improvement
- Freedom to include personal notes unrelated to training
- Search functionality to find entries by technique, partner, or content
- Include photos and videos to enhance technical documentation
- Access your training log anywhere, anytime
- Automatic backup prevents losing your valuable insights
BJJ Notes app was designed with this unique hybrid flexibility in mind, allowing you to maintain the personal touch of a diary while providing the systematic structure of a journal.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose a diary, journal, or hybrid approach, the most important factor is consistency. The best BJJ diary or journal is the one you'll actually use regularly.
Many practitioners start with a simple diary approach and gradually evolve toward a more structured journal as they identify what information is most valuable to track. Others maintain separate systems—a technical journal for techniques and a personal diary for reflections.
Remember that your BJJ diary or journal is a personal tool for growth. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, so feel free to experiment until you find the system that enhances your jiu-jitsu journey the most.