sometimes it just perplexes me how someone like bj penn can be so good. i mean, just looking at the guy he doesn't look impressive or anything. if nobody knew who he was he would just look like an average everyday guy. he doesn't look athletic at all compared to what an athlete looks like maybe in the nfl or even pro boxing. but he is so good. how can this be?
Well, I'd say it's a combination of talent, a sharp mind, and years of training. The guy's smart and picked up jiu jitsu fast. He was just lucky.
He picked up Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17/18 and earned a blackbelt within a year. Thats practically unheard of. He's just one of those people who lucked out and was good at something almost immediately.
Luck.. Best way to describe just being naturally good, talented, and able to master something rediculously quickly.
Part of the reason that Penn is so good at Jiujutsu is because he has natural flexibility. That's an attribute that can't be taught or learned.
Within a year? Are you sure you have your facts straight? I thought he earned his belt within about 3 years and entered the Mundials after 3 and a half. That as it is is unbelievable, but to earn a black belt in one year when the average time is around 9 years, is amazing. I'll have to check. Anyways, to answer the question. He is just amazingly naturally talented, his flexibility works very well with the jiu-jitsu game, and he is one who simply has the ability to put it all together, that's called natural talent, which he has in heaps, being as he's one of the worst in terms of work ethic. edit: yeah just checked, it took him about 3 years to get his black belt
The same reason why Randy Moss or any other top athlete is so good: He just got the right genes in the right combination to pick the sport up superfast. And like Randy Moss, it ain't hard work and nose to the grind stone training ethic that got him there.
Penn has great hands, he's a natural boxer who times his counters perfectly. He also has an awesome ability to wigglehis way out of almost any submission because of his flexibility. When you fight BJ you can't really center in on a particular weakness because he really doesn't have any, with the exception of stamina. Your chances against him increase the longer the match lasts.
true. but how the hell can you not look like a great athlete but be one. all of the great athletes just look like great athletes.
Hes just a natural...thats all there is to it. A natural born fighter..He reminds me of Pacquaio in boxing...discovered as a street fighter who had the knack of knocking out thugs like himself. Now 15 years later and still short on boxing skills, hes on top of the game. Note on BJ and why he is a natural. When he fought GSP, GSP at the time was like Van damme amazing form, Against BJ the punch that normally connects is not connecting the kicks that finds the target is not against BJ. Why is he not getting hit? , hes not super fast, he doesnt have the best boxers stand. Its the intangibles, you cannot explain it
you idiot. baseball players aren't athletes. thats like saying golfers, poker players, or dart throwers are athletes.
