In an insightful interview, Giancarlo Bodoni discusses John Danaher’s approach to creating trends in Jiu-Jitsu. As one of the key figures in Danaher’s training camp, Bodoni shares how Danaher consistently stays ahead of the curve, predicting shifts in the sport and ensuring his athletes are prepared for the next big movement before others even notice.
“John is always trying to stay ahead of the curb…whatever people are working on now is stuff that we were working on six months ago,” Bodoni says, underscoring Danaher’s foresight and ability to anticipate trends. Danaher doesn’t merely follow the sport’s trends; instead, he directs his students to focus on future techniques, ensuring they are trendsetters themselves. “He predicted two years ago what would happen in six months, and it happened. So, if people are doing ‘this’, we need to be doing ‘that.’”
Bodoni also praises Danaher’s ability to think long-term. Rather than focusing on short-term gains, Danaher carefully plans years in advance. “He’s concerned about how this will impact us in five years,” says Bodoni, explaining how Danaher’s meticulous planning plays a significant role in the team’s consistent evolution. Even right after the ADCC competition, Danaher was already drawing inspiration from the Olympics, thinking about how techniques from other sports could be adapted for future grappling events. “Normally, people would relax…he’s already thinking about the next ADCC.”
Beyond creating trends, Danaher’s methodology fosters a culture of experimentation and creativity in the training room. Bodoni highlights how the team learns from a shared system while maintaining individual style. “John hands us the reins…we all have similar systems, but there’s no limit to the variation and nuance within a technique.”
Bodoni also emphasizes the collaborative environment in the training room, where everyone has a unique take on a system. This approach makes training more interesting, dynamic, and diverse. “You don’t have the same athletes in every match…we can speak the same language, but we all have different series that we like.”
A fascinating aspect of Danaher’s process is the allowance for failure. Bodoni reveals that Danaher frequently encourages experimentation, and not every attempt results in success. “John will literally throw stuff at us and say, ‘experiment with this.’ Sometimes it works, and sometimes we realize it’s a dead end, so we abandon it. There’s definitely more stuff that you get rid of than stuff you keep.”
This method ensures that what remains is tried, tested, and capable of working at the highest levels against various opponents. It’s this strategic balance of innovation, experimentation, and long-term vision that sets Danaher’s team apart, making them both trendsetters and consistent champions in the world of Jiu-Jitsu.
Bodoni’s reflections offer a rare glimpse into Danaher’s genius and provide a testament to the New Wave team’s relentless pursuit of excellence.
