Rating: Good
Breathe: A Life In Flow blurb excerpt: From legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.
In Breathe, for the first time, Rickson will share the full story of how his father and uncles came to develop Jiu-Jitsu, what it was like to grow up among several generations of world-renowned fighters from the Gracie clan, and the principles and skills that guided him to his undefeated record. From learning to assert himself on the streets of Rio to gaining fame and honour in Japan and emerging through heartbreaking tragedy, the martial arts master shares tales of overcoming challenges, extolling universal virtues and showing readers how pride and ego are the enemies of success. With never-before-seen photos and profound insights into the sport and way of life that only a studied legend can provide, Breathe is an entertaining and magnified view of an enduring legacy as well as an inspiring tale of weathering life’s complexities and overcoming them with style and grace.
My opinion:
Breathe: A life in flow by Rickson Gracie is a good book for martial arts enthusiasts and anyone interested in learning about the principles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gracie's writing style is engaging, and the book provides a unique insight into Rickson's life and philosophy. He shares his experiences and the lessons he has learned throughout his career, providing a roadmap for readers to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. The book offers an in-depth look into not only the author's life, but also the rich history and culture behind Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the Gracie family. Although I have a great appreciation for jiujitsu as an art form, I am not a practitioner, so some of the technical aspects of the book were a bit challenging for me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the author's thoughts on the media and financial aspects of the fight industry and would have appreciated more discussion on this topic. Despite this, the book is a well-written and entertaining read that provides valuable insights into the world of martial arts.
Lessons from Breathe: A Life In Flow:
This book offers a variety of lessons and insights on martial arts, personal development, and how to achieve flow in life. Some key lessons from the book include:
The importance of breathing in martial arts: Rickson emphasizes the importance of breathing in martial arts, and how it can help one achieve flow in training and competition. He explains that proper breathing can help with focus, power, and overall performance. In life, when presented with any situation, breathe, take your time, focus, and then decide what to do.
The power of humility: Rickson stresses the importance of humility in martial arts, and how it can help one to learn and grow as a practitioner. He also talks about how humility can be applied in everyday life, and how it can help one to build relationships and overcome challenges.
The value of discipline: Rickson talks about the discipline required to become a successful martial artist, and how it can be applied in other areas of life. He explains that discipline is the key to achieving goals and that it takes time and effort to develop.
The importance of respect: Rickson stresses the importance of respect in martial arts, and how it can help one to build positive relationships with others. He also talks about how respect can be applied in everyday life, and how it can help one to build trust and understanding.
The concept of flow: Rickson explains how the concept of flow can be applied to martial arts and to life in general. He describes flow as a state of mind where one is completely absorbed in the task at hand, and how it can help one to perform at their best.
The ability of the mind to shape the body: He talks about how the mind can shape the body and the importance of the mindset in achieving success in any area of life.
Other notable takeaways included:
If size mattered, the elephant would be king of the jungle.
If you do not speak up when it matters, when would it matter that you speak? The opposite of courage is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.
Don’t be rushed, be sure.
When setting a long-term goal, find the pace necessary to achieve it.
Nothing can be a hundred percent positive or a hundred percent negative.
The principles of jujitsu can be applied to every endeavor in life;
You have to stay calm when you are in bad situations
You need to cover and conceal your intent with other maneuvers
You need to utilise the simplest and most efficient methods
You need to prioritise your focus and effort
You need to train until you trust yourself
You need to move at the right time
You have to defend critical areas
You should not attack your enemies' strong points
Learn to utilise leverage
You cannot let your emotions drive your decisions
You have to establish a good base foundation from which to build upon
You cannot be overly aggressive, nor can you afford to be passive
When you make a move you have to believe in what you are doing
You have to be mentally strong
You have to keep an open mind
You have to continuously learn whilst reinforcing the fundamentals
You have to adapt your plan if circumstances change
Breathe: A Life In Flow Quotes:
“If you push kids too hard, too young, they will quit forever. Parents should never burden their kids with their unfulfilled ambitions, frustrations, anxiety, or any other form of emotional baggage. The parents’ support must be consistent. The most important thing is that the child gets the experience—win, lose, or draw—without judgment.”
“Emotions are contagious. Hélio used to say that you had to break the emotional wave before it broke on you.”
“I can resist any physical pain if there is a reason.”
“A father must accept his children for who they are, not who he would like them to be.”
“Happiness is not a static thing. You have to work at it by confronting and overcoming challenges.”
“My biggest personal breakthrough came after realizing that my life was less important than my mission.”
“My dad believed that if your mind and will are not strong, you’ll spend your entire life getting carried away by your desires and weaknesses. You’ll spend your whole life paying for things you don’t want.”
"In life, when presented with any situation, breathe, take your time, focus, and then decide what to do."
"If we fight for money, I'll stop hitting you when you ask me to. If we fight for honor, I'll stop hitting you when I feel like it."
"I never lose sleep over barking dogs"
"Our fears don’t stop death, they stop life."
What Next:
If you enjoyed this read, you may want to check out Beyond Possible