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Interview with Serra BJJ Standout Eric Sherman

October 12, 2009

MMA Fitness InterviewIf you haven’t heard of Eric Sherman yet, don’t worry, you will. Eric is making major waves on the BJJ tournament circuit winning almost everything he enters, most recently the purple belt Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship. This is after winning the title as a blue belt last year. Eric also won the Abu Dhabi Regional tournament in August so he’ll continue on the road to Abu Dhabi 2011.

The reason I asked Eric to do this interview is because he has certain traits that help him maximize his talent. One of them is positive belief. I’m currently reading John Maxwell’s book, Talent is Never Enough. In it Maxwell says, “Your beliefs control everything you do. Accomplishment is more than a matter of working harder or smarter. It’s also a matter of believing positively.”

I was at the Serra academy on the Saturday before Eric Sherman was to defend his Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi title, but this time at the purple belt level. As he was leaving the school I gave him some words of encouragement but it was almost as if he didn’t need it. I could see from the look in his eyes that he knew he had put in all the hard work and he expected to win. Did Eric thinking that he would reach his goal guarantee the win? No. But I believe it’s this attitude that helps him to maximize his talent and keep moving forward

On with the interview…

Billy Hofacker (BH): One thing that stands out to me Eric is your positive attitude. You roll and carry yourself with confidence (certainly not cockiness). Where does this belief in yourself come from and how important do you feel it is in your performance?

Eric Sherman (ES): The belief in myself stems from where I train. I take a lot of pride in being part of the Serra academy. I take my training very seriously -- and there are no better mentors than Matt and Nicky Serra. Both of them are world renown for their Jiu-Jitsu. It's like a kid playing baseball and learning the game from Derek Jeter. Believing so much in the academy and having Matt and Nicky behind me enhances my performance greatly. I feel very prepared when I step on the mat because I'm training under the best in the world.

BH: It is always a pleasure to have you in class. Besides being a great guy, your work ethic is second to none (Eric always seems to be the last one on the mat). What motivates you to constantly go the extra mile?

ES: Well, I love training and love Jiu-Jitsu. Going the extra mile for me is not a chore. The extra work comes naturally because Jiu-Jitsu is my passion. That's the most important element. Also, I just want to make sure that I properly represent and carry the Serra flag to the fullest.

BH: You are definitely a stud on the mat during training at the academy but everyone knows that it doesn’t always translate into competition. How do you go about developing your strategy and game plan for a greater chance of success during competition?

ES: When I'm getting ready for a tournament, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I'm at peak condition. I don't focus too much on strategy or game-planning. I go into each match with an open mind and "go with the flow" or as Rickson Gracie says, "Flow with the Go."

BH: Another thing I commend you for is your tremendous focus. Most 19 year olds are simply bouncing from one thing to the next but you seem to have your “eye on the prize.” Does this laser like focus come naturally to you or are there things you can do to help prevent being side-tracked.

ES: I think it comes naturally. Jiu-Jitsu is a lifestyle for me. It's so much of who I am. When something is so meaningful and you’re that passionate about it, it's easy to keep focused.

BH: Teachability is also an important characteristic. I’ve noticed over the years that the best athletes are the ones that are willing to learn. Unfortunately sometimes the most talented athletes think they know it all and limit their growth. You always seem to be listening, learning, and applying techniques and strategies. How much has this hunger to learn helped you as a grappler?

ES: There has to be a constant hunger and willingness to learn in order to excel. Once you stop learning, or think you know it all, you may as well quit. Jiu-Jitsu constantly evolves. All the best grapplers in the world still ask questions, go over techniques, and learn new details to a move. It would be ignorant for someone to think they know everything. You never stop learning.

BH: Although you seem to win all of your matches, I’m sure you’ve been beaten and/or tapped out (just like everyone else) during training. Although losing is never fun, has it taught you any lessons?

ES: Of course. Everyone loses at one point, it’s part of the game. I hate losing. I have an absolute disdain for it. But I try to channel my anger and disappointment into fuel for moving forward and improving myself. I can only try to turn the negative into a positive, no matter how hard that is.

BH: I’m sure a lot of my readers are on the fence about competing or doing something else where they have to stretch themselves a bit. Do you have any advice for them?

ES: Yeah for sure. I would say go for it, definitely compete. If you’re training consistently, taking classes, and putting in the mat time, than you'll be fine. Tournaments give people the drive to push themselves more in order to have a great result. Tournaments will improve your game. Competing gives you valuable experience and more confidence. The matches will expose your weaknesses whether you win or lose. When you get back to training you know what you need to concentrate on. To me, that's a win-win.

BH: We’ve talked about training and competition quite a bit. Tell us something else that a lot of people may not know about you or something else you like to do other than train.

ES: I'm a sophomore at C.W Post, so when I'm not studying or training, I love hanging out with family and friends.

BH: Eric, it’s been a pleasure doing this interview with you and I wish you all the best in your grappling career and life. See you on the mat soon my man!

ES: Thank you Billy! It was a pleasure, See you soon!

*Note from Billy: I hope you enjoyed the interview and more importantly find it useful for your own training. The one thing that stands out to me the most besides Eric’s confidence and where it stems from is his passion for his chosen sport of BJJ. If you love what you do, working hard won’t feel so much like “work.” Now find your passion and persevere, no matter what until you reach your goal.

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