With seven years of experience competing in international jiu-jitsu tournaments, former Keystone Heights resident Jordan Hix released a revised edition, , “Rapid Growth in Grappling: How to Use the Principles of Deliberate Practice to Get Better Faster!”

Jordan Hix, a Keystone Heights native and U.S. Naval officer with seven years of jiu-jitsu fighting experience, made revisions to his 2021 book, “Rapid Growth in Grappling: How to Use the Principles of Deliberate Practice to Get Better Faster!”

The book gained popularity for its insights into the practice and efficient training methods of jiu-jitsu.

The updated edition was a six-month project completed this month, and it brings new features and expanded content.

Hix reformats his book to feature a smoother flow. Minimizing space, the author delivers an even more engaging and accessible reading experience while also reimagining the theme, which often carries over into other areas of life.

“This is for anyone who wants to get better at learning a skill. It doesn’t have to be martial arts. It can be piano or writing music. It just uses the lens of martial arts,” he said.

The new content and additions are divided into short-term and long-term categories. Another common theme Hix expands on is coaching and leadership, making the book popular for youth and high school sports coaches.

Hix went on a journey of reading 12 new books and weaving lessons learned from those to create a condensed, no-nonsense version. He also spent countless hours writing and editing his new work.

“The research phase was a long, grueling process. I read several books, but many of them didn’t provide relevant information. Also, writing, editing, and reformatting took quite a bit of time. There were countless lessons in the writing of (the revision),” he said.

Hix said the best books were written by several high-performance, successful individuals, including an NFL athlete and a fighter pilot.

“A lot of their themes were similar. Their endeavors were just tailored in a different way. It’s really cool to see those overarching themes, time and time again,” Hix said.

Hix began at the University of Florida with the Gator Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club in 2016. He also cross-trained in Japan with local clubs in Sasebo while simultaneously training with locals and people who served in the U.S. Military Police.

“It’s a story about my first white belt competition, where the referee was actually my opponent’s coach. Even though he was (the official), he started trash-talking me during the match. Fortunately, I ended up winning, but I just used that as an example of obstacles that you sometimes really don’t expect in life,” he said.

The original book generated a wide-ranging appeal for readers.

“I actually try to give strategies instead of just using flowery language or anything. I want to get down to it and give people real techniques they can implement in their everyday lives,” he said.

Hix said the first edition helped him learn how to write, edit and self-publish. He experienced “countless lessons” about elite performance and coaching with the Keystone Heights Martial Arts Academy, where he was a longtime member and coach, and from people across the United States. He said a fan from New York made him a better guitar player because it helped him focus on attention to strategy detail and positive reviews.

“In martial arts and combat, you get very immediate feedback on your errors,” Hix said. “There’s a lot of metaphors to life in that as well. That’s why learning lessons on the mat can be so valuable because they’re right there. You can choose to learn and grow or sulk in your losses, and that’s true in life as well.”

The book is available on Kindle or at amazon.com/Rapid-Growth-Grappling-Principles-Deliberate-ebook.