Does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Have Plenty to Offer You!

Many people adopt martial arts as a way of life because it gives them confidence. But for a beginner, choosing which martial arts form and where to start training is uncertain. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is the best option as it is suitable for every age group and teaches you valuable skills.

BJJ is not just a show of physical strength and mental toughness, but it also helps your mental health. So, even if you are not a professional martial artist, it can benefit you a lot. Let’s discuss its benefits in detail.

1. BJJ is suitable for every age group and gender

“Jiu-jitsu is for everyone, anyone can learn: men or women. It enhances anyone’s physical potential, so if you want to increase your physical potential learn jiu-jitsu because the jiu-jitsu we practice is at everyone’s reach.”
Helio Gracie (Hélio Gracie’s last interview)

Unlike other martial arts, BJJ focuses more on grappling rather than striking. That is what makes it suitable for every age group and gender. BJJ is awesome as it trains a physically smaller person to defeat a much larger person easily. You just need to learn and master the techniques, using leverage to choke out an opponent even twice your size.

Initially, you might find it difficult, but gradually, the exposure to different types of training and strategies will enable you to defeat anyone, regardless of their size and power.

2. BJJ helps in Increased Health Fitness

“Jiu-jitsu transcends the mat and embraces life in a much more complete way.”
Rickson Gracie (Rickson Gracie 2020-InfernoCast)

BJJ plays a vital role in improving your stamina, balance, agility, flexibility, and strength. It provides the best workout for your body, improving your overall health and fitness. Including cardiovascular exercises, these workouts help improve your blood flow and breathing.

You feel more energetic and fit when doing BJJ than you would exercising at a gym. Moreover, healthy and protein-filled nutrition in BJJ training makes you feel lighter and helps in muscle building. All of them lead to a healthy lifestyle and allow you to have fun while getting fit.

3. Shapes your body

BJJ involves grappling and ground-based martial art techniques that encourage full-body movement. Every muscle in your body engages with every move in BJJ. Like any other martial arts, the physical effort in BJJ burns extra calories and melts body fat content, ultimately resulting in shaping your body.

Moreover, your muscles become firm and joints become flexible, improving your overall sculpted silhouette. Although it is slow progress so you need to be consistent without getting frustrated.

4. Self-defense

“The primary purpose of jiu-jitsu is self-defense, teaching them complete self-defense system, but also wellness. And when we talk about wellness we refer to as I said physical wellness, mental wellness, and spiritual wellness.”
Pedro Valente Jr (Jiu-Jitsu VS The World)

This world is full of uncertainty where anyone can be victimized or bullied by other people. So the most obvious reason to learn martial arts is self-defense.

Brazilian Jiu-Jjitsu is the most offered non-striking self-defense martial arts. People learn BJJ to defend themselves in any unpredictable and unexpected situation. It trains smaller people or even women to take down individuals who are physically stronger than them. It’s hard to believe until you witness the scene in the field of play. BJJ is incredibly useful as self-defense since it teaches you to fight from the guard.

Your kids feel safer and more confident after training, as they have developed a sense of self-security. So no one can bully them anywhere now if they are equipped with BJJ moves and techniques.

5. Cognitive growth

“For an individual, the greatest gift that I think they get from jiu-jitsu is the idea of solving problems under stress. Every second of every match you’re ever involved in jiu-jitsu is an attempt to solve the problem that my opponent is presenting to me.”
John Danaher (John Danaher Interview Jiu-Jitsu VS The World)

BJJ is also responsible for cognitive growth that challenges your brain. When practicing BJJ, the fighter is engaged in continuous problem-solving and mental work. The fighter comes up with strategies and formulates a combat plan of different techniques and submissions to defeat his opponent.

Just like chess, you adopt critical thinking and learn to deal with difficult situations. As Gui Valente said,

“Jiu-jitsu teaches you to find comfort in very uncomfortable situations.”
Gui Valente (Jiu-Jitsu VS The World)

This mental workout helps with cognitive growth, training you to solve problems in other aspects of your life as well.

6. Train you to accept failures

“There is no losing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You either win or you learn.’’
Carlson Gracie

In BJJ training, you have to try and practice several times until you get it right. So this approach builds a mindset in fighters to embrace failure and try again and again. With BJJ, you develop a sense that failures are only for those who try. This mindset is beneficial in the lifelong journey that enables you to turn your weaknesses into strengths. And this is how you learn to address your failures wisely.

7. Increased Confidence

“We’re not in the business of selling martial arts, we’re in the business of selling confidence. We’re in the business of transforming people…We’re in the business of transforming souls to make them shine. It’s not a sport, it’s not a martial art, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of living. It’s a way to improve your life.”
Renzo Gracie (Jiu-Jitsu VS The World)

It is a fact that the more you make mistakes, the more you learn from them. And this learning and experience gradually builds confidence in you. From the beginning of your BJJ training, you have been provided a chance to learn from your mistakes. And once you become physically adept, you naturally develop confidence in your competencies and body language.

Through BJJ training, many fighters like Agilan Thani and Bruno Pucci went through massive transformations. Improvement in their skills and silhouette that brought newfound confidence in them that let them shine on the mat.

8. Mental wellbeing

“Jiu-Jitsu can support you in terms of giving you more confidence, giving you more capacity to handle stress, handle emotions…”
Rickson Gracie (Rickson Gracie 2020 – Inferno Cast)

BJJ helps diminish stress and depression. Its strenuous exercises and your dedication to the sport keep your mind busy and relie stress. Also, you learn how to handle difficult situations calmly in real life because you practice on the mat. As Fabio Santos said in Jiu-Jitsu VS The World, “The hardness on the mat will transfer to making life easier for you in real life.”

Moreover, during grappling when you take down your opponent, the hormone oxytocin relaxes your mind and makes you feel happy. A healthy lifestyle and regular exercise through BJJ boost your metabolism, producing good hormones (endorphins) in your body and promoting your mental well-being. Regular exercise can alleviate anxiety over time, leaving a therapeutic effect on your mind.

9. Opportunity to widen Friend’s circle

“Martial arts can really bring everyone together, especially jiu jitsu. You see it in academies all across the world. So many times I’m on my mat, and I look back and I’m sitting against the wall and I just look on the mat and I look around, I see all these people together sharing their techniques, and sharing their energies, and having fun with each other.”
Rafael Lovato Jr (JiuJitsu – A Way Of Life by Stuartcooperfilms)

There is a common maxim for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that if you have a GI uniform then you are welcomed to jiu-jitsu gyms anywhere in the world.

The BJJ community is big and friendly. By participating in different tournaments, you get the chance to meet different people with varying levels of experience. These people and instructors not only help you build your skillset but also develop friendly and long-lasting relationships with you. According to Fabio Santos “When you make friends in jiu-jitsu, it’s forever.”

10. Gender equality

Women are always suppressed by saying that it’s not meant for them or they can’t do it because it’s masculine for them, but BJJ is the only sport that provides a playing field. On the mat, all fighters are equal and gender discrimination is not tolerated. Fighters are given equal opportunities in the training session to enhance their capabilities. A capable person will steal the limelight on the mat.

11. Humbleness and patience are learned on the mat

‘’I’ve never been quite as humbled as I have in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”
Lex Friedman

There is a lot of critical thinking involved during training in BJJ. This is not something you learn overnight. You have to dedicate years of effort to be fully trained in BJJ.

BJJ is a sport that trains you to figure out solutions to problems. During a choke, if you remain calm and patient, then it will be easier for you to get out of the situation. So, patience is key to dealing with difficult situations.

Helping each other and shaking hands with your partner before and after the match is a rule in BJJ. You accept your defeat positively because all of the criticism helps you figure out what you can do better next time.

You learn to appreciate humility. BJJ helps you develop respect and patience towards your opponents and mentors. Self-control, patience, and humility ultimately make your personality calm and focused, which is beneficial in navigating your future life.

12. Better sleep

The human body releases anti-anxiety hormones while exercising. As described earlier, BJJ involves a balanced workout that not only saves you from anxiety and depression but also promotes better sleep. Hormones like oxytocin and endorphins collectively improve your sleeping patterns and regulate your mood.

13. Master you to stand out in real life-fighting systems

“Jiu-jitsu I believe is the most efficient way of fighting in any situation, in a street fight, in a ring, inside an elevator, anywhere.”
Renzo Gracie (Renzo Gracie Legacy)

We all know that all real-life or street fights eventually end up on the ground and BJJ is a ground-based martial art that trains you to lock your opponent in a ground position. Its techniques like the close guard, open guard, and half guard help you to stand out in real life-fighting. And you prevail over your opponent because of your knowledge in BJJ.

14. There is room for Continuous self-improvement

Unlike other martial arts, BJJ is dynamic and constantly changing. You cannot master all the techniques at once, even if you are a black belt. There is always room for self-improvement. New techniques are discovered every day and are added to BJJ. So, to improve, you have to learn on a daily basis. The more you polish and improve your techniques, the more experienced you are.

15. BJJ as Best Base for mixed martial arts

If anyone wants to achieve the best control over their base during fights on the ground, they must learn BJJ techniques. This is the reason that most MMA fighters are usually black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ trains wrestlers with the best techniques that make your core stronger to better deal with your opponent. Hence, BJJ provides the best control and base for mixed martial arts.