Benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a challenging and rewarding form of combat. In contrast to other martial arts, it does not have striking; instead, it is mainly practiced on the ground and utilizing chokes or strangles as well as joint locks.
In newspaper advertisements from 1930s Brazil, the advantages of jiu-Jitsu training were described by the name of "more agility, sharper reflexes, more acute senses, improved blood circulation and respiration, and a sense of absolute tranquility, as a result of the self-confidence that the techniques of jiu-jitsu would instill."
Today Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been around for long enough to appreciate its benefits, which go beyond marketing hype. Here are a few advantages of BJJ:
10 excellent physical benefits of BJJ
1. It's an excellent exercise
BJJ rounds of sparring (also known as rolls) typically last 5 minutes long and consist of a variety of high and low-intensity exercises with a lot of time for rest. This is what makes BJJ sparring a fantastic way to exercise. Based on our estimate of research done with BJJ players, 30 minutes of hard rolling could help burn about 500 calories. Although jiu-Jitsu athletes' VO2max may be moderate compared to other disciplines, it's an excellent form of exercise requiring anaerobic and aerobic endurance.
2. You'll never be bored
There's a lot to master in BJJ, beginning with the basics of techniques, such as sweeps, positions or transitions, and submissions. There's an abundance of techniques that you could learn. And since every opponent is not precisely similar, you'll need to adapt the strategies you choose to use. This is just the technique part. There are also more subtle ideas embedded in Jiu Jitsu, such as frame, leverage, balance, and much more. You're likely to find a lack of new concepts to master in BJJ.
3. There are regular opportunities for sparring
BJJ is a fascinating martial art due to the frequent opportunities to fight with and "test" your techniques and theories against resisting opponents. Most classes will consist of 15-30 minutes of sparring divided into five-minute rounds in which you'll be able to engage against opponents of various skills and weights. You'll constantly be up against people with different play styles and must continually improve and alter your technique.
4. It's a type of self-defense
Jiu Jitsu teaches you valuable self-defense techniques, specifically to shackle opponents using ground survival techniques and submissions that aim to render the opponent unconscious or imprison their joints.
5. It's crucial for MMA
Jiu Jitsu, specifically no-GI Jiu-Jitsu, has rapidly become one of the prominent martial arts that mixed-martial artists use in the most prestigious fight events, such as the UFC or Bellator. It has proven to have significant effectiveness in MMA; therefore, when you are planning to learn and take part in MMA, it's a great tool to have in your arsenal.
6. You'll become part of a brand-new community
As you begin to learn BJJ, you'll be introduced not just to the gym's community, however, but also to the flourishing international BJJ community. This is not just found on the ground but also on the internet in places such as Reddit. I've had a great conversation with random people during conferences and events at work after discovering they're learning BJJ. In addition, BJJ is unique in that it's easy not only to get to know the top athletes in the world but also to train with them, compete with them and participate in their training sessions.
7. There are many competitions to participate in
Many BJJ events are held worldwide, allowing you to test your abilities against other competitors in a competitive environment. They are organized by various organizations, the most prominent possibly being The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association (IBJJF). Other organizations run competitions using rules like Grappling Industries, UAEJJF, ADCC, and SJJIF. The competition gives you the chance to practice your jiu-Jitsu in a tense but secure manner, as well as allows you to observe the differences in the jiu-Jitsu training you receive in your gym and other gyms.
8. There are progression and mastery opportunities
BJJ uses the belt and stripe system that runs from white to black belt and over to red belt. The gyms manage belt and stripe advancement in various ways by grading the belts of some gyms, others using more subjective. As you progress through your BJJ training, you'll be able to learn different guard styles and game styles and learn different elements of each.
9. There are a variety of options for teaching
If you're looking for opportunities to test yourself in teaching, BJJ is one way to test it. Many gyms offer kids classes where new instructors can get started teaching jiu-Jitsu by becoming assistant coaches. Teaching is also a fantastic benefit of enhancing your skills as you offer back to your local Jiu-Jitsu community.
10. It's fun
Most importantly, BJJ is challenging but enjoyable. I was delighted when I first made a successful submission in a class. If your game plan is carried out flawlessly, or when you have a reliable trainer and add some healthy banter, you'll be amazed at how fun it can be.
7 positive mental benefits that are gratifying from BJJ
1. It helps develop patience
In BJJ, you'll usually have to wait until the right opportunity to escape or bait your opponent. When you're trying to escape, you'll have to persevere in overcoming every obstacle your opponent faces before successfully escaping.
2. It helps you develop your problem-solving abilities.
Most of the time, when you play BJJ, you'll encounter guards or game styles that you're not used to. Sometimes, you'll need to think up improvised strategies at the moment to pass these guards or get past these types of styles. Sometimes, this can lead to failure, but sometimes you'll succeed.
3. It helps build discipline
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can be mentally and physically demanding. Making it to class every week requires discipline, even in the face of regular losses in sparring. As we've said, it is crucial to growing.
4. It helps you develop the ability to handle stress
One of the most important lessons I learned while learning Jiu-Jitsu was how to relax, especially if you are in an awkward position and the first instinct is to panic. Relaxing in the face of pressure helps you to save energy and think about the next step. In the study that included 43 male BJJ players in Norway wrote, "Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners appear to focus on mastery, making them more likely to demonstrate adaptive behavior when facing adversity."
5. It develops humility
It's normal to encounter defeat when practicing BJJ. The losses you experience are essential for your progress. However, the process of losing and submitting is that your ego gets a good jolt each time you participate in training. As Ovretveit K et al. describe in their study, the ones who improve in jiu-Jitsu are those who don't give up: "Due to the ubiquity of competitive settings in BJJ, a practitioner who has progressed in rank is essentially someone who did not let losing stop them."
6. It helps build confidence
After a few months of training in BJJ for an extended period, you'll have impressive results in competition or sparring, which can help you build confidence. Ultimately, you'll rise in rank and demonstrate that you can make it on mats. The self-defense advantages of Jiu Jai Jitsu could also increase confidence after you've stepped out of the training.
7. It will help you clear your mind.
I've been to my gym several times due to stress or an unlucky day. Each time I leave the mats after a sparring session, I have a clear mind and frequently forget what I was concerned about in the first instance.
Jiu-Jitsu is a complete form of physical and mental exercise which helps us live a healthier and happier life.
