Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is mega popular in the Netherlands.
But if you’ve never trained Jiu-Jitsu before, you’re probably wondering what it’s all about.
Is it just grappling?
Is it also good for my self-defense?
What I can tell you is that many situations on the mat are synonymous with life.
Literally learning to fall and get back up.
Learning to deal with loss.
Learning to deal with frustrations and other emotions.
Problem-solving skills that you can train daily under high resistance can be a game-changer for your life.
BJJ has taught me principles that I could apply during the dark and difficult times in my life.
Here are a few of those lessons:
The bigger and stronger person doesn’t always win.
An important principle of BJJ is that size and weight don’t (always) matter.
In BJJ, you quickly learn that a smaller person without athletic ability can make your life quite difficult.
Based on technique and skills, you can take on larger and stronger opponents.
You simply cannot underestimate anyone.
I learned this quickly after my first Jiu-Jitsu class, at which time I weighed 106kg.
During that period, I was doing CrossFit, boxing, and weightlifting.
I thought I had something to offer.
After being tapped out ten times with the same armlock by someone forty kilos lighter than me, I quickly changed my mind and signed up immediately!
2. You are never too old to learn something new!
BJJ training is for people of all ages and skill levels.
You do everything at your own pace in training and take the time to learn the techniques and master them, naturally under resistance.
Personally, I only got on the mat after a 6-year rehabilitation process and 33 surgeries.
If I can do it, YOU DEFINITELY can!
One of the most important concepts I have learned and that you can also learn is levers.
With a lever technique, you can keep larger opponents at bay and also make them tap (technique).
Levers can also be applied in daily life.
Consider, for example, leveraging in business, your job, or private life.
Levers teach us to achieve maximum results with minimal effort.
3. Technique over strength
Another important principle you learn in Jiu-Jitsu is that technique is king.
In fact, the strength lies in the technique.
Once you master the technique, it enhances the strength you naturally have or have gained through strength and conditioning training.
Additionally, BJJ training constantly puts you in situations where you need to solve problems.
Think about escaping submissions and precarious positions.
Acting recklessly and without proper thought on a BJJ mat has consequences.
For example, being choked or getting caught in a joint lock.
In daily life, addressing confrontations or problems is also not wise without being strategic in your approach.
These are all opportunities to sharpen your problem-solving skills.
4. Being able to handle setbacks.
Everyone who trains BJJ started at the bottom of the ladder.
No one escapes tapping out, humiliation, and the necessary embarrassment that comes with getting tied in a knot and making the same mistakes over and over again.
In your life, you will undoubtedly have these moments of frustration and failure.
Think of that rejection you experience, that job you didn’t get, or that thesis where you repeatedly banged your head against the wall.
Growth only comes with doing things outside your comfort zone.
At BJJ Amersfoort, we therefore emphasize learning through experience and resistance.
Otherwise, your life would be a bit boring, right?!
All these moments are an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, your field, or your studies.
The kind of perseverance you develop on the mat will help you face the obstacles you encounter in your life.
5. You can’t do it alone.
Jiu-Jitsu teaches us that you can’t do everything alone.
A community, family, friends, teammates are very important to us.
Although BJJ is an individual sport, you can do nothing without your teammates.
The hours of rolling on the mat, practicing techniques, sparring with teammates, failing and learning together, help you become a better version of yourself.
That reminds me of this quote:
“If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together."
So if you are looking for a way to grow both mentally and physically, BJJ is your thing.
This article was originally published in Dutch. Read the Dutch original.
