Sports, in general, improve muscle strength, acts to reduce weight and to relieve stress. Jiu-Jitsu is no different. Besides involving all the benefits mentioned, the gentle art is intertwined with the life of the practitioner, who just can incorporating the BJJ values ​​and principles. Tatame Magazine interviewed five masters of the gentle art, who talked about the gains that the sport can bring:

Lifestyle

Royler Gracie, Jiu-Jitsu world champion:

“Jiu-Jitsu is a miracle in the lives of many people. It took a lot people away from drugs and improved the lives of many others. It’s a lifestyle. I eat breakfast, lunch and dine Jiu-Jitsu every day since I can remember. Jiu-Jitsu in my life just solidified me and made me mature as a person honestly, as a human being too. The sport gives you this, but Jiu-Jitsu gives you even more, because it is a struggle. That’s one thing I learned in the cradle in the house. “

Self control

Gabi Garcia, twice champion of ADCC

“Jiu-Jitsu is for you to educate yourself, know your body and even a way of dealing with problems. I became a person with strong self-control. Jiu-Jitsu, is not only the competition, but the hobby, teaches you how to deal with the losses too. We lose every day in our home, with our friends, at work, and I think the jiu-jiteiro has this self-control to know that there is a loss and you have to know how to fight it, because we have to lift ourselves up. Jiu-Jitsu gives us this and the knowledge to know that one day you’re down, but on the other you will overcome. “

Quality of Life

Leticia Ribeiro – Multiple Jiu-Jitsu World Jiu-Jitsu

“Jiu-Jitsu is important in life, but I think for women, it is even more important to keep us fit. Jiu-Jitsu helps in our quality of life, because we spend time training and exercising every day, eating right to stay right in practice. Many women left the inactivity and began practicing the sport and today feel much better, lost weight and are very satisfied to go to the gym every day to train Jiu-Jitsu. The activity also serves as therapy because when we’re in that environment, we do not think of anything else. There’s always someone to talk to there and you can find someone to talk to about your problems, relationships … It’s good to unwind. “

Friendship

Rodolfo Vieira – 3 times world champion

“I have several friends from my street. I haven’t sen them in a while but we will always be friends … But I can not explain what happens in Jiu-Jitsu, the energy inside the gym is wonderful. You create an intimacy with the guys, just the contact you have with your training buddy. There are people here who are training in the gym for four, five months and the kids are already my friends. This is really cool. For me, it is the best part of Jiu-Jitsu. They have the same thought as me, are always with me and want the same thing I want. “

Self esteem

Fabio Gurgel – leader of Alliance

“The benefits of Jiu-Jitsu change according to the situation, goals, people. But practice of a self defense that is proven effective in a healthy environment, where there is companionship, makes the student more secure. It’s all interconnected. With this, the practitioner has higher self-esteem, accompanied by an improvement in fitness and greater sociability. The best is that Jiu-Jitsu can offer all these benefits in a playful and fun atmosphere. That is success. If it was something boring, monotonous, it would not be succesful. There are other activities that can take you to these benefits, but are not as fun. In Jiu-Jitsu, every day you learn something new. “

Translated from Portuguese from Tatame.