Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is so much more than just a martial art. It’s an opportunity not just to get fit and skillful, able to defend yourself; but it’s a fantastic door to life-long friendships, great mood before, during and after training, as well as to a great deal of mental clarity and personal accomplishments. In more ways than one, BJJ is a dream come true for many people.
However, Jiu Jitsu is also quite expensive… So how do you begin training it if you’re broke? How do you start Jiu Jitsu with 0$ in your bank account?

REACH OUT TO AN ACADEMY

First of all, you need to understand that nothing triumphs over training in a BJJ academy. Nothing is better than being on the mats with other people, as your coach/instructor explains and demonstrates techniques which you need to use. The feedback on these techniques and your Jiu Jitsu in general, that you get both from the coach and more experienced Jiujiteiros that you’re training partners with… Nothing can come close to that.
With that in mind, if you’re broke, your first objective should be to contact an academy and see if they’ll let you train in exchange for work. This work could be anything from cleaning the mats before and after training to helping with other things; such as marketing and PR efforts, social media, accounting… Anything that your skillset and learning allows for.

You need not to feel ashamed nor embarrassed to do this. As a matter of fact, you should be proud of yourself; for it’s a big step towards you becoming a really good Jiujiteiro down the road!
The thing is, a vast majority (if not all) academy owners and coaches are great human beings and have sacrificed a lot to open their own academies, or to teach there. It’s for precisely that reason that they’ll respect your message – and they will be inclined to get you on board.

YOUTUBE VIDEOS AND FRIENDS

If, for whatever reason, the option of training at an academy isn’t a viable one for you – then you should combine watching videos on Youtube with training with your friends.
It really is as simple as it sounds. Just search „BJJ for beginners“ on Youtube and start with the techniques from there. Work both on your defense, your attack and solo drills alike; the latter will grant you the mobility necessary for the Art. Also, group with several friends who’re willing to train; find some soft padding (even a cushy rug will do the trick, you don’t have to buy/find mats), and get to practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!

I’M BROKE, SO WHAT ABOUT EQUIPMENT?

But even if you find a way to train BJJ without expenses, how are you supposed to get your equipment?

The BJJ Gi, in particular, can be quite expensive. Well, there’s a way to work around it; if you train at an academy, ask someone to borrow it for you until you get the money to buy one for yourself. (This is often done in academies worldwide, where Gis are borrowed to the „new guy“ in the beginning.) Or you could find a used-up Gi for a really low price on sites such as Craigslist – it can even be a Judo Gi. It’ll serve you well in the beginning!
Other than that, any pair of shorts and a slim T-Shirt will do the trick. There are some rather cheap mouthguards out there, too.

With all of that, you’ll be well set to start training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu! It will bring you much happiness, so make sure to enjoy it!