Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the best Singapore BJJ gym.
When people make the decision to take up martial arts, it is because they seek change in their lives. They seek improvement. Perhaps they want to lose weight and fit into their old clothes, or maybe they want to learn how to defend themselves. Whatever the reason, choosing to train in martial arts is a big decision.
Many people are surprised when they first step into a BJJ gym and discover the wonders of training. Everyone expects it to be an engaging workout, but what most people don’t anticipate are the many lessons it teaches.
Known as the ‘Gentle Art’, BJJ is a prominent fixture in mixed martial arts events and is one of the most popular sports on the planet. It is also one of the most potent and effective self-defense martial arts in existence.
But aside from it being an effective martial art, there are many lessons that BJJ imparts on practitioners during the course of their training. A lot of these lessons are totally unexpected.
People walk into the BJJ gym wanting to learn how to defend themselves. They quickly realize that they get so much more. Today, Evolve Daily shares four unexpected lessons you’ll learn in a BJJ gym.
1) Technique beats size and strength
One of the most important premises of BJJ is that size doesn’t matter, and that indeed, the smaller man can defeat the larger man. All it takes is good sound technique and knowledge of how to use leverage and weight to your advantage, and a handful of submissions to be able to subdue a much larger foe.
Two competitors step onto the mat, they roll and grapple. They exchange advantageous positions until the end comes swiftly and expertly, as one submits the other with a technical execution of a submission. The science of BJJ promises that anyone no matter the age, gender, or size, can subdue his or her foe with technique rather than strength.
This is BJJ’s core appeal. Through consistent practice, you will be able to learn how to use your body to gain the most leverage, and how to use your opponent’s own body and size against him. It’s all about strategy, intelligence, and technique on the mat.
2) Get in tune with your body
Training in BJJ allows practitioners to get in tune with their entire body, using all the arms and legs, and core in a variety of different ways. This greatly improves an individual’s hand-eye coordination. It also helps people get in tune with their entire body.
BJJ involves many different drills unique to the martial art. Many of the drills cannot be found in other martial arts. A lot of the movements you have never tried before, so it can be difficult in the beginning. But once you get used to it, your body will experience improved physicality, especially in areas of flexibility and core strength.
Use each of your limbs like never before. Learn how to control your foes, using their own bodies against them. End physical confrontations quickly and efficiently, and with the least amount of damage done. BJJ is a great martial art to learn. It is also considered one of, if not the most effective martial art to use in an actual street fight.
3) Humility is the key to learning
Martial arts, and most especially BJJ, is a journey of learning. When you first step inside the BJJ gym walls, you are met with an immediate understanding of what goes on during training. You will notice students listening intently as their instructor teaches the intricate techniques of this martial arts discipline.
One of the most important lessons you will learn during your training is that humility is the key to soaking up all the knowledge you can efficiently and in a short period of time. There is a lot to go through when training in BJJ, and concentration is a must. But more importantly, you must be humble enough to learn from your superiors — those who have more experience than you.
There is learning in every situation, and in BJJ, you have to be humble to recognize that every opportunity is a learning opportunity. By being humble and listening to your peers and coaches, you become a receptacle of knowledge — like a sponge soaking up all the information you can perceive with every one of your senses.
4) The principles of the ‘Gentle Art’
There is a reason they call BJJ the ‘Gentle Art’, and it’s because you can subdue your foes doing the least amount of force. The entire premise of BJJ is being able to get your opponents to the mat where technique and skill trump strength and power. On the mat, everyone is the same size. This is a lesson that you will learn quickly in the BJJ gym.
When you first start training, you’ll notice yourself getting dominated on the ground. And this is a normal thing. It’s also a good thing. By being on the wrong end of submissions multiple times, you gain a better understanding of how they work. Furthermore, every technique in BJJ can be tightened and made more efficient with time.
Soon, you will master the art of using leverage and technique to submit opponents with the least amount of effort and damage. This is the true essence of BJJ and one that you will learn when you begin your training.
If you’re looking to whip yourself into shape, acquire the knowledge of self-defense, and even pick up some unexpected life lessons while you’re at it, why not start training in BJJ? Book a trial class today!
