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 top rated BJJ gym in Singapore.
If you’re new to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) or not very familiar with it, it’s basically a martial art that enables a smaller person to defend himself or herself against larger, more powerful opponents through the use of leverage and technique.
For those who have heard of or train BJJ, there’s a good chance you’d have chanced upon the term “Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle” – or maybe you even lead such a lifestyle without realizing it. After all, there’s so much more to BJJ than meets the eye. It’s not just a combat sport or hobby. It’s a passion and a lifelong journey of learning – not just techniques and submissions, but also life lessons. That’s why those who train BJJ often take what they’ve learned on the mats and apply it to everyday life.
Want to find out more? Today, Evolve Daily shares 5 Ways Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Will Change Your Life:
1) It teaches you to seize opportunities
We all have those moments when we aren’t sure whether to take the leap or stay where we are. After all, it always feels safe to be at a familiar place. Unfortunately, these moments of hesitation sometimes take us further away from where we want to be, because we miss some golden opportunities that could change our lives.
BJJ trains you to observe your surroundings very closely. Each time you roll, you’ll be on the lookout for opportunities to take an arm or get into a favorable position. At the beginning, it might be difficult to identify such opportunities, but over time, you’ll notice that opportunities are everywhere. And the best part is that you’d seize these opportunities without hesitating – whether you’re on or off the mats.
2) It helps you get stronger in more ways than one
If you look at BJJ practitioners, you’ll notice that they’re toned and fit. Well, it should come as no surprise, considering how they spend many hours grappling and drilling. Besides being physically fit, you’ll also be in your best shape – mentally. This is because BJJ is not easy, and there will be moments when you find yourself disheartened and unmotivated. However, if you press on and keep going, your dedication will pay off and you’d inherit courage, drive, heart, endurance, and determination.
3) It builds your confidence
When you improve in BJJ, your confidence would grow by leaps and bounds. This is because BJJ puts you in many situations outside your comfort zone, and the greatest thing is that you’d be able to figure out a way to get out of all of them. After all, there are many ways to transition, escape, and submit – it’s all a matter of finding the right timing, distance, and angle. Once you’re able to apply this to everyday life, you’d be confident in your ability to handle all kinds of situations and overcome various obstacles.
4) It teaches you to leave your ego at the door
As much as we hate to admit it, we can’t bear the thought of being bad at something – because we think it makes us look bad. But here’s the thing: no one cares about how you look, except you. When you consistently train BJJ, you’ll realize that it’s okay to be terrible at it and not grasp certain techniques right away. However, it’s not okay to give up just because you think you aren’t good at it. After all, practice makes perfect!
Besides that, you’ll roll with all kinds of people. And sometimes, you’ll find yourself getting submitted by someone who might be way smaller than you, or perhaps of a lower belt. Although this might make you feel disheartened at the beginning, you’ll understand that there’s something to take away from every roll and that you can learn from literally anyone who crosses paths with you. Hence, you’ll learn to swallow your pride and give everyone a chance to add value to your life.
5) It empowers you to take control of your life
There will definitely be moments when life gets you down. When this happens, how do you react? Do you try to turn things around and do what you can to make the situation better? Or do you throw in the towel and blame things you can’t control?
If you constantly find yourself struggling to take charge of your life, then perhaps you should consider training BJJ. This is because it teaches you to persevere in the face of challenges, and stay committed to your goals even when you’re disheartened. Also, you’ll learn that how you choose to respond and react to everything is what matters – because it’s what you have control over. Hence, you’d stop blaming external things and become a master of your own fate, as you’d be in charge of your life.
