For many people, their first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class can feel overwhelming.
They walk into the academy with little understanding of the sport, hoping to learn how to defend themselves and gain confidence. but sometimes the first thing they see is an advanced guard inversion or a complicated sport-specific technique.
According to Fabio Gurgel, that approach may be one of the biggest mistakes academies make with beginners:
Imagine someone who never did Jiu Jitsu before, someone who doesn’t have a clue about it. What is the first thing that you are going to teach him? Is it a Berimbolo?
Does doing a Triangle make sense for a person that never did BJJ? And the answer is: 100% no.
His reasoning is simple: beginners need context before complexity.
If the first lesson feels disconnected from real life, many students will struggle to understand why they should continue training:
The chance for that person leaving BJJ is pretty high, since you didn’t give him anything to really understand.
Instead, Gurgel believes self-defense should be the foundation:
If you teach that person self defense, then it makes sense because self defense speaks for itself.
Once students experience that practical value, curiosity within them will naturally grow:
They will want something more out of Jiu-Jitsu, and the chances of that person staying in BJJ will be considerably higher.
Gurgel also believes self-defense introduces beginners to one of the core truths of BJJ – many effective reactions go against instinct:
They will find out that their instinct does not really go hand-in-hand with Jiu Jitsu.
Read the rest of our interview with Fabio Gurgel on the following link.
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