The old adage is that it takes 10,000 hours doing something to become a master. Nowhere is that truer than in martial arts like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a challenging discipline that takes time to understand and learn. Generally speaking, the more time spent on the mat the better. But that brings up a conundrum for many who want to train with us at Gracie Miranda: What if you don’t have time?
Enter the morning class. We offer three morning classes each week at Gracie Miranda, our Sutherland Shire BJJ academy. Two Gi classes, while one is No-Gi. (Learn about the difference between Gi and No-Gi training here.)
If you’re worried about not having enough time to take up martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu, morning classes offer an invaluable way to fit extra sessions into your week. And that’s just one of many reasons why they’re worth signing up for.
New to BJJ?
If you’re new to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you may need a proper primer on what it actually is before you go ahead and enlist for 6 a.m. sessions. Fair enough!
Jiu-Jitsu is a Brazilian self-defence system that prioritises skill and smarts over strength and power. This is achieved by using leverage and timing to subdue your opponent. If you start doing BJJ classes, you won’t be learning punches, kicks or any other types of striking. You’ll be learning how to take someone to the ground, control them and, if need be, submit them.
Of course, size and strength are factors in BJJ. But the foundational premise of the self-defence system is that if your technique is sharp enough, you’ll be able to overcome large disparities in size and athleticism. Anyone whose trained Jiu-Jitsu for a decent amount of time will have experienced this: Either being able to control someone much bigger, or being dominated by a training partner much smaller.
It’s for that reason that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is such a strong self-defence option for women and children. Athleticism is not required to succeed on the mats – just perseverance and discipline.
It sounds complicated and tough, and in many ways it is. But Jiu-Jitsu is also satisfying and addicting. Many people who begin training with us at Gracie Miranda become instantly hooked, and search for ways to cram as many classes in as possible. Others, particularly those with families or busy work schedules, can struggle to come to night time classes.
Morning classes are perfect options for people in both scenarios. But beyond easing the schedule, training in the morning has many lifestyle benefits. These include:
Exercise is the best way to start the day: You may think you’re too sluggish in the morning to do BJJ morning classes, but in truth exercise is the antidote to sluggishness. If you begin your day with intense exercise, which you’ll certainly have in a martial arts class, you’ll find yourself feeling sharper throughout the day.
Discipline: As noted above, persistence and perseverance are more important traits in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu than strength and power. There’s no getting around it, morning classes can be tough. But that’s all the more reason to attend. Just like beginning your day with exercise is good for your mind, beginning your day with something difficult – like dragging yourself out of bed to grapple – will develop your mental strength.
Smaller classes: One definite benefit to morning classes being hard to get to? Fewer people do them. That means you’ll usually be grappling with a smaller cohort of people. That means the coach can spend more time going through technique with you, and assessing your game. Some morning classes more closely resemble personal sessions than group ones.
Nothing can stop you: It’s easy to plan to come to evening sessions, but no matter how disciplined you are life can get in the way. You may have to work late, or deal with family matters.
If you’re interesting in trying out martial arts, come into Gracie Miranda for a free trial class.
