As a new year dawns, it’s normal to want to broaden your horizons with new challenges. If you’re on this page, there’s a good chance you’re in the Sutherland Shire and are interested in starting a martial arts journey in 2021.
We support this decision!
At Gracie Miranda, we teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It’s a grappling martial art that’s around 100 years old, and it’s exploded in popularity since BJJ fighter Royce Gracie dominated the first few UFC tournaments in the 90s.
Jiu-Jitsu is a fantastic hobby if you’re interested in getting fitter, learning self-defence or just interested in general self-improvement. Before we explain why, just remember you can come into Gracie Miranda for a free trial any time.
Fun fitness
New Year’s Resolutions are hard. You’ve probably heard some stat before about how only a tiny percentage of people who sign up for the gym on January 1 are still working out by the end of February.
That’s because a long-term fitness regime needs to be fun, and it needs to satisfy you. This is why martial arts classes are a great option for people looking to make their lifestyle a little more healthy.
Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu is a full-body workout, one that’s great for health and fitness. It’s a spar-heavy martial art, meaning you’ll be exerting yourself against training partners doing their best to resist. As such, you’ll get a tremendous sweat, and you’ll be working all of your major muscles in the process. It won’t make you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it’ll certainly get you in better shape.
Most importantly, it’s fun. Many people become addicted to Jiu-Jitsu after trying it, because the tangible feeling of improvement is so rewarding. It’s an endlessly complex martial art, which makes it endlessly satisfying to figure out.
This is what makes Jiu-Jitsu a good choice for those looking for a more healthy lifestyle: You come because it’s fun. This is a big difference to running, cycling or gymming, exercise which for many people can be laborious. Jiu-Jitsu is not about getting fit, but it makes you fitter.
Keep safe
So if martial arts classes aren’t about getting fit, what are they about? Any martial art worth doing should make you proficient at self-defence.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the world’s best martial art for self-defence. Of course, you would expect a Jiu-Jitsu academy to say that. But it’s not just us. Jocko Willink, a former Navy Seal, credits BJJ as the best martial art for giving you self-defence tools. Joe Rogan, UFC commentator and a black belt in both Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo, says the same.
So even if you take our claim that it’s the best with a grain of salt, know that there are many impartial experts out there who say the same thing.
Here’s a quick primer on what specifically BJJ is, and why it’s so effective for self-defence.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a ground-based grappling martial art. You may be surprised to learn that there are no strikes in BJJ: It’s all grappling. That makes it totally different from popular arts like boxing, Muay Thai or Karate.
Jiu-Jitsu isn’t the only grappling martial art, of course. There’s also wrestling and Judo. But wrestling matches end when one person’s shoulders touch the ground, and Judo focuses on stand-up grappling rather than ground-based grappling.
Compare this to Jiu-Jitsu, in which you’ll learn to be highly dangerous even with your shoulders on the ground. This is not to dismiss other arts, as each will teach you valuable skills. But again, there’s a reason a Jiu-Jitsu fighter won so many UFC tournaments.
A better you
We mentioned before that Jiu-Jitsu is endlessly complex, and as such endlessly satisfying. That’s true. Yet for the same reason, BJJ is not easy. In fact, it can be really hard.
There will be times where you’ll plateau and not know why. There will be times where you’ll be transfixed on a belt promotion and be frustrated that it’s not happening fast enough. There will be times where training partners with less experience best you. There will be times when people you used to out maneuver break a plateau and end up ahead of you.
This can all be rough on the ego. And this is one of the best reasons to take up BJJ in the first place. It’s great for the body, yes, but it’s just as good for the mind.
Overcoming your ego is a life skill. Discipline and perseverance are traits you’ll need to succeed in Jiu-Jitsu, but they’ll also get you ahead off the mats. Excelling at martial arts gives you the tools to excel in the world. That makes martial arts classes a terrific idea for anyone interested in becoming their best selves, even if they’re not interested in becoming their most dangerous selves.
If you’re interested in Jiu-Jitsu classes, come into Gracie Miranda for a free trial.
