The Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

All martial arts forms will offer a range of benefits, but Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offers many unique perks that you won’t get anywhere else. This unique martial art has the potential to completely transform your life, your health, and your self-confidence. There are almost too many benefits to list, and this list is by no means a complete representation of everything you stand to gain if you choose to try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Everyone’s experience with this martial art is different, and your benefits may be different compared to other students. One of the biggest strengths of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that it’s easy to get started. Other than a BJJ gi, you don’t need any special equipment to start training and making progress.

The main thing is to make the commitment and dive into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You may be nervous about this undertaking, and it’s true that this martial art takes a lot of effort and perseverance to master. That being said, you have so much to gain from this endeavor. This won’t be easy – but nothing worthwhile ever is. Dive into this martial art headfirst, and you’ll experience countless benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Improve Your Cardiovascular Health

Once you spar with someone for the first time on the BJJ mat, you’ll understand how utterly exhausting this martial art can be. Make no mistake – you’re in for a real workout. You will feel every fiber of every muscle working hard, and your lungs will be struggling to deliver enough oxygen to your brain and your bloodstream. That being said, it gets easier the more you practice. As you train and spar more and more, your lungs will become much stronger, and your cardiovascular health will go through the roof. This is one of the key benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Self-Defense

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is fun and challenging in a recreational sense, but this skill might end up saving your life one day. While many other forms of martial arts are aesthetically pleasing or visually impressive, BJJ is all about efficiency. If you’re in a dangerous situation and need to take someone down, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the best ways to defend yourself. With various holds and grappling techniques, you can hinder someone to the point where they cannot harm you or anyone else. This may be a solid option for someone who doesn’t feel safe while walking home or for a young child who is struggling with violent bullies. 

Relieve Your Anxiety and Stress

Like virtually any other type of rigorous exercise, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an excellent way to address anxiety and stress. It might be more effective than other “light” forms of exercise, such as jogging or running on an elliptical. The harder you work your body, the more you’ll release helpful endorphins and other chemicals that are natural mood-boosters. There’s nothing better than the feeling after a solid workout. 

While you’re in the midst of your training or a sparring match, you may experience a feeling of “oneness” as all of your worries and fears simply melt away. As you focus completely on your training and your opponent, you’ll enter a state of being that is totally in the “here and now.” Past regrets and future worries become inconsequential. 

A Full Body Workout for Weight Loss and Fitness

If you want to lose weight and achieve greater all-around levels of fitness, BJJ is a solid option. Many students have gone through incredible transformations thanks to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s power, and you can join their ranks as well. Not only will you practice take-down techniques, but your instructor will be having you do many different conditioning exercises, including squats exercise benefits for your whole body. BJJ works virtually every muscle in your body. As long as you stick with this commitment and train regularly, you’ll notice significant results as you lose weight and gain more muscle.

Meet Tons of Interesting People

The social aspect of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should not be underestimated, either. If you’re feeling a lack of social connections, the BJJ community is incredibly welcoming and accepting. As long as you respect others and take your training seriously, you’ll gain the respect of your fellow students and your sensei. There are all kinds of opportunities to make new friends and attend incredible events through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. You never know how this network of fellow BJJ practitioners might benefit you in later life. 

Improve Your Flexibility and Balance

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also has the power to vastly improve your flexibility and balance. You can take these benefits and apply them to other pursuits, such as soccer or snowboarding. With greater flexibility and balance, your body will also feel better on a day-to-day basis. Your muscles will be nicely stretched at all times, and this helps eliminate tension from your body. BJJ training can also improve your performance in other martial arts, such as boxing or MMA. 

Increase Your Self Esteem

This is definitely one of the most important benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and it’s one that many people underestimate. Sometimes, we suffer from low self-esteem because we come to the conclusion that we’re weak or incapable of doing anything well. Become an experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student, and you can eliminate these deceptive and unfounded thoughts. After BJJ training, you may feel more confident with things like public speaking, relationships, and your career. Other people will notice this increase in self-confidence, and this will lead to additional benefits. 

Gain Improved Focus and Concentration

As an experienced master will tell you, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is all about mind games. Sparring with a skilled opponent is as much of a mental battle as it is a physical test. When you’re locked in a fierce embrace with another fighter, you need to constantly calculate and assess various points of approach and potential weaknesses to exploit. Doing this while your entire body is under incredible stress is a serious challenge. However, if you manage to do this, you’ll have the power to be incredibly focused in your everyday life. 

Conclusion

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu isn’t just for fighters and athletes. This martial art can be beneficial for almost every single person on the planet. Becoming a skilled fighter is only one small aspect of this pursuit, and it can provide you with all kinds of amazing benefits. All you need to do is try.