Thoughts After 1 Month of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
If you’re considering starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I’ll share with you my thoughts after training for about a month. I’m going to talk about why I started, what my experience has been at my gym, and whether or not I think it’s worth it to keep going.
If you’re looking into a martial art, or considering whether Jujitsu is right for you, this might help you in making a decision.
What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
First let’s talk briefly about what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is (also written as jujitsu and BJJ). Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that focuses on grappling instead of punching and kicking. It’s very similar to wrestling. The goal is to take your opponent to the ground and submit them — meaning you get them in an arm lock, foot lock, or head lock where they have to tap out.
I won’t go into the history of BJJ, but you can read up on where Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came from here.
Why I Started Jujitsu
I was at a very stressful time in my life. From work to family to other circumstances, I found myself losing my temper often. So I needed an outlet to release my pent up stress and energy. Exercise is a natural way to do that, but most exercises were just boring to me. I never enjoyed going to the gym, running, biking, or swimming — it was all too monotonous.
I did take limited martial arts in my life and remember enjoying it. As a kid, I took 2 years of kung fu, and in college I took a year of karate. Looking into taking another martial art, I wanted something that would also be practical for self defense, and landed on BJJ. Later in this article, I’ll share how practical I think it is compared to other martial arts.
BJJ is Physically Intense
I’m not sure how other gyms that teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu operate, so I can only speak to my own experience at the gym I started at. From the first day, I was sparring with opponents.
