Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the best martial art forms for people to pick up as a hobby. Anyone may learn and grow if they locate a reputable school with a skilled instructor and excellent training partners. However, this is a two-way street! While there are certainly some characteristics that you want to find in a school, such as the aforementioned good instructors and training partners, there are also key bits of knowledge that you should have or be prepared to learn when you first step onto the mat.
Be In It for the Long Haul
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a skill that takes years to master, and even then, you will discover minor defects in your game that you want to improve. Acquiring your BJJ black belt typically takes 10-12 years of rigorous training, at least three to four times each week. Perhaps achieving a black belt isn’t one of your ambitions, and that’s okay! But if it is, you should mentally prepare for a long, difficult journey that will challenge and strengthen you. Remember that there is always more to learn, regardless of your progress.
Be Open to Learning
One type of student who can be hard to teach is one who already thinks he knows how to do something or even better than you do it. This kind of behavior makes experienced teachers very angry. It not only ruins all the hard work we’ve put into learning the art, but it also makes a bad first impression on your teacher. The teacher will immediately think that you will not be easy to coach unless you quickly realize how little you know.
You need to trust your instructor to get the most out of your training. Maintaining this mindset is crucial for the duration of your BJJ career! Higher belts can constantly learn from lower belts, and there is always more to learn about Jiu-Jitsu.
It’s Overwhelming
Various positions are simply variations of the guard position. Each sub-position of the guard has its own set of techniques. In addition to the guard, we have side control, mount, knee mount, North/South, and back control, all of which have their own set of sub-positions. And each sub-position has its own laundry list of tactics to work on.
Hearing all the different positions and knowing that you must eventually know them all will be intimidating enough, but it isn’t the only thing that will overwhelm you. In jiu-jitsu, you will be overwhelmed by your training partners. That goes for everyone. It happens to both fresh pupils and veterans.
It’s Hard
It doesn’t matter if you are a new white belt who wants to lose weight and get in shape or an experienced purple belt who wants to fight in as many tournaments as possible. BJJ will be hard for everyone. A lot of people give up. If they keep getting choked, they will give up and tell themselves they “aren’t good enough.” You have to fight the urge to “tap out” of training, even though it will be hard. If you keep coming back every day, you’ll start to notice something: Jiu-Jitsu is still hard, but I got stronger. People who learn Jiu-Jitsu and face the obstacles that come with it become persistent, hardworking people who can solve problems.
Final Thoughts
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can help a person in many ways. You are likely to reach your goals and get many other benefits you didn’t even know you would want by attending lessons. Before you start your journey as a jiu-jitsu martial artist, you should take a moment to look at yourself and ensure you are ready for the knowledge of a teacher and the team’s work.