Top 10 Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu

As one would suspect, the benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu are numerous. Just like with any physical activity that requires flexibility and movement, you will find that the benefits of this sport will vary in type and will help elevate your life mentally and physically! In this article, we will go over the top ten benefits that you will find when you train in jiu-jitsu. Let’s get learning!

1. A great form of self-defense: The world isn’t always a safe place and learning jiu-jitsu is actually a great way to get a basic level of self-defense techniques to help keep you safe. You will learn how to restrain and subdue opponents, as well as how to keep yourself protected during the tussle. This kind of training that you would do to become a successful jiu-jitsu fighter will help you stay aware of your surroundings and can help protect you if someone does try anything.
2. A solid community: The jiu-jitsu community is big, and you will always be able to find people like you who are on your level. You will find that this community is full of great energy and that the friends you make will help motivate you to improve in all areas of life, not just your training.
3. Mental health check: Any form of exercise is helpful for relieving stress…and jiu-jitsu happens to be one of the best exercises to accomplish that. This is because it requires a huge amount of focus and commitment to do well. You have to be 100% in the moment, meaning you don’t have the time or capacity to think about the outside stressors in your life. Plus, it’s a great way to blow off steam if you’re frustrated in a safe and controlled environment!
4. There’s a reward system: If you love the dopamine high that comes with leveling up and getting rewards, jiu-jitsu can fill that need for you. With each new level and accomplishment, you get new belts and stripes to show off just how far you’ve come!
5. Improve your problem-solving: There will be time in your sparring when you will be confronted with a move that you’re not familiar with, so you will have to think on your feet about how to approach and react to those. The critical thinking skills that you need to build to make a successful fighter can carry over into your daily life when you face new types of problems. You will already be training your brain to look at things from different angles to find new solutions, so it will be able to be applied in many situations.
6. Gain the ability to work under pressure: This falls a bit in with the one above, but in jiu-jitsu, you are always having to think in the moment. This means constantly being under pressure in your sparring sessions, having to work the problem and come out on top. Once you’ve managed to pin and subdue an opponent twice your size, no task in life will feel as tough in the moment.
7. Full body strength and cardio workout: If you have been looking for a challenging way to get your strength and cardio training done in one go, then you’ve found the right sport! Jiu-jitsu requires a lot of energy expenditure, which means you’re burning more calories. If weight loss is your goal, then this is something that you need. If you’re more concerned about building strength, then no worries! You’ll get that too as you go through your training This is a sport that requires you to use every muscle in your body, so you will be building your muscles as you continue down this path. Even more importantly, this form of exercise may be easier to stick with, as it’s always challenging you in new ways.
8. Greater flexibility and mobility: While you’re building up those muscles, guess what else you’ll be doing? If you said: “developing a higher level of flexibility and improving mobility,” then you are correct! Because jiu-jitsu requires grappling as its main component, your body needs to be able to move in its full range of motion in order to perform at your best. As you practice more, your muscles and tissues will gain better elasticity and you will be able to move more efficiently.
9. Better sleep quality: If you, like so many, have a tough time falling asleep at night, give this highly taxing sport a try. Just like any other form of exercise, jiu-jitsu will tucker you right out. Many in this community report an easier time falling asleep after a practice session, as it tires out their body and their mind.
10. A fun new level of confidence: With all of these benefits, the biggest thing you will take away from your jiu-jitsu training is a newfound confidence in yourself and your abilities. The challenges that you will face on the mat are constant and always changing, just like in life. You will move up in the rankings, proving to yourself and to others that you are capable and strong. You will be pushed with your mental abilities, as well, which will make you feel smarter and more able to take on the world. This confidence will undoubtedly spread into every part of your life, transforming you from the inside out for all the world to see.

Now that you’ve read through all of these amazing benefits and know a little more about what jiu-jitsu can do for you, there’s only one thing left to do: give it a try for yourself and see if this could be the sport for you! Whether you do it for fun or competitively, jiu-jitsu will have a great impact on your life both mentally and physically. You will get stronger, be able to focus more, tackle any problem that comes your way, and even make a whole new set of friends! Find a local group near you and see if you can do a trial class, just to get a feel for if it’s something that you could see yourself staying true to.

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