Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
There are many benefits to the study of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It fosters positive changes in character that have beneficial effects in a wide set of contexts:
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches the most effective means of self defense available so students build confidence in themselves.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches individual responsibility since students face opponents alone, both in training and in competition.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu encourages students to grow in their ability to fit into a group working toward a common goal since students cannot grow in skill level without a group of training partners upon whom they depend for development.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches perseverance, since it takes time and effort for students to develop their skills to their best ability.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu cultivates a strong work ethic since students quickly learn that there are no secret techniques that will substitute for hard work and sweat.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches students to judge others’ ability by their actual substance, rather than superficial elements, such as external appearance.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches the lesson of tackling problems through the use of strategy rather than brute strength and aggression. There is a tremendous sense of problem solving in the sport.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enables students to grow emotionally since students will have to confront and overcome the inevitable failures and mistakes that will occur in the course of training and competing.
Advantages of Leaning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The originality and genius of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training method is in the way students are taught and trained in the techniques. Live sparring is a part of each class and students try as hard as they can to apply technique on each other. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is more effective than many martial arts because of the removal of “dangerous” elements (such as strikes and kicks) so that students can train at full speed with full power on resisting opponents with the “safe” techniques that remain.
The live training develops greater physical and mental agility and speed since students become familiar with the feeling of applying technique on a live, resisting human being. This is far more difficult than applying technique on a cooperating training partner in a choreographed manner, as is common in most traditional martial arts classes.
The live training method with “safe” techniques minimizes risk of injury to the students, provides crucial expertise in applying techniques on a resisting opponent, and provides a more thorough workout for the student. “Safe” technique does not mean ineffective, but technique that can be used safely in live training so long as students agree to stop when the techniques have been successfully applied.