There was a time when the only type of martial arts that the typical person could learn was karate. However, in this day and age are many options available for those who want to learn martial arts — and many reasons why a person may want to dedicate themselves to such a task. Perhaps one of the most prominent types of martial arts that people wish to study in this day and age is Brazilian jiu jitsu. While the popularity of Brazilian jiu jitsu is beginning to make an impact in the United States, many remain ignorant of exactly what this type of martial arts entails, and why it’s increasing in popularity. Sometimes referred to as “BJJ”, Brazilian jiu jitsu does indeed require a lot of time, energy, and dedication. Nobody is going to be an instant expert, and you’ll need to go through Brazilian jiu jitsu for beginners before you can move on to a more advanced class. Before you dedicate yourself to Brazilian jiu jitsu basics, however, you may want to understand more about this type of martial art. There are many benefits of jiu jitsu — let’s look into them.
1. Health Benefits
You may begin to see the health benefits of jiu jitsu before you’re even out of your Brazilian jiu jitsu basics classes. This is in part because martial arts, in general, provide great workout opportunities. It’s estimated that an hour of moderate intensity martial arts can burn up to 500 calories. Comparatively, it can take much longer to burn the equivalent amount of calories with basic cardio exercises. Not only does jiu jitsu offer the opportunity for people to engage in cardio exercises — it also allows them to tone their muscles, and lose weight. One of the great aspects of working out in this sense is that there is a build-up of sorts. Brazilian jiu jitsu basics classes start out relatively light. Therefore, the participant builds up a level of tolerance to that type of exercise, and by the time it’s time to move up to the next class level, they’ll be ready. Another great thing about doing this sort of exercise in a class setting is that it ensures the safety of all involved. If you try to teach yourself jiu jitsu, rather than working your way up through a Brazilian jiu jitsu basics class, you may accidentally hurt yourself.
2. Confidence
There’s a reason why many parents choose to enroll their children in jiu jitsu classes — and for that matter, there is a reason why these classes are often sought out by employers who wish to engage in team building exercises. Jiu jitsu helps people build up their confidence levels. While it’s the type of skill that almost anyone can learn, it is complex enough, and requires enough work, that people feel good about having completed it. Another big advantage of this type of exercise is that people feel as if they protect themselves on some level, which further builds up their confidence. Finally, the fact that it involves moving up in classes makes people feel rewarded, another confidence booster!
3. Self Defense
Although this ties into the level of confidence that jiu jitsu allows people to build, it should not be ignored or dismissed. Many people find themselves feeling unsafe and unable to defend themselves in the world today. While it can be tempting to turn to weapons to solve this problem, it’s much safer for yourself and others to work on martial arts like Brazilian jiu jitsu. Being able to defend yourself with your own body is remarkably empowering, and many people appreciate the power that jiu jitsu gives them. Although you hopefully will never have to use the skills that you learn, having them on hand is nonetheless important, and can make a real difference in a person’s life moving forward.