When you first see a display of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you might think it’s funny. Especially if you see a sparring session, a drill or even a BJJ fight. Two guys rolling on the floor, holding each other and switching from one weird position to another weirder position can be discouraging.

Despite the harmless looks of this gentle art, Brazilian jiu-jitsu can be a hardcore martial art, and a very efficient one, as well. And that’s your first reason, right here; its effectiveness in a real life situation. This ground fighting art can enhance your chances of defeating a much bigger and stronger opponent in no time. And when I say defeating, I mean various things, from making him unconscious to breaking every major joint in his body. And all of that without throwing a single punch. Just think of Royce Gracie’s performance in the first UFC’s. If you think that you won’t go to the ground and you don’t need BJJ skills, think again. Most of the fights end on the ground and if they don’t, you’re just being lucky.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is also an amazing way of getting fit and staying in shape. If you don’t like to go to a gym, lift weights and run by yourself, you should try a couple of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sessions and you’ll fall in love with it. It’s a lot more interactive, you get to know new people and your body will appreciate it. Your endurance will increase dramatically and you will develop a more functional strength than the one gained in the gym. If you also decide to follow the Gracie Diet, you will attain a healthy lifestyle with a positive influence over all the other aspects of your life.

Knowing BJJ will also improve your self-esteem. Through the endless training you will not only learn how to defend yourself, you will also learn a lot about your body and you will be able to master it in all sorts of situations. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training also teaches you how to approach situations with a high violence risk and how to avoid their undesirable outcomes. And if you manage to obtain your black belt, you will be able to impress everyone around you with your deadly skills.

BJJ is also a lot of fun. You not only meet a lot of people, but you interact with them during training in more than one way. Once you roll with someone for 5 minutes, you will know him better than after 5 hours of conversation, and will gain some very valuable friendships. If you’re lucky, you will even go home with a funny nickname that only your BJJ buddies will truly understand.

If you really like it and get good at it, you might get famous. Either by winning a major tournament, or by inventing a new move that will be named after you. Unlike most of the traditional martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is versatile and constantly evolving. New techniques and counters are developed every day, and some are named after the guys who made them popular. The d’arce choke is probably the most famous, but there’s also the baratoplata and other weird but efficient moves.

What are you waiting for? You should have already joined a BJJ gym after the third paragraph.

Author Bio: Teagen James is an avid participant, writer, and fan of MMA. He is also the owner and operator of CheapFightGear.com which is an online store and blog which is a great resource for anyone looking to get up to the minute MMA news or to purchase quality and affordable MMA Gear, MMA Clothing and MMA Training Gear.

Category: Sports
Keywords: brazilian jiu jitsu,jiu jitsu training,jiu-jitsu sessions,mma,learn bjj,beginner bjj