How to get started in BJJ

There comes a point in some individuals' 
lives where they decide that they want to study martial arts and a small percentage of those people who seek a discipline actually follow through with the interest of jiu jitsu. Their main problems are figuring out how to get in shape to start and what to do once they get 'in shape.' The ugly truth to this belief is that there isn't much training outside of jiu jitsu that will prepare you for what you will endure during a normal training session. A lot of the movements done during a live sparring round are completely unnatural to an untrained individual. To train in martial arts, but jiu jitsu specifically, one has to be in tune with their own body movements to successfully accomplish the full effect of the art.

Let's take a look on what a beginner should understand to start their journey into the exciting world of jiu jitsu.

First off, you’ll need a gym or school to learn from… Choosing a school can be a difficult decision when starting out. In this day and age, we are lucky enough to have the power of the internet at our fingertips. It's pretty easy to type in 'BJJ near *insert town/city name here*' and have a bunch of options come up. From there you can browse the websites and read reviews to help narrow down your decision. It's important to think about what the school offers in terms of styles of the martial arts, the times the classes are being taught, the distance from you, the pricing of a membership, and one of the biggest things that is hard to determine through the internet itself; the school's environment/culture.

To fully understand the vibe the school puts out, it's important to go into the school and get a tour. Try to stay for a class or two and watch how everything is run. How friendly is the staff? How do the students treat one another? Is it a clean establishment? What exactly you want to find out may vary, but it's important to ask any questions you have. If you don't like what the school has to offer, try a different one! Remember at this point you are a customer searching for the right home, so don't be afraid to keep searching for the right fit.

After you find a school, the journey begins simply by showing up. It's not necessary to worry too much about the shape you are in or having all the latest gear. Training yourself to be in the right shape for jiu jitsu is largely based on doing jiu jitsu. At the competition level or even to prevent certain injuries, it could be necessary to supplement with weight training. For the beginner who is just getting into the process, jiu jitsu as a whole is the way to go. The constant repetition of movements will strengthen your 'jiu jitsu muscles' and help you get into the shape required to roll.

Okay, so you really want to go try it out, but you cannot get over the going to a class thing... Fortunately, that's a good reason to reach out to the school/instructor that you are interested in learning from and asking about more information for jiu jitsu private lessons. Privates are a great way to have the focus all about you or a small group depending on the type of lesson provided. This can boost confidence to eventually come to a regular class by simply getting used to being on the mats and learning those fundamental principles. Asking a friend to come with you can also help ease the tension of the new experience.

Another difficult thing to realize is that your ego will test you from time to time, especially when first starting out. What I mean by this is that it is very common for a new student to have difficulty with a move or be overwhelmed by the detail necesary to perform a move effectively. This is normal. It's your job as a white belt in the art to learn the art through trial and error. Do not ever be afraid to fail because of the way that it makes you look or that the other new guy managed to learn it faster than you. None of that stuff matters. The focus of your learning should be based on solely yourself; try to become better than you were the previous day/month/year.

The bond of your team will be a family to help you achieve your goals. Improvements come by continuing to show up and have that white belt mindset. It's the view you have to be open to any and all opportunities to learn. No matter the color of somebody's belt, everyone has something you can learn from. Take the time to listen and practice and ask questions. Whenever you get self-doubt, remember why you started to begin with and think of how far you've already come. Each day you persevere through these challenges will make you that much stronger, and doing so creates a stronger connection to you and your team.

Fear of change is a problem in many people's lives, but adaptation is what leads to a great evolution in well-being. This is simply venturing outside your comfort zone to experience new things that can change your perspective for the better. If you can have an open mind and be willing to put in the effort to learn, you'll be well on your way to self-improvement in no time. It's never too late to make the decision to try something new, it just takes a little bit of courage to take the first step.