Starting Jiu-Jitsu: Advice from a Beginner
What am I getting myself into?
That’s the first thought that came to mind when someone nearly twice my size was pinned over me.
This past month, I decided to take up Jiu-Jitsu. The persuasive voices of Joe Rogan and Jocko Willink finally got to me. How I interpreted it, Jiu-Jitsu is a David and Goliath fighting style. Being a David, I said, sign me up! Jocko did declare it a superpower.
Podcasts and YouTube videos aren’t real life. Only some of it can help prepare you for the real thing.
It’s also equally futile to get advice from black belts (master) who let hindsight bias cloud their ability to understand what a white belt (beginner) is feeling.
I feel that I’ve gained a good enough understanding of the mental and physical requirements to start Jiu-Jitsu in my short time.
Here’s some advice from a beginner to an aspiring beginner
Have the Right Intentions
Let me offer you a story to illustrate this point:
I started my martial arts journey the summer after graduating high school. I was in desperate need of a new hobby/passion. Luckily, there was a local Kung Fu school. I went for a free introductory class.
I was all sorts of awkward.
Despite being an athlete my entire life, every movement we did in that class seemed unnatural and foreign for the next year and a half. You might be thinking that’s totally normal. After all, it is a new thing. Well, that wasn’t entirely the case. Allow me to explain:
I’ve always been of smaller stature and never had a violent bone in my body. I’m a fun-loving mellow guy. I never liked fighting. Growing up, I was the person who broke up fights.
Many mistook my distaste for violence as being “soft.” Apparently, I was a pushover. My reason for starting Kung Fu was to conquer this insecurity. I’d finally be able to say, “yeah, look at me, I’m a badass now because I take Kung Fu.”
When people hear the words, Kung Fu, they immediately think of the legendary Bruce Lee and all the flying roundhouse kicks associated with him. That’s why I was there: for the title and image.
This severely delayed my progress.
I lacked a learner’s mindset. I concentrated on memorizing the movements so I could show my friends. For these reasons, I retained nothing.
Don’t make the same mistake I did. If you want to train in Jiu-Jitsu, you have to have a less shallow reason for being there. Have a noble reason. What’s a “noble” reason? To name a few, it can be losing weight, competing in tournaments, or getting out of your comfort zone. Keeping this mindset ensures that you’ll get the most out of your experience.
Fitness Requirements — Minimal!
Although it would be ideal to be in good shape before joining, it’s not a requirement. Jiu-Jitsu is a great workout in itself! According to BjjPassion, you burn an average of 470–670 calories per hour.
I do recommend doing some sort of strength training throughout the week because this will help prevent injury. For me, I do both calisthenics and weight training to supplement my Jiu-Jitsu training.
I also suggest doing a few variations of stretching. You’re moving in all sorts of weird ways, and you want your body to be capable of remaining loose enough to accomplish the movements!
Relax
BREATHE.
Presuming you picked a school with good ethics, you’ll probably be paired with a veteran Jiu-Jitsu student who will help you. No one is going to hurt you! They have a lot of experience and have worked on the technique plenty. This means they’ll be in control of the movements.
Another thing is it’s your first time. It’s OK to make mistakes. You won’t be judged for it. Patrick Mahomes didn’t just pick up a football and launch it a hundred yards his first try.
Ok, maybe he did, but that’s not the point.
You’re a beginner. You don’t have to feel pressured to do things right. That’s why you’re there, to learn!
Stay Consistent
We tend to be obsessed with the extremes. We idolize the people with the grueling work ethic who dominate their professions like the Michael Jordan’s, B.J Penn’s, and Steve Job’s of the world.
The only problem with this is they’re superhumans who’ve dedicated their entire life to becoming experts in their field. More than likely, you have a 9–5 and have bills to pay… And that’s OK.
We all have personal obligations. Training five or six times a week is difficult given your schedule. Don’t beat yourself up because of it!
Personally, my schedule is jam-packed. I work a 9–5 job, currently doing a professional development program, and have cats to take care of.
It may be hard showing up and seeing no growth at first, but you’ll be surprised how much you’ll improve attending just two classes a week after some time!
If you stay consistent and value your improvement after each session, you’ll appreciate the humbling experience Jiu-Jitsu provides.
In Conclusion
Starting Jiu-Jitsu demands a learner’s mindset. You will be humbled. As long as you stay consistent and have an obsession with improving, you will maximize your experience. More importantly, you’ll have a great time. Roll on!
