BJJ is an incredibly fun and rewarding sport that can provide benefits in almost every aspect of your life. HAMA is one of the highest rated BJJ gyms in metro Denver area and has a very high retention rate of new members making it one of the best places to start, restart, or continue your BJJ journey.
Those of us who already practice BJJ know how much fun it is and how addicting it can be, but to those who don’t know much about the sport it may seem somewhat impractical for use in self-defense. Not only is it one of the most effective forms of self-defense, the benefits it will have in your life (hopefully) will be the most apparent outside of a self-defense situation!
Self Defense
BJJ is the science of:
- Getting someone to the ground
- Maintaining control once on the ground
- Getting back off the ground and to your feet if necessary
While many altercations start on the feet, they rarely stay there, particularly if your intention is to take someone to the ground where you know you’ll have the advantage. At High Altitude Martial Arts, our foundations class focuses heavily on how to react to some of the most common self-defense situations, how to control someone, then take them to the ground if necessary. Once on the ground with an untrained opponent, someone with even a few months of BJJ training will be much better able to protect themselves than they would without training, and even able to overcome larger and stronger targets.
Cardiovascular and Musculoskeletal Development
BJJ is a very cardio and strength intensive sport. Training requires a lot of getting to the ground and back up as well as extended periods of exertion against your partner. The exertion tends to be anaerobic, which is shorter bursts of very intense energy expenditure followed by brief periods of rest, as you reach a stalemate with your partner or in between rounds. It is very similar to HIIT (high intensity interval training) which is known for its high calorie burn and rapid improvements to cardio and strength generation. HAMA strongly emphasizes hard work in all of our classes but understands that everyone is starting or training at a different level. You’d be hard pressed not to feel sore after a class, but you’ll never feel ashamed or pushed beyond what you are ready to do.
Flexibility
While BJJ does not require a high level of flexibility to participate, it is incredibly important within the sport. Flexibility helps tremendously when transitioning between submissions and defending yourself from submissions, so even if you come in as stiff as a board you will very quickly find yourself naturally gaining flexibility. Flexibility is one of the most critical factors in injury prevention as well as daily comfort. Back and joint pain from aging and muscle imbalances can almost always be improved if not eliminated with increased mobility and flexibility. HAMA spends the first 5-10 minutes of each class warming up and stretching to improve flexibility and mobility but also to help prevent injuries between students.
Familiarity with Discomfort
BJJ is a sport that requires you to have a very intimate relationship with discomfort and pain. Whether it comes from a very intense roll and having to push your body through the feeling of exhaustion or desperately trying to escape a submission, you will be able to experience discomfort and pain in a very safe environment. This is an important skill in all aspects of life and will help you get acquainted with and confident in what your limits are. The memory your muscles create will benefit you in self defense situations. You will learn to stay calm and breathe.
Confidence
BJJ is fantastic for improving confidence as it addresses some of the most common sources of insecurity by:
- Improving physical wellbeing
- Creating greater sense of safety and control around others
- Asking one to continuously set and attain goals
- Providing a supportive community of teachers and friends
