Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been one of the best decisions I've made for my fitness and mental health. The kimura and the deeper drilling keep training mentally engaging in a way the gym never did. But I want to be honest: ego adjustment in early rolling sessions. Nobody told me about that before I sta…

After 7 months of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu I want to share what I wished I'd known at the start. First: finding a reputable Gracie lineage gym — it hits earlier and harder than the internet suggests. Budget for it practically and mentally. Second: the knee sleeves you buy first will probably be wrong — …

I've been competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for three years now, training five days a week. I want to give an honest picture of what the competitive path looks like. The technical demands compound. X-guard sweeps at beginner level and at competition level are almost different skills. Understanding s…

I came to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the fitness and stayed for the mental challenge. Everyone talks about the physical side — the De La Riva guard, the conditioning, the ear guards. Nobody mentioned what happens to your mind. Learning positional hierarchy demands a kind of focused presence that clear…

A friend dragged me to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu trial class. I went to be polite. I was terrible. I went back because I couldn't stand being terrible at something. That was 9 months ago. The armbar I stumbled through in that first class is now something I teach to newer beginners. tapping out has beco…

I signed up for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expecting a straightforward fitness class. What I found was a technical discipline that demands real skill development. The guard passing I was shown in week one is still something I'm refining now, 14 months later. open mat gave me a framework for understanding w…

I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 40 and felt completely out of my depth in the first class. Most people were twenty-something and athletic. I was neither. But the coach adapted sessions to my level and nobody made me feel unwelcome. Recovery takes longer at my age, and cauliflower ear risk without …

When I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu I had no idea what to buy. I over-researched, bought the wrong things, and wasted money. Here's what I've learned: start with basic gi. Don't spend serious money until you know you're committed and until a coach has watched you move. The premium version of everyth…

I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu six months ago with zero background in the sport. The first few weeks were humbling — I couldn't do guard passing properly and had no idea what drilling even meant. My coach kept pulling me back to fundamentals, which was frustrating at the time but clearly the right ca…

Purely as a fitness tool, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is good but not exceptional. There are more efficient ways to get fit. Where Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is genuinely underrated is everything else: the X-guard sweeps problem-solving, the open mat depth, community at open mat. These aren't fitness outcomes — th…