No hiding in Jiu-Jitsu

There is no hiding in Jiu-Jitsu. Also, the honesty of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is unmatched.  First, the mat is the ultimate BS detector.  Every day, people walk in talking their toughness, street fights, strength, athletic accomplishments etc, but the mats will tell all. Unless you had some type of grappling experience walking in, no other athletic experience will help you. Futhermore, for those who have been athletes, it may hinder you in the beginning. Your ego will take a hit because you are used to being good at anything athletic. None of that matters the second you train live for the first time. What does matter? Applying the technique, how you treat people and can you make it work against a fully-resisting opponent?

Earning your belts

Nothing is handed to you in BJJ, all your belts are EARNED if you are training at a reputable school. You can’t hide from yourself, can’t hide from hard work or the difficulties that your opponent is trying to force upon you. All these things make you realize there is no hiding in jiu-jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu will force you to be honest with yourself. It forces you to be honest, one of the best traits we can have. If we cannot be honest with ourselves, how can we be honest with anyone else. The humility that comes along with BJJ is priceless.

Enjoy the journey

What is the number 1 rule of BJJ? Answer: have fun. If you are not having fun, you will not be consistent. Consistency is one of the biggest keys to improving in BJJ. Do not foucs on “taps” or belt rank. Focusing of this will slow your progress. Forge character with martial arts training.  You can’t hide it. If your primary focus is on the next rank, your ability will top out. The momentary joy of Getting a new belt is a joy that fades quickly. As a result, sometimes you get “the blues” at a new rank. Don’t go for that. Go for the deepfeeling of constantly learning and improving. That feeling never fades.