Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is the Best Martial Arts Class for You or Your Child

Phillip Graham

November 11, 2024

•

7 min read

Brazilian jiu-jitsu descends from a martial art that started in Japan, before being exported to Brazil in the 1900s.

It is popular with MMA fighters, various celebrities, and continues to grow in popularity across the globe.

It is the best martial arts class choice you could make for yourself or your kids. Read on to learn why you should find a jiu jitsu class today.

For Self Defence

One of the best benefits of a martial arts class like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the ability to defend oneself.

Self-defence is a skill that everyone, both kids and adults, should have. In your Brazilian jiu-jitsu class, you will learn how to use self-defence skills responsibly in order to protect yourself and others.

All martial arts can be used for self-defence. But BJJ has an advantage over all the others.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches learners how to de-escalate tense situations. Also, the proper techniques of BJJ allow kids to use leverage and execution so that they can defend themselves against bigger and stronger opponents.

Jiu Jitsu is not based on power and strength. In fact, many of the current Jiu Jitsu techniques are attributed to Helio Grace. He was a small man, weighing barely 130 pounds and with a height of 5’9”.

Jiu Jitsu was intended as a self-defence art. Other martial arts teach striking, good stances, and so on. Jiu Jitsu loosely translates to “gentle way”. It teaches learners how to use the bare minimum force to deescalate a situation.

But these classes often have students keep their hands down by their sides. In a self-defence situation, it's important to protect one's head.

Grappling and ground fighting are also core parts of BJJ. Students are taught distance control, leverage, position and submissions to handle physically aggressive individuals. Best of all, these techniques are easy to begin implementing right away.

As is practicing self-defence situations. They will learn how to protect the head and avoid strikes which is more beneficial in true self-defence situations than learning katas.

Plus, self-defence knowledge boosts children’s confidence.

For Fitness

Children need 1 hour of physical exercise a day. Three times a week they need vigorous activity. Most children don't get that.

Also, only 23% of adults get the recommended amount of exercise per week.

Physical fitness promotes better sleep, less stress, healthy weight, and immune functions.

The best martial arts disciples get students in the best shape they can be. Jiu Jitsu training is made up of drills that target different parts of the body.

This type of training will improve strength, agility, power, and endurance in both kids and adults. Best of all, BJJ has the lowest injury rate than other martial arts.

Both children and adults deal with body image issues. By taking up Jiu Jitsu, people of all ages begin to feel confident in their bodies. It's a natural process as they become skilled in using their bodies in new ways.

Not Rigid

As you might know, many martial arts focus on katas. Katas is a Japanese word used to describe the detailed choreographed movements students must learn.

These katas are performed in pairs or alone. Yet there is one and only one way to do them. On the other hand, in a Brazilian jiu jitsu class, you learn techniques that can be linked together in many sequences.

This allows each individual to develop a style that they enjoy and that suits their personality. Plus, for just $150 per month and no locked-in contract, it's easy to try it for yourself.

Trains Your Mind

While other martial arts focus on memorisation, BJJ requires mental effort. You will learn techniques that you can string together as chains depending on how your opponent reacts.

While you practice Jiu Jitsu, you are calculating and drawing conclusions. You will work to outsmart and outmanoeuvre your opponent.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student will likely come across hundreds of techniques and concepts in just a few years of training!

This is one of the reasons that Jiu Jitsu is known as human chess.

It's Fun

For all the benefits and life skills that come with BJJ, it's also just a lot of fun.

The grappling arts are genuinely fun to learn and practice. Both kids and adults enjoy getting on the mats and training.

Both boys and girls and adults will enjoy studying the fun and interesting Jiu Jitsu techniques. You will have a great time working and training with your classmates.

Your kids will build strong friendships with their peers that are based on both respect and trust. As peers, they will become interdependent. They will help one another with techniques and progress up the levels.

Jiu Jitsu students love to participate in different kinds of drills, rolling sessions, and sparring. There's always something new and exciting to work on at each class.

Because training is so much fun, your kids will be hooked and eager to train consistently.

Builds Character and Promotes Self Improvement

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu exposes you to a wide range of emotions. Some days you will feel on top of the world, others you will feel like you have a lot to learn.

As you train, you'll learn how to accept failure and learn from it. You will realise that the only way to improve is to work at it diligently.

Both children and adults will practice taking their training one step at a time. They learn to acknowledge their achievements and make plans to progress.