Have you been thinking about starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes? If you have been considering it, you are making a good decision. There are plenty of benefits to taking it up. These include:
- It’s a great way to get in shape and lose weight.
- You will learn to defend yourself.
- Any form of exercise is a great stress reducer, and this includes Jiu Jitsu.
- When you take regular Jiu Jitsu classes, you will have a chance to make new friends who you have something in common with.
- Any form of exercise will help boost your energy level all day long.
- Jiu Jitsu will test your patience and humility.
- This is one form of martial arts that will test and improve your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Many people consider studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), but they worry that it is dangerous. Some people think that because you spar and learn to fight, that Jiu Jitsu is dangerous. This is not the case. Scientific research has proven that BJJ is safe, and it is the safest form of martial arts training. There are plenty of other sports that are more dangerous, like football. When you play football, you need to worry about torn muscles, traumatic brain injuries, and even broken bones. According to recent studies, the rate of BJJ injuries is 36.1 per 1,000 athletes. This number is very low. If you do feel that you are at risk while taking Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you can always quit or find a new instructor.
What Makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu the Safest Martial Art?
The purpose of any martial arts is to apply damage to your opponent while neutralizing them as a threat. The damage can be applied through punching, kicking, slamming your opponent to the ground, choking, and breaking joints. Among all these forms of attack, only breaking joints and choking will stop you in your tracks. When an opponent is sure that they have lost the fight, they will surrender by taping out. When you tap, you surrender and it means that the fight is over. This is something that you can’t do in any martial arts, even if you want to. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the only martial art that allows you to escape most dangers by tapping out.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Brain Damage
When you look at sports like boxing and football, brain injuries are very common. During a boxing match, you get hit in the head numerous times. The head punches can add up causing severe injuries. The same is true with football. After several years of boxing and playing football, brain damage is a serious risk. There are no punches in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which means that there is no risk of brain damage. If someone tells you that head injuries and brain damage are a risk in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, they likely don’t know much about the sport.
If Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is Considered Safe, Why Are There So Many Injuries?
The reason for this is very simple. If you are learning boxing or kickboxing, you will take two to three classes a week, and be done with it. After a training session, you will have plenty of time to recover. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be addictive and it is recommended that you take four to five classes a week which gives you very little recovery time before your next class. Also, training sessions are longer for Jiu Jitsu than boxing or kickboxing. When you have less time to recover, the injuries can accumulate.
Another reason for injuries occurring in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is failing to tap out in time. When you spar during your Jiu Jitsu classes, you are fighting like in real life. Many people don’t want to tap out to a lower ranking teammate, even if they are in trouble. When you don’t tap out in time, you can get injured. If you understand how to avoid injuries, it will keep you safer while sparring and during matches.
Most Injuries Occur During Takedowns
Most injuries in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu occur during takedowns. If you exclude takedowns from BJJ, it would be the safest martial art. They can be eliminated if you are worried about knee injuries and you can train and compete without them. When training, start in a sitting position from the bottom, then swap with your partner and start from the top position. This is normal during sparring in many gyms. Other gyms will allow you to fight from the knees. When competing, you can pull guard. If you can develop your skill around sweeps and pulling guards, you won’t need to deal with injuries.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is Safe and Effective
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is safe but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t effective. In fact, it is more effective than boxing. When you train in boxing, you aren’t going to be doing full contact sparring. This will help you in the ring, but if you find yourself in a street fight, you might find yourself in trouble. Before a street fight, you can’t grab a sparring helmet, boxing gloves, and a mouthguard. Because of this, you won’t have the tools that you need to have an advantage.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is different. From your very first class, you will go hard. You don’t need safety equipment during your Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and you will learn to apply full resistance to your opponent. From your first class, you will have an advantage over your opponent in a street fight. As you progress, your advantage over the average person will be enormous.
Gyms Have Rules
Any gym where you train will have rules that are in place to protect you. Your instructor knows how to prevent injuries and also how to keep you from getting injured. There are fighting rules in place for your protection, as well as ways to protect you against infections and scratches. These rules are what makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu the safest martial art.
If you are thinking of taking up martial arts, but you want to be safe, you should consider Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. On top of the many ways you can benefit from taking BJJ, it is also the safest.
