Why is BJJ the Best Martial Art? | All You Need to Know
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has exploded in popularity in recent years.
In this page, we will explain the benefits of BJJ, and why many believe it to be the best martial art.
BJJ Equalizes the Playing Field
Unlike other sports where size and physical specimens can dominate the field, BJJ can give practitioners of all size and shapes an even playing field.
BJJ is based off of distance control, leverage, position and submissions to handle other individuals, regardless of their size.
Due to this, it is actually one of the martial arts that is very effective against larger and stronger opponents.
Ground Fighting Benefits
When you think about this from a logical perspective it makes even more sense as the reason that bjj has all of these benefits is due to occurring on the ground.
Being in a very close distance to your opponent minimizes their power and wind up, forcing technique to be a bigger factor.
A counter argument to this is that in wrestling, wrestlers are often extremely strong and this is correct.
However in wrestling, positioning and pinning are the point of the sport.
In BJJ, submitting your opponent is the goal, and you don't necessarily need to be in a dominant position to accomplish this.
For Kids and Adults
Some sports you are unable to practice until you are a certain age due to safety and health concerns.
Concerns such as receiving strikes to the head, body and legs are valid.
In BJJ, there are no strikes allowed.
There is a low risk of injury due to the tap system as well as the culture of the gym and actual martial art.
The tap system allows you to be able to 'tap' to essentially give up and end the match/round when your opponent has you in a compromising position that you are unable to get out of safely.
The tap system is a honor system. As soon as a tap as applied, the opponent is taught to immediately let go.
Following this system strictly is very essential to have a functional gym, and for everyone to feel comfortable in training.
Real Life Fighting Martial Art
According to studies, most fights end on the ground. When people think of street fights, they think of two individuals standing up and swinging until one of them falls.
The reality is whether you're at a club, or out on the sidewalk, the fight has a good chance of going to the ground at some point.
Being skilled on the ground will give you the peace of mind to feel comfortable if this scenario were to ever happen.
Second Line of Defense
Although fights often began standing up, there may be scenarios where your striking may not work efficiently and you have to use a second line of defense.
BJJ gives you something in your "back pocket" to use if you ever need to use it as self defense.
Having multiple tools in your arsenal can help you be best prepared for real life scenarios.
Sharpens the Mind
Problem solving is a big part of mastering BJJ. It's also easy to solve problems when you have full energy and your heart is beating normally.
Now try to solve problems while your opponent is trying to submit you, and you're exhausted from rolling.
This is where things get interesting as you'll have to dig deep to be calm and make the correct choices while fatigue sets in.
These are the aspects of the game that can take a long time to master, that people love to work towards.
Continuous Self Improvement
BJJ is one of the martial arts that takes a long time to master, and due to this it takes a long time to be promoted in belt rank.
In fact, it takes an average of 10 years to receive a BJJ black belt.
Skills Last a Lifetime
BJJ is not predicated on physicality, rather technique which means that your tools can last forever.
In other activities such as Football for example, you can only run, catch and hit as long as your body lets you.
Eventually you will slow down and your body will not recover as fast.
In BJJ, being a physical specimen can help you, but you will not rely on this, as you'll rely mostly on technique.
This is why you'll see older BJJ masters still submitting others in their physical primes.
No Season
In BJJ there is no season, this is something that you can practice year round and practice at the same high level throughout the year.
In other martial arts where you are absorbing strikes, naturally your body needs time to recover and you will need to take off several days, weeks, or even months.
Preparing and improving year round will also allow you to reach higher levels of expertise quicker.
Other Benefits
Just like any other martial art, BJJ will also teach or help you improve on important aspects such as discipline, goal setting, focus, and even weight management.
Being in an environment with other people who are after similar goals will help you stay on track, motivated, and stay focused on a goal.
Managing weight becomes a lot easier when you're able to do an activity that you enjoy consistently for a period of time.
You're able to burn calories, push your limits, while trying to become a better version of yourself.
For example, it's a lot harder to do this on a step master for a year straight without losing motivation.
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