It’s not hard to get overwhelmed with work. And it’s not hard to see either why there are so many people who don’t work out or who do make the effort to go to the gym —but then do so sloppily and briefly. Your energy has been spent. You have calls to make, loose-ends from work to tie up, or maybe just a comfy armchair waiting for you right by the TV. But your career is an ongoing rat race and the only way to get ahead is to improve. Here listed below are the ways making the effort and coming out to train in Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) will boost not only your energy, but your everyday job performance as well:
It Decreases Stress and Anxiety
Of course, you probably knew this was going to be mentioned already; they say this all the time about exercise in general. But there is an instinctual focus relevant to the “kill or be killed” art of jiu jitsu that blocks out all outside noise until you’re finished for the day. You have someone wrestling you and attempting a chokehold — you’re not thinking about anything else. Jiu jitsu presents you a problem you need to solve, and the pay-off for solving the problem is fantastic.
Bestows an Earned Sense of Confidence
One eager young jiu jitsu participant I know puts it like this: “I like that I can walk into a room and know that I can beat 80-90% of the people there”. While we’re definitely not encouraging violence (jiu jitsu is the gentle sport!), you can still get the point. What defines a sense of confidence is the ability to know and trust what you’re capable of. Less hesitation, more affirmation. All sorts of big names out there who would need to bask in confidence everyday have caught onto the jiu jitsu craze, including Tom Hardy, Demi Lovato and Keanu Reeves. Even world-dominating companies like Google and Facebook encourage their employees to train in BJJ —in fact, they offer it.
Indulges a Sense of Humility
Funnily, you don’t get to say this about a lot of sports. Generally, where there’s confidence, there’s always a certain amount of untamed ego. Jiu jitsu, however, takes care of that for you. BJJ teaches acceptance when and where you’ve been outsmarted in technique. In your career, you’ll find many pushbacks that will take a toll on your ego, and the less you can let that affect you, the more likely you are to bounce back from hard hits. Jiu jitsu is where you get humbled and, hey — you’re better off for it!
Increases Determination and Focus
Levelling up in jiu jitsu isn’t just about the time you put in (though obviously active participation is a big part of it): it’s about the effort you put in to furthering your skill. We don’t give out stripes or belts based on the amount of time you’ve been in the sport. We give it out based on whether or not we think you’re ready for it. You acquire your belt when you have the level of skill and experience required for it. Jiu jitsu teaches you that when there’s a challenge ahead you embrace it and learn how to do better next time.
Builds Your Compassion
This is one skill you might not have thought likely to come from jiu jitsu (based on the fact you’re trying to beat your opponent). But jiu jitsu is more than just the performing of the art: it’s also the community around it. You meet people from all different backgrounds with sometimes just that one passion of BJJ to share in common. Often, you’ll find that jiu jitsu is a sport that creates friendships fast — particularly since you’re sharing such close proximity when sparring. The value of teamwork inevitably extends into compassion. And pretty soon you’ll find some of that compassion improving towards your colleagues and clients outside of jiu jitsu as well.
If you’re looking for a sport that keeps you fit, healthy and ahead in your career game, then jiu jitsu is perfect. Feel like making a start? Join us now for a trial run: https://trial.kaizenbjj.com.au/start