Compared to 10 years ago, there are a lot of black belts nowadays. However, it’s also true that only a small percentage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners ever get to black belt. This begs the question: is jiu jitsu hard, especially for beginners? What makes the sport difficult that it makes a lot of people quit?
We’ll cover things that make jiu-jitsu hard. We’ll give you an idea of how long it takes to become good in BJJ and how to maximize every learning opportunity.
Is Jiu-Jitsu the Hardest Martial Art?
Is jiu jitsu hard to the point that people think that it’s the hardest martial art? To some degree, it is a difficult martial art. It’s the type of martial art that you will feel like drowning in your first months. You’d get smashed by your training partners daily. Plus, you’re most likely going to get tapped a lot.
Is it the hardest martial art? We’re not sure if it’s the hardest martial art, but it takes time to become good at BJJ.
But of course, there are some of those who are exceptional. Practitioners like Caio Terra reached black belt in just a few years. However, in most cases, an average player could take more than a decade before he or she could become a black belt.
More People Means More Competition
Another reason why BJJ is possibly the hardest martial art is due to its popularity. With its popularity, more people have transitioned to sport BJJ. Some are collegiate wrestlers, while others have other martial arts backgrounds. Then, others take strength and conditioning seriously. Imagine dealing with someone who is both strong and technical at the same time.
On top of that, regardless if you’re a competitor or a casual practitioner, you can’t afford to stop. How so? BJJ is still evolving. If you’ll look at the BJJ scene ten years ago, you’d realize how different it looked. Some techniques just take over the world of BJJ by storm. Currently, high-level BJJ requires knowledge of leg locks. A few years back, it was the deep half guard, then the berimbolos, and then the lapel guards. Aside from the trendy techniques and strategies that currently dominates the competition circuit, practitioners shouldn’t forget about their fundamentals.
Is jiu jitsu hard? Considering all the things we’ve mentioned, it’s something that is both mentally and physically challenging.
Reasons Beginners Think Jiu Jitsu Is Tough
There is no denying that BJJ requires years to master. However, what makes BJJ hard for beginners?
The Movements Are Intimidating
One, BJJ movements are different from the things that we normally do. For instance, you don’t shrimp out of bed. Also, you don’t expect to do a technical stand-up if you’re waking up. These unnatural movements are at the very core of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And even if beginners learn how to break their fall, shrimp, and bridge on their first day, it takes a lot of time before it becomes instinctive. In a world where everything is instant, BJJ is the antithesis of that. Unfortunately, not everyone has the patience to stay and to learn all the mechanics required in BJJ.
Let’s compare boxing and BJJ in this regard. In boxing, even after a day or two of training, you’d be able to learn how to punch. You’d even find it pleasing that you’re hitting the mitts. And of course, you don’t usually see people spar in boxing if you don’t have plans of fighting amateur or professional. With BJJ on the other hand, just teaching your body how to do basic movements takes weeks if not months before it becomes somewhat natural.
It’s Hard to Be the New Person
Another reason why BJJ is difficult for beginners is the fact that you need to have an open mind. It’s useful advice to leave your ego at the door especially if it’s your first day in BJJ. You may be an athlete in another sport but it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll pick up grappling concepts immediately.
Even grapplers from other sports are not guaranteed to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fast. Some wrestlers and judokas struggle to unlearn things that they already know. And because of this, they carry their past habits, making their BJJ less efficient or effective.
Next, BJJ is more than your typical contact sport. It’s normal to feel like someone is invading your personal space. And given all these reasons, it’s more than enough to get a white belt to call it quits. Some would rather find a different hobby that they can spend their money on.
Is Jiu Jitsu Friendly For Beginners?
Aside from the question is jiu jitsu hard, it’s common that a lot of people to ask if BJJ is beginner-friendly. It depends on the class that you’re attending.
A lot has changed in BJJ. BJJ gyms nowadays are far from the tough guy gyms of the 1990s. Though there are competition-centric gyms, the hobbyists keep the lights on in most gyms. This means that modern-day BJJ gyms are forced to cater to a wider audience. Yes, this includes even beginners and people who have day jobs.
But of course, it depends from one team to the next. There are still some gyms that only cater to a few students and are more competitive than others. If it’s your first time to try doing BJJ, it makes perfect sense if you will attend a beginner’s class.
During the start of the pandemic, movement classes became popular. Some even started doing BJJ online via Zoom. Movements-only classes familiarize a beginner how to do jiu-jitsu without doing actual jiu-jitsu. Some gyms also offer white-belts-only classes. This can have its perks since not all white belts are comfortable dealing with higher belts toying around with them in actual sparring.
But of course, a white-belts-only class can also have its danger. The majority of spazzy individuals who can injure other students in a gym are white belts over-relying on their strength. Without proper supervision, there is a high probability of getting injured when you beginners roll with other beginners.
Between starting your BJJ journey today and the 1990s, it’s easier to become a beginner today. In the past, BJJ gyms have that tough guy reputation that can filter the non-athletic individuals who are only looking for a hobby that they can do after work or whenever they’re free.
Check out article on what to expect during your first BJJ class.
How Long Does Jiu-Jitsu Take To Learn?
So how many months or years does it take to say that you know BJJ? If you’re starting from zero, it’s easy to start to notice changes after a month or two of training jiu-jitsu. After a month or two of regularly training BJJ, you’d start to realize that you know some moves. Perhaps, you will be able to catch other white belts at this point. But of course, don’t expect your techniques to be highly detailed. It’s common that you will miss out on some crucial details at this point.
Time To Earn a Blue Belt
If we’re going to use a blue belt as a benchmark of someone who knows BJJ, then you’re most likely going to become a blue belt within 2 years. But again, there are a variety of blue belts. Some blue belts move like black belts, while some are still like white belts.
But generally, 2 years is enough to get promoted to blue belt. In some gyms, the definition of a blue belt is someone who can effectively defend themselves. It might be a loose definition of what a blue belt is. However, this is still a good measure of whether someone knows BJJ or not.
It Depends on Several Factors
Several factors can contribute to how fast you learn BJJ. Physical attributes can help give you the edge to perform jiu-jitsu techniques. Former athletes or those who came from other sports also tend to do better than others. The reason is that athletes from other sports are already more well-coordinated than other individuals.
Next, you also have to consider the level of instructions that you’re getting. Not all gyms are equal in this aspect. Some gyms don’t have a black belt instructor while there are also gyms that even have black belt world champions. Also, you need to consider the type of training partners that you’re getting. Some gyms that mix white belts with competitors tend see improvements among beginners at a faster rate.
The good news is that there are a lot of ways how you can make BJJ easier. Some practices can help you learn faster, and improve your technique and timing. For instance, you can take private classes. Unlike regular classes, you can specifically work on areas of your game that you want to improve. Plus, you have the undivided attention of the instructor when you decide to get a private class.
Next, you also want to do more reps and drills. If there’s an open mat, you might want to limit your sparring to make way for drills and reps. Others would even buy their own mats at home just so they can get extra reps and drills outside regular class.
Here’s a quick video to give you the basics:
Is Jiu-Jitsu Hard on the Body?
It’s also a common question for beginners to ask: is jiu jitsu hard on the body? The answer is yes. Jiu-jitsu requires different muscle groups. If you want to be competitive, then you have no other choice but to do strength and conditioning too.
Also, there are a lot of potential injuries that you can get from doing BJJ. For minor injuries, it’s common to experience sprained joints from your ankles to your knees. You even see a lot of BJJ practitioners develop arthritis on their hands from all the grips required by the sport.
Unfortunately, some BJJ injuries are costly and would require surgery. Knee and shoulder injuries are some of the things that BJJ competitors and casual practitioners deal with.
Is getting injured inevitable in BJJ? It’s common to experience minor injuries every now and then. You might feel tight muscles after training for consecutive days. A good way to prevent injuries is by listening to your body. You want to give your body enough time to recover. The older you get, the more time you’ll need to rest. It also helps if you warm up before a training session and stretch after.
How Do You Know if Jiu-Jitsu Is for You?
So how do you know if jiu-jitsu is for you? A lot of times, people quit before they even realize that BJJ is for them. It’s common to hear in every gym that jiu-jitsu is for everyone. Unfortunately, this cliché is far from the truth since not everyone can accept starting from scratch as a beginner. And if you’re doing BJJ, there are a lot of times when you’ll feel like you’re the nail and not the hammer.
A piece of advice for every beginner is to simply take things one day at a time. You should also stop looking at training as a competition. Getting tapped is completely normal in training. Also, instead of winning every round, try to work on areas of your game. If you’re always placed in a bad spot, then you want to practice your defense.
Jiu-jitsu can be hard but it can also be fun. Plus, it is suitable for everyone. It is a sport that anyone can learn to enjoy whether you’re old or young.
Final Thoughts
It may take years to become a black belt but BJJ has a lot of benefits. It can help you stay fit and also mentally sharp. Plus, jiu-jitsu can also help give you the confidence to deal with bad positions.
Is jiu jitsu hard? Definitely. Its movements are not something that you’d automatically have. Mechanics involved in grappling and in jiu-jitsu are “unnatural”. Unlike walking and running, BJJ involves fighting from your back or distributing your body weight to become heavy against an opponent. For these reasons, BJJ can be challenging. On the bright side, there are a lot of gyms where you can learn the gentle art. There are a lot of black belts that can help you with your journey. Plus, modern BJJ gyms today are more welcoming to white belts. However, you have to be consistent and have an open mind once you enter a jiu-jitsu gym.