Training Brazilian jiu-jitsu can quickly become a significant part of your life. In the beginning, it can be very challenging and hard on your body. However, once you start understanding techniques and concepts, it is a fun and exciting activity you will always want to do. This is why many people ask: why is jiu jitsu so addictive?
Addiction can often be regarded as a bad thing. For example, people can get addicted to certain drugs or alcohol. This can be very bad for their health and negatively impact their lives. On the other hand, getting addicted to physical exercise is a good thing. Research shows that jiu-jitsu training can release hormones that improve your mood and make you feel better after a workout. Some of these hormones are oxytocin, beta-endorphin, and noradrenaline.
Another reason why Brazilian jiu-jitsu can be addictive is its very own nature. After all, it is a complex martial art with many techniques that are very hard to master. People can spend years training BJJ and still be excited when attending a class because they can always learn something new. Additionally, jiu-jitsu is a battle-tested martial art, which means you can test all techniques you learn in live sparring. The feeling of submitting an opponent with a technique you just learned will make you feel like you have accomplished something big, and you will want to do it again.
This article will try to examine the addictive nature of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. We will examine mental and physical reasons why jiu-jitsu can become a healthy obsession. Stay tuned, and enjoy the article!
Physical Reasons Bjj Is So Addictive
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has many physical benefits for your body. Once you start training, you will see that you can be in great shape just by training BJJ. This feeling can make you want to return to training and pursue your fitness goals. Also, training jiu-jitsu will produce endorphin, which can cause a euphoric effect. Another physical element that makes jiu-jitsu addictive is its self-defense nature. Knowing a martial art that can help you in critical situations is a feeling not many people have. People tend to back down and avoid conflict when faced with difficult and stressful situations. Brazilian jiu-jitsu will provide you with the necessary tools to defend yourself and deal with problems.
1. You See Results Relatively Quickly
Accomplishing goals in a relatively short amount of time can be a great satisfaction for every individual. We can achieve many of our goals through jiu-jitsu, some of which can be accomplished very quickly. For example, if you want to lose weight and get in shape, jiu-jitsu training will help you. Regular training can burn a lot of calories and lower your body fat, thus giving you a great physique. Check out our article about the effects of BJJ on your body. However, if your goals are greater than just improving your physical fitness; for example, if you want to get a black belt, you will need more time and dedication.
2. Endorphin Rush
Endorphins are chemicals (hormones) your body releases when it feels pain or stress. The hormones are released during pleasurable activities like exercise, massages, eating, and sex. Endorphins are believed to help relieve pain, reduce stress, and enhance well-being.
While exercise releases endorphins, BJJ produces a particularly high level of them for two distinct reasons. The first is that grappling requires you to engage in the process fully. This means you must clear your mind of everything else besides focusing on your opponent’s next move. You don’t have to worry about work problems, relationship issues, or raising children. You should try and forget everything that is bothering you and live in the moment. This type of freedom is exhilarating.
A second reason Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu releases so many endorphins is that it drains your energy quickly and leaves you breathless. When you are trying to catch your breath, your heart and lungs work to take in oxygen, which releases endorphins. Exercise triggers this response, which may explain why working out makes people happier.
3. Valuable Self-Defense
Before it became a widely popular martial art, Brazilian jiu-jitsu was a fighting style developed on the streets of Brazil. The emphasis in the early years of jiu-jitsu mainly was on self-defense. It was a style of fighting designed to help the smaller person defeat a larger and stronger opponent. Even though jiu-jitsu is now a martial art that everyone can learn and practice, it is still a great way to protect yourself. Many people train jiu-jitsu because they want the power to defend themselves against others.
Mental Reasons Bjj Is So Addictive
When we discuss why is jiu-jitsu so addictive, mental reasons are far more important than physical reasons. The most significant benefit of jiu-jitsu is that it develops character and makes you a part of the community. It is very common to see someone come to jiu-jitsu without confidence. Over time they will face many challenges, and overcoming them will do wonders for their character and spirit.
Another great mental benefit of jiu-jitsu is that it can let you express yourself. Jiu-jitsu is a very creative martial art where you can develop yourself however you want. You can decide which style you wish to have and whether you wish to be a bottom or top player. Although your body type will influence your game’s development, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art where you can choose from many different styles.
4. Community
Being a part of an environment that can help you grow and become a better person is such an amazing thing to have. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a sport where respect and discipline are heavily nourished, and the community is built on those values. Jiu-jitsu is a great way to connect with others, as people are used to being close to one another when they start training. You can form long-lasting friendships through regular training and meet many new people.
The main thing about the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community is that people share the same values worldwide. It is common for people to visit academies in other countries and be accepted as if they have been there all their lives. Another great thing in the BJJ community is the “Open mat” culture. Open mat is a training session where many people come to roll and drill techniques. This is a great chance to meet new people and improve your technique. Be sure to check our article about BJJ open mats.
Many people, including professionals, are attracted to jiu-jitsu because it is not only physically and technically challenging but also because it is a community filled with great people. Many memes online demonstrate the type of connection jiu-jitsu athletes have with each other, even when they have never met before. When you train jiu-jitsu, you also join an international community of people who understand you, and you understand them. This answers why jiu-jitsu is so addictive and why people love to be a part of its community.
5. Confidence
Being confident is something every individual should strive for. Nowadays, people spend too much time on social media and focus on work. This can all result in losing confidence and being unable to stand for yourself. In the beginning, you might find it intimidating to step onto the mats. There is a good chance that you will feel nervous before your first class.
The one thing you’ll soon realize is that everyone is in the same boat as you. The more time you spend training, the more likely you will see a major shift in your mindset. In time, your confidence will increase as you learn how to apply techniques in real-time sparring. The best way to see your progress is to roll with someone new who just joined the gym. This will let you see how much you have developed and how jiu-jitsu can be effective. You will become more proficient in grappling as you train longer, just as with any other new skill. A direct result will be an increase in confidence.
6. It’s a Challenge, Like a Chess Match
The martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is often called “the game of human chess.” Chess and jiu-jitsu have many similarities as they are both cerebral and require great tactics to get the victory. Both represent a challenge and can become very addictive in a relatively short amount of time. When faced with a difficult task like submitting a resisting opponent or winning a chess match, we use all our abilities to succeed. This can become very rewarding and make us want to train every day. Let’s look at some similarities between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and chess.
- Positional hierarchy and piece hierarchy. In chess, some pieces are more valuable than others, some are more likely to help you win the game, and sometimes it’s best to trade one piece for another to gain an advantage. Similarly, certain positions and submissions in jiu-jitsu are considered better than others. For example, the mounted position and back positions are considered the most dominant. We can use these positions both mechanically and tactically to get the victory.
- Chain attacks. Predicting your opponents’ next move is crucial in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and chess. A great example is the classic “Queen’s Gambit,” in which the player sacrifices a pawn for a turn or two to open up position and ultimately even the score with a better position. We can see similar tactics in jiu-jitsu. Some of these involve creating dilemma attacks on our opponent, where he has two defend two submission attacks at the same time. A great example can be simultaneously attacking with a kimura and a side triangle. Here is a video showing how to finish the side triangle.
- The endgame. During a chess match, trapping the king becomes an increasingly effective strategy as the number of pieces on the board decreases. Playing this kind of game can be intricate, and you don’t want to run out of time or get into a stalemate. Similarly, if you’re trying to submit your opponent in a jiu-jitsu match, you must learn how to play a jiu-jitsu endgame. When a beginner doesn’t know how to close the deal, a good practitioner still has a chance to survive, but high-level practitioners know how to string attacks together to win a match.
7. It’s a Creative Art Form
Creativeness is a big reason why jiu-jitsu is so addictive. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art that allows you to be very creative and innovative. You can use many techniques, and you can decide what style you want to have. For example, you can choose whether you want to be a guard player or a top game player. You can choose from many different guard variations if you decide to be a guard player. You can play open guard and work from guards such as the De la Riva guard or Spider guard. Alternatively, you can be a top game player and work toward submitting your opponents from that position. Here is a great video on the top game from BJJ legend Rafael Lovato Jr.
The phrase “jiu-jitsu” means “gentle art.” This describes the overall philosophy of jiu-jitsu, which is overcoming brute strength and power with technique and tactics. When you watch two high-level competitors, you can see that their movement is magical and that they can attack from various positions. Submission is the ultimate goal of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and just like scoring an “ippon” in judo, it requires us to be precise and creative. The art element in jiu-jitsu is something that many people get addicted to.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we have covered the addictive nature of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and answered the question: Why is jiu-jitsu so addictive? We can see that jiu-jitsu has many physical and mental benefits, which is why people love to make it a regular part of their lives. The endorphin rush that we get when we engage in sparring makes us want to train every day. Also, knowing self-defense can help us in dangerous situations. Some of the mental reasons why jiu-jitsu is so addictive are its amazing community and the confidence we get from practicing it. This all makes it a great martial art for everyone. Thank you for reading the article! Safe training!
My mane is Milos, and I am a head coach at Fort Jiu-Jitsu! Be sure to check us out!