Training: Week 5 - My Intro to Brazilian Jui-Jitsu

Visited a BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) class last night and it was brilliant. I’d heard about this club as being the only real BJJ class in this County of Devon. I even met and spoke to a chap that drives all the way from Barnstaple twice a week to the two out of three classes that this club runs.

On entering the club, I saw everyone in BJJ Gi’s, (the Gi is the outfit they wear, pretty much like a Judo one). Most of the students had a white belt so I felt a bit of pressure lifted as I thought they were also beginners, how wrong was I. There were people of all ages, both women as well as men. I immediately introduced myself to others and I got a really warm welcome. I felt slightly out of place as I didn’t have a Gi but it was only my first time and the instructor told me that a pair of shorts and a T-shirt would be fine. As it turned out, one of the girls there knew me and lent me her friend’s top half of the Gi so that I could spar with them. The whole idea of BJJ focuses on grappling and ground fighting, applying lock holds and chokes on your opponent. This class holds two classes per week where you wear Gi’s and one class each week where you wear no Gi and just T-shirt and shorts.

We got straight into the warm up and stretching. This was not a massive warm up and I wasn’t really that puffed out, however, we then got onto the rolling with partners and techniques. Because you’re using allot of strength to put your opponent in these chokes and holds your energy is drained really quickly. I soon came to realise that the art of this sport is really just taking it easy and conserving your energy. Not getting stressed and pressured to put a lock or hold on, but recognising when there is an opportunity to do so. Most of the people that I went up against seemed to just be taking their time and laying there not really doing much, whilst I was breathing through my hoop and trying to get out of their chokes that I hadn’t seen coming. Needless to say I didn’t win many of the sparring bouts, if any at all.

I know that this is one sport that I will need to practice and become better at if I want to go for my full pro fight. Most of the UFC fights that I’ve seen do end up on the floor and this is where BJJ will come to pay off. I feel confident in my stand up work and will of course always look for the early knock out but I’m looking forward to joining this club and expanding my knowledge of useful ground techniques. I’ve tried not to mentioned any of the clubs or instructors names in this blog but if anyone ever wants to come along to a session then just ask.

All comments are appreciated as well, whether they’re positive or negative, as it will give me an idea of what people are interested in and want to read. Thanks for keeping up with my blog and train hard people.