If you want to have a good time, you should seriously consider getting involved in some recreational sporting fun. I have just returned from an amazing weekend on the golf course. Before now, I didn't see the point of hitting a very small ball around a big field. However, when you understand the game, it is a lot of fun. The weekend before, I was sailing in a boat and that was exhilarating. Before I was introduced to these activities, my weekends were quite dull. I decided to start this blog to encourage others to get involved and to have some fun!
Below are some of the most common myths about BJJ classes that people tend to believe.
People who take BJJ classes must be prepared to get badly hurt
One myth about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes that makes a lot of people wary of trying this sport is that class participants have to be prepared to be badly hurt. The truth is that, whilst those who attend BJJ classes may occasionally come home with a small bruise or bump, it is incredibly rare for people to be really hurt during these classes, despite the fact that they are practising a combat sport.
The reason for this is as follows: whilst during their classes, participants will practise performing moves, such as rear-naked chokeholds, sleeve chokes and arm-bars, they are not expected or even allowed to use a lot of force when doing them and if they are caught doing this, their instructor will quickly put a stop to their sparring session. The only situation in which participants are encouraged to use greater force is if they intend to compete in BJJ competitions. As such, there is no real risk of class participants being choked to the point where they cannot breathe, being severely bruised or breaking any bones.
Furthermore, BJJ class instructors will normally aim to pair people who are similar, in terms of their weight, height and proficiency level, so that each person has an equal chance of winning each of the sparring sessions they participate in and to ensure that a small, inexperienced person doesn't end up sparring with a much larger opponent who could accidentally hurt him or her.
You need to be physically strong to take BJJ classes
The other myth is that you must be physically strong in order to take Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes. The reality is that whilst being stronger can definitely help a person to defeat their opponent, it does not compensate for poor technique. If a strong person has not familiarised themselves with various BJJ moves, their weaker opponent could still defeat them.
It's also worth noting that even if a person is quite weak when they first start going to these classes, there is a good chance that with regular practice (coupled with a good diet), they will get stronger. This is because whilst practising grappling moves, participants need to engage the muscles in both their core and their limbs to make their opponents submit. Over time, this will normally lead to these people getting much stronger.