Photo: Gustavo Aragão
We all know how powerful Jiu-Jitsu is for changing anyone’s life. The gentle art is an awesome tool to help one abandon unhealthy habits and work on a cleaner lifestyle. On GRACIEMAG #151, we dove into the actual ways BJJ can help you achieve a better, longer and happier life.
Here’s what we came up with after we searched the wisdom of Master Carlos Gracie Jr.
1. Philosophy: We all age (if we are lucky). There’s no pointing in fighting the passage of time. What we have to do is adapt our lifestyle to each stage of life. Our body will tell us what we are capable of doing and what we are not capable. once we do that, we can achieve a state of mind where we search for pleasure without incurring in hedonism. What you have to seek is satisfaction.
2. Sleep: Sleeping is rebooting your vitality. The more active you are, the greater is your need for rest. Master Carlos Gracie Jr. is know for not allowing himself to sleep less than 8 hours a night. The lack of sleep is the entry way for illness, bad performance and a shorter life.
3. Breathing: Anxious, tense, jumpy people breath like they are constantly drowning. On the other hand, people who project confidence breath in a calm and constant rhythm. Master Carlos Gracie Jr. performs a breathing warmup prior to every roll. It consists of a series of perfectly paced breaths that compress the diaphragm followed by a long intake of air to fill up the lungs.
4. Nourishment: It is simply impossible to be healthy if you don’t mind what you put inside your body. Master Carlos is a fine example of how the wholesome attitude promoted by the gentle art can influence our entire lives. he likes to choose and prepare everything he will intake. Also, he learned how to read the signs his body is sending. You need to know when your organism is telling you it is satisfied, full, hungry, thirsty, etc.
5. Exercise: Looking good is great, but not enough to stimulate you to have a continuous routine of physical activities. The true incentive, according to Master Carlos, needs to come from how you feel on the inside and not how you look in the mirror. As you get older, you will fell more and more the results of your choices. So, if you haven’t started to live a healthy lifestyle yet, do it asap.
