If you tell people you do jiu-jitsu or any other kind of martial arts, it usually comes with a variety of actions. Most people that do not practice martial arts or have no experience with it may look at it as violence, or simply just don’t understand why you would pay money to fight people for fun, but that couldn’t be more untrue. There is something that attracts so many people with a variety of backgrounds to martial arts, and it may be the biggest benefit that comes from practicing these arts on a regular basis.
If you told someone you could find peace in violence, they wouldn’t understand. Only the people that have experienced it first hand, or know someone that has changed as a person in a positive way because of it, are the only ones to truly understand the benefits we experience from doing a “violent” sport. The best times to train are when you are going through tough times, as it is likely most of you have experienced this. It is a lot tougher to motivate yourself to go train in those rough moments in life, no matter what the situation may be, but it is very likely you will receive the best benefits from your training if you can push yourself to make it there.
We all have the constant thoughts and worries about life that we get on a consistent basis that can send us in a downward spiral, but training is the one thing that can take our minds off this. If you are having a bad day, week, month, or year – go train. This is not the time to take a break from training because you have too much going on. Training is one of the few things that can totally take your mind off those negative thoughts and bring you into the present moment. In my opinion, this is why a lot of individuals over-train. Being on the mats is the only place where they can truly relax mentally and physically, and be in the present moment.
The benefits go beyond being on the mat too. It actually does make you be a more peaceful and calm person, especially in high stress situations. Do you remember how you reacted to stressful or negative situations before you started training? How about when you are training on a consistent basis? It is night and day difference for most people. As a result of your mind being in a more peaceful place, the way you act will be too.
Have you ever wondered why jiu-jitsu and martial arts has such a diverse population of people who practice it? This is why! We are all going through struggles in life, and this is the place where we can be at peace. If you don’t have a good support system at home or in life, your teammates will always be there for you no matter what, and this goes for wins and losses in life and on the mats. Your teammates become your family as quickly as you are open to it. Remember that the next time you are going through challenging times. Go train!
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