For the fortunate BJJ addicts among us, our jiu-jitsu academies are modern, clean facilities equipped with showers, the best quality mats, and even a juice bar.
I saw a photo of two jiu-jitsu guys rolling on some makeshift mats made of flattened cardboard boxes. Apparently it was the final.of a BJJ tournament somewhere in Brazil. The walls are crowded with students watching and waiting their turn.
Now that is desire to learn jiu-jitsu no matter what the circumstances!
The truth is, we don’t need a world class facility to get good at jiu-jitsu. All over the world, guys with a desire put down a few mats in their garage or spare room and meet to roll and work out techniques together.
I remember one guy who professed to really want to do BJJ. He lived in a smaller community where there was a small group of guys who were interested in doing a little training at the community center. But that was not good enough for him.
He said that he was waiting until a full gym opened up with a high-ranked instructor before he would start. I countered by saying that if he really had the desire to learn BJJ – as opposed to merely talking about training and buying BJJ t-shirts – that he could find some way to get going.
As far as I know, that expensive kimono he bought online is still collecting dust in his closet.
In Brazil, some of the famous academies that you have heard about are in reality very humble places. No air conditioning despite the tropical heat, and a small mat space with room for only a few pairs to roll at the same time.
Check out the photo of the crowded mat at GF Team in Rio. Many students crowd the walls waiting for their turn to roll. Yet in such a basic academy, world class talent is developed.
The most important factor in getting good at jiu-jitsu is not a brand spanking new academy with every amenity. It comes down to your desire. How badly do you want to learn jiu-jitsu?
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