For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts, BJJ is a fun and enjoyable activity. It is an excellent physical activity that helps us improve our shape and develop our minds. Think about countless lessons you learned while rolling on the mats with your friends. On top of that, jiu-jitsu is incredibly fun, and not many things get you as excited as figuring out a new technique and seeing it work in sparring. Nonetheless, with all this mentioned, many people quit jiu-jitsu after some time, and BJJ’s drop rates are very high. There can be many reasons for this, such as family, job, injury, or something else, but two reasons stand out the most.
The Novelty Wears Off
Participating in a newly found activity can be very fun in the beginning. However, the euphoria starts to wear off after some time, and people are less interested. This is common in many activities, such as basketball, football, etc. The same goes for jiu-jitsu. Beginners are usually hyped to train because they learn something new daily. Every position is like reading a new book; you are improving exponentially. After some time, usually around the blue belt, the progress begins to slow down drastically, and you are not seeing the improvements you would like. This is the main reason people quit jiu-jitsu after a year or two. The harsh reality is that jiu-jitsu is hard, and you will need to invest many years to master it truly. Remember that phases like this happen to everyone and that even the best athletes go through this. The best way to overcome this is to be disciplined and have small goals you want to accomplish. In this way, you can take many small steps on your road to a black belt.
Wrong Expectations
Having unrealistically high expectations is the second reason why people give up jiu-jitsu. Many believe that they will become good at jiu-jitsu pretty fast. For this reason, they train 5 to 6 times per week and go to competitions. However, jiu-jitsu is a high-level combat sport, and sometimes we can’t be as good as we would like. For example, not everyone can become Gordon Ryan or Roger Gracie. There are many professional athletes in BJJ, and competing with them is very challenging, as most of them have devoted their lives to this martial art. The key is to try and become the best you can be and to achieve your potential. Loving jiu-jitsu is more important than winning medals and being successful. Having realistic expectations and focusing on your goals is a great way not to lose interest in jiu-jitsu and have fun while doing it.
I hope that you enjoyed the article and will not quit jiu-jitsu. Remember that you have your own path and that it will all be worth it in the end. My name is Milos! I am a brown belt and head coach of Fort Jiu-Jitsu! See you soon!
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