Learn BJJ to be the best you can be.

I had used this statement in my Instagram post recently. And it’s something I truly believe in.

But does it really make sense? After all, BJJ is a sport like many other sports. You wouldn’t say – play football to be the best you can be in your everyday life right?

There itself lies the difference. Firstly, BJJ or any realistic combat art is far from being a sport. BJJ,MMA, Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Wrestling etc. are not sports that are meant to be taken casually. I lay man can just kick a football and for him that’s playing football, but imagine anyone without any experience trying to roll or spar!

Secondly, the “BJJ” I’ve mentioned in the headline can be replaced by anyone of the other combat sports in the above paragraph because of the contact-based nature of the sports.

All combat sports teach us similar lessons –

1. Respect

2. Focus

3. Problem solving

4. Team work

5. Self confidence

6. Hard work

7. Physical & mental strength etc.

But the most important principle is DISCIPLINE.

Discipline is required to succeed in pretty much any venture in life, sport, work, education etc. So what’s the big deal about “discipline” in BJJ or MMA?

Discipline in MMA or BJJ is just harder to maintain. Period.

A BJJ academy is not a school, college or office where you have to show up no matter what. You show up because you choose to. And you chose a sport which is often times physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. A sport where no one can remain unbeaten or on top. A sport which doesn’t have an end to the learnings.

It’s easy to not wake up on Monday mornings, or to skip the evening session since you had a bad day at work. But it’s discipline (not passion) which will force you to show up and do what you need to do. You show up, you do your warmup, technique drills, you spar with someone who might be far superior to you on that day and get tapped out. But you do it.

This discipline forces a lifestyle change.

Competition or fight wins are secondary. The primary reason to train BJJ should be to become the best you can be.