3 Things to Expect When Starting Jiu-Jitsu

So, you’re thinking about starting Jiu-Jitsu.  You’re not alone.  A lot of people contemplate giving it a shot and that question of “should I try Jiu-Jitsu?” has brought you here.  Now you are looking for guidance or perhaps some additional information to either talk you into or talk you out of it.

Well friends, you’ve come to the right place.  This article is going to give you a very real dose of what to expect when getting into jiu-jitsu initially. After that point, you will have to decide for yourself if you’re going to take the leap.

Before we start with the list, I think some background is useful. I’ve personally been training for 5 years (at the time this article was written) and have been to over 20 different gyms, worked with more than two dozen black belt coaches, and have been tapped probably a thousand times.

Because of that, I still very clearly remember my first days of training and the way I felt coming into and off of the mat.  Also, since I’m still learning (as you always are) I still feel some of what is in this list to this day.

So without further ado, below are 3 main things that you should expect when you start Jiu-Jitsu.

 

You Will Be Sore

I’ve been sore before.  We all have.   From running, weight lifting, basketball, rock climbing, you name it.  I’ve played a number of high school and select level sports whose coaches get a kick out of seeing their players in pain (not really but you get my point).

I’ve been there as I’m sure you have too.  But nothing quite prepared me for the soreness you will feel after starting Jiu-Jitsu.

When you are brand new and start sparring or “rolling” (a term used for live free flow grappling), you are going to be defensive for an entire 5 minute round at a time.   You have no idea what you are doing so unfortunately, it is inevitable.

 

Why Will I Be So Sore?

It comes down to the fact that you are performing moves and actions that you haven’t previously.  And because you are a new baby bird in the world of Jiu-Jitsu, your opponents will have their way with you.

What this means is that you will have someone on top of you, on your back, or just holding you in what will likely be an uncomfortable position.  You are then going to exert a tremendous amount of energy trying to get them off with your arms, legs, and every part of your body in between.

Think of trying to bench press a moving object or standing up with a 200lb adult attached to you.  Those aren’t activities that you practice regularly, are they?

 

Will Anything Help the Soreness?

When going into Jiu-Jitsu as a new practitioner, there are a handful of things that will help your initial soreness.  Unfortunately, the only things that will help you not be so sore are the following..

• You’ve practiced Judo for some period of time
• You’ve practiced wrestling for some period of time
• You weigh over 230lbs

Since you can’t control those though, the other common ways to help your Jiu-Jitsu soreness is with ice, the increasingly popular ice baths or cold showers, stretching, or by getting yourself some bananas and my favorite protein powder.

If you thought the soreness was unfortunate, then you may not be a fan of #2.

 

You Will Get “Beat-Up”

I touched on this a little bit in number 1, but it’s incredibly important to reiterate.  You should expect that you are going to get “beat-up” for almost the entire first year of you starting Jiu-Jitsu.  And I do mean that pretty literally.

Remember that there isn’t striking in Jiu-Jitsu, so you don’t need to worry about getting punched or kicked (on purpose).  I mean that you will seemingly always be fighting defensively.  Your entire first year is going to be about surviving and doing everything that you can to not get tapped, swept, or held down.

PSA: Keep in mind that no-one wants to hurt or get hurt.  If you get in a compromising situation, your training partners will do their best to not do anything that would be detrimental to you being able to train.  If everyone gets hurt, then the coaches and partners wouldn’t have each other anymore, and no-one wins in that situation.

What I do mean by getting “beat up” is that you will be put under pressure.  A lot of it.  On every point in your body.  You will feel it on the inside of your quad when someone attempts a knee cut.  You will feel pressure on your stomach when someone does knee-on-belly.  And you will feel knees and elbows pressed into ribs, legs, and everything else.  Know that it is par for the course.

But don’t fret.  There is a litany of training partners at these kinds of gyms.  Trust that you will quickly find the people that go at a pace and difficulty that you can manage.

Also know that you ultimately get to decide who you roll with. As you get better, you will start finding yourself in more dominant positions and controlling the pace of the round. But until you do get to that point, learn and grow at the pace that suits you best, and get used to being smashed for a little while.

 

You Will Have Fun

Some of you might be thinking, how is that possible?  You just told me I would be stepped on, potentially kneed, that I would be tremendously sore, and that I will get smashed.  So how in the world is that “fun”?

Ironically enough, it’s fun because of those things.  You are exerting yourself physically.  You are improving yourself mentally.  And when you do it right, it turns to “play” rather than an exercise. And that play is exactly what will keep you coming back over and over again.

An accurate way to think about it is as a “physical chess”.  Every position has several counters, and each of those counters has several more. So the “skill tree” that you gain while practicing can be incredibly rewarding and addictive.  So if you like to think and learn new skills all while getting in a great workout, Jiu-Jitsu may be for you.

 

Final Thoughts:

In my own humble opinion, Jiu-Jitsu is incredibly rewarding, despite the soreness and smashing.  It is an incredibly high skill sport and is both mentally and physically challenging.  That’s why it takes most people more than 10 years to earn their black belt.

If this post scared you out of trying, then it may not be for you.  If you are still unsure, I would suggest visiting a gym to see what the training looks like.  You may be surprised at how much you enjoy starting your Jiu-Jitsu journey!

Happy rolling!