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Us BJJ students are definitely one-of-a-kind. After all, who has the patience to stick it out for 10 years just to get a black belt?
Being a BJJ student takes a whole lot of dedication, focus, and open-mindedness. Although this may sound like a lot, any student can tell you that the rewards are awesome. Regardless of whether it was love at first sight for you or if it took awhile to get used to BJJ – we’re all in agreement. There’s a reason why we keep on going to BJJ class and why we can’t live without it: we love training BJJ!
So what are the signs that you’re a truly devoted BJJ student?
1) Your gym bag is perpetually heavy
A gi, regardless of whether it’s single weave or double weave, will take up a lot of room in your gym bag. Top it off with your toiletries, a change of clothes, rashguard, mouthguard – it certainly gets heavy. If you’re wondering why you’ve been getting death stares from all the people in the MRT, don’t take it personally – nobody likes being hit by a big, heavy gym bag!
2) You say “oss” to everyone
Whether it’s to show your appreciation or even just to show acknowledgment, nothing feels more sincere and second nature for you than saying “oss“. There are two theories as to where the word “oss” originated from. One of them is “onegaishimasu“, which, when translated into English means a “request”, “solicitation”, or “with your permission”, which means to be reciprocated or treated with gratitude. So if your friend accuses you of being too much of a BJJ fanatic, tell them what it means before you pretend to sink in a rear naked choke.
3) The “break fall” is your go-to move for everything
Trip on your shoe lace? Slipped on a newly mopped floor? Missed a step? Don’t worry! Thanks to your newfound reflexes from repeatedly learning how to break fall during BJJ class, you’re more likely to look calm and collected after you’ve almost slipped on the floor. Because of your break fall mastery, you’ll never face plant ever again!
4) You get annoyed when someone asks you if you do “karate”
Just because you wear a gi and a belt, everyone automatically assumes you do karate. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with karate – the UFC and ONE Championship have their share of bad ass karate practitioners (hello, Lyoto Machida and Georges St-Pierre). It’s just frustrating to always have to explain why BJJ isn’t karate and how they’re two completely different martial arts.
5) You immediately go for an underhook/armdrag when someone hugs you
All that standup training has definitely made going for underhooks and armdrags second nature for you. In fact, when you feel someone going in for a hug, your mind instantly goes into tournament mode as you start to think of ways to take your opponent/friend/significant other down. Luckily for your friend/significant other, you almost always catch yourself before attempting a double leg. After all, nobody appreciates being taken down on a hard surface.
6) You’ve started saying: “ok guys”
Just like saying “oss“, you’ve started speaking the way your professor does. All those BJJ classes you attend will do that to you, and you don’t mind it at all. In fact, it makes you feel like you’re truly a part of the BJJ community and just a little bit closer to your BJJ instructor.
Ok guys, so which of these signs do you resonate with the most? If you think you’re guilty of all of the above, that just means you’re a truly devoted student. Don’t worry, there’s definitely nothing wrong with that. Oss!
You Shaka sign people who do not understand.
Missing one item in the list…. the ‘get up in base’ move!