Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone! I’m sure almost everyone has heard this statement, but how much truth is in this? Is Jiu-Jitsu really for everyone? Sure it can definitely benefit anyone and everyone, but is it FOR EVERYONE? This is certainly a romantic notion that everyone on the planet has what it takes to be relatively successful in BJJ. But in reality; while everyone can train Jiu Jitsu lightly or for a few years; Jiu-Jitsu is not for everyone and here is why.
- Close Contact– While this is exactly what makes Jiu-Jitsu so effective it is exactly what keeps many people from every Joining in the first place. Most people simply are not comfortable being in such close contact and with so much sweat. In the recent documentary “Jiu Jitsu VS The World, John Danaher was quoted saying , “when you think about it..it’s a strange thing that (Jiu Jitsu) would draw anyone in to train at all.” “you have to have a certain amount of madness just to enter the doors to the academy”.
- The Yesterday mentality– Many people in America in particular have what I call the “yesterday mentality”. They want things fast, and you can get neither skill nor belts fast. Simply put many people quit because they don’t have the heart to keep coming to class year after year and too keep getting their ass kicked.
- Injuries– It is no doubt to me that some people are far more injury prone than others. And while it is possible to keep coming back from injuries, many people simply don’t. An injury is an easy escape from something that you don’t believe you have what it takes to do…especially for the lower belts. Oddly enough I see this most often with former athletes(wrestlers, football players, track runners). While I am not sure why my personal experience shows this, I believe it is interesting.
The list could go on and on. My message is not to discourage anyone from stepping into the academy and training this great art, but rather to point out that as with anything challenging; not everyone has the heart and mental skills to be successful and continue through the Jiu-Jitsu system. Jiu-Jitsu is in-fact not for everyone.
