Tips to Stay Out of Your Comfort Zone in Jiu Jitsu

As we are deep into the cooler months of the year, you may be lacking some motivation, in jiu jitsu and in other areas of life. Whether you have been in the game for years or only just started, motivation is a key element in training and so we have the top tips for how to stay motivated in your jiu jitsu career. Schedule Training Days You may have heard your coaches say ‘just keep coming’ to class and this is good advice. Locking in training days through the week means that you won’t have to overthink going to training. Knowing that you have a certain number of classes you attend per week, also keeps you on the right track to achieving your goals in the long term. For example, if you choose to attend 3 sessions per week, you’ll know by the end of the year you would have put in 156 classes/hours into your training. Consistency is key in jiujitsu, so create a realistic training schedule and stick to it! Remember the Benefits Another way to feel motivated about anything is to remember the benefits that the activity provides. Aside from self-defence, BJJ has many benefits that students experience. Overall, sticking to a training routine will mean you will be physically fitter and healthier. On top of that, you will become stronger and more confident in your abilities over time.  Reward Yourself & Celebrate Milestones The journey of jiu jitsu is a long game. Hence why it is important to celebrate milestones and reward yourself for your efforts. Achieving a higher belt is an obvious example and many people celebrate with friends and family. However, even the smaller achievements like achieving a stripe or executing a technique that you have been practicing for months can be celebrated, and this makes the journey a lot more enjoyable.  Remember Your Goal One very important way to stay motivated is to remember why you are doing jiu jitsu in the first place and remember your goal. It can help to write your goal down and reflect on it when you are lacking inspiration. You should also keep up a positive mindset to keep mental clarity with techniques like meditation and visualisation. It can help to ask the question ‘where will you be in 5 or 10 years if you keep training like this? And you know the answer is worth it.  Create Balance with Relaxing Activities BJJ can be physically intense, especially for those training more than a few classes a week. One factor that can steer students off track is the feeling of being sore or tired. So, it can be an excellent idea to incorporate stretching and/or yoga into your week to add some relaxation. You can also try breathing exercises which help not only with relaxing but also with endurance in training. Creating balance with these activities will ensure you stay balanced both physically and mentally and will give you more motivation to stay on track.  

Families that practice Jiu Jitsu together, stay together…and here’s why… Self-defence  This benefit is implied but can be overlooked by many. It is common that parents register their kids in a martial art for self-defence but overlook the benefits it may have for themselves. The reality is, self-defence is critical for all members of the family. Jiu Jitsu provides a form of ‘gentle’ self-defence that can be used in real scenarios and can be just as useful for men, women and children of all ages.  A Home Away from Home When the whole family participates in Jiu Jitsu, the academy really does become a home away from home. This is beneficial for everyone as it means the parents are familiar with everyone at the gym, knowing that the kids are in a safe environment if they go to classes on their own, when they are old enough to. Coaches also become positive role models for the kids and they can rely on them for support and advice. It is proven that having support systems outside of home and school helps kids to thrive and become the best versions of themselves. Limits Screen Time Screens are simply a part of our day-to-day life now, and so it’s difficult to get kids away from their devices. We’re not just talking about kids either…With work and friends just being one click away, it’s so easy for us adults to get distracted and spend hours consumed by screens. One of the best things about Jiu Jitsu is that it gets us all away from screens and exposed to real social situations and real physical activity. Unlike walking on a treadmill, you can’t use your phone to listen to music or watch a show, and that’s a good thing! It gives our minds a well-deserved break from these technologies and allows us to realise the importance of raw interaction. There is a lot to practice and learn with Jiu Jitsu, so you’ll even find the kids (and yourself) practicing techniques at home instead of being on screens. A Timetable to Suit Everyone The Gracie Parramatta BJJ timetable is well equipped with classes to suit the whole family. From the busy parents who are running around all day, to the kids who have school, there are classes from 6am in the morning to 8:30pm at night. There is even a class at midday created specifically for those who want to fit in a class on their lunch break. The timetable was designed with every member of the family in mind and is catered to all, which ensures that organising training for the family is easy. Family Bonding BJJ is unique in the way that it needs a partner to be able to practice. This means that outside of training sessions in the gym, your kids will look to you or their siblings to practice techniques. This is especially advantageous for parents with adolescents as it can be a difficult time to bond. With Jiu Jistu in the centre of the family, you will always have something to talk about, keeping conversations easy and relationships strong! Life-long Friends It’s no secret, Jiu Jitsu is something that takes years to master. With the countless training sessions come friendships that are built solidly over time. It is common to hear that a Jiu Jitsu gym becomes a second family and for good reason – you’re spending time with these people frequently and will go through many life changes with them by your side. This is especially true for kids who start Jiu Jitsu from a young age. They meet friends when they are children and will still be training with them through adolescence and into adulthood. The important values that BJJ holds including; respect, discipline, kindness, and dedication become the centre of the relationship, which creates a bond that will last a lifetime.  Fitness Last but not least, Jiu Jitsu is a sport that will provide the whole family with fitness. If everyone is attending a few classes a week, there isn’t a need for any other gym memberships or workouts outside of BJJ. This eliminates the pressure of spending hours on the treadmill when you can be spending time with family. For the kids, they will learn a level of fitness that will benefit them in all other sports and activities.

Physical Exercise  Physical exercise has always been a great way to balance mental health. Why? There are many processes that occur during physical exercise both in the body and the mind. One major process is the release of endorphins, otherwise known as the ‘happy hormone’. Endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body. Other hormones that are released including; dopamine and serotonin, also play an important role in balancing moods. Serotonin specifically boosts your mood and overall sense of wellbeing. It allows a higher quality of sleep and regulates appetite, which in turn, promotes a healthy mindset. Confidence in Knowing Self-Defence There is a substantial level of confidence that comes along with knowing how to defend yourself. To really know how to defend yourself in a situation of violence or attack means no longer being afraid in many situations that you may have been before. It also means that other situations that may sometimes provoke anxiety, are much less confronting to BJJ students. This can be very helpful for people that suffer from anxiety as it becomes harder to justify being fearful. The process of learning self-defence is also learning self-worth and allowing confidence and self-esteem to grow over time.  Positive Support Systems Many of us rely on family and friends for our positive support systems. However, it is the relationships outside of these family and friends that can be just as important in supporting positive mental health. Gracie Parramatta endorses a positive community that is reflected both on and off the mats. Between coaches and students, there is a great sense of community at the gym. As a student of Gracie Parramatta, you will likely feel at home within the first few weeks. Knowing there is a place to go where you can feel safe with a group of people that support your goals can do wonders for mental health! Releases Stress Stress is a major contributing factor in many people’s mental health these days and there’s no doubt why. We lead highly stressful lives with jam-packed schedules, juggling work, family and friends. So, it is important that the stress from life is released in some way. Jiujitsu is a highly effective way to release stress as it is not only a high intensity cardio workout but also engages the mind through learning techniques. When the mind is focused on learning, it has a break from thinking about the stresses of everyday life and this can be a great break. It is common that life stresses can feel much smaller and easier to manage after spending some time on the mats. Positive Routine  Having a positive routine in life can make a huge impact on mental health. Even a single factor like waking up at the same time every day, has been found to increase positive mindset and productivity. So, how does BJJ come into all of this? Sticking to a training schedule means that BJJ students already have one aspect of their life organised by routine. This has a snowball effect also, as work schedules and family/friends need to be organised to fit around jiujitsu. Many students after a couple of months of starting BJJ, already find that their life is more organised; they have a positive routine and have pride in maintaining their schedule! Are you looking to improve your mental health through jiu jitsu? Book a FREE trial class through our website or call us on 02 96875480.