Russell Marbut, Developer at Informedia and owner of Ohm Jiu Jitsu is chatting with Carrie about the art of Brazilian jiu jitsu. If you’ve never tried a combat sport before but have always wanted to, BJJ may be the perfect place to start. BJJ is a grappling and submission-based martial art more about strategy and brainpower than brute force. Russell says that learning BJJ is similar to learning a language; the more practice you put into it, the better you will be able to execute certain moves for specific situations you would find yourself in. It’s also similar to having a superpower and is known to boost confidence and gain a good sense of your body and how it moves and reacts.
BJJ has often been described as a “human chess” game as it is more similar to problem-solving and coding than simple “fighting.” Though mastering BJJ may be quite the commitment (a black belt can take anywhere from 10-12 years to obtain), newcomers tend to learn quickly, even if they have no experience with any other combat sport. According to Russell, sparring or “rolling” is the quickest way to learn. Most people learn by doing, so having a partner with some experience can help you learn how to react when moves are performed.
BJJ teaches discipline, commitment and direction. It gives instant feedback to those just getting used to the ins and outs. If you are interested in learning, Ohm offers free trials and does not require a contract or sign-up fees to train at the gym. Give it a try! Who knows? You might find your latest obsession in Brazilian jiu jitsu.