Question from a blue belt: Is BJJ worth it? Do the benefits outweigh the consequences.

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This question was posted on facebook by one of our students...here is my instructor's response. I thought it was pretty good, so I thought I'd share:

From Jeremy "Gerbil" Arel:

Toes and fingers will be perpetually injured. The ribs are a freak accident. Some people have it happen regularly, the majority of people it's not an issue for. I can say that as you get more hip movement you will strain your ribs less and less.

You're still trying to figure out when you should tap. I know that sounds kind of crazy as we've all been tapped more times than we can count, but you'll find a comfort zone for tapping.

I'm not going to tell you it will be easy, because it wont, but I can say that BJJ is VERY rewarding in a way nothing else is. You'll find out new and exciting things about yourself that you never knew, some good, some bad, and you'll be ok with both.

BJJ is the longest lasting, most abusive relationship I've ever been in. I've quit, literally, dozens of times, only to find myself back on the mat in the next class.

You're a pretty chill guy and you don't have a ton of ego but as a human, ego is still part of the equation. I can promise you as you come to accept your place in the grappling world your and train for the sake of training you will experience far less injuries.

At the current moment you're still in the discovery phase of learning. This is one of the beginning phases where, sometimes, you dont even know if you are preforming the move correctly. This leads to you making mistakes that can sometimes get you injured because you zig when, in fact, you should have zagged. I can also say, with a fair amount of confidence, the more you train, this less this will happen as well.

I guess the point that I'm trying to make is most of the problems associated with injures will be mitigated through prolonged training (MOST). There will still be mornings where you wake up and your body hates you, but overall the benefits outweigh the consequences.

When you factor in the self efficacy obtained through training BJJ the equation heavily tilts towards "worth it". There is no amount of money that is worth your peace of mind. Walk to your car confidently, play with your children in public confidently, sleep with confidence, and interact with your peers confidently because you know your worth.

Many people go through life thinking they have discipline, fortitude, and grit but few have ever tested themselves. BJJ is real, it's in your face and it exposes all of your weaknesses (emotionally, physically and technically). BJJ forces you to address these weaknesses, fix them, accept them or quit. Those are your options.

I came to the realization, 5 years ago, that I am ok with being a loser. I can go out, give everything I have, try my hardest and accept that losing is a possible outcome. Sometimes my current best isn't enough to get the victory.

Your success, in LIFE, is directly connected to your ability to deal with losing. If you can pick yourself up, analyze the situation, and attack it again then you are a better person. So many people hold back, avoid competition, never try and make excuses because they are afraid to lose.

Losing is part of life. It's reality. Losing doesn't mean the war is lost, it just means you have to regroup and attack differently.

Whereas I can deal with being a loser, I can not deal with quitting. Losing was not a choice, it was a reality. Quitting on the other hand is giving the victory away without defending it.

So many life experiences apply here, too many to write out on facebook.

In closing, training BJJ prepares you for losing and winning. It teaches the value in both and forces you to come to terms with that value. Realize the benefits of BJJ and continue to train!

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