If you’re starting Jiu Jitsu tonight, that’s amazing. You won’t regret it, but I’ve got some advice for you so that you won’t waste your time and you’ll get the most of it.
Okay the first one applies to anything you could ever start really. If you’re just starting out, then you’re going to have to create a new habit of showing up for training 2-3 times per week every week. In my experience, it’s the people who do this who get on best long-term.
Interestingly, when we ask people who have left, why they left, most of them say they loved it, and would love to return, and sort of drifted away rather than consciously said “I QUIT!”
It does seem that getting into a good habit of coming training is a really good strategy.
You’ll be wrecked on your first few nights. I don’t care who you are, whether you just ran a marathon or you just got off the couch. Jiu Jitsu is a challenge. That’s part of what makes it great.
But two things are going to happen to you when you start to train. The first is that you’ll get more fit for Jiu Jitsu as you do it more. Obvious right? But the second is that you’ll become more efficient. You’ll learn what to put effort into and what to not.
I use the example of me playing hurling. I’ve never played the game, so if I tried to, I’d run up and down the pitch, with the sliotar sailing over my head repeatedly, and I’d come off the pitch exhausted having never got a touch. You’ll learn the game, and you’ll find it easier.
Not too easy mind you!
This one almost seems cruel. I’m not implying you should mock anyone, in fact you should be really supportive of new people, but it does help to look and appreciate people on their first day.
You might think you’re not getting anywhere sometimes, but one of the best pieces of advice I can give is to wait until the next new member comes in. That was you a few weeks ago. You’ll get some perspective on how much you’ve improved so far, and also get an idea of how much you could still improve.
Every black belt you see on the mat right now started out by flopping around cluelessly on the mat, not having a clue what to do. That’s you right now, and those black belts are you in the future.
So there you go, 3 bits of advice for you. I hope to see you on the mat soon!
Barry
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