06/05/2026
A common theme that I see with a lot of people who are either starting out in jiu-jitsu, or thinking about starting out, is that they just take it way too seriously.
The beauty about jiu-jitsu is that you’re not going to get physically hurt (if you’re training with the right people in a controlled environment).
You’ll be under pressure and exhausted.
You’ll be submitted.
You’ll be confused.
You’ll feel vulnerable.
Your ego will get smashed… but you’re not going to get physically hurt.
Whereas if you take something like MMA or boxing, or any striking, it’s a little bit more serious.
There’s a lot more at stake.
And so those martial arts tend to be just a little bit more serious in nature.
Whereas jiu-jitsu, you get to have fun with it.
If you imagine it as aggressive chess…
No one who wants to learn chess, or who is learning chess, takes it that seriously.
If you lose a match or lose a move, you’re not going to beat yourself up.
You’re not going to rage quit.
You just accept it for what it is and move on and continue learning.
Jiu-jitsu is a lot like that.
It’s just more physical, and it’s using your body.
But if you think about it in the same way, it’s liberating.
There’s no pressure on you to be the greatest jiu-jitsu athlete in the world.
You just get to show up, learn how to defend yourself, build confidence, have fun, lose your ego… and you get to do all of that without getting your face smashed in.
It’s perfect for anyone!