I was smashed, humbled, and hooked after my first BJJ class!
Every day, more and more people around the world decide to start training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
They hear from friends or family about all the physical and mental benefits it offers — and yeah, that part’s true.
BJJ is awesome.
But here’s the problem: A lot of people dive in with the wrong expectations, and they end up quitting before they even really get started.
So, let me tell you about my first Jiu-Jitsu class to give you a real idea of what to expect if you decide to step onto the mats.
Honestly? It was two of the most embarrassing hours of my life. I felt completely useless. 😔
The Day My BJJ Adventure Started!
So, it’s a random Monday night in January 2018. There I am, mid-deadlift at the gym, feeling like an absolute beast, when my buddy strolls over and drops a bomb.
“Yo, Ben! Did you hear? They’re starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes here next week. We gotta try it! People say it’s the best martial art out there.”
Now, I had no idea what Brazilian jiu-jitsu even was.
But because I didn’t want to look soft, I hit him with the classic,
“Yeah, man, sounds cool!”
Little did I know, that lazy “sure” would lead to one of the most humiliating (yet weirdly awesome) experiences of my life.
Fast Forward to the First Class!
My friend and I show up looking like we’re about to hit the beach — T-shirts, swim trunks, and all.
We were that unprepared. We meet the coach, who’s all smiles and chill,
I’m thinking, This can’t be that bad, right? Spoiler alert: it was worse than bad.
We hit the mats, and within minutes, I was dying. Not literally, but I might as well have been. My years of deadlifts and squats? Useless.
I was wheezing like I’d run a marathon, my cardio was non-existent, and I got smashed more times than I could count.
Tapped out, folded like a lawn chair — pure destruction.
Meanwhile, my buddy? Well, let’s just say speed wasn’t his strong suit. The coach hit him with this move called a tripod sweep, which, in theory, sounds harmless.
In reality? My dude hit the ground like a sack of bricks. BOOM. Down he went, ankle twisted, looking like he just survived a minor car crash. 😭
That was the beginning of the end for him. Three classes in, and my man was out — R.I.P. to his short-lived BJJ career.
But for me? Despite getting tossed around like a rag doll, something clicked.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m a glutton for punishment, but I kept coming back.
In each class, I got a tiny bit better. Still getting smashed, but at least I wasn’t tapping every five seconds anymore. Progress, right?
Fast Forward to Today…
Now I’m a proud purple belt.
Still training, still getting smashed (but less often), and loving every brutal, sweaty second of it.
It’s wild how something that started as a total embarrassment turned into an obsession.
I’ve gained mental clarity, and a new level of fitness, and, oddly enough, I find satisfaction in surviving being squashed by people twice my size.
So, yeah, that’s how I fell in love with BJJ. And my buddy? Well, he’s still limping around, but I guess we can’t all be built for this. 😂
Got a BJJ story? I’d love to hear it, especially if it’s as embarrassingly awesome as mine!
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- Jiu-Jitsu Helped Me Find Community After Moving to a New City
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