In today’s world, it is hard for anyone to lead the life with no responsibilities. if you’re the average Joe this actually becomes life. From home management to work and personal relationships, not a lot of time remains for activities that make us happy. However, there’s BJJ on the other side of this spectrum. The one thing that’s common for grapplers is that they’re all addicted to BJJ. Given the people BJJ usually attracts, you can also bet that the majority also have all of the above-mentioned responsibilities. Actually, most people even have more. So, how do you balance your Jiu-Jitsu addiction with a responsible grown-up life?
As far as people addicted to BJJ are concerned, I am certainly on top of the list. There’s hardly any other martial art, or sport for that matter, that gets people so hooked as BJJ does. And it is not just a one-time thing that happens to a certain category of people. Young and old, male and female, athletes and regular people, they all become addicted to BJJ very easy. There seems to be no rule about it, apart from the fact that grappling is going to become a large part of your life. If you let it, it may even become your whole life. However, this is not the ideal scenario for some people, or better said, most people. There are still the “small” matters of family, work and other grown-up responsibilities outside of the mats.
So, how do you approach daily life now that you’ve admitted you’re addicted to BJJ? COuld you keep up with your addiction while you remain a responsible parent, spouse, and friend? Fact is, there are certain things you can do to maximize what you get out of both worlds.
Are You Addicted To BJJ?
So, are you suffering from an addiction to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? the answer to that question, as with any addiction, may not be so obvious to you. However, it is going to be obvious to those surrounding you, especially the ones that do not train. That said, there are certain tell-tail signs that Jiu-Jitsu is the main focus of your life.
To make things clear, there’s hardly any progress possible in BJJ without constant dedication. That said, too much dedication is not going to hurt your BJJ either. Bur it is going to affect your daily life. The first thing that might indicate your addiction is your browser. If your social media time timeline, your search history, and YouTube suggestions are all about BJJ, you’re definitely knee deep.
Furthermore, check your wardrobe. If there are more Gis than suites, and more rashguards than t-shirts, you can be sure you’re addicted to BJJ. If the t-shirts and hoodies you do own are all relate to BJJ or grappling tournaments, then you’re beyond a doubt trapped in the world of Jiu-JItsu for good. Apart from bailing out, you now need to find ways to integrate daily life into your BJJ life, instead of the other way around.
Oh, and social interactions are another major indicator of BJJ addiction. If your friends are sick and tired of your grappling stories, and yo light up whenever someone you meet turns out to grapple too, you’re most definitely a BJJholic!
Coping Mechanisms
So, what are some practical strategies to help you balance everything? First and foremost, you need to make sure you prioritize. While training might be all you care for, the family must come first. So, family obligations take precedence over anything else. In terms of lightening the load make sure you have a plan in motion along with our significant other, or your parents regarding everyone’s tasks. Next up, it’s work. you still have to pay for BJJ classes, right? Well, unless you bite down and put in a shift, you’ll be very hard-pressed for cash.
The thing with those addicted to BJJ is that once they sort out priorities, it turns out very little time is left for BJJ. Which is not true. One thing that’s actually important for BJJ progress is quality. When you train, make sure you give it your all, doing everything 110%. And by that, I really mean everything, including the warm-ups. It matters more how you train twice that if you train 5 times a week.
Furthermore, keep up with your habit of watching BJ jat every possible opportunity. However, make sure you have an idea of what you’re watching. Find an aspect of BJJ you’d like to improve and focus on instructionals and matches featuring those particular moves. Think of it like homework, and one that you can do virtually anywhere.
Looking to put in some extra sessions off-schedule is also a great way to keep up with your addiction. Either schedule some privates or make sure you get a partner to drill. It may be before work early in the morning or even after regular training. Whenever you can fit extra time on the mats, do it!
BJJ And Relationships
Finally, a few words on those younger grapplers addicted to BJJ. While you might not have the responsibilities adults have yet, there are certain aspects of social life that can really suffer. Out of those, relationships, and particularly new ones, might not be tolerant at all of BJJ.
When in a new relationship, the main issue is time. Relationships, especially new ones, demand a lot of time if not a lot of it. Sounds familiar? Since the same things happen with BJJ, you need to quickly find the balance before you end up sacrificing one or the other. Look at it relationships this way – they’re all about boundaries. Make sure you know where your boundaries are, as well as those of your partner. Furthermore, make it clear that BJJ is your passion and not your obsession. So you now come into class a couple of times less than you did. So what? Look at what we wrote about the quality of the training before. Next up you need to make sure the partner understands how important Jiu-Jitsu is for you.
The similar thing about relationships and BJJ is that they’re really similar. Both require dedication, planning and lots of attention. While you can’t make one or the other exclusive, you can certainly find the balance, if your partner is willing to be open and understanding. After all, they probably also have an aspect of their life that they like to do as much as you do BJJ.
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