USING BJJ AS SELF-DEFENSE

Photo By Nate Chinchilla

There are many aspects of BJJ that make it an effective form of self-defense. Learning BJJ for self-defense isn’t about winning competitions. It’s about using the skills you’ve practiced to ward off a threat or attacker.

Here are a few features of BJJ that make it an effective and practical form of self-defense:

1. USE OF CONTROL AND LEVERAGE

In BJJ, your goal is to maintain control and distance – two things that are also a primary objective when defending yourself. The way you take control and maintain distance isn’t through brute strength or physical size. It’s by using leverage. Using your body as leverage and applying that leverage in specific ways makes it possible for a smaller or weaker person to escape from someone who’s larger and stronger.

2. SPARRING AND APPLICATION OF SKILLS

In most BJJ classes, you warm-up, drill, and then spar with partners. The sparring you do in every class allows you to practice applying what you’ve learned against an opponent. Using what you’ve learned isn’t something that you do one time and then move on to something else. The repetitive nature of practicing your skills makes it more likely that you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned instinctively if ever needed. And by facing a variety of opponents in class after class, you’ll have practiced staying calm and in control even when under pressure.

3. EMPOWERING FOR WOMEN

Because of the nature of BJJ, it’s a great form of self-defense for everyone, especially women. If you’re a woman who’s worried about the potential threat of an attacker who’s bigger or stronger than you, then consider learning BJJ. Not only will you learn a valuable skill, but your training will also lead to increased feelings of empowerment and self-confidence. If something were to happen, you’d have the knowledge to defend yourself and the belief in yourself that you can handle any situation.

If you’re interested in learning BJJ, contact us at Systems Training Center. We offer a variety of martial arts and fitness programs, including BJJ.