I first started hearing about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from a friend and coworker of mine who had followed his brother’s example of starting into combat sports. I had never had a huge interest in the kind of training that involved conflict with others–in middle school wrestling I would cry and hyperventilate if I couldn’t move my limbs, which killed any want for that sort of thing in me. I also didn’t really have any motivation to work out, although I surely could have used it. I was fairly content to continue my life in a way that I could comfortably go about ignoring a need for personal growth. Instead, I’m happy to say that thanks to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the Gracie Gym family I have instead begun to embrace personal growth in many way.
A few months after my friend has begun classes with Gracie Gym there was a terrorist attack on St. Petersburg, Russia. Perhaps it was the cliched life-is-too-short reasoning, or just that shock that comes with reading about tragedy, but whatever it was it spurred within me a need to try to start making positive changes in my life; I chose to start with self-defense. When I went to talk to my friend, he handed me the business card for Gracie Gym Plano which I took and immediately made arrangements to join in the class the next morning.
I was nervous for my first few classes. I decided to go twice during the week and once on Sunday open mats. I had no idea what to expect from learning Jiu Jitsu, or even what that entailed, and was a little discouraged at my lack of apparent growth. The idea of being essentially forced into conflict with a bunch of strangers every day made me more nervous still; I found myself starting to worry that I bothered them just being there or that they wouldn’t find me to be a good partner to share this class with. As I would come to find, no one in my morning class or any others would ever make me feel threatened or unwanted. My nervousness faded, and I began to not only adapt to the regiment of class, but picked up healthy disciplines outside of it. I began sleeping better and more regularly; my coach and the advice he’d give my in and outside of class in the few days I’d get to drive him home made me want to eat healthier and take in more things that were good for my body. Soon I found I had lost a noticeable amount of weight. Where I couldn’t see the growth in skill before I began to understand the basics fluently and want to learn more advanced skill sets. I signed up for more and more classes, and looked to make my schedule include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a part of my everyday life, inside or out of the gym. I began to realize that most of, if not all of, my fears and anxieties surrounding my training at Gracie Gym had left me; that my coaches, professors, and classmates wanted to see me improve alongside them as much as I wanted to be there to learn. Being a part of Gracie Gym is being one part of a unit where everyone is pushing themselves and others towards improvement; the feeling of unity and comradery is really amazing, and makes me want to improve myself every day.
I’m now in a place where everything is starting to click. I’ve lost 30 lbs since starting, I have aspects of my Jiu Jitsu that could only come with an understanding born of dedication and want to learn, which I take great pride in. I not only want to keep coming back, but am planning on going into competition with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu soon; something I never dreamed I would even have any want to do. My coach Edmaicon continues to teach me and the rest of my class so much with every day. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gives me confidence and strength to face new challenges and improve myself more and more. I find myself excited when I see the Gracie family, and even more so when I see someone I haven’t before. I jump at the chance to tell them how I couldn’t be happier to see them there, and that there’s no where else I could possibly think of that they would be happier or want to succeed. I’m excited to see where my journey continues from here, and know that every step I take with Gracie Gym is a step in the right direction. OSS!
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