}

Getting beat the F. out three nights a week

made me stop being a p*ssy and gave me more confidence. One day you think you are Mr. Know It All whining about everything, the next day you are getting strangled by a 16 years old girl who's been training for 6 years. Boy, that sure is humbling!

Getting a sharp mind, spirit and body have been my guidelines for about five years. It started with a kind of spiritual awakening phase of my life, then it took me to improve some mind skills, like learning English and Teology, and not untill last year I stopped to give attention to my body. Instead of quitting my 3C Diet (cigarettes, coffee and cold beer) I started riding my bike. After some months my breathing and steem had improved a lot, so I started looking for something more challenging.

My cousin had already inveted me to a experimental BJJ class years ago. I did go. But it didn't feel right for me then. He invited me again during the p @ n demic. This time though I heard the calling. As a big fan of Joe Rogan's and Jocko's podcast, getting curious about the benefits of training BJJ became a thing. I knew it would change everything, so I gave it another try.

Art of breaking bones

Every martial arts hold mistery and tradition. As many other modalities like Judo, Jiu Jitsu it is said to have it's roots back to ancient India and Greece. The need for protecting oneself have always been a huge issue since dawn of time. But somehow police and the military became a thing, and people didn't have the need to learn to fight anymore (sight!).

During the first half of 1900's the master Mitsuyo Maed from Japan brought JiuJistu to Brazil, and as an act of favour to a friend, he taught Gastao Gracie's sons Carlos and Helio. Helio though was sick and fragile. He was unable to learn the traditional techniques, so, with Carlos, they devoloped the art into the worldwide know Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. The martial art where a weaker and smaller person can put a bigger and stronger person to sleep.

BJJ became very popular in the last 20 years and new people start rolling every week. The sport was viewed with mean eyes by the media and by most people. It's not uncommon to see people thinking that martial arts practitioners are violent or arrogant. It's the very opossite. I never made so many friendships at the same time with such kind and respectfull people. Many differents kinds of people are at the dojo. Teachers, lawyers, stoners, delivery guys, electricians... everyone. And it doesn't matter who you are, there at the gym we are all equal and the only thing that distinguish people are the belt colors, that say a lot about your BJJ skills and time of practice.

The thing is, when a lot o people meet to sweat, fight, persist, overcome, failure, achieve, and getting a little hurt togheter, it really makes strong bonds between them. As in any other serious martial art, the hierarchy in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the most important thing at the dojo. Whatever Sensei says, so you do it!

Training three to six nights a week changed my daily routine and diet habits. It gave me more strengh and, most importantly, it gave me confidence. I'm not ashamed of myself anymore. I'm proud of putting myself to test on every training session. I like feeling pain. I know there are always be obstacles in life but also a way to flow pass by it. Also, I learned the lesson that there will always be someone better, stronger and smarter than you. Always. Plus, Time is valueble and should not simply go to waste by scrolling memes, let's learn how defend ourselves and family first. By the way, my master always says something like this:

It is better to know it and not need it, than to need it and not know it

This experience made me get back to Zen. There will always be a way.

We'll get back to this subject soon. I hope you liked it.

OSS!