BJJ for Self Defense, Confidence, Discipline & Peace of Mind

Posted on December 15, 2014 by myackulic

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is becoming an increasingly popular Martial Art. With its ‘technique over strength’ training program, people want to learn the ways of BJJ for self defense, confidence, discipline and peace of mind. Let’s look at how BJJ can help instill these things in you to better yourself.

Self Defense

BJJ is all about technique over strength. How you can beat an opponent who is much larger and stronger than you is where BJJ excels. If there is anyone trying to snatch something from you or giving you a hard time by constantly shoving you then your BJJ lessons will help you defend yourself against such miscreants. BJJ teaches a realistic way of self-defense; if anyone gets a hold of your clothes or grips you from behind, you will know how to free yourself and topple that person to the ground into submission.

Confidence

The biggest benefit of BJJ training is that it boosts your self confidence. Unlike other martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu sessions let you practice against fellow class mates in every session, supervised by the instructor. Your will learn how to deal with real life fight situations. You will learn to wrestle to clinch your opponent and escape from different types of holds and grips. This realistic way of combat approach gives you the self confidence you need for real world situations. The knowledge of techniques that allow you to defend yourself is something that will raise your self esteem.

Discipline

Discipline is a major part of all martial arts and BJJ is no exception. You will listen and learn from your instructors and do as they ask. You will learn to discipline yourself to follow their command and however they teach you BJJ techniques, that is exactly how you have to follow them. Discipline is also about knowing your opponent. You will learn to respect your opponent and not look down on them. Isn’t that the reason why you joined BJJ in the first place, to not be looked down upon? You will learn to think of others as your equals.

Peace of Mind

BJJ provides a workout that is not only good for fitness but also gives you a peace of mind. With today’s worrisome and depressing lifestyle, BJJ is the perfect way for you to give yourself a workout that soothes the mind. Focus is a major part of BJJ and when you learn to focus your energies in the right way, you will be truly at peace with yourself.

If these are the things you want in yourself then do not hesitate to call or visit us at Arashi Do Martial Arts in Edmonton. Having confidence, peace of mind, self defense techniques and discipline are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of BJJ. If you want to learn more about the benefits of BJJ then call us now or visit us!

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

How Good Can I Get After 3 Months of BJJ?

Posted on December 8, 2014 by myackulic

So you’ve grown tired of your chicken-elbow biceps and little chicken legs and are looking for a new challenge. BJJ has the potential to transform you into a Greek God but you’re unsure how long it will take for you to move from complete embarrassment to fairly decent. Well, as with any martial art or any sport, getting really good takes time, but you’ll be surprised how much you can learn in a short space of time.

In terms of progressing up the pecking order in winning competitive matches and moving up the belt rack, there wont be much visible progress. However, in terms of the impact 3 months of training can have on your physical fitness, technique, understanding and overall endurance you can come on leaps and bounds.

The early stages of anyones BJJ career focusing on grasping a good understanding of basic guards, escapes and techniques. Enough to defend yourself on the street but not enough to challenge a more advanced grade in a throw down rolling session in class. By the end of three months you’ll be thinking Kanye is a time traveller from the future and wrote harder, better, faster, stronger specifically about your BJJ career.

The start of your training will focus on how to defend and escape when in a grapple, as well as enough painful arm bars and gag inducing chokes to keep any attacker away and leave you feeling pumped and confident in many situations. No doubt you will also experience how good getting your arse handed to you in a roll feels, you’ll have the rolling buzz and a new found motivation to improve and get fitter. You can establish a basis on which to build, and rapid progression and improvement is not unheard of. To someone untrained in BJJ you’ll be able to comprehensively out do them, so by all means take the opportunity to embarrass your friends when they are being a little too cocky.

It’s important to remember that where BJJ may look a little rough around the edges, it’s an art that takes decades to perfect. The IBJJF state that a student should spend 2 years at white belt level, so as mentioned, in three months your wont be changing your belt. The three months will inspire you though, giving a target to aim for and igniting a desire that you did not know you had within you. You could say that BJJ is more than just a sport, is a lifestyle choice, and a choice that you will not regret making.

In summary, you’re not going to be as huge as Arnie or a ninja like Bruce Lee in just three months of training. You will notice improvements in overall fitness, strength and desire to succeed. The most appropriate word do describe what three months can give is transformation, both physical and mental. Just think what another 3 months will bring…

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Children’s BJJ For Better Health Habits

Posted on December 1, 2014 by myackulic

BJJ Kids in Edmonton

With general lifestyle habits deteriorating over time, the associated health detriments will no doubt keep very close to that trend, with a lot more lifestyle diseases being reported and suffered today and the really sad part is that all of this can be avoided with the simple act of taking things back to the basics of healthy living.

One need not necessarily become a full-on health nut — all it takes is a simple adjustment of lifestyle habits which could account for better health, but at the same time are probably very hard to change since they become an embedded part of modern day living.

The real cause for concern surrounding this is of course the mere fact that what starts out as a simple, once-off oversight on a health and lifestyle issue, gradually becomes a habit which eventually grows into a deeply-enshrined part of how we live our lives and the real danger is that bad health and lifestyle habits can have children born into them since the potency of these gets stronger generationally.

When a child is born into bad eating, health and lifestyle habits, they see absolutely nothing wrong with them and will continue to develop the legacy until those issues go right down to genetic levels, by which time it is very hard to change and nearly impossible to say the least.

Children’s BJJ for better health habits can be one of the many ways through which to counteract the detrimental effects of bad lifestyle habits, since Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) will ensure kids are exposed to high enough levels of activity to negate all the negative effects of an unhealthy lifestyle, or certainly go a long way in correcting some of the major advocates.

Children’s BJJ for better health habits is extremely effective because of one simple thing and that is the fact that kids who participate in a combative art form like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu do not feel as if they are engaging in somewhat of an exercise which requires a lot of them. — they do not feel as if they are obliged to do it but rather do it because they enjoy it, which is a win-win situation for all parties involved since the kids benefit in a number of different ways, many of which they do not even know.

If a child’s body gets accustomed to eating junk food everyday, with the absence of adequate exercise while they sit in front of the screen, playing video games all day, getting them involved in something like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu may be a mission at first, but once they have tasted the joy of being in an organized structure where they can interact with a number of other people, the exercise will most likely prove to be favorable to them and they will want more.

Children’s bodies love stimulation and the effects of that are directly felt by the kids, both mentally and physically, after which time the practice of something like BJJ becomes an essential part of their lives — something which they look forward to and do with a level of determination that will almost certainly fight against the detrimental lifestyle issues that could otherwise become a serious problem.

Now is a great time to start BJJ for your Child with our brand new Saturday classes. Email us at myackulic@arashido.com for more info.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

Life Lessons Learnt from BJJ

Posted on March 28, 2014 by myackulic

As any martial artist will know, the influence of training stretches far wider than the walls of the dojo, spreading into all aspects of a students life. Martial arts and BJJ in particular, have taught me many useful principles that can be applied to my life in a wider sense.

1. Perfection is Unobtainable

The pursuit of perfection is exactly that, a pursuit, a journey with only a beginning rather than a definite end. In all aspects of your life, there is always room for improvement, learning is not a finite process. There is always scope to learn more, whether its taking up a new language or realising the flow of a technique should move slightly differently after performing it for the thousandth time. To have a perfect technique requires you to make a million tiny mistakes, tweaking each time in a constant never ending cycle.

The same principal can be applied to the rest of your life. Whether it be work, finding ways to be more efficient or relationships, making mistakes that shape you a person and learning from them. Practice will never make perfect, but the lesson to take home is that improvement is like a wind, with no definitive start or finish, just moving forward.

2. You Are Never the Best

Where you may be sitting pretty as the most accomplished in your school, if not on a regional or national scale, there will be someone better on a global scale. Rather than bother you, this fact should inspire, push you harder and enable you to learn from your fellow artists. Take something new from each roll, from each technique applied and each technique applied on you. I am always in competition, not with others but with myself, the constant strive for improvement should be relished in, in all aspects of a student’s life.

3. Getting Beat Builds Character

There is no shame in getting beaten, as long as you learn from it. Sure it can be initially embarrassing if you get dumped on your ass by the newbie, but that will teach you not to underestimate opponents. There are lessons to be learnt each time you get knocked down, no matter the scenario. If you accept this, the only way to move is onwards, in your training, performance and personal life.

4. 9 to 5 Isn’t Everything

BJJ helps put aspects of your life in perspective. Through is fundamental lessons of accepting defeat, dedication to improve, prioritisation of actions and endurance can be applied to both work and personal situations. If you lose a job, you’ll be back up looking for another just like losing a roll. If you try something and it doesn’t work out, you learn from it and try again. BJJ is just like any other sport, mastery takes time, practice and dedication. We live in a society where we expect success to be immediate, change to be fast and are driven by fads and crazes. BJJ teaches you to take a step back, take time to build a solid foundation of basics on which you can begin your climb to success.

5. Your Body IS a Temple

The best birthday present you ever got was your body. Without it you’d be useless, it takes battering on occasion but it’s always there for you. It’s capable of greatness if you condition it, care for it and don’t waste it. I’m not saying never drink, never have a binge day, I’m talking on a wider scale. By physical conditioning, eating well and training hard, you’ll be amazed at the knock on effects it can have. You’ll have more energy, sleep better, perform for longer and you’ll look fantastic. BJJ helps hone your body into an efficient, sculpted, straight-up-beast.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

Common Mistakes for BJJ Beginners

Posted on March 17, 2014 by myackulic

Starting any new martial art is tough, and BJJ is no exception to this rule. When you’re down in close quarters, every mistake is amplified and every movement is crucial. One wrong move and you’ll find yourself locked down and helpless in a matter of seconds. You’ll be wondering what you’ve possibly done wrong, and in most cases the answer is straight forward.

BJJ is designed to allow a smaller opponent to take down a bigger guy and come out on top. Think about it, everyone is the same height when they are lying down. The reason from bringing the fight downtown to ground level is to mitigate what could be glaring differences in size, strength and overall athleticism. Careful technique is required for this to happen, moves need to be precise, and managing your opponents strength is important. The important thing to remember is to stick to what has been taught to you, there are no shortcuts when you’re learning. Learn something wrong and it will be wrong forever, work infrequently and more than likely result in you getting embarrassed at crunch time on the mats.

The most common mistake a BJJ instructor will see a student make again and again is trying to use raw strength to overpower their opponent. Don’t be a douche, logical technique will always over come trying to force it. By trying to force a technique on, be it a choke or an arm bar, you are projecting you weight and force in one singular direction. All your opponent needs to do to get the better of you is then counter your movement in another direction that your full on assault has left you weaker in. If you regularly find your attacks being countered, bring it back to basics, practise the movements at a slower pace in a non-competitive environment to get each step down, then reapply on the mats, you’ll be amazed at how many fewer times you find yourself getting owned.

Think of your start in BJJ as a new beginning, leave everything that you think is a physical attribute at the door. If you’re quick, so what this isn’t a race, if you’re strong, well that’s not really a compliment in BJJ… The only attributes that are going to make a difference are willingness to learn, dedication and patience. Fights are not won on ferocity alone, BJJ is not a brawl, it’s an art. The only way to improve art is to practice each and every aspect until they are engrained in your brain.

As a beginner, you’re going to get beat time and time again, it’s all part of the learning process. The important thing to remember is that everyone was a noob like you once. The only thing that sets them apart now is the level of practice they have given their technique. You’ll never find a higher grade relying on strength, their technique will be smooth, soft until you’re pummelled into the ground by momentum, but smooth nonetheless. Master the basics and you’ll have a BJJ career littered with victories!

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

Top 10 Reasons to do BJJ at Arashi Do Part 2

Posted on March 11, 2013 by myackulic

Last week we covered 5 great reasons to start Training BJJ, Muay Thai, Karate or MMA at Arashi Do Martial Arts. This week we continue the top 10 Reasons. If the first 5 were enough, come down to Arashi Do to start your 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

6. We have Professional Instructors – Professor Mike has been teaching full time since 2002. Teaching is not a hobby or something to do in his free time, it is his only source of income. It just makes it so much easier because he absolutely loves to teach and is super passionate about the Martial Arts.

7. We have a Curriculum that sets Realistic, Manageable Goals for you – Every program we offer has a curriculum designed specifically for not only the Art involved but the age group of the students. This is super important since not only do children of different ages and adults learn differently, but it offers consistent challenges to keep students motivated and testing at each level offers great feedback.

8. A great way to relieve your daily stress – Had a bad day, people of life driving you nuts? Our classes offer a chance to let loose physically and get some endorphins in your body, something proven to make you feel better. You will leave class feeling refreshed and like you accomplished something. For children it offers a great way to burn off energy and work out there frustrations. It’s all about finding balance with oneself, some need more aggression in their life, some need to burn it off. Yin and Yang.

9. Meet other like minded positive people – We are very proud of the environment that we have created. You will find the students here really want to be here and feed off the good will of everyone. You will find Instructors and senior students are more than happy to lend a hand for any of your questions.

10. Several classes to fit your schedule – With the number of days and times we have classes we are sure to have a class to fit your schedule. We offer classes during the lunch hour throughout the week, evenings, and weekends. We even have a Women’s Only BJJ Class and classes for more experienced students (when you reach that level).

There you go, several reasons why you should come done to Arashi Do and try out one of our great programs. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! What are you waiting for? Call or text us at 780-220-5425 or email us at myackulic@ArashiDo.com