Beyond the obvious benefit of physical flexibility, mental flexibility is a skill that applies broadly. If straining with all your strength can’t win the match, maybe you need to change the direction of your force. And if the guy that’s trying to twist your arm off your torso is stronger than you, maybe you can let him twist a bit while you come at him from a different angle.
DEVELOPS SPATIAL REASONING
From the outside Jiu-jitsu might look ungraceful, like two guys hugging each other in the mud. But learning the techniques of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) training, and applying them, is like trying to solve a complicated 3D jigsaw puzzle on the fly.
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Jiu-jitsu training generally takes the form of a professor demonstrating a technique and then letting you practice on a sparring partner. No matter how closely you watch the trainer at first, most people find they have some difficulty taking what they see and turning it into an action. Suddenly, you feel clumsy. It’s a hilarious sight to watch a bunch of exhausted sweaty dudes navigating a jumble of limbs and scratching their chins like old men over a chessboard. But it’s tricky, knowing how to mirror something left and right, knowing how turn your arms in a way that maximizes leverage against someone else’s.
IMPROVES CONCENTRATION & FOCUS
BJJ requires the athlete to focus their mental faculties as you anticipate the next move from the opponent. This helps you to recreate your combat mechanism with appropriate attack and defense, the forced concentration effort helps you to sharpen your combat practices.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Mental Health center for more articles.
Chiwetel Ejiofor Uses Martial Arts To Train His Mind was originally published on blackdoctor.org
