When you first start training jiu-jitsu, you’ll immediately notice a variety of physical benefits. From increased flexibility, to weight loss, to gaining strength, it’s easy to see why so many practitioners cite these benefits as the main reasons for their training. The longer you train, however, the more you’ll start to appreciate the mental benefits of consistent practice. From better problem solving skills, to improved mood, to increased focus and productivity, the mental benefits of jiu-jitsu are just as, if not more important than the physical ones. The following is an examination of the mental benefits of training jiu-jitsu and why they’re such an important factor in jiu-jitsu being such an amazing art.

Develop Better Problem Solving Skills

Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most technical sports on the planet. There are an endless amount of sweeps, guard passes, and submissions, as well as counters to all of these moves. Because of the vast amount of techniques, jiu-jitsu is often compared to chess. While physical attributes will always improve your effectiveness on the mat, you’ll quickly learn that your problem solving skills will be even more important to your success. The sport is constantly evolving as new techniques are honed and developed more and more rapidly. In order to continue to grow as a practitioner, it’s imperative that you are constantly addressing problems and finding unique ways to solve them. As you start to address and solve more and more problems in jiu-jitsu, your problem solving skills will get better and better. Honing and developing this skillset will have direct benefits to your work, family life, and other hobbies.

Improve Your Mood

Physical exercise has been proven to increase production of endorphins that are directly related to improved mood. With all the stresses of everyday life in the modern world, it’s very difficult to find a hobby or activity that will consistently leave you feeling better each and every time after partaking in it. As we learn more and more about mental health, it’s become increasingly more important to develop a plan for the times in which we’re struggling with our mindset. If you’ve trained jiu-jitsu for a significant amount of time, there have probably been very few instances where you leave training feeling worse than when you started. The combination of physical exercise, mental strain, and community have a unique way of improving your mood. With a better mood you’ll be more pleasant to be around, which will benefit all of your relationships throughout your life.

Increase Your Focus And Productivity

One of the biggest problems most people face today is a lack of focus. We have an unlimited amount of data and information at our fingertips, which often leads to analysis paralysis. Although there are many positives to having so much information, it has made it increasingly more challenging to remain focused for a prolonged period of time. After a tough jiu-jitsu session, however, you’ll often find that your focus and productivity improves dramatically. As your body starts to recover from the physical exertion, you’ll naturally become more focused and productive. Many practitioners enjoy training early in the morning so they can enjoy these benefits at work and throughout the rest of their day.

In your opinion, what are some of the other mental benefits of jiu-jitsu training?