It’s no secret that the best form of self-defense is to avoid finding trouble and situations that may put you in it. However, trouble comes to find us and it is critical that we know how to defend ourselves in these situations. Often referred to as the “gentle art” there are few martial arts better suited for getting you out of some not so gentle situations than Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There are several aspects of the art that make extremely well suited for self-defense, here are a few key reasons why.

Knowing What to Do

It is estimated that roughly 90 percent of fights end up on the ground, but what percentage of people actually know what to do once it gets there? Not knowing what to do, especially when on your back against a bigger and stronger opponent can put you in serious danger. Understanding how to create space or take it away when on the ground can make a massive difference in a self-defense situation. Remember, the goal of self-defense isn’t necessarily winning the fight, it’s self-preservation. The ability to create space to get away or to take it away to prevent your assailant from striking can save you from serious injuries. Even a novice-level understanding of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu puts you well ahead of a large portion of the general population and gives you the skills to defend yourself efficiently if a fight gets to the ground.

Mitigation of Violence/Harm

In a self-defense situation, our assailants wellbeing is far from our greatest concern, however, we do not approach these situations looking to cause anyone extreme harm, but simply to subdue and remove ourselves from the situation. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu equips you with the skills necessary to accomplish this. While strangulation can be dangerous to an untrained person, a Jiu Jitsu practitioner understands the necessary force to subdue someone without harming them with excessive oxygen deprivation or crushing their airpipes. Additionally, with this goal in mind, we avoid using concussive force which can cause significant long-term damage.

Full-Speed Training

Unlike many martial arts, the nature of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu allows us to train at close to full speed. While we obviously do not seek to harm one another while training, when it comes time to grapple, we are not shortchanging one another with a lack of effort in the slightest. This can make a huge difference in a self-defense situation. Someone coming at you seeking to cause harm is not going to come at you at sparring speed after you’ve both put pads on. Training at this high-octane speed does an excellent job of giving you a look at what an actual fight will look and feel like, allowing you to be much calmer and more collected in this scenario.

There are many reasons to get involved in martial arts, but self-defense is arguably the most important of all. As we mentioned before, the best self-defense is to avoid violent confrontation altogether, but the reality is sometimes it can’t be helped. Knowing you have these tools allows you to approach any environment with confidence which itself can be a deterrent from unwanted trouble.

Interested in trying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or have any questions about how it can help you with self-defense, contact us today!