Tag: depression

The Calm After the Storm: How Jiu Jitsu Grounds You After a Long Day

No matter how exhausted I am after getting off from work, I can usually find the strength to drag myself to class. There’s something about stepping onto the mat after a long day that feels like an exhale your body has been holding onto for hours.

For many of us, the day begins in chaos, waking up groggy, shuttling kids off to school, facing the noise and demands of work, feeling pulled in a dozen different directions. By the time we get off work, our nervous systems are fried, and our minds are running in loops. That’s where Jiu Jitsu comes in.

When people talk about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), they often highlight its intensity, its competitiveness, and the physical toll it takes. But what doesn’t get talked about enough is the calm that follows the storm, the way training can settle a restless mind and anchor you to the present.

The Reset Button

Walking into the gym is like stepping into a completely different reality. You strip off the titles, the expectations, and the stress. Whether you’re a therapist, a parent, a nurse, or a construction worker, once you tie that belt, you’re just another person on the mat.

The physical exertion of drilling and sparring forces you to be fully present. There’s no room to worry about unpaid bills or unresolved arguments when someone is trying to pass your guard or lock in a choke. Your survival instinct kicks in, but in a safe, controlled environment. This, in itself, is therapy.

You move from fight-or-flight to focus and flow.

Why the Calm Feels So Good

Most of the time I leave Jiu Jitsu feeling so much lighter than I did when I first walked in, and I’m not just talking about the water weight I lost from sweating. It’s one of the main reasons I push myself to go, especially after a particularly hard day.

From a mental health perspective, training BJJ activates several key systems in the body. You get a surge of endorphins, your cortisol levels begin to drop, and you start to regulate your breathing. When you finish class, the same problems might still exist, but your relationship to them has shifted. They’re no longer screaming in your face.

And for those of us who struggle with anxiety, depression, or even burnout from emotionally demanding work, Jiu Jitsu becomes more than a workout. It becomes a lifeline.

Returning to the Body

So much of life keeps us trapped in our heads. We replay conversations, obsess over what we could have said or done differently, and catastrophize about the future. But when you train, you return to the body. You start noticing your breath. You begin to feel the rhythm of movement. You learn to read your training partner’s body language, and in doing so, you become more attuned to your own.

This somatic awareness is healing. Trauma, stress, and emotional pain often live in the body (check out The Body Keeps The Score if you’re really interested in learning more about that) and Jiu Jitsu creates a space for them to move, to be expressed, and eventually, to be released.

The Post-Roll Stillness

There’s a particular kind of stillness that settles in after a hard roll. Your muscles are spent, your gi is soaked, and your heart rate begins to slow. You lie on your back, looking up at the ceiling, breathing deeply. That stillness isn’t just physical, it’s emotional. It’s spiritual.

In that moment, you’re not thinking about tomorrow’s tasks or yesterday’s regrets. You’re just… here. Alive. Present. At peace.

Taking It Off the Mat

The calm after class doesn’t have to stay at the gym. It can bleed into how we parent, how we show up in relationships, and how we manage stress. The more consistent we are with training, the more we begin to carry that grounded presence into everyday life.

Jiu Jitsu won’t fix all your problems. But it can help you meet them from a place of strength, clarity, and emotional balance.

So the next time you’ve had a day that leaves you feeling wrecked and disconnected, step onto the mat. Let the storm of training clear away the debris. And let the calm after remind you of who you are beneath the stress.

You’re more than what happened to you today. You’re a fighter. And fighters know how to find peace in the middle of chaos.

As for morning class people? Well, it definitely takes a special kind of person to wake up and train at 6am 🙂

The Art of Resilience: How Jiu Jitsu Helps Overcome Depression

When grappling with the grips of depression, it’s easy to feel lost, like you’re stuck in a position from which escape seems impossible. This feeling of hopelessness and helplessness is a tough opponent, one that requires resilience and strength of spirit to overcome. It’s here, on the canvas of our struggle, that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) can help us paint a picture of resilience and self-discovery.

The Jiu Jitsu – Depression Connection

I know many people who started Jiu Jitsu in the midst of battling with depression. Some were just getting out of a relationship and others were military veterans. The one thing they all had in common was that they were looking for something to be a part of and didn’t yet know the awesome benefits of training Jiu Jitsu when it comes to depression.

Jiu Jitsu, with its intricate network of techniques, patterns, and drills, provides a challenging but rewarding physical activity that stimulates both the body and mind. It requires the practitioner to be fully present, engrossed in the moment, much like meditation. For those battling depression, it offers an outlet, a space where they can focus their energies and momentarily step out of their gloom.

Building Resilience, One Roll at a Time

Depression often robs us of our self-esteem, but the Jiu Jitsu can help rebuild it, piece by piece. Every roll, every tap, every moment of breakthrough after a hard-earned struggle provides a sense of achievement. This achievement, regardless of how small, fuels the practitioner’s resilience – an essential trait when combating depression.

The Healing Power of Community

Jiu Jitsu doesn’t only promote physical engagement; it cultivates social interaction as well. The community that evolves in a Jiu Jitsu gym is one of support, respect, and camaraderie. This sense of belonging and acceptance can be a powerful antidote to the isolation and loneliness often felt in depression.

Physical Exercise and Mental Health

There’s an extensive body of research linking physical exercise to improved mental health. When we engage in physical activity, our body releases endorphins, known as ‘feel-good’ hormones, which can elevate our mood. Jiu Jitsu, with its demanding physical drills, can be a potent, natural antidepressant.

Learning to Embrace the Struggle

Jiu Jitsu teaches us to respect the struggle, to see it not as a blockade but as a catalyst for growth. It’s about finding comfort in the uncomfortable. And isn’t that what battling depression is all about? Embracing the struggle, finding ways to navigate through it, and coming out stronger on the other side. Jiu Jitsu will teach you that you’re tougher than you think you are and that it’s okay to not be perfect.

A Tool, Not a Cure

While the benefits are tangible, it’s important to remember that Jiu Jitsu isn’t a substitute for professional mental health treatment. It’s a tool, a supplementary practice that can fortify our mental health alongside therapy, medication, and other necessary interventions.

The journey of Jiu Jitsu, much like the journey through depression, is not a straight line. It’s a winding path, with hills and valleys. But by practicing Jiu Jitsu, we don’t merely learn how to grapple with our opponents; we learn how to grapple with our fears, our struggles, our inner demons. We learn that no position is impossible to escape from, and in the end, we emerge more resilient, more confident, and more in tune with ourselves.

In the words of Carlos Gracie Jr., “Jiu Jitsu is for the protection of the individual, the older man, the weak, the child, the lady, and the young woman – anyone who doesn’t have the physical attributes to defend themselves.” And perhaps, just perhaps, it can help protect us from the clutches of depression as well.