How BJJ scored points on me
After my second week in Dubai, I found a CrossFit box with a perfect schedule for morning exercises before heading to work. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel tired at all at the end of my day. So, I started doing CrossFit twice a day. Then, I noticed that in the same gym, there were people practicing martial arts. This was quite intriguing to me, especially because I’d never been interested in fighting or confrontation. After some contemplation, I decided to approach the coach and ask if I could join the class. I wanted to discover something new in my life, and this seemed like a great opportunity. I introduced myself to the coach and explained my reservations about fighting. He simply said, “It’s nonsense. You don’t know anything about life if you’ve never been willing to fight.” With no other option, I joined the class and stepped onto the mat. I met two guys named Isaac and Murat, who had been training in jiu-jitsu for two months. They were very friendly and welcomed me to the team.
I had never felt more uncomfortable in my life than when I started the specific exercises of the jiu-jitsu session. My brain felt disconnected from my body because this was entirely new to me. However, I realized that I thrive when I’m intensely focused on learning and understanding a concept thoroughly. So, I decided to listen to podcasts to learn real stories and gain knowledge from people deeply involved in jiu-jitsu. After listening to some of them, my brain grasped that jiu-jitsu is more than just a fight; it’s a lifestyle where people become humbler and more humane. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big, muscular guy or a smaller, less imposing one; in jiu-jitsu, even a smaller person can be the more formidable opponent.
Two weeks into my training, Roman, my coach, asked if I wanted to participate in a competition in a month and a half. The competition was the Jiu-Jitsu World Cup 2023 in Abu Dhabi. To be honest, my skill level was not up to par for such a tournament. However, I accepted the challenge to push myself. The preparation process was gruelling and stressful. Balancing my protein and carbohydrate intake to meet the 77 kg weight category was particularly challenging. Training twice a day gave me insight into how people prepare for real competitions. Recovery also played a vital role; I had to use the sauna and cold-water therapy after training. I was fortunate to have supportive teammates who went through this process with me.
November 5 arrived, and I participated in my first real jiu-jitsu competition. We weighed in, and I was at 77.5 kg. Fortunately, Roman was well-prepared for such situations and had brought extra clothes for me. He explained what I needed to do to meet the weight requirement. I wore lightweight clothes, skipped the underpants, and ran for 20 minutes. This reduced my weight to 76.9 kg. The relief was immense; it was incredibly stressful to think that I might not make the weight requirement and couldn’t participate in the tournament. All those little details made a big difference. The next step was to join the other fighters behind the scenes. Being there was a significant experience; I opened my eyes to a different perspective and witnessed the amazing energy in the room. I was surrounded by people who looked like the most dangerous and the most vulnerable, but when they stepped onto the mat, they became warriors. I felt fortunate to be there and witness the diverse stories of this sport.
When it was my turn to fight, I faced off against another white belt who had been training for two years. Nervous? Yes. Scared? No. Roman reminded me that my purpose was to have fun, explore a new environment, and put myself in an uncomfortable situation to appreciate where I truly stand. The outcome was as he expected I lost the fight. I was frustrated because I knew I could have performed better. However, I understood that sometimes in life, we don’t know why we lose until we learn from the experience. I told Roman that I would return to the mat as a better and smarter version of myself because strength alone is not enough in real life.
