[Nautik]

Been doing BJJ a little over 3 years now with Master Pedro Sauer. So I guess I started about the same time this thread was made! It has been awesome for me both mentally and physically. I think as long as you keep the attitude that you are there to learn and have fun and check your ego at the door you will do well. As long as you keep going and getting in that mat time you are guaranteed to get better. Starting out is really tough because you have no understanding but once you get a few hundred hours on the mat you start realizing you are in a physical chess match. Once you have committed moves to muscle memory and you don't have to think while executing, you just think and your body does the work immediately, things start getting better.

Someone was asking about how well BJJ can condition you. I don't do anything but BJJ and I get about 5 hours of mat time a week. I haven't even went for a jog in years. I just got off a cruise where I gained like 3-4 lbs because they make you eat on those things! Anyway I went out and ran 5k no problem at all. I wasn't booking it or anything but still ran around a 27 minute pace. Not bad for not running in years and just walking outside and running 3 miles in a reasonable time.

Same things with weights too. I have a nice weight set in my basement that I don't use (lazy). When my schedule won't let me get in my mat time though I will do some weights though. Normally I do more cross-fit type exercises on the rare occasion I do weights but the last time I tried some bench press I still was able to put up 275lbs (Im 6'1 175lbs).

Long story short, BJJ is a great way to maintain your cardio and your strength. Not to mention BJJ will give you core body strength which is real applicable strength. Gym rats find they are not as strong as they think they are when they try grappling (unless they doing a cross-fit type program).

Just keep your head in the right spot (humble and eager to learn and have fun), tap early and often, and respect your training partner and you can't go wrong. Forget this though and BJJ can give you SERIOUS injuries. Don't be the guy walking in thinking he is going to overpower everyone in the club. Some people won't be as gentle and you will walk out with some sprained joints or worse.