You might have social anxiety if you feel jittery during social interactions. It can lead to simple things like striking up a conversation at a party making you feel like your heart is about to fall out of your chest.
You’re not alone if you can relate to these feelings. Social anxiety affects about 7 to 13 percent of people worldwide, with young adults being the most prone to it at 17 percent. Fortunately, there’s a way to kick your social anxiety to the curb while getting into the best shape of your life and learning to defend yourself. It’s called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).
Overcoming Social Anxiety With BJJ Training
Learning BJJ is more than just learning fighting techniques. You get introduced to a new way of life and become a member of a community that will cheer you on as you push to reach any goals you set.
Some of the ways donning a Gi can help you overcome social anxiety include:
1) It’s The Ultimate Icebreaker
BJJ is a fantastic icebreaker due to the physical contact and brief interactions during rolling. By the end of class, you’ll have gotten to know your training partner, fostering friendships along the way!
Imagine yourself running into a gym full of strangers, and thoughts of awkwardly going to the nearest exit start to creep into your mind. Before you can give into those thoughts, you’re greeted with warm smiles and a bunch of people who are happy to see their community expand.
Physical contact is a massive part of BJJ training from your first class. You will be put in situations where you must trust your training partners to let go when you’ve been caught in a submission or feel overwhelmed.
The forced familiarity required to train BJJ is an excellent icebreaker, especially when social interactions make you anxious. It’s hard to feel shy when you’re around people who let go whenever you tap out and help correct whatever mistakes you made. You’ll find yourself opening up to your training partners in ways you might not feel comfortable outside the dojo. It doesn’t take long into your training to start seeing your training partners as family.
2) Builds Your Confidence One Tap At A Time
As you progress in BJJ, mastering techniques and movements will naturally boost your self-confidence!
Social anxiety can be caused by low self-esteem, which leads to a lack of confidence. When you don’t feel good about yourself, you end up overthinking every interaction as you worry about being judged and start doubting yourself.
Learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu does wonders for your confidence. You learn new techniques during each class and master them over time. It doesn’t take long until you become a pretty competent grappler.
You’ll feel like a ONE Championship champion when you get your first submission on the mat. You’ll feel like an action hero the first time you successfully sweep one of your training partners off you. You’ll like the toughest person on the planet the first time you escape a submission one of your training partners had pretty deep.
Your newfound confidence doesn’t stay in the dojo; it goes everywhere you go. You’ll notice you no longer feel anxious when you meet new people.
3) You Become A Member Of The Community
Beyond the classes, you’re not just learning moves; you’re building lasting friendships and becoming part of a tight-knit BJJ community!
One of the best parts of training BJJ is the sense of community you get. You’ll be surrounded by people who are eager to help you learn. Everyone at the dojo has been a beginner at some point, and they understand the challenges you’ll face.
The camaraderie in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu dojos will help to alleviate your fear of being judged. It’s like having a second family who always have your back. Some of your training partners will go on to be life-long friends.
4) You Learn How To Be Patient And Humble
Through countless rolling sessions, you’ll learn to be patient with yourself, realizing that it’s not always about the tap—it’s about the growth.
Learning BJJ is a humbling experience for all beginners. You’ll find yourself tapping out a lot, but you’ll quickly notice no one cares. That’s because BJJ teaches students to see each rolling session as an opportunity to learn.
The best BJJ players don’t grow their skills by worrying about who tapped who out. Each rolling session and competition is a chance to become better.
Your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training will change the way you look at social interactions. Instead of feeling anxious about them, you’ll see them as opportunities to learn and improve. Who cares if you say something awkward during a conversation? You learn from it and move on, just like you return to the mat and try again during your BJJ classes.
5) Teaches You How To Be Mindful
BJJ enhances your awareness and focus by teaching you to execute techniques mindfully and stay attentive to your training partner.
BJJ training requires you to be present at the moment as your instructor explains techniques. Allow your mind to drift briefly, and you might miss small details crucial for these moves to work.
You also have to be focused when drilling techniques or rolling. You must concentrate on your training partner’s movements and anticipate what they’ll do next. The break from the constant overthinking that anxiety causes will give your mind a much-needed break, and you’ll feel less anxious when you leave the gym.
6) Improves Your Physical And Mental Health
BJJ classes offer a full-body workout that not only relieves pent-up frustration and stress but also boosts your physical and mental health.
Studies show that exercise is good for your mental health. The workout you get from your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training will cause a release of endorphins in your brain, reducing stress and improving your mood.
BJJ training gives you a full-body workout that gets your heart pumping and engages muscles all over your body. You can burn up to 1,000 calories for every hour spent on the mat, burning off any extra fat on your body.
Many people who sign up for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes report being in the best shape of their lives a few months into their training. The best part is that you’ll have so much fun when you train, you’ll forget you’re exercising.
Seeing your body transform will boost your confidence, making you feel less anxious during interactions. Research shows that exercise can be an effective tool for reducing your anxiety.
7) You Gain Practical Self-Defense Skills
BJJ equips you with the self-defense skills necessary to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Learning BJJ also means you’re learning how to defend yourself. Knowing you can defend yourself effectively if ever forced to will boost your confidence. You’ll become more self-assured knowing you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
A Fun Distraction From Social Anxiety
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training isn’t just about learning how to fight. It’s about building your confidence, connecting with your inner warrior, and becoming part of a supportive community. BJJ is about learning to stay in the present, becoming comfortable with failure, and improving your physical and mental health.
Tired of social anxiety holding you back? BJJ might be what you need to break out of your shell. Come to one of Evolve’s complimentary classes to train with our world-class instructors.
Book your complimentary trial class with our World Champions below!
If you have any other questions regarding Evolve MMA and the programs we offer, you can get in touch with our membership executives at the following locations:
Evolve MMA (Far East Square)
26 China Street
Far East Square #01-01
Singapore 049568
Phone: (65) 6536 4525
Evolve MMA (Orchard Central)
181 Orchard Road
#06-01 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Phone: (65) 6536 4556
Evolve MMA (KINEX)
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#02-52 KINEX
Singapore 437157
Phone: (65) 6288 2293
Evolve MMA (Star Vista)
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-26A The Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Phone: (65) 6539 9590
