Jiujitsu - The Beginning

I'm going to start training Jiujitsu. I have always wanted to but life got in the way, or more honestly, I never made time for it. Now, that time is not a hindrance, I've decided to pay for my one month trial. I have to admit though, I'm a little scared to try it. I've never learned any type of martial art before so I'm not sure what it's going to be like. Jiujitsu was designed for people like me, someone who is smaller and not as strong as their opponent. Yet, I'm not sure if I will dislike getting rolled around or crushed by someone who is bigger. At five feet and 100 pounds, everyone is bigger! As sad as it sounds, no matter how great my learning curve is, it's going to be really hard to submit someone.

Most of the guys in the house are training at Gordo's Club because it is so conveniently close, in fact just minutes away from the house. Many of the guys go twice a day, and don't have to worry about taking buses that are hours long. I've heard a lot of positive feedback about Gordo's but I decided not to train there for two reasons. There are very few women there and most of the people there are quite big. After weighing my options, I decided to go to Gracie Barra, which is a 30 minute walk from the house, and which I liked when I tried the first trial class. My trial class was a private lesson. A brown belt, in Portuguese, taught me how to break fall and shrimp, and some other basic movements and a blue belt translated the instructions into English. The class was very structured, thorough and I liked the club right away.

The classes are in Portuguese, which is sort of a double-edged sword. Although there are some English speakers in the class who have really helped me, it would be easier to learn Jiujitsu if the class was taught in English. On the flip side though, living in a house with all gringos, English is all you hear. So this class might be the only place where I consistently hear Portuguese spoken, more than the average conversation at a restaurant or supermarket. And after being in Rio for five months, I'd hope that I could have a basic conversation in Portuguese!

So, let’s see how it goes. After a month, I'll know if it's for me. Living in a house where everyone trains has its advantages. If Jiujitsu is something I pursue, then there are people I can watch and learn from and maybe if I feel confident enough at some point, drill with. Baby steps. Wish me luck :-)