My decision to start training in BJJ was really a matter of happenstance, but it has been without a doubt one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was getting breakfast and I saw someone wearing a Renzo Gracie Denville T-Shirt. I started up a conversation with this guy who happened to be one of the instructors for the school. After we talked for a while, he was about to get in his car and something made me stop him and ask for a card for the school. Ten months later, I'm a thirty-year old in the best shape of his life and it's all because of BJJ!
I wanted to mention that story because there's something notable about my conversation with that instructor that day. At no point was he trying to "sell" the school on me. In fact, I had to chase him down for a business card. Now I had only been to a couple martial arts schools in my life, but this was the first time I didn't feel the slightest bit of pressure to sign up that you'll often get at other schools/gyms. Despite that meeting, I'm not gonna lie, I was still a little nervous about checking the school out, but when I came to the school and met Professor George, it was such a relief. He's just such a cool guy and you can tell he cares right from the bat. He takes the time to talk to you and establish what your short and long-term goals might be, concerns you might be having, and basically just everything you'd expect from a guy who loves the sport so much.
My first class I was just a ball of nerves, but everyone took me in right from the bat and I have never looked back since. It really is remarkable how the people you train with quickly become like an extended family, and that's honestly something I never would have expected. No one is there to hurt you, they truly want to help you improve so we improve as a team, and that is really awesome!
As for the training itself, it never feels stale or repetitive, and that's the beauty of BJJ. More to that point, every instructor at Renzo Gracie Denville offers their own unique style and perspective, so even something you've drilled several classes before can be modified in such a way that it's like learning something entirely new. I've dabbled in a few other martial arts before (Krav Maga, Kenpo, Systema), and quickly lost interest within a few months, but I can honestly say I'm hooked on BJJ. What started as basically a hobby for me quickly bacame a lifestyle, and I can't see that ever changing.
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Posted 12 years ago