In a candid discussion about martial arts training, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu business owner and head instructor of Midland BJJ and MMA Brad Barnes has shed light on what makes this sport uniquely challenging – and why that’s exactly the point.
“Everyone loves doing things they’re good at, that’s why people have hobbies,” Barnes explains in appearance on Midland Texas podcast. “Jiu-jitsu is the hobby for people that are okay with sucking.”
Barnes points out that even the reward system in jiu-jitsu is notably humble. “They get a strip of athletic tape, not even a whole strip… maybe a quarter of a strip around the end of your belt,” he says. Yet practitioners cherish these simple promotions, which represent countless hours of dedicated training.
The sentiment resonates strongly within the jiu-jitsu community. One practitioner shared that it took six months of training four hours weekly to earn a single stripe, describing it as “one of the happiest days of my life.” Another member, approaching black belt status, still maintains, “I feel like I suck.”
What makes jiu-jitsu particularly challenging, Barnes suggests, is that natural athleticism alone isn’t enough. He describes how traditionally athletic individuals often struggle with the sport’s complexity: “Those people will come and do jiu-jitsu and be like ‘this is too hard, it’s too complicated.'”
The sport has attracted practitioners of all ages and backgrounds. One 52-year-old beginner with bad knees recently joined “just to learn something new and keep my mind sharp.” Another student took a full year to earn their first stripe but emphasizes it was “worth it!”
This acceptance of the learning curve appears to be a unifying factor among practitioners. As one student puts it, “Every time I come to jiu-jitsu class, I’m just trying to survive and learn new things… and I love it.”
