Okay, so I’ve been meaning to get into better shape, and a buddy of mine kept going on about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He’s all about that grappling life, and honestly, it looked pretty intense. I live in Buffalo, NY, so I figured I’d give it a shot and see what was around here.
First thing I did was, you know, hit up the internet. Typed in “brazilian jiu jitsu buffalo ny” and saw a bunch of places pop up. I’m not gonna lie, it was a little overwhelming at first. So many gyms, different styles, different vibes… I felt like I was drowning in gis and belts.
Checking Out the Gyms
I decided to narrow it down by location. I didn’t want to drive across town every time I wanted to train, so I picked a few places that were relatively close to me.
Next, I visited a couple of these gyms. This was key. Just reading about them online wasn’t enough. I wanted to see the space, meet the instructors, maybe even watch a class. My First stop, I walked in, and it was…intense. Everyone was super serious, rolling around like they were in a competition. The instructor seemed cool, but the atmosphere was a little too hardcore for me, a complete beginner.
The second place I checked out was totally different. It was smaller, more laid-back. People were still working hard, but there was more laughter, more of a friendly vibe. The instructor took the time to chat with me, explain the basics, and even let me sit in on a beginner’s class. It felt way more welcoming.
My First Class…Yikes!
- Warm-up: I thought I was in decent shape, but man, that warm-up kicked my butt. We did all these weird movements, shrimping across the floor, bear crawls… I felt like a clumsy bear the whole time.
- Learning the Moves: The instructor showed us a couple of basic techniques, like how to escape from someone holding you down. It looked so simple when he did it, but when I tried… let’s just say I spent a lot of time getting squished.
- “Rolling”: This is the part where you actually practice the moves against a partner. I was paired up with this smaller guy, and I figured, “Okay, I got this.” Nope. He tied me in knots. I tapped out so many times, I lost count.
Honestly, that first class was brutal. I was sore in places I didn’t even know I had muscles. But… I also kind of loved it. It was challenging, humbling, and surprisingly fun. I realized that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was going to be way harder than I thought, but also way more rewarding.
I ended up signing up at that second gym, the one with the friendlier vibe. I’ve been going a few times a week now, and I’m still getting my butt kicked, but I’m slowly getting better. It’s a long road, but I’m excited to keep learning and see where this whole Jiu-Jitsu thing takes me. Maybe one day I won’t be the clumsiest bear on the mat.
