Why do people start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?  What does it do for your body, mind or soul? For some a hobby, for some, it’s a lifestyle.  Here it from these BJJ practitioners first hand.  I asked a few people including BJJ Black Belt Mike Fowler, JT Torres, why they started, here what they have to say.

Erika Dailey: BJJ White Belt, 2nd degree Black Belt in Karate, 1st degree Black Belt in Tae Kwondo.

“I knew nothing about a fight after it hits the ground.  I figured, if I was in an actual fight, if we went to the ground, it would be a complete mystery to me.  When I first saw people training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I thought to myself, I have to do this! It was a whole new world to me.”

Mason Welch: BJJ Brown Belt

“I like the marital art of it, and I wanted to learn how to fight!  My older brother beat me with Jiu-Jitsu techniques for about a year.  Every time my brother came home and would use his techniques, I would be lost and wondering what this Mixed Martial Art was.  So, I tried it out, and after my first class, I loved it!”

Mike Fowler: BJJ Black Belt

“I first joined the gym after a friend started showing me a few moves at my local high school wrestling club.  I did it for a sport and fell in love with the Art.  I had no reason for starting down this path but really happy I did!”

JT Torres: BJJ Black Belt, Black Belt in Karate.

“I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because my father wanted me to stay in shape, and I was cut from the Basket Ball team my freshman year of high school.”

Jim Harbison: BJJ Brown Belt

“I wrestled before high school, then the high school(catholic) I went to didn’t have a wrestling team.  So half way through my freshman year, my dad told me to try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after I tried it, it took over my life!  I absolutely loved it.”

So what is your reason for starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?  Everyone has great stories, and it’s great to share them.  I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the North Shore of Oahu with Kai Garcia and Marcelo Steenhagen.  I didn’t know much about Jiu-Jitsu, I entered my first tournament on a whim, and won!  I went back to my first loved sport, soccer, then finally returned to jiu-jitsu.  After traveling to Guam, Philippines, Japan, then all the way to the east coast, Maryland.  I found the place where I belonged to train at, Lloyd Irvin’s Mixed Martial Arts, the rest is history….in the making.

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