BJJ For World Peace

By: Greg Lapin

If you’re a fan of the 1990s action film “Ski Patrol,” you’ll remember one of my favorite sayings from the beloved, two faced villain in the movie: “Taste death, live life.”  As cliché as this sounds, there is some truth to it. We run around our daily lives in extreme comfort and without a care in the world or any fear of repercussion.  Our groceries get delivered, our food gets brought to us, our tailgates close on their own and the entire “real” world is available in the palm of our hand (sarcasm intended).

Where is this all going?  Well. . . I have a solution to bullying.  I have a solution to road rage.  I have a solution to people being overtly selfish and massively inconsiderate. It’s called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  Hear me out.  I have firemen, Police Officers, Navy SEALs on my mat and they all say the same thing: “This is the realest place I’ve ever been.”  The world is supposed to have repercussions.  That is what makes us smart, helps us learn, and makes us treat others like civil human beings.  Unfortunately, in our P.C., litigation happy world, that’s all gone out the window.

Jiu-Jitsu provides repercussions every time you step on the mat.  Healthy, motivating, glorious repercussions.  You learn about real violence and how to hurt people, thus, in turn, how to defend yourself in a controlled, educational environment where everyone there that is trying to kill you is really helping and teaching you.

Everyone knows that those who really know violence are the least likely to use it.  You never see D1 wrestlers committing violent crimes.  On top of understanding violence, repercussions and respecting others, you will gain a work ethic and mindset of perseverance like no other.  Jiu-Jitsu is hard.  It exposes your weaknesses and insecurities and makes you stronger than you could ever imagine, both mentally and emotionally.

There’s a reason that around 1998, the United Arab Emirates began adopting Jiu-Jitsu as its national sport and instituting it into the Physical Education curriculum in its public school system.  With the UAEs independence and rapid growth of extreme wealth, it had built a generation of entitled, spoiled citizens that had no respect, work ethic or resolve.  Sheik Tahnoon recognized this and recognized the benefits and realism Jiu-Jitsu had to offer.  I lived and trained in the UAE for several years, and I will tell you this: The current generation of young men and women know what hard work is.  Bullying and crime in the public school system is unheard of and the overall fitness, health and respect of the country has increased as a whole.

Is Jiu-Jitsu easy?  Far from it.  If you want easy, continue getting your drive-through latte, your lunch delivered and live your days unable to defend yourself or your loved ones.