BJJ Training

The Hidden Benefits of BJJ

January 08, 2025 2 min read

From when I started training jiu-jitsu to now, I’ve experienced many benefits—some of which I expected, and many of which I did not. Most people think training BJJ is just about increasing fitness and skills. However, there are so many hidden benefits to training BJJ.

Hidden Benefits of BJJ

Increased confidence
Testosterone Boost
Strength Increase
Facial Improvement
Improved Physique

Now let's get into the details.

#1 Increased Confidence

For me, this was the biggest one. I was moderately confident growing up and into adulthood, but it was never grounded in truth. Deep down, I always knew my confidence lacked a foundation—I had no ability to protect myself or back up the way I thought about myself.

When I started training BJJ, all that changed. Just kidding! In reality, my confidence actually got worse at first. For the first 3–6 months of training, I realized just how helpless I was to defend myself.

Yet, after training for an extended period and competing in tournaments, I found a source of true confidence I’d never had before. And this time, it was founded in (some) truth.

#2 Testosterone Boost

This was something I had no idea about until I started training and did some research. As it turns out, intense competition significantly boosts testosterone. This benefit has carried over into so many areas of my life: increased gains in the gym, more energy, and a general sense of vitality.

#3 Strength Increase

When I first started, I was focused on learning a new skill. I didn’t realize my gym gains would also improve from training BJJ. Now that I’ve been training for years, it makes sense—given the amount of isometric holds involved in grappling.

These strength gains have been most noticeable in my back, biceps, triceps, and forearms. I haven’t personally seen significant strength increases in other areas. But, the benefits in these muscle groups have been impressive.

#4 Facial Improvements

This one was a very unexpected hidden benefit of training BJJ. I’ve always struggled with facial bloating and how soft my features looked. I thought this was just the way I was built and moved on. But after training for a while, I noticed very significant changes in my face.

Likely due to the amount of sweating during BJJ, the testosterone boost, and fat loss, I saw improvements in facial bloating and structure. My cheekbones became more visible, my jawline sharpened, and I even developed the “hollow” cheek look. Definitely a nice bonus.

#5 Improved Physique

It’s no secret that training jiu-jitsu helps you lose fat. The workouts are intense and last for extended periods of time. But what I didn’t realize was how much BJJ would improve my physique.

I’d always focused on bodybuilding through my teens and 20s, but I struggled to build the physique I wanted. After training BJJ for a while, I started noticing significant improvements in areas I’d always struggled with. Like my shoulders, chest, and quads. This could be due to the testosterone increase from competing, but it was a game-changer for me.

Conclusion

There are countless hidden benefits to BJJ, and these are just a few of the most noticeable ones. If you haven’t started training yet and are considering it, we urge you to get on the mats! Find a local gym or gather some friends to train and create your own space. Don’t miss out on the huge benefits of training BJJ.

See you on the mats!

FAQ

Porrada is a Portuguese term commonly used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Brazilian culture to describe a tough, intense, and gritty style of training or fighting. The direct translation of porrada from Portuguese to English is "beating" or "brawl." It embodies the spirit of going all out, giving your maximum effort, and pushing through challenges. In BJJ, practicing porrada means training with high intensity and determination.

This website is a collection of resources curated by grapplers, for grapplers. Our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to succeed. Whether you want to learn about nutrition, training on the mats, lifting, or anything in between, we are here for you. We want to see you on the podium most of all, and we hope to help you do exactly that. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot us an email or DM us on any of our social profiles!

There are two main ways you can get started with training: 1) You can find a BJJ gym near you and do a trial day, or 2) you can create your own mini home gym and start training with friends. Option #2 is how our team at Porrada got started! We ordered 1-inch thick puzzle mats in a 10’x10’ square and began training using online resources. If you do start with the second option, we recommend eventually finding a gym down the road in your career. It will help you by allowing you to roll with more people and receive high-level instruction.

BJJ is quite similar to wrestling. Both start standing and use takedowns as a method to score points. Both use very similar mechanics overall. The main differences are that there are no pins (you can be on your back in Jiu-Jitsu), BJJ involves submissions, and the points system for each is very different. BJJ grants points for takedowns/sweeps, back control, mount, guard passes, and knee on belly. Wrestling grants points for takedowns, escapes, and back points (back exposure for freestyle).

BJJ is a very unique sport in many ways. There are so many incredible benefits to training Jiu-Jitsu. The biggest reasons we advocate for it are the mindset training and the added ability to defend yourself. In BJJ, you are forced to humble yourself over and over again, every single day. This sport is a great way to mature rapidly and generally become a better person (in our opinion). You will also have a better ability to defend yourself than 99% of the population—a pretty big bonus.

You’re never too old to start training! We see people on the mats of all ages and sizes. Large and small, old and young can, and should, train BJJ. If you are on the older side, it is perfectly acceptable to take it slow and learn at your own pace. You don’t always have to go full speed—don’t worry. There are typically also classes that separate people by goals. Certain classes are for those who want to compete, some are for general instruction, and some are specifically for self-defense teachings. There is a place for everyone on the mats.