Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a rapidly growing martial art, and it is easy to see why! This sport is as much about a healthy and confident lifestyle as it is about learning physical skills. BJJ is a fun and highly active sport, engaging all muscle groups simultaneously and improving strength through flexibility. The beauty of BJJ is that it is a grappling, not a striking, martial art. This means that is it more about defusing potentially threatening situations than it is about causing physical harm. It also means students can train to their physical potential during classes and learn the skills as they are intended to be applied without threat of injury.
BJJ is also a powerful tool in developing mental fortitude and resilience. Students are placed in positions where there may be someone on top of them trying to apply force. Knowing how to deal with these situations and training in them in a safe environment provides children with the ability to remain calm and level-headed rather than panic and end up in greater danger. Such a skill is vital for situations where a child may feel threatened by another person as they have the confidence to handle themselves in the face of physical threat. It also helps train those who have trouble controlling their temper to think calmly and rationally.
The head instructor, Vince Manner, has trained some of the best kids in Australia, leading them to medals in State, Australian and Pan Pacific competitions. Vince, originally from Canada, has trained and competed all over the world but in the last couple of months has decided to call Gisborne home.
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