Did you know that one out of five, or 20.2% of students, report being bullied? As parents, nothing hurts more than knowing that your kid is being bullied at school —A place they call a second home.
Some parents talk to the other kid’s parents regarding this matter, but that doesn’t always work. Moreover, you’re not going to be there for your kids 100% of the time.
Instead of being reactive to their situation, why not be more proactive? Letting your kid train in a martial art doesn’t just give them the physical capacity to defend themselves. It also teaches them values and core principles that would make them outstanding students in a class.
There are many martial arts to have your kids learn. The big question is, can Jiu-Jitsu help with bullying?
Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
What Is Bullying?
Before we talk about why jiu-jitsu can help with bullying, let’s first discuss what bullying is all about.
Bullying refers to unwanted and aggressive behavior targeted toward an individual or a group of people. It’s most common in school settings.
Apart from the physical abuse that some children go through, it’s the mental abuse that often hurts the most and leaves the deepest scars.
Take that last statement and remember it well. Kids don’t just need to be capable of defending themselves physically. They need to be mentally competent as well.
This is why it’s valuable to have children enrolled in martial arts that instill both techniques and proper discipline.
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What Is Jiu-Jitsu?
Jiu-Jitsu is a system of grappling techniques. Apart from joint locks, chokeholds, and other submissions, it teaches takedowns, hip throws, escapes, ground positions, etc. It originates from a Japanese martial art that once taught people hand-to-hand combat.
One of the most prominent figures in Jiu-Jitsu is Helio Gracie. Out of the Gracie siblings, Helio was considered weak. He devised the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu system so that even someone as frail as himself would be able to go up against larger and more physically capable opponents.
As evident by Royce Gracie’s UFC 1 performance, Jiu-Jitsu is about technique rather than size and physical strength.
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Is Jiu-Jitsu Good Against Bullying?
Consider Helio Gracie’s inspiration for creating Jiu-Jitsu. The martial art itself was designed to utilize techniques so that smaller people can take on people who are physically larger than themselves.
In most cases, kids get bullied by physically larger people than themselves. It’s the intimidation that’s the root cause of bullying problems.
Having your kid understand the importance of proper techniques over physical size would be an excellent way to help them know that they can take on people larger than them. And it can also be a great confidence booster for your child.
realistic bullying scenarios
Another great reason why BJJ it’s such an amazing martial art against bullying is that it teaches techniques against realistic scenarios.
Imagine, for instance. A bullied person has someone on top of them pinning them down. With Jiu-Jitsu’s knowledge, they can reverse the situation with a sweep.
No punches involved
Jiu-Jitsu is also less about impact. If people punch or hit their opponents, they can injure them gravely. This isn’t ideal in a school setting. In BJJ, they can neutralize their opponents in submission locks instead of hurting them with impact.
With these ideas in mind, you should at least have a better idea of the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu against bullying. However, if you’re not sold yet – here’s a better look at those pros and cons.
Pros And Cons Of Jiu-Jitsu Against Bullying
Pros
- Many techniques work well against larger opponents – This is perhaps the essential benefit of jiu-jitsu against bullying. Even if the bully is larger, a well-trained kid will be able to defend themselves against them.
- Teaches neutralization, not aggression – Punches and kicks can result in more injury. It’s wrong to teach your child to inflict wounds on others even if they’re just defending themselves. They can defend themselves without causing severe damage to their opponent by neutralizing the threat.
- Teaches techniques against precarious situations – Whether the bullied person is under the bully or their standing, they can get out of that position with the proper technique. As Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling art, turning the tides against an untrained aggressor is easy.
- Instills discipline and the right attitude – As with all martial arts, jiu-jitsu teaches its students discipline. It also takes incredible mental strength to compete and train in Jiu-Jitsu. For a bullied person, these are all welcomed traits to have.
- Good exercise for the entire body – It’s a given that BJJ also makes kids physically strong as well. It’s a whole-body workout that also enhances their endurance.
Cons
- Can result in injuries without control – Although Jiu-Jitsu teaches students to neutralize opponents, there needs to be a lot of control behind it. Joint locks and chokeholds can result in severe injuries if the one doing them isn’t too experienced or if they don’t hold back.
- Some gi techniques don’t apply well to real-life scenarios – There are two types of BJJ, gi and no-gi. Many of the techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stem from wearing the gi uniform, which is hard and abrasive. Some of those techniques might not apply well when people wear regular clothes.
The Jiu-Jitsu Discipline – Is It Good For Kids?
Studying BJJ requires a great deal of discipline. Coaches are very keen on this. In almost all Jiu-Jitsu gyms, you’ll hear coaches and other students saying that it’s essential to leave your ego off the mats.
This is a good thing for people that are being bullied. Learning discipline and proper morals will help them understand the values of being kind.
Even if they get bullied the next time, they’ll have the control and discipline it takes to access the situation and know the best way to go about it without inflicting harm.
Creating Mentally strong Kids
Apart from that, BJJ makes your kid mentally strong. Powering through the exhaustion and the skill of more experienced sparring partners requires remarkable mental resilience that kids will eventually develop. This is something they can use off of the mats as well.
When they compete, they’ll need to have the guts and the courage to stand in front of a large crowd to perform. Once they compete, they’ll feel more confident about themselves, and they are less prone to bullying.
No, they won’t become more aggressive
Most parents have a common misconception that letting their kids train in martial arts will turn them into aggressive bullies. This is not true.
In a Jiu-Jitsu school, your kids will learn a healthy mix of combat skills and values.
Instead of becoming super aggressive, the opposite might happen. Letting your kids express their aggression in a controlled environment will make them compassionate, centered, and peaceful.
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Can Jiu-Jitsu Help With Bullying? – Final Word
Jiu-Jitsu is perhaps one of the best defenses a kid can have against bullying.
It makes them physically and mentally capable of stopping bullying. Perhaps the best of it is that they don’t have to inflict any injuries on their aggressors.
It will boost their confidence, and once their classmates are aware that they know how to defend themselves properly, they will think twice before messing with your kid.
It is better to be a warrior in a field of roses than a gardener on a battlefield.
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