Check out Dirotsaha’s experience in learning a famous martial art, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Dirotsaha is a student of English Department at BINUS University.

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It started a year ago when I joined martial arts especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This martial art was from Brazil, it is a traditional self-defense, like Indonesia we have Pencak Silat which is our traditional self-defense and these martial arts are little bit mix with Aikido and Judo. Mostly, this martial art is for people who have no power against the bigger one, because this martial is a ground fight which people who have no power can survive against bigger ones. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique is number one, they always do the technique step by step. Also, Jiu-Jitsu is a ground fight they mostly do submission unlike the others martial art which is usually doing stand up like striking, punches and kicks.

Well, I learned these martial arts when I started my college in Jakarta. It started in place’s called Synergy Lutador MMA this place was owned by a friend of mine which also train in this martial art too. Fortunately, my train camp was near my college, so mostly I spend my free time there to train also going out with the boys. The first time I started rolling (sparring), it was difficult and exciting because when I rolling I need to use my brain to find out how to get off from my opponent’s guard. My sparring partner usually is bigger than me like 10 – 20 kg above me which I cannot use my power to defeat them. So, I must use the technique that I have been learned in camp.

Four months later I moved to different camp somewhere in South Jakarta. This place called Alliance Jiu-Jitsu, and also this camp was focused just for Jiu-Jitsu, it is more expensive than the first camp I join. Because of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu has won many tournaments and they are also ten times World Champions which is the good reason why they put the monthly fee more expensive than the others but this camp also had nice folks which good to train Jiu-Jitsu here. These places mostly have people from the outside of Indonesia and have a lot of experience in BJJ which is making me more difficult to catch up. So, I need to put more effort to be good at this camp.

Dirotsaha winning a bronze belt at a local Jiu Jitsu tournament. (second from the right)
Dirotsaha winning a bronze belt at a local Jiu Jitsu tournament. (second from the right)

For me, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is therapy. I love the technique, the Gi’s, and also the art of these martial arts. Jiu-Jitsu has so many technique and so many arts. The Gi’s also looks so bad ass to me; Gi’s in BJJ is hard to tear up because BJJ Gi’s is more special than the other martial arts Gi’s and you also can patch up with something you like. The basic technique of these martial arts is easy to understand but in the advanced technique is hardly understand like Berimbolo and Lapel Guard these techniques usually used by my favorite BJJ athletes (Miyaou Brothers and Keenan Cornelius). There is some technique that I love like Triangle, Armbar, and Guillotine and also Real Naked Choke (RNC), my favorite is RNC. This technique looks simple but for people who don’t know about Jiu-Jitsu they will get confused in the first time they try. These techniques will work if you get behind your opponent. It will sound complicated if I tell the description of this technique. If you want to know you can search it on YouTube.

The conclusion is, it is okay if you train martial arts if you train you will look confident than before but also remember if you have any martial arts don’t be too cocky because you will never know what people can do. The purpose of martial arts is to defense yourself; martial art is not for show off to people or your friends that you can beat their asses but martial art is for self-defense. Because if you have any martial arts in case something bad happen you know what to do. For additional, these martial arts I recommend for people who have less strength especially people like me.