What happens to your brain on jiu-jitsu? Most people understand the benefits of training jiu-jitsu and martial arts on the body. Improved muscle growth, weight loss, and better coordination are the norm for regular practitioners. But what about your brain? There exists an overwhelming amount of evidence that physical training is incredibly good for your brain. Regular exercise can improve cognition, memory, and slow down cognitive decline as we age. A study using neuroimaging demonstrated the efficacy of physical activity improving cognitive health across the human lifespan. Aerobic fitness spares age-related loss of brain tissue during aging, and enhances functional aspects of higher order regions involved in the control of cognition. In other words, exercise helps maintain brain mass as well as neural connection as we age. Another study identified an enhancement of neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, angiogenesis and the release of neurotrophins as neural mechanisms mediating beneficial effects of physical exercise. This means jiu-jitsu training builds more brain matter while strengthening neural connections. The evidence is abundant and well established. It confirms what martial art people have intuitively known for thousands of years, that regular training results in improvement in all aspects of life.
At Optimus BJJ we’ve always said “movement is medicine”. The regular training of jiu-jitsu has a profoundly positive impact on our physical, mental, and emotional health. Adhering to a disciplined routine of BJJ training can improve and lengthen your life. Now go train!