The Best Time to Start BJJ — Why There's No Perfect Moment
There's no perfect time to start BJJ. Here's why every reason to wait is actually a reason to start now — from a black belt instructor at Kaizen Academy in Venice, CA.
"I'll start after I get in shape." "I'll start when things calm down at work." "I'll start in the new year." Every BJJ instructor has heard every version of this. This post systematically addresses the most common reasons people delay starting BJJ in Venice, CA — and explains why every single one of them is actually an argument for starting now.
"I'm going to start BJJ when—"
This sentence has a hundred different endings. When I get in better shape. When the kids are older. When work calms down. When I have more money. When I find the right gym. When I have someone to go with.
At Kaizen Academy in Venice, CA, we hear these every week. And every version of this sentence has the same response: the condition you're waiting for is not coming. The right time is now.
"I Need to Get in Better Shape First"
This is the most common one. It's also completely backwards. You don't get in shape before BJJ — you get in shape through BJJ. Every person on our mat started exactly where you are. The fitness comes from training, not the other way around.
"I'm Too Busy Right Now"
Ask yourself honestly: have you ever had a period of your adult life where you weren't "too busy"? For most people, the answer is no. The people who train BJJ consistently don't have more time than you — they've made training a non-negotiable part of their schedule the way other people make work non-negotiable.
Two classes per week is 2 hours out of 168. You have time.
"I'm Too Old"
We addressed this in detail in our post on BJJ for adults over 30. The short version: you're not. We have students in their 50s who started after 45. BJJ is one of the most age-appropriate martial arts available.
"I Don't Have Anyone to Go With"
You don't need anyone to go with. You're going to meet your training partners on the mat — people who were also strangers before they walked through the door. The community is built through training, not before it.
"I Want to Watch a Few More YouTube Videos First"
No amount of YouTube prepares you for the mat. The learning only happens on the mat. You will spend your first class confused regardless of how much you've watched. That's normal, expected, and completely fine.
The Real Cost of Waiting
Every month you don't start is a month of development you don't get back. A student who starts today will be a blue belt while you're still watching videos.
Kaizen Academy is at 2014 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291. Your first class is free. No condition required.