I got to participate in a small Jujitsu class today with a buddy who is a black belt. The great thing about going to your first class with an expert is that there is no ego present. I knew before going in that I knew nothing, and that athletic ability and strength were not going to give me the slightest edge against someone who isn’t only a master in his art but also very athletic and stronger than me. So I went it with the mindsets of an apprentice.

With just 4 of us in the class the instructor catered the class to me, and made the lessons very introductory. Then my buddy gave me some one-on-one time. With every escape that either I was practicing on him, or that he was practicing on me, it quickly ended with me in a compromised position. “The last place you want your opponent to be is on your back,” he wisely shared with me. Then we’d be on the floor, him in a headlock, he’d show me an escape, I’d try to counter… and then he was on my back. Every. Time.

It would have been easy to be frustrated, but I expected it. I took it in stride. I would try again, take his advice, and then ultimately lose position a few seconds later. And I’m not being humble, it was always a few seconds later. I marvelled at how easy he made it seem. But that’s what years of practice does. It takes being put into compromising situations hundreds of times to understand how to escape those situations.

If I was a couple decades younger, I’d probably take the sport up, but these days I’d struggle too much with back and neck issues to do more than train for an hour with a black belt, who is fully aware of my challenges, and who is going light on me. I deal with enough injury recovery in my everyday life to add a contact sport to my life routines. Still, I had an absolute blast today. I forgot just how much fun it is to be completely new at something, and to have that ‘beginner mind’ where your ego is parked and real learning happens.