JIU JITSU & ADDICTION RECOVERY
Outpatients and tenants of Crow’s Nest Ranch - Truckee, California will be offered the ability to train in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) by local masters of the practice. Addiction therapy has gained more understanding as it becomes less stigmatized to the general public. Specifically, bodywork is as important as talk therapy. In fact, one of the main pillars of ‘The Ranch’ is that we will replace drug and alcohol-induced 'adrenaline' with healthy living endorphins from physical activity. BJJ is a fun, low-impact, and therapeutic martial art with many parallels to the process of recovery from addiction because of its combination of physical and mental strain.
1. CONSTRUCTS HEALTHY BONDS
In BJJ you work in pairs. Human touch is vital for good psychological health and it is rare in our modern day society for people to touch and grapple with each other. This is the number one healing component of Jiu-Jitsu. It creates a healthy intimacy between two people that is strictly platonic.
2. CREATES A CHALLENGE
BJJ is challenging and safe. It is challenging because you can actually ‘roll’ (spar) with others of varying abilities right from the get-go, and safely too. This is not really possible with other martial arts like Muay Thai.
When you grapple, you can feel each other’s strengths and weaknesses, take them into account, and work at the pace of the weaker, less experienced practitioner, but still push yourself at the same time. People with drastically different abilities can enjoy working with each other while also learning from each other.
3. RESPECT & TEAMWORK
Part of the ethos of BJJ is to grow together and learn together. It is much more team focused than striking-based martial arts. When you are grappling with your partner, each of you is developing at your own pace, and it is usually overseen by an instructor who looks on and advises each of you “mid-roll”.
4. DEVELOPS HUMILITY
BJJ can be humbling. When you meet a weaker opponent with superior technique (and you will) it can be very humbling. This is extremely good for modifying our beliefs and expectations and bringing them more in line with reality. Coming in line with reality is absolutely essential for good mental health. Ironically, by acknowledging your own weaknesses, you actually become tougher and more mentally agile to approach a challenge from a new angle.
5. FOSTERS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
The Jiu-Jitsu community is largely ego-free and ‘meathead-free’. People who are obsessed with aggression and dominating others usually do not last in an art requiring a lifetime of practice to perfect one’s skills. The BJJ community is an anti-bullying type of environment, and, arguably, an art taught to those looking for great self-defense against the bully types. For this reason, BJJ is populated with a more diverse group of people than other martial arts.
6. BUILDS MENTAL FORTITUDE
Finally, BJJ in particular is the ‘thinking persons’ martial art and imperative for those in recovery to access sports or physical arts which are constructive and not based on ego. It is true that many people in recovery practice BJJ because it is more like a game of chess than any other martial art. In recovery from addiction, we learn to take responsibility for ourselves and our actions. Our ability to control our mind and body in any situation is our largest responsibility.
HELP US OPEN, DONATE TODAY!
Crow’s Nest Ranch is a project made possible by all of our combined efforts. Big victories are made through the contributions of many people. Together we can do this. Thank you for your support. This project is established with 501c3 Charity Smith Nonprofit Foundation (EIN 87-0636433) as our fiscal sponsor.
