BJJ to Improve Kids’ Mental Health, Behaviour, and Academics
In 2019, there were 39,801 children and youth hospitalizations for mental health disorders in Canada. Since then, stress and anxiety amongst our youth has only increased. Lack of physical activity, too much screen time, and poor diet contribute to challenges that will plague this generation of children. Since 2016, a steady increase in the use of mood and anxiety prescription drug use has been observed in Canadian youth. While medicating children may be necessary in some instances, pharmaceutical drugs carry unwanted side effects and financial costs. They also fail to address the root cause of these increasing problems: mentally, physically, and spiritually unhealthy children.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) noticed problems in their youth: behavioural disorders, unhealthy lifestyles, and low educational achievement. Their solution was Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). The UAE implemented the School Jiu-Jitsu Programme to reduce the problems affecting their children. Over 800 public schools and over 120,000 students have participated in school-based BJJ in the UAE and the results are encouraging.
One study compared the School Jiu-Jitsu Programme to traditional physical education (PE) class in a randomized controlled study. The study lasted 12 weeks, each group had 2 classes per week with the BJJ group practicing grappling and the PE group doing tradition gym class including sports like soccer and basketball.
The BJJ group achieved more positive behavioural changes than the PE group including significant reductions in emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, inattention, externalizing problems, and total difficulties in a classroom setting. The BJJ group also lowered risk for developing mental health problems. These findings are consistent with other studies that show positive gains in pre-frontal cortex (area of the brain that controls impulses and decisions) activity. This has been attributed to complex movement skills, decision making, and constantly changing intensity associated with BJJ.
Another study on the School Jiu-Jitsu Programme found that practicing BJJ had a positive influence on executive functions development including inhibitory control. This study also showed that BJJ improves self-control, focus, reading speed, decision making, and overall academic performance, mental health, and social behaviour. ‘
A 2016 study out of the University of Alberta found BJJ offers “implicit transfer of life skills†to practitioners. The 4 categories of life skills identified were respect for others, perseverance, self-confidence, and healthy lifestyle habits. Several studies have demonstrated that BJJ players exhibit reduced aggressive behaviours and less involvement in fights outside the gym.
As our world becomes less stable, human-induced problems plague us and result in a more challenging environment to simply be a kid. As parents, we must strive to provide our children with the tools they need to live happy, fulfilling lives. In selecting the right tools, we should consider efficacy, value, and function. Placing your child in sports is like giving her a fully loaded tool belt; placing them in BJJ is like giving them an entire shop full of tools! Personally, I’d love a School Jiu-Jitsu Programme here in Alberta. Until that day, WGA promises to provide the community of Wetaskiwin with access to grappling arts like BJJ, kinesiology services, and a community for supporting the promotion of health and prosperity.
I’d love to have you as a member at WGA. I believe in the value of our memberships- if for any reason WGA is not in your price range, please take advantage of our free resources and make grappling and kinesiology a part of your healthy life.
Travis Bellmore
