I understand the obsession people have with BJJ, as I had it, but it really is short sighted.
I used to do kickboxing before BJJ, and it was my life. I spent as much time as possible training, and when I wasn't I'd be reading about it, watching videos, or talking about it. I did it for about 15 years in total.
Then I started having a clicking in my hip that caused high kicks to be very painful. I struggled for a couple of years with it. Took short breaks and missed the sport like hell. Eventually, I started BJJ alongside it and loved that too. So I quit kickboxing as I just couldn't do the techniques anymore.
At first, I felt lost. But BJJ proved a nice distraction. Then I got obsessed with BJJ. I was in university at the time, so I could train twice or three times a day. I trained a lot, competed a lot, and spent all my free time thinking about it. Just as many people describe their own feelings towards BJJ on this forum.
My hip injury got worse though, and then my knees started to get hurt. Mostly due to the pressure on the hips when someone is passing your guard, and being on my knees when passing theirs... but also just the general scrambles and having people on top of you that goes with the sport. It got so bad that I was unable to walk some days, others I could not go up or down stairs. Constant pain, etc.
There comes a time when you think, "If I carry on, and seriously hurt myself, am I going to have a limp for the rest of my life? Will I be able to be active with my children, chase after them at the park, play soccer with them, etc? How will I feel aged 70?".
I went to numerous doctors and specialists, and was told my problem could not be fixed by surgery or rehabilitation. It was a permanent injury. I had been taken small breaks from BJJ whenever the injuries flared up... and felt lost... and those breaks just became longer and longer.
It's been 7 or 8 years now since I did BJJ, and I don't miss it. I missed it at first, but haven't for a long time. Life goes on, and there is more to life than BJJ. I have other interests and things going on in my life that provide the same benefits that BJJ did (except for self-defence training). Despite the username, I keep fit, I compete, I socialise, I am intellectually stimulated.
When people here talk about never quitting until their are literally unable to do it physically, because they love it so much they cannot imagine life without it... I just think they are short sighted. Life is ok without BJJ.
My friend also quit. He has an arm injury that occurred due to a meathead white belt student cranking a kimura. He's resentful because the instructor knew the guy was a loose cannon but let him train anyway. My friend is now in constant pain and discomfort, and had to quit because his career involves the use of his arms. Too bad. But earning a living is more important that doing BJJ.
