How choking my friends made me a better human?

Hey friend,

This might sound wild, but…

Trying to choke my friends actually made me better at relationships.

Seriously.

Some of the closest bonds I’ve ever built started on the mats—mid-sweat, mid-struggle, trying to survive a round.

You spend enough time rolling with someone, and you learn real quick:

• How to trust them.

• How to communicate.

• How to give and take feedback.

• How to push each other without being a jerk.

And that stuff?

It spills into everyday life.

Suddenly I’m more patient with people. I listen better. I don’t blow up during arguments like I used to. And when something stressful hits, I breathe instead of reacting.

Jiu Jitsu gave me people skills I didn’t even know I needed.

And the friendships? They hit different.

We’ve celebrated wins, helped each other through injuries, and vented about life while stretching before class.

Some training partners became lifelong friends. Others just became solid humans I’m proud to roll with. But all of them made me better.

Now don’t get me wrong—not everyone in your life is gonna "get" Jiu Jitsu.
Some folks will never step on the mat. That’s cool.

But I found that just sharing what it does for you goes a long way.

• Let people see how it helps your mental health.

• Let them hear the stories.

• Let them feel your energy shift.

Trust me—they’ll support you, even if they don’t fully understand it.

And here's the coolest part:

👉 When you live the BJJ lifestyle with integrity, patience, and confidence… people notice.

• They ask questions.

• They follow your lead.

• They grow because you grew.

So yeah—choking people made me better at relationships.
Who would've guessed?

Catch you tomorrow: we’ll be talking about self-discipline (aka how I stopped being a flaky mess and started showing up for real).

Keep growing,
—Ben at jiujitsu-news.com

P.S. Got a training partner who changed your life or mindset? Hit reply and tell me—I’d love to give 'em a shoutout. 👊