It might sound a little cliché, but one of the best things about going to university is being able to try new things, explore new interests and learn new skills. In the grand scheme of things, your time at university is short, so I firmly believe that you should take full advantage of this atmosphere of exploration.

As you’ll find from perusing Issue 0 of Arthur, Trent has many diverse clubs and groups that can help you in doing that.

Take the Trent Jiu-Jitsu Club. First of all, don’t be intimidated if you have had no previous exposure to martial arts. If you’re like myself, you will have no idea how much you enjoy jiu-jitsu unless you take the leap and try it out. At its most bare-bones definition, jiu-jitsu consists of locking, throwing and striking techniques all rolled up into a system of self defence.

Among other things, it focuses on yielding, balance and joint manipulation in response to a conflicting force. Your first few sessions will introduce you to a number of fundamental jiu-jitsu skills, most notably break-falling (which is essentially learning how to fall down safely – a very valuable ability!).

You’ll be introduced to these techniques gradually and you’ll learn to be more comfortable with them as you train. Over time you will find that your endurance, strength, flexibility, and speed will improve, and if you’re like me, you’ll find that you will accomplish things you did not think you were capable of.

And like I mentioned above, the great thing about Trent Jiu-Jitsu is that you don’t need any previous experience. In fact, the beginning of the school year is the perfect time to join, as there will be a number of novices on the mats ready to learn the basics right along with you. And if you train regularly, you may earn a yellow belt at the December grading!

Again, as a Trent student beginning the new school year, I would encourage you to try out as many new clubs and groups as you can.

You will find that some are not for you, while others are just what you are looking for. We hope that you will become a welcome addition to our community at Trent Jiu-Jitsu!

We train from 8:30-10:30pm every Tuesday and Thursday at the Athletic Centre. Meet us on the landing outside the change rooms.

The first few sessions are completely free to try out, just come with some comfortable, loose clothing (e.g. a t-shirt and track pants). Don’t be late!

For up-to-date information, visit www.jitsucanada.com and www.peterboroughjiujitsu.com, or the Trent University Jiu Jitsu Facebook group. Also, be sure to stop by the jiu-jitsu booth at Clubs and Groups Day!

For a more in-depth look into the world of Trent Jiu-Jitsu, check out our earlier Arthur article: http://trentarthur.ca/jiu-jitsu-the-best-course-at-trent/