I used to run and go to the gym. I got in pretty good shape, but it felt too monotonous for me. For the last two years I've been going to Brazilain Jiu-jitsu c

I used to run and go to the gym. I got in pretty good shape, but it felt too monotonous for me. For the last two years I've been going to Brazilain Jiu-jitsu classes, and I've been getting the same level of exercise, but I also get a feeling that I'm learning something both fun and useful from it. A lot can be said for its benefits to self-defense, and even though a lot of what we do isn't directly related to self-defense a lot of people that do BJJ often say that they feel more confident as a result. The main takeaway for me is that it takes me back to when I was first learning to program. That feeling of knowing absolutely nothing and being completely lost is pretty much how everyone (bar collegiate-level wrestlers and judokas) feels when they start, and it's a great feeling to experience aqain. I'd go as far as to say that BJJ has given me more empathy towards junior-level developers, and as made me a better developer as a result. I'd highly recommend it, even/especially if you are out of shape. Not only is it a great way to lose weight and get fit, it's great fun - like playfighting for adults.