Summarize this content to 100 words Cardiologist Tharusha Gunawardena tells Helen Jones about his passion for Brazilian jiujitsu“I’m talking with a bit of a lisp because I got hit in the face this morning,” says cardiologist Tharusha Gunawardena, who has been attending Brazilian jiujitsu classes since 2023.“I’ve been doing martial arts for a long time,” he explains. “I did taekwondo as a kid and got a black belt and then I moved on to Japanese jujitsu, which is viewed as the original martial art. It involves kicks and punches and even weapons.“But my brother went to a Brazilian jiujitsu class and said that it was more gruelling, focusing on grappling on the ground and taking things to another level—for example, a person can just pull you to the ground and tie you in knots. So I decided to take it up.”Gunawardena admits that, like any martial art, Brazilian jiujitsu can be dangerous. He has dislocated his shoulder in the past. “My boss once said, ‘Your hands are your tools, so you need to be careful.’”He says that martial arts can be quite macho, and some clubs more so than others. “You have to scope places out and see what the vibe is. I initially looked into clubs for my 6 year old daughter—if they run classes for children rather than just adult sessions then they’re probably safer. My club tends to be dads and older guys, and people are respectful towards one another, but there are some characters I wouldn’t roll with.”Although he has a black belt in both taekwondo and Japanese jujitsu, it is difficult to get belts in the Brazilian version. “I’ve got a white belt with two stripes—I just have to be fine with being terrible and losing. I rolled with a blue belt recently and it was like me rolling around on the floor with my 3 year old son.”Gunawardena says that people who are good at Brazilian jiujitsu have an awareness of their anatomy which is mind blowing. “It is a great sport for a smaller person because you can win against bigger people. It’s about control and about the positions you get into. Yes, it can be perilous, but it has lots of intricacies.“It’s like a chess match and at any point there is a danger of being suffocated, but if I feel I’m in danger I submit and the bout is over,” he says.He adds that there are similarities between his hobby and his job. “I’ve always had the kind of personality that is drawn to fast paced things. I enjoy the emergency situations at work and having to be quick and decisive. Brazilian jiujitsu requires the same ability to have a strategy and to be in control.”How to get startedThe popularity of Brazilian jiujitsu has grown along with other martial arts so classes are widely available. Search online for local clubsThe first lesson or two is often free and many clubs don’t mind if you go along and watch a session to see if it is the sort of sport for youGunawardena advises that you suss out the vibe of the club. “Are there many people that look like you there? Some clubs do competitions and that can create a bad vibe. A good club is really inclusive,” he saysYou don’t have to be a big person to do Brazilian jiujitsu, Gunawardena says, and lots of women do it. He hasn’t yet persuaded any colleagues to take it up, however
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Why I . . . practise Brazilian jiujitsu
