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Welcome to The Veterans Disability Nexus, where we provide unique insights and expertise on medical evidence related to VA-rated disabilities. Leah Bucholz, a US Army Veteran, Physician Assistant, & former Compensation & Pension Examiner shares her knowledge related to Independent Medical Opinions often referred to as “Nexus Letters” in support of your pursuit of VA Disability every Tuesday & Wednesday at 7AM Central.
Take control of your medical evidence related to your benefits and visit https://podcast.prestigeveteranmctx.info/veteran/ for more information and to connect directly with us!
Hey, guys. So something interesting happens after people leave the military. A surprising number of veterans eventually find themselves in the same place, and that is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym. So infantry, medics, pilots, special operations, logistics, people from all kinds of military backgrounds end up on the maps. And it is not just a coincidence.
Leah Bucholz:There are actually some very interesting psychological and physiologic reasons why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or BJJ tends to resonate so strongly with veterans. Today, I wanna talk about why so many veterans gravitate towards grappling after military service. So I've seen this happen over and over. A veteran walks into a gym for the first time. They're not totally sure what they're looking for, maybe fitness, maybe stress relief, maybe just something challenging again.
Leah Bucholz:They put on a loaner gi. They step onto the mats, and five minutes later, someone is sitting on their chest trying to choke them. So and strangely enough, it feels sort of familiar, not the choking part necessarily, but just the pressure, the problem solving, the intensity. It's kind of a stress, that many veterans recognize. The transition, you know, there's a transition problem after leaving the military.
Leah Bucholz:I experienced that myself. So one of the biggest challenges many veterans face after leaving the military is a sudden loss of structure and intensity. In the military, daily life often includes things like PT, having clear missions, high accountability, and working closely with a team. So there's just structure. Right?
Leah Bucholz:There's purpose. There's pressure. After separation, that environment drastically changes. For many people, that sudden drop in structural stress and physical intensity can be very difficult. The nervous system has spent years adapting to environments where focus, discipline, and stress management were required.
Leah Bucholz:They were taught. They were built into you. Right? So when that disappears overnight, it can leave people feeling restless or searching for something that recreates that sense of challenge. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu creates controlled stress.
Leah Bucholz:One of the reasons Brazilian Jiu Jitsu resonates with veterans is that that controlled stress environment is a safe environment. It's a controlled safe environment. When you're rolling with someone in in Jiu Jitsu, sorry, you experience things like physical pressure, fatigue, problem solving under stress, rapid decision making. Those are all situations that veterans are already gonna be familiar with. But unlike combat or operational environments, the stress is contained, and it's voluntary.
Leah Bucholz:You can push yourself physically and mentally while still knowing that you're in a safe training environment. This kind of controlled stress exposure can actually help people develop better nervous system regulation. I've experienced this myself. So many of you probably don't know this, but I've been doing martial arts for several years now. I didn't think I was gonna get into martial arts, you know, at this stage of my life, but my kids were doing it, and so I got involved.
Leah Bucholz:I have a lot of orthopedic injuries from the military. My shoulders are busted. My back's busted. My hips. But you know what?
Leah Bucholz:It's we all live with, sorry, with a lot of pain and dysfunction. Right? So, I struggled at first. Right? So I struggled with kind of, like, being able to be in that controlled environment and separate kind of, you know, my previous experiences to the ones that I was, you know, now now getting into with with martial arts.
Leah Bucholz:And and it's been just this evolution, and it's been so wonderful, which is why I wanted to do this video today, so that some of you guys might consider it. So you learn to stay calm under pressure. One of the first people one of the first lessons that people are gonna learn in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how to stay calm when someone is trying to choke you. At first, people were are gonna panic. They hold their breath, their hearts.
Leah Bucholz:Their heart rate's gonna spike. Their brain goes straight into that fight or flight mode that a lot of us are used to being in in the military. But over time, grapplers learn something really important, and that is that that they learn to really breathe under pressure, slow their heart rate, stay calm while solving problems. That ability to regulate your nervous system during physical stress is something many veterans already developed during their service. Jiu Jitsu simply provides another environment where those skills continue to grow.
Leah Bucholz:The strategic problem solving that can happen is is just so critical and helpful, and it's like puzzles that you're putting together. Right? So another reason veterans often enjoy grappling is that it's incredibly strategic. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is sometimes described as physical chess. Every movement creates a reaction.
Leah Bucholz:Every position creates multiple options. It is a blast y'all. So you're constantly trying to think several steps ahead while someone is actively trying to stop you. For people who spent years operating in complex environments where decision making mattered, this kind of dynamic problem solving can be extremely engaging. If you're a veteran watching this and you train jujitsu or BJJ, you probably already know exactly what I'm talking about.
Leah Bucholz:So the camaraderie is like a huge thing. It is so weird because I never expected to experience something like this again after the military. That's it's so similar. So one of the things many veterans say they miss most after leaving the military is a sense of of a team. You train together.
Leah Bucholz:You struggle together. You improve together. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gyms often create a similar kind of environment. You see the same training partners week after week. You help each other improve.
Leah Bucholz:You celebrate each other's progress. And over time, that shared effort builds a strong sense of camaraderie. So for veterans, that sense of belonging is is incredibly valuable. So there's gonna also be a lot of physical and mental stress relief. Hard training sessions also provide a powerful outlet for physical and mental stress.
Leah Bucholz:Intense exercise triggers the release of things like endorphins, dopamine, and other neurotransmitters associated with stress regulation and mood. So the combination of physical exertion and mental focus often leaves people feeling mentally clearer and calmer after training. Many grapplers describe leaving the mats feeling better than when they arrived. There's a lot of discipline in long term growth. So military culture emphasizes things like discipline, persistence, and continuous improvement.
Leah Bucholz:Brazilian Jiu Jitsu operates on a very similar philosophy. Progress in Jiu Jitsu takes years of consistent effort. You spend a long time learning fundamentals. You fail frequently. You get submitted often, but slowly over time, improvement happens.
Leah Bucholz:For people who are comfortable with long term skill development and structured training, that process feels very familiar. So research on physical activity and veterans suggest that structured training programs involving physical exertion, social connection, and skill development can support both mental and physical well-being during the transition out of military service. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu naturally incorporates all three. It combines physical challenge, cognitive engagement, and community, which may explain why so many veterans are drawn to it. So I wanna give you guys three reasons why veterans thrive in Jiu Jitsu.
Leah Bucholz:When you look at it broadly, there are three major reasons. Right? First, the control challenge. It reaches high intensities, it it recreates high intensity situations in a safe environment. Two, community.
Leah Bucholz:Training partners become teammates. My training partners are like my best friends. Third, con continuous growth. There's always something new to learn. That combination makes grappling incredibly rewarding for many people with military backgrounds.
Leah Bucholz:So if you're a veteran watching this and you train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I'm curious. What made you start training? Was it fitness, stress relief, community, or something else? Let me know in the comments. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu isn't just a martial art.
Leah Bucholz:For many veterans, it becomes a way to maintain discipline, challenge, and community after military service. And that may be one of the reasons so many veterans eventually find themselves on the mats. If you'd like to see more videos exploring the science behind martial arts, physiology, veteran performance, consider liking and subscribing. And as always, this content is for educational purposes only. And thank you for watching, and I'll see you guys next time.
Leah Bucholz:Alright. Bye.