Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athlete With Down Syndrome

BJJ Athlete with Down Syndrome Achieves Great Success

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an art that is often associated with self defense or it’s practical application to Mixed Martial Arts. Though it’s been proven to be extremely successful as a form of self defense, perhaps the greatest benefit is it’s ability to improve one’s quality of life. Many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners find that martial arts training is a great way to challenge yourself mentally and physically, while developing close personal relationships with your training partners who become part of a close knit family.

David Berube is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner that puts the kimono on every day and gets on the mat and trains with his fellow classmates at his academy in Texas. Every day David challenges himself not only with testing his mental and physical capabilities, but also overcoming the challenges of Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome is often associated with a delay in cognitive ability and less development in muscle tone and physical growth. In only 18 months of training David has already won a gold medal and a silver medal proving that he can overcome any obstacle thrown at him. More importantly David has developed social skills from participating in the wonderful art of jiu jitsu.

David is an inspiration and should motivate everyone to strive to be a better person every single day. You will never know what you can achieve if you never try. One quote that I really love from this article is a poster that David has on the wall at the academy where he trains. It reads, “Don’t stand in my way and tell me I can’t do it, move out of my way and watch me do it.”

Click HERE to check out an article about David Berube…