Jesse’s jiu jitsu journey to health

In the leadup to I Am Hope’s Gumboot Friday on 5 November, Nelson Weekly is talking to young people and change-makers about their mental health journeys. This week Sara Hollyman speaks with Jesse Fitzwater.

When Jesse Fitzwater lost his best friend to a drug overdose, he knew his lifestyle had to change.

He was just 21-years-old, using drugs and struggling to find a solid direction in life.

However, six years on, his life couldn’t look more different.

“I always had a fire inside me and I didn’t have anywhere to channel it. When I lost [my friend], I started going to the gym.”

Initially, Jesse just wanted to get bigger, but soon he noticed his mental state improving. Then he found jiu jitsu.

“I took a liking to it straight away and it surrounds you with positive people and role models.”

The sport’s core philosophy is to manipulate the opponent’s force against them.

Jesse says it involves discipline which has helped keep him on the right path. He now trains at least four times a week as well as doing Muay Thai and weightlifting.

“There’s something really humbling about jiu jitsu, I think it’s the same for a lot of guys. You’re full of testosterone and walking around like you’re sort of invincible. Jiu jitsu teaches you how to face defeat and overcome things.”

Through Tukaha Jiu Jitsu Nelson, Jesse was introduced to the team at the Male Room where he now manages the newly opened Whare Haumaru.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity at the Male Room to use my own life experience to help improve the lives as others, it’s really changed my circumstances for the better.”

Jesse says, even now, he finds it difficult to talk about mental health and problems but encourages those struggling to try and find something that sparks a fire inside them.

“It’s quite a hard thing to bring up. I struggle definitely to talk about it especially when you need to have that level of trust in someone, but I think finding something, it doesn’t have to be a combat sport, that you can channel yourself into and you’re passionate about helps a lot also generally looking after yourself.”

He says self-care is a big part of a healthy mind.

“You start eating right and treating yourself right, you’re just generally in a better head space and you can deal with things a lot more.”