THE HISTORY
OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
A long history...
BJJ is a martial art, a combat sport, and a self-defense system based on grappling and especially ground fighting. It takes its foundations from Kodokan Judo (Ne-Waza) of the early 20th century. Once in Brazil, in 1914, judo master Mitsuyo Maeda passed his knowledge on to the creator of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Gracie.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu took shape through experimentation, practice, and adaptations of Gracie’s Judo knowledge, which he then passed on to his family. In 1925, the first “Gracie Jiu-Jitsu” academy opened in Rio de Janeiro, which is what the owners called traditional judo at the time. To promote their academy, they challenged anyone who doubted the effectiveness of Jiu-Jitsu. The challenge consisted of a fight with no rules, time limits, or weight classes. The success achieved thanks to the effectiveness of this combat system in real fights began to give it world prestige.
BJJ promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger aggressor by using leverage and proper technique, taking the fight to the ground – most notably by applying joint locks, throws, and takedowns to defeat the other person. BJJ training can be used for sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi), Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competitions, or self-defense.
Jiu-Jitsu is a Japanese phrase meaning “Gentle Art”; it is given this name due to the principle of leverage where the practitioner can perform techniques with ease and efficiency on stronger and heavier opponents. It gets this name because by applying the techniques properly, you can submit/defeat the opponent without the need to inflict damage.
Interestingly, it can be said that Jiu-Jitsu is very similar to chess because of the number of applicable techniques. Each technique and every movement you make opens up possible responses and counter-attacks, which in turn open up others and so on. From the moment your opponent replaces instinct with technique, it becomes necessary to analyze your movement to apply a technique that counters that attempt until someone manages a perfect move and ends the fight. Predicting and anticipating your opponent is what differentiates a good fighter from an exceptional one.
Why is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the most complete martial art?
Whether it’s to learn self-defense, start a new hobby, or expand your martial arts repertoire, there’s no doubt that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a beautiful art accessible to anyone. From its countless lessons to its physical benefits, it’s clear: the more you train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the more you realize it’s a lifestyle.
We give you 6 reasons to start now:
1) It's one of the most powerful and real fighting systems on the planet
Contrary to popular belief, studies show that 95% of street fights end up on the ground. The techniques learned in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which focus on taking the opponent to the ground and keeping them there, allow you to attack or take a more dominant position. This gives you the advantage at all times in a real-life self-defense situation.
2) David vs. Goliath
It is a very technical art that enhances the fighter’s qualities, regardless of their physical condition. BJJ differs from other martial arts because of its greater emphasis on ground fighting, a place where the advantages a larger opponent might have while standing—such as greater reach, more weight, and more powerful strikes—are largely neutralized. That’s why anyone can practice BJJ: women, men, and even children as young as four years old can do it.
3) Modernity, creativity, and efficiency
Also known as the “human chess game,” BJJ practitioners use a lot of strategy and technique to beat their opponents. In fact, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu student will likely encounter hundreds of techniques and concepts in just a few years of training. With so much to learn and create, the mind can’t help but sharpen. Whether you’re a black belt or a white belt, BJJ teaches you to be in constant evolution as there are always new techniques to discover.
4) The most complete physical workout
One of the biggest benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is how your body changes without you even noticing. By being focused on learning new techniques, it’s easy not to realize how much weight you’ve lost or how much flexibility you’ve gained in the process. Any workout that doesn’t feel like a chore is definitely a plus.
5) It's one of the best foundations for Mixed Martial Arts
If the best MMA fighters have one thing in common, it’s a black belt in BJJ. Anyone with a solid foundation in this art has a direct advantage once the fight hits the ground.
6) It builds character
There are days when you feel like you’re on top of the world and there are days when you wonder why you even bothered to show up to class. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu exposes you to a roller coaster of emotions that not only makes you stronger physically, but also mentally and emotionally, promoting continuous self-improvement.
What’s more, you have to be prepared to accept failure, learn from it, and move on. Doing so determines how successful you’ll be not only in the martial art, but also in your daily life. The only way to improve is to work on them continuously every day and remember that you have a lot to learn.