Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

jiu jitsu

Jiu jitsu is a martial art that relies on leverage and technique over strength. It is a safe and effective system of self-defense that allows smaller people to defeat larger opponents. In addition to its effectiveness as a fighting method, jiu jitsu is also a fun and challenging physical activity that builds confidence, discipline, and focus.

The martial art’s roots stem from the samurai period of Japan in the 19th century. Samurais would often find themselves without their swords or spears during combat, and it became important for them to have a weapon-less way of neutralizing an enemy. Jiu jitsu evolved in response to this need and was created as an alternative to kata-based arts that relied on traumatic strikes.

When Jigoro Kano’s school relocated to Brazil following the Meiji Restoration, his students took up residence in Minas Gerais. Here, one of the students, Carlos Gracie, met Mitsuyoshi Maeda, who had recently started a jiu jitsu program in town. Carlos was a wild kid who had trouble staying in control of himself and his siblings, so his father Gastao sent him to study jiu jitsu with Maeda as a means to teach him discipline and respect.

Carlos quickly developed a passion for the martial art and went on to develop his own style of jiu jitsu, which is now known as Brazilian jiu jitsu or BJJ. BJJ has become the martial art of choice for many police officers and members of law enforcement agencies because it allows them to end fights with minimal force. The BJJ community is a close-knit group that supports each other through good times and bad, as well as through thick and thin.