Jiu Jitsu – A Gentle Art With Ancient Roots

A modern martial art with ancient roots, jiu jitsu is a ground-based fighting system that uses superior leverage and technique to overcome bigger, stronger opponents. It develops students’ problem-solving skills, self-knowledge of their body and mind as well as a strong sense of community through regular training.

The word jiu jitsu translates as “gentle art”. Unlike most other martial arts that focus on striking, jiu jitsu employs joint-manipulations and chokes that utilize pressure, angles and timing to achieve a non-violent submission of the opponent. It also includes takedowns and throwing techniques such as a variety of body, shoulder and hip throws, sacrifice throws, and leg sweeping.

By the mid-1800’s jujutsu had fractured into many different styles or ‘ryu’. Jigoro Kano developed a new style of jujutsu based around ’randori’ or full-power practice against resisting and skilled partners, and this later evolved into the sport of judo.

BJJ is a dynamic, live art, with a hugely diverse set of techniques that are constantly evolving and changing. BJJ is a highly physical activity, and as such requires excellent core and upper body strength, as well as flexibility. It is also a very mental art, in that the student must always be thinking of how to respond to their partner’s movements.

The Gracie family have developed a variation of jiu jitsu that focuses on practical self-defence applications and is very close to the original Sengoku jujutsu systems. This version is known as Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), and it is a very popular form of the art.