History of BJJ

What is Jiu-Jitsu?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art and combat sport that teaches a smaller person how to defend himself against a larger person by using leverage and proper technique. The Gracie family, the founders of BJJ, created Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In Brazil in the early 20th century, an amazing young man named Carlos Gracie was taught Jiu-Jitsu by a Japanese master named Mitsuyo Maeda, nicknamed the "Conde Koma". Carlos, in turn, taught it to his talented younger brother Helio Gracie and the other Gracie brothers Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., and George. Throughout the decades and years, the "Gracie Challenge" proved the effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos and Helio Gracie pioneered and revolutionized ground fighting. They evolved the grappling techniques they learned from Conde Koma. Today, worldwide Jiu-Jitsu competitions are common in every country in the world, and Jiu-Jitsu is the main training discipline in MMA competitions such as the UFC. In fact, without BJJ, MMA would probably not exist.

What can I gain from Jiu-Jitsu?

• • Confidence in Everyday Situations
• • A Great Workout
• • Realistic Self-Defense
• • Make New Friends
• • Remain Energetic While Reducing Stress

Is Jiu-Jitsu good for Children?

Jiu-Jitsu is great for children! They learn to defend themselves. Their bodies and minds become stronger as a result of training. Jiu-Jitsu is very positive and promotes independence and confidence in your child! All of these qualities help prevent your child from becoming a victim of a bully.

Is Jiu-Jitsu safe?

In Jiu-Jitsu we learn to "tap". "Tapping" is extremely important to training. All students respect the "tap"; it means "let me go, you got me". With the "tap", it is possible to train safely at full speed. And as with all physical activities, there is a certain risk of injury, but our classes are very safe. You will learn fighting techniques designed to disable and incapacitate people, but apply these techniques in a controlled environment. Sparring involves using techniques and principles learned in class, but the inappropriate behavior is not tolerated and all students are supervised by trained practitioners. All classes are indeed safe if the rules are followed. That is the beauty of Jiu-Jitsu. You can train realistically and at full speed without the fear of serious injury. 

Why do I need a Gi?

Jiu-Jitsu was designed for self-defense; to work on clothes (pants, jackets) and therefore a Gi is necessary to learn the Jiu-Jitsu techniques. Not only is it about tradition but also about the application of effective and proper Jiu-Jitsu. The Gi can be used a weapon to apply chokes, to trap and control an opponent. You will be amazed at how deep the technique involving a Gi really is. Effective use of the Gi can gain a student a significant advantage over a stronger opponent. In competitions, there are both Gi and No-Gi categories.

What is No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu?

No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu is Jiu-Jitsu training without the Kimono (jacket). It is Submission Grappling and Wrestling.