Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or BJJ as it’s commonly called, is a Martial Art originating in Japan, and then later modified and further developed in Brazil. Traditionally Jiu Jitsu wasn’t a sport, it was the fighting system of the samurais and included strikes and even weapons techniques. In the 19th century Jigoro Kano founded Judo which was based on Jiu Jitsu grappling techniques. In the beginning of the 20th century Kano’s student, Mitsuyo Maeda, traveled to Brazil where he did challenge fights and taught Jiu Jitsu to the Gracie family, who with the contribution of many other Brazilian practitioners throughout the years, developed what is today known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Classes
In our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Program, we have Fundamentals Jiu Jitsu classes that both beginners and more experienced students can benefit from, where the focus is on learning how to perform the basic Jiu Jitsu techniques with precision and excellence. In the Advanced Jiu Jitsu classes, we go more into depth with some of the more complex techniques and strategies of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, studying a lot of new techniques as well. The classes are open to students of all skill-levels, but we do recommend that students have a basic understanding of the different positions before doing the Advanced classes, as some of the techniques taught in this class will be more intricate, and the intensity of the class will be a little higher as well, with more training rounds. For our Brazilian jiu Jitsu Program for adults we offer classes six days a week with both morning, noon and evening classes.
No-Gi
No-Gi, short for No-Gi Jiu Jitsu, also often called Grappling or Submission Wrestling, is basically Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as the name implies; without the traditional uniform known as the gi. Instead of the gi, practitioners wear rash-guard and shorts, which changes the game a lot as this attire doesn’t allow for making grips, thus making it harder to control the other person. No-Gi is generally faster paced compared to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with the gi, it’s often a bit easier to escape pins and submission holds because of the lack of grips. The No-Gi classes are open to all students including beginners, but the techniques taught in the class will be slightly more advanced and the pace of the class will be a little higher compared to the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fundamentals classes.
Self Defense
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is amazing for Self-Defense. It is widely considered the world’s most effective Martial Art, as proved by Royce Gracie in the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championships, also known as the UFC. The concept of the event was to invite fighters from all different types of Martial Arts such as Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Sumo and others, to see what the most effective fighting style would be.
The fights took place in a cage, there was no time-limit, and no rules. This type of tournament had ever been seen before in the US, but in Brazil, these types of fights known as Vale Tudo – which means “everything goes” in Portuguese – had been taking place for years. The art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu had been developed through these types of fights, and therefore it was no surprise to those who had knowledge about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, that Royce Gracie was able to defeat his opponents, often out-matching him in size and strength, with relative ease utilizing grappling techniques, sometimes without having to throw a single strike.
Jiu Jitsu means “the Gentle Art” in Japanese, as the goal is to defeat the opponent with as little force as possible. This is a concept that we put a big emphasis on in our academies, we want our students to become as technical as possible, without the use of brute force. The emphasis on proper technique and maximum efficiency with minimum effort elevates the students’ technical level and lowers the risk of injury.
One of the things that we put a strong emphasis on in our academies, is the way that students train with each other. We can train hard and push ourselves on the mat, but without injuring ourselves or our training partners. Martial Arts can often seem intimidating for new people, but we strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone – kids, women, and men of all ages.
Fitness
Besides being great for Self-Defense and Anti-Bullying for kids, one of the most obvious benefits of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that it’s a great workout! Training Jiu Jitsu will improve your fitness and health drastically, without you having to spend hours in the gym on the treadmill or lifting weights. You’ll get stronger, increase your mobility, improve your cardio, enhance your motor skills and coordination, and build muscle while losing fat.
Jiu Jitsu as a lifestyle
While the physical benefits of training Jiu Jitsu are great, we believe that the mental benefits of training Jiu Jitsu are even greater. As a student, you will develop your ability to stay calm and focused in stressful situations, and to be energy-efficient and control your heart rate by controlling your breathing. You’ll practice problem-solving and finding creative solutions along with many other skillsets that you’ll develop while training Jiu Jitsu, which are very useful in other aspects of life. When you are on the mat during class, you will experience what some people call “flow state”. It is a state of mind that is almost meditative, where you only focus on the present. This gives the practitioner a relief from the stress and the feeling of sometimes being overwhelmed with different tasks and worries that many of us sometimes feel in our daily lives.
From the basic techniques that provide logical solutions to common problems, to the intricate advanced techniques with numerous details and variations, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is like a never-ending game with an infinite number of options. It’s highly technical and is as challenging for the mind as it is for the body, which is why it’s often referred to as “Human Chess”. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu there is no finish line, there is an infinite number of positions, techniques and variations, with new ones being developed daily all across the world, so you’ll never get the feeling that you know everything and that there’s nothing left for you to learn. That keeps it exciting and challenging to train, even for people who have trained their whole lives.
More than anything, a Martial Arts academy should be a community, a second home, where students enjoy being and look forward to going to. We pride ourselves on having created a team, where not only do the students become technically sound and skilled, but they also become part of a family and form friendships that go beyond the mats.