| Over a half a century ago Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | | | | |
| (BJJ) came into being. It appeared on the | | | | If you're to understand Brazilian Jiu Jitsu |
| grand stage in the early 1990's hen the | | | | you must first understand where it came from. |
| Gracie family introduced it to the world. | | | | Japanese Jujutsu was originally develop by |
| Brazilian Jiu Jitsu changed the face of | | | | the samurai and traditionally included |
| martial arts forever, and brought the idea of | | | | weapons training along with strikes, throws, |
| mixed martial arts (MMA) to the mainstream. | | | | joint locks, choking, and other submission |
| It is a sport of brutal grappling and ground | | | | moves. Unlike Jujutsu which is a hard style |
| fighting that is even used today by the | | | | that let's you achieve victory by beating |
| United States Army for combat conditioning. | | | | down your opponent with brute force Judo is a |
| | | | soft style which has you use your attacker's |
| In 1917, Carlos and Hélio Gracie watched a | | | | energy against them. Judo, which was created |
| series Vale Tudo matches that pitted | | | | in Japan in 1892, is a form of Japanese |
| wrestlers, boxers, and other martial artists | | | | wrestling that is similar to other styles of |
| compete against each other. Early mixed | | | | wrestling, but you wear a gi similar to a |
| martial arts competitions were common in | | | | karate uniform and it includes many of the |
| Brazil and there were no holds barred. The | | | | submissions, strangles and armlocks you see |
| boys were always excited to see the local | | | | today. |
| fighters. One day, the boys saw a visiting | | | | |
| martial artist from Japan, Judo Master | | | | In time Hélio began teaching his many |
| Mitsuyo Maeda defeat opponent after opponent | | | | brothers and friends what he had learned |
| in the ring. They were in awe, even though | | | | about martial arts. His teacher Maeda told |
| the local competition was tough, it wasn't | | | | him that a fighter should go with their |
| any match for the Japanese man who was using | | | | strength whether it is striking, grappling, |
| the relatively new martial art known as Judo | | | | or standing, so naturally Gracies gravitated |
| or Kano Jiu-Jitsu. Repeatedly fighters were | | | | toward ground fighting because that is what |
| taken to the ground hard and submitted or | | | | he and his brothers new best. The Gracies may |
| simply knocked out cold. One fighter even | | | | have intended for their new martial art to be |
| pulled a weapon on Maeda. Without skipping a | | | | for self defense, but over time it has |
| beat, took him on and didn't even break a | | | | developed into an incredible combat sport. |
| sweat. After seeing this demonstration the | | | | |
| boys had to learn this new style, so their | | | | To look at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu match where |
| father made the arrangements and the birth of | | | | blood is spilled, strikes are allowed, and |
| Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began | | | | where submissions are common it is hard to |
| | | | believe that it is sport and not a combat |
| Mitsuyo Maeda was trained by Judo's founder | | | | martial art. Despite a reputation for being |
| Kano Jigoro himself. Maeda had been sent | | | | ultra violent, a competent Judo player can |
| aboard to promote Japanese culture and | | | | still hold their own against a BJJ |
| martial arts. Kano hoped through training in | | | | practitioner and so can someone with a solid |
| Judo a student would become a better person. | | | | wrestling and boxing background. On the |
| Kano felt that the more people knew Judo, the | | | | street grappling is that last thing you want |
| better place the world would be. Maeda was a | | | | to do in a real fight, but with BJJ that is |
| skilled instructor, but he only had so much | | | | what you're conditioned to do. |
| time to teach the Gracie boys so he | | | | |
| emphasized ground fighting in his lessons | | | | There is no denying the Gracie family has |
| which was easier and faster to learn than the | | | | contributed a lot to martial arts. They gave |
| standing aspect of Judo. He also taught them | | | | Brazil a new national sport and literally |
| how to strike which was part of Jujutsu and | | | | launched mixed martial arts competitions like |
| pre world war II Judo. The boys would combine | | | | the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). |
| what they new with local wrestling and | | | | Like many combat sports Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| gradually Brazilian Jiu Jitsu began to take | | | | is and excellent foundation and just the |
| shape. | | | | beginning of your self defense education. |