Jiu-Jitsu, translated as 'the gentle art,' is the oldest form of martial art. It has also been defined with terms like yielding, softness, subtleness, and pliability. Its origins date back to India more than 2,000 years before Christ. From there it spread throughout Asia and eventually settled in Japan.
In 1914, Japanese Jiu-Jitsu champion Esai Maeda arrived in Brazil to help establish a Japanese immigration colony. Once in Brazil he was aided by Gastao Gracie, a Brazilian scholar and politician of Scottish decent. To show his gratitude, the oriental master taught the ancient secrets of that ancient fighting style to Gastao's son, Carlos Gracie. Carlos taught Maeda's techniques to his brothers: Oswaldo, Gastao, Jorge and Helio and in 1925 they opened the first Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Botafogo, a district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is where the brothers, prompted by Carlos, essentially designed and laid the foundation for 'Brazilian' Jiu-Jitsu.
Beginning with the first Ultimate Fighting Championships in 1993, martial artists of all different styles, backgrounds, and weight classes were able to pit their skills against each other in the ring. It was a rude awakening for many. A horde of martial artists who considered themselves invincible were soon tapping out. These events finally answered the question being asked by martial artists for decades---Which martial arts work the best? Answer: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Since then, the martial arts have evolved more in the last 10 years than they have in over 250 years prior to 1993. Jiu-Jitsu was originally developed in India , but wasn’t popular until it was brought to Japan in the late 17th century. It was an art of self-defense that included joint locks, throws, chokes, and other grappling manipulations used to force their opponent to submit. The greatest aspect of Jiu-Jitsu is that it relies on technique and leverage rather than strength.
In the early 1900’s, many Japanese migrated to Rio De Jeneiro. One of them taught his art to a Brazilian and his sons (the Gracie Family). The Brazilians were eager to learn to help them win their “No Holds Barred” matches which were popular in Rio . The Brazilian fighters found that Jiu-Jitsu gave them the technical abilities to win these matches. That, and the fact that the Gracie family was smaller in stature. As the years went on, the Brazilians began modifying the art and ridding it of any impractical techniques. The unbeatable art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was born.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, also known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, is especially efficient and works well for everyone, regardless of power or strength, making Jiu-Jitsu the ideal self-defense for smaller, older or less physical people.
It is a fact that 90% of all fights go to a "clinch" where two people are grabbing each other and that 80% end up on the ground either by accident or by design! Obviously, Jiu-Jitsu needs to be learned in order to defend yourself properly.
Every BJJ class includes dynamic and fun exercises that will boost your metabolism, help you build strength and endurance, gain flexibility and shoot your cardio through the roof! Because the core controls many of the movements in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Core exercises are a big part of every class. Yoga poses are also incorporated into every martial arts class we teach at our schools to increase flexibility, improve breathing, decrease stress and prevent injuries.