BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU

The history of (BJJ) can be traced back to Judo and further still to Japanese Jujutsu, a martial art developed in the time of the samurai. Warriors at that time had to defend themselves in both armed and unarmed combat, often while wearing heavy armor. The “ju” of Jujutsu referred to the same “soft” method of fighting found in Judo and Goju-Ryu karate – grappling techniques including takedowns, chokes, and joint locks.

 Carlos Gracie studied Judo under Mitsuyo Maeda, a top student of Judo’s founder Kano Jigoro. After several years of training he passed on his knowledge to his family, including his brother Helio. Because of his small size, Helio recognized that many of the techniques in Judo that required brute strength would not work well for him. In turn, he developed a system that emphasized taking the opponent to the ground and using techniques from Judo that relied less on strength and more on leverage and proper positioning.

 Like Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is both a sport and a martial art. Many BJJ practitioners love to go to tournaments and compete, while others are simply looking for a form of exercise that also allows them to learn self defense. Further still there are BJJ practitioners who share the same goals as those who practice other martial arts – to develop a healthy lifestyle and follow a path of self discovery which provides huge dividends on the hard work that is put into it.

 And if you think that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is strictly for the young, you are WRONG! Helio Gracie practiced the system he developed until he passed away at the age of 95!!

 Our dojo offers a variety of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ) classes for both children and adults.  If you are interested in learning more, contact us for further details or stop by our dojo to observe a class.