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The article explores the jiu-jitsu belt system, detailing the progression from white to black belt. Rick Ellis of The Art of Skill breaks down the key techniques, mindset shifts, and strategic improvements required at each level. From the fundamentals of white belt to the refinement of black belt, this guide highlights what students need to focus on to advance in their jiu-jitsu journey.

Rickson Gracie’s legendary defense set him apart as one of the greatest figures in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Fighters describe his ability to escape and dominate even from disadvantageous positions. His defensive mastery wasn’t just about survival—it was a strategic tool for breaking opponents mentally and physically. This article explores how Rickson’s defensive game fueled his confidence, exposed weaknesses in his opponents, and made him nearly unbeatable on the mat.

This article explores the importance of goal setting for longevity in jiu-jitsu, drawing insights from Robin Gieseler’s decades-long journey. Many practitioners burn out or quit, but Robin emphasizes the need for achievable milestones to sustain progress. From learning to survive as a beginner to becoming effective and eventually focusing on efficiency, his approach ensures steady improvement while preventing injury. Whether you're new to jiu-jitsu or a seasoned practitioner, this guide will help you set realistic goals and stay on the mats for years to come.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu traces its roots back to Japanese Judo, brought to Brazil by Mitsuyo Maeda in the early 20th century. Maeda’s teachings influenced Carlos Gracie, who, along with his brothers, refined the techniques into a unique grappling-based martial art. This article explores how the Gracie family evolved Jiu-Jitsu through real fights, adapting it into an effective self-defense system and later into a regulated sport. Discover the journey of BJJ from its origins to modern-day practice.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is deeply tied to the Gracie family, but they did not develop this style of fighting in a vacuum. Jiu-jitsu evolved due to the unique historical conditions in Brazil within the first half of the twentieth century.

The history of jiu-jitsu in Brazil is commonly said to date back to the 1910s when the Gracie family first began training with Japanese martial artists. The family would go on to modify what they learned to suit their body types and fighting styles, thus giving the world Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

When one thinks of martial arts like jiu-jitsu, the idealized fighter is usually going to be someone in their 20s, perhaps their early 30s. You don’t normally think of someone in their 60s, their 70s, or their 80s. In fact, even among influential people within the jiu-jitsu community, the idea of people continuing to roll into their sunset years is absurd.

In part four of this four-part series based on Rener Gracie’s interview with Lewis Howes on the School of Greatness Podcast, we will dive into some of the specifics of The 32 Principles, a book co-written by Rener Gracie and the focus of much of Rener’s interview on the podcast.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu has become one of the most highly regarded martial arts systems in the world. A lot of this notoriety is due to its founding family, the Gracies. Developed primarily by brothers Carlos and Hélio Gracie, the two demonstrated the efficacy of jiu-jitsu in vale tudo or no-holds-barred matches in the early and middle of the twentieth century. It didn’t matter if their opponent was larger than them, stronger than them, or faster than them. Proper technique, patience, and energy conservation were enough to defeat even the most formidable adversary.

In part two of this four-part series based on Rener Gracie’s interview with Lewis Howes on the School of Greatness Podcast, we look into the reasons why jiu-jitsu has become so popular recently. Anyone who is familiar with jiu-jitsu or knows someone who has recently gotten into jiu-jitsu will recognize that new students tend to immerse themselves and to maybe even become a little obsessed with the martial art. As Rener explains, this is because jiu-jitsu changes the way that you approach the world.

Rener Gracie recently sat down with Lewis Howes of the School of Greatness. Lewis is a best-selling author and former Olympian who has long considered himself to be an exceptional athlete. Though Lewis is not trained in martial arts or any combat sport, he is a strong person. He is a large person. If an assailant were to size him up, they would likely concede that coming after him would not be worth the trouble.

There are hundreds of different martial arts from around the world. In general, they fall into one of two groups. Some focus on strikes like punching and kicking. Examples include boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and karate. Others focus on grappling, which includes throws, trips, sweeps, ground fighting, clinch fighting, and submission holds. Examples include judo, sambo, and of course jiu-jitsu. True, jiu-jitsu was originally conceived of as a complete system that includes both striking and grappling, but it has largely evolved away from striking, and most jiu-jitsu schools now concentrate their attention on grappling. This is especially true in schools that train fighters to compete in jiu-jitsu tournaments.

As the founders of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the Gracie family casts a long shadow over the martial art. They not only created a unique style of jiu-jitsu; members of the Gracie family were also some of the most important innovators with respect to the evolution of jiu-jitsu. They also served as the most important ambassadors of jiu-jitsu, leading to its popularization in Brazil during the 1940s and 1950s. The dominance of Royce Gracie during the first few Ultimate Fighting Championships in the early 1990s catapulted jiu-jitsu from a somewhat niche discipline into the global spotlight. It has only grown in popularity since then.

It’s impossible to talk about the evolution of jiu-jitsu without discussing the Gracie family. Carlos Gracie, the eldest brother of the family, is typically credited with being the primary force behind the development of the martial art after adapting the judo of Mitsuyo Maeda, a martial arts master who rose to prominence in Brazil in the early 20th century.

The popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) has been growing at an exponential rate since being introduced to an international audience with the first Ultimate Fighting Championships of the early 1990s. MMA fighters are now some of the most well respected and famous athletes in the world, while major MMA fights are given tremendous media attention. Given the fact that there are an estimated 300 million MMA fans worldwide, it’s little wonder why.