Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Having trained Jiu Jitsu in New York City since 2002 I’ve witnessed a microcosm of its evolution in NYC and its expanding community here.  Jiu Jitsu (by way of Gracie Jiu Jitsu) came on the map after UFC 1 - driving the message to all serious martial arts practitioners that they need to work on their ‘ground game.’  Simply knowing how to punch and kick wasn’t going to cut it.  Post-UFC 1 adopters were martial artists already proficient in some form of fighting and looking to supplement their skills with ground fighting.  Tough Jiu Jitsu training wasn’t such a high barrier of entry because these adopters were already experienced in the ‘sink or swim’ mentality during their years of hard training.

The 32 Principles represent different ways of achieving efficiency, which is the apex principle of Jiu-jitsu. The greatest Jiu-jitsu practitioners strive to expend as little energy as possible when on the mat. They know that conserving their energy, while letting their opponents waste theirs, will give them the best chances of survival.

In most jiu-jitsu classes, there is usually one student who excels at learning new moves, improvising new techniques, and figuring out how to escape from holds without explicit instruction. It doesn’t mean that they are the strongest or fastest or the most advanced fighter. In some cases, they may even be white belts. However, these students seem to just inherently understand things other students do not.

From an outsider’s perspective, jiu-jitsu may look like a lot of grappling and complicated chokeholds. To the white belt who may have spent just finished their first week of classes, they may not feel all that different. Performing certain moves can require more than a dozen steps and learning how to employ these techniques fluidly and effectively can take years of practice. As one gains a greater appreciation for the amount of dedication, knowledge, and skill that goes into becoming a great fighter, one is likely to gain a greater appreciation for why jiu-jitsu is called a martial art.

Gracie Combatives is a program designed for adults who are new to jiu-jitsu. It teaches the essential techniques of jiu-jitsu through careful instruction, allowing students to develop their reflexes and learn how to incorporate moves while in a real-world fight scenario. What may come as a surprise is that students often take classes for months or even up to a year before they begin sparring.

Learning to be a student of principles starts with reading between the lines when you’re learning moves and technique. It means that you’re not just following the steps for each move like you’re putting together a piece of furniture. 

The core objective of jiu-jitsu is survival. More than beating your opponent or learning proper technique, jiu-jitsu is a form of self-defense that teaches practitioners how to survive a fight, whether it is during an MMA match or a street fight.

There has been a lot of discussion about what kind of role police should play in society.

Even before starting jiu-jitsu, just about everyone has a general idea of how the belt system works. In the most basic terms, belts symbolize skill level and rank. White belts represent those who are new to jiu-jitsu. As they develop as fighters and demonstrate their increased skill level on the mat, they are awarded new belts.

One of the more interesting ways to think about learning Jiu-Jitsu is to think of it as learning a language.

Most educational programs are made up of different levels or grades. You begin at a low level, demonstrate your knowledge of certain material, and then move up (or graduate) to the next level. Jiu-jitsu is no different.

Most people who go to their first jiu-jitsu class are nervous. It’s difficult to walk into any situation wearing your inexperience on your sleeve, especially when this inexperience concerns your ability to defend yourself physically.

There is no doubt that the growing popularity of jiu-jitsu, especially Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Apart from it becoming more common among mixed martial arts fighters, it’s also gaining a following among normal people who merely want to learn how to defend themselves.

On part 1 of this article we examined the two approaches to training Jiu Jitsu in NYC – the Sport focused and Street Self-defense focused approach.  It’s not a question of which approach is better, but more so a question of which suits the individual’s needs.

For people who are just starting to learn jiu-jitsu, it is important to recognize that not all gyms are the same. Though all jiu-jitsu classes will teach the principles of the fighting style, there are significant differences in how some gyms choose to convert these principles into practice. The distinction is especially important if your objective is to learn self-defense.