Why Is Jiu-Jitsu So Effective?

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.

It would not be until the early 1990s that jiu-jitsu exploded in popularity outside of Brazil. This is largely due to the rise of the UFC and Royce Gracie, Hélio Gracie’s son, who dominated the early UFC tournaments in the 1990s.

Today, Royce’s nephew, Rener, is one of the Gracies most visible ambassadors. He recently spoke with Lewis Howes of the School of Greatness. In the third part of this discussion about the interview, we will look at the reasons why jiu-jitsu is so effective as a system. This extends beyond MMA or jiu-jitsu tournaments and relates to more pedestrian scenarios. A big part of this efficacy in any area of life, according to Rener, is due to practitioners’ ability to understand the importance of setting boundaries and to manage distance.

Establishing Boundaries

Rener explains in the above video that the number one skill for self-defense is learning how to set boundaries. Maintaining physical boundaries by not letting another person touch you is one obvious deterrent in an altercation, but Rener explains that one should also establish boundaries verbally before needing to set up physical boundaries. In addition to avoiding dangerous situations, creating a boundary verbally can also help de-escalate scenarios before they become problematic.

Rener uses the example of a woman in a gas station. In this scenario, she is alone. She notices a person on the street. They notice her. They begin walking up.

As Rener explains, the first thing she should do is tell them, “Do not get any closer.” She should say this calmly and assertively with a strong voice, strong eyes, and strong posture. This action lets the person know that crossing the boundary is probably not worth the trouble.

Additionally, she sets a firm boundary. This now gives the other person the opportunity to reveal their intention. In other words, if a person is just innocently looking for directions, they’ll be able to do that without violating the boundary, and then walk away. They may be a little disgruntled about being perceived as a threat, but everyone will get home safe.

If they do not have innocent intentions, then the ball is now in their court. They can choose to stop and walk away, or they can violate the boundary by trying to get closer. This reveals to the woman that they have bad intentions. In some cases, they may start charging. They may also try to continue to walk over as they try to explain their innocence. Either way, by setting the boundary early on, the woman now has more time to decide how to respond and has a head start on distance management.

Distance Management

Learning how to manage distance is part of any martial art, but jiu-jitsu teaches all students how this applies to self-defense in real-world scenarios. Simply put, the goal is to stay out of the strike zone—a distance shorter than about two arms-lengths, where an assailant or opponent can deliver a serious kick or punch. To do so, one can stay all the way out or all the way in.

All the way out is any distance that is out of the striking range of another person. Being all the way out means that you can choose to escape, attempt further de-escalation, dodge any strikes, or go all the way in.

All the way in is not the opposite of all the way out, but rather its counterpart. When you go all the way, you eliminate the distance between you and the other. Without distance, they cannot gather enough momentum to land a meaningful blow. Moreover, if you are trained in jiu-jitsu, being all the way in means that you can then take them to the ground and use jiu-jitsu techniques to establish a dominant position.

When used effectively, jiu-jitsu neutralizes threats without the need for force. In a UFC fight, this means they can conserve their energy and wear down their opponents until the right opportunity for a submission hold presents itself. For people trying to avoid a fistfight on the street, jiu-jitsu gives them the opportunity to de-escalate the situation without anyone getting seriously injured.