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Playing jiu-jitsu can also involve teaching children simple moves that are solely defensive and can be used to prevent bullying. In the below video, Relson Gracie provides a great example when he asks some of Robin’s kids to break free of a neck grab or a wrist grab. These are safe, simple moves that children of virtually any age can learn and master.

A lot of parents may be hesitant to introduce their children to jiu-jitsu at a young age. For some, they worry that teaching their kids a martial art will send the message that violence is acceptable. Others may worry that their children could hurt themselves or others. Still others may want to enroll their kids in a martial arts class but may not know if jiu-jitsu is right for them.

When Grandmaster Rickson Gracie moved from Brazil to the United States in the late 1980s, he was arguably the best jiu-jitsu fighter in the world. Meanwhile, jiu-jitsu was still several years from breaking into the mainstream in the   Even in Southern California, where Rickson settled, there was only    interest in what was considered a niche, Brazilian form of martial arts. Many wondered how Rickson would continue to dominate given that he was leaving behind the best jiu-jitsu schools and the most highly skilled jiu-jitsu fighters in the world.

It’s unrealistic to expect a child who is fearful for their personal safety to stand up for themselves with confidence…  By giving the child the tools to defend themselves, they walk strong.

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.

Women Empowered classes at the Gracie Academy emphasize eight fundamentals of self-defense. They are:

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.

With the explosive popularity of group fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and spinning, women in New York City have a wide variety of classes to choose from.  Pugilistic sports like Boxing and Kickboxing have crossed over into this fitness category, boasting the benefits of fitness training while learning self-defense.