Jiu-Jitsu means “Gentle Art” in Japanese due to its mostly self-defensive and non-violent nature. This martial art is a ground-based technique that easily immobilizes the opponent without causing much harm.

History

Kodokan Judo master Mitsuyo Maeda came to Brazil and met Carlos Gracie, whom he taught the art of Judo. He passed on what he learned to the rest of his family, including his brother Helio Gracie, who felt always in disadvantage because he had a smaller body-type then his brothers, so he developed a technique that gained leverage over brute strength.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grew a lot over the years, it proved itself to be a martial art for all kinds of people. Jiu-Jitsu has a lot of influence in MMA, as a way to defend yourself or immobilize the opponent.

Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) so Effective?

Simply put, it’s practical and it works. BJJ has proven highly effective in 1-on-1 competitions with remarkable results against other martial arts. BJJ is based on the simple notion that 90% of all confrontations end up on the ground. Yet, most people do not have any experience defending themselves on the ground. BJJ focuses most of its efforts on the ground with positions and techniques that force an adversary to quit. If you use the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) as a proxy for a no-rules situation, you will see that BJJ, Muay Thai, and Wrestling are at the top of the food chain.

It is Based in Reality

Some types of martial arts are based in myth. BJJ is based on reality. It developed (and continues to develop) from street fights and no-rules competitions in Brazil. It is undoubtedly one of the most reality-based, battle-tested martial arts in the world. In order for a technique to be even considered in BJJ, it must work against a live, resisting opponent at full power. 90% of martial arts are never practiced against a live, resisting opponent at full power. In a nutshell, BJJ works in real life.

It is Constantly Evolving

BJJ is one of the few arts that constantly invents new techniques. BJJ today has many more techniques than it did 10 years ago. BJJ takes a Darwinian approach to its techniques. It throws away moves that do not work and constantly reinvents itself with new moves. Traditional martial arts do not evolve. Unfortunately, in traditional martial arts, the same moves that were taught centuries ago are still taught today.

It is Practiced as it is Preformed

At Ralph Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Port Orange techniques are taught in class exactly how they are performed in real life situations. In other words, they are practiced exactly as they are to be performed in a self-defense situation. 90% of martial arts are practiced very differently. If you go to a traditional martial arts studio, you will see students punching and kicking the air. If you go to a BJJ school, you will see students practicing moves with live opponents. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. If you practice against live opponents, you will get good at using techniques with live opponents. If you practice in the air, you will get good at punching and kicking the air. It is quite telling that professional MMA fighters (who risk their lives every day in no-rules competitions) prefer to use BJJ, Muay Thai, and Wrestling as their main self-defense arts. In fact, all of the greatest UFC Champions come from BJJ and Muay Thai backgrounds. Why don’t they use other arts? Because BJJ, Muay Thai, and Wrestling have proven to be the most effective in real situations.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Port Orange Florida

Now being offered to experts and beginners alike, the Ralph Gracie Florida Academy opened its doors in 2016. Contact us or stop by if you have any questions.