What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or BJJ, is regarded as one of the most practical and effective martial arts. BJJ has evolved tremendously since its development in the early 1900s. BJJ's foundational self defense techniques whose original premise was aimed for the smaller individual to protect themselves against the larger individual has evolved an adapted to include techniques from other combat disciplines such as judo, and wrestling.
BJJ for Self-Defense
As stated above, the concept of BJJ is for the smaller individual to be equipped to protect themselves against the larger individual in the events of a conflict. The knowledge possessed by even the most novice BJJ practitioners is far more superior than the individual who never stepped onto a mat.
BJJ for Exercise
Any avenue of BJJ that appeals to you, whether it is to compete professionally, learn something new, or gain self-confidence, the health benefits that the training will provide are unmatched.
BJJ in MMA
Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is the incorporation of a variety of combat disciplines carried out in a one-on-one sanctioned fight. The UFC, which you may have heard of, is the worlds premier MMA organization. MMA has evolved from a plethora of different styles of striking, wrestling styles, and judo. However, it is BJJ which MMA grew its roots from, largely in part due to a skinny guy named Royce Gracie who in the early days of the UFC showed its functionality against much larger and more physical opponents.
Sport BJJ
Over the last decade, sport BJJ has exploded. With the growth of the art, as well as the help of social media, tournaments like IBJJF and ADCC have expanded tremendously making BJJ a rather profitable professional sport. It takes a ton of hard work and dedication to reach the highest levels of the sport, but everyone remembers their reason for taking their first lesson.