The Secret Origins of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Uncover the Fascinating History of Japanese Jiu Jitsu and How it Gave Birth to One of the Most Popular Martial Arts in the World
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that has been gaining popularity around the world due to its effectiveness in grappling and ground fighting.
However, the roots of BJJ can be traced back to the ancient martial art of Japanese Jiu Jitsu.
Japanese Origins
Japanese Jiu Jitsu originated in feudal Japan during the 16th century, and was used by samurai warriors as a form of close combat. JJJ incorporates various techniques such as strikes, throws, joint locks, and chokes.
The aim of JJJ was to defeat an opponent in hand-to-hand combat, without the use of weapons.
In the late 19th century, JJJ was introduced to Brazil by Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese Jiu Jitsu master. Maeda was a member of the Kodokan, a famous JJJ school, and had travelled the world performing JJJ demonstrations.
Migration to Brazil
In 1914, he arrived in Brazil and began teaching JJJ to the locals.
Amongst Maeda’s students were Carlos and Helio Gracie, who went on to develop Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The Gracie family had refined JJJ techniques to suit their smaller stature and to make them more effective in ground fighting.
BJJ was born as a result of the Gracie family’s experimentation and refinement of JJJ techniques.
BJJ emphasizes the use of leverage and technique to overcome an opponent, regardless of their size and strength. It focuses on ground fighting, and involves techniques such as guard, mount, side control, and submissions. The aim of BJJ is to gain a dominant position over an opponent and submit them through chokes or joint locks.
Global Expansion
BJJ gained international recognition when Royce Gracie, a member of the Gracie family, won the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993. The UFC was a tournament that pitted martial artists from different disciplines against each other to determine the most effective martial art.
Royce Gracie’s victory was a testament to the effectiveness of BJJ in real-life combat situations.
It showcased BJJ’s ability to neutralize an opponent’s striking ability and to control them on the ground. Since then, BJJ has become an integral part of mixed martial arts (MMA) and has gained a reputation as one of the most effective martial arts for self-defense.
In Conclusion
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has its roots in the ancient martial art of Japanese Jiu Jitsu. BJJ was born out of the Gracie family’s experimentation and refinement of JJJ techniques, and has since become one of the most effective martial arts in the world.
BJJ’s emphasis on leverage and technique, and its focus on ground fighting, make it a formidable martial art that has gained recognition in MMA and self-defense.
