Brazilian jiu jitsu what is it

Nowadays, Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) become a famous martial art discipline. Therefore, we find plenty of BJJ practitioners around the world from all genders. Above all, Brazilian jiu-jitsu has tons of benefits. Sure training BJJ (jiujitsu) has changed their life for better (good mental health, stress-free productivity, awesome body transformation, etc.).

In this BJJ article we propose an awesome information about: Brazilian jiujitsu origin, history, style of fighting, belts, etc.

What is BJJ?

source: The Chewjitsu Podcast

1. Brazilian jiu jitsu origin

Master Mitsuyo Maeda starts first

Master Mitsuyo Maeda moved from Japan to Brazil, in the last days of the 19th century. And, he has inaugurated the beginning of the Brazilian jiu jitsu martial art, and that was in 1915.

After a while in Brazil, Mitsuyo Maeda meets the Gracie family (in that time Gracie family members were known by their martial arts learning orientation).

Meanwhile, the Gracie family was formed by the father Gastao Gracie and eight children (five boys and three girls).

Carlos Gracie Seeing

After, the meeting master Mitsuyo Maeda and the Gracie family. They were aimed to learn jiu jitsu martial art especially Carlos Gracie. So, at fifteen years old Carlos Gracie starts to learn the basics of Brazilian jiu jitsu.

And, when he was nineteen, he moved to Rio de Janeiro –Brazil– and he inaugurates a new school for teaching jujitsu.

Carlos Gracie had found that jiu-jitsu is very efficacy and efficient martial art, where he could conquer opponents physically stronger. From here starts the jiu jitsu promoting with the famous saying “a smaller, weaker BJJ practitioner can successfully defeat a much bigger, stronger opponent by using leverage and proper BJJ techniques”

2. BJJ historical moments

• 1925s, Master Carlos Gracie has opened the first jiu-jitsu school named the “Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu.“
• 1990s: the Brazilian jiu-jitsu makes the buzz in the United States. Subsequently, when Royce Gracie won a fight in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) against a strong martial arts opponent.
• 1994s: Carlos Gracie Jr. founded the International Brazilian jiu-jitsu Federation (IBJJF) towards the goal of regulating and governing jiujitsu and competitions.
  
  

3. Jiu Jitsu martial art fighting’s style

What is jiu jitsu?

“Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu defines the natural defense of a weak person against a strong one. it’s a kind of leveling process through which brute force, confronted and dominated by the wise application of rational mechanics, is led to admitting that the person , usually taken as a body endowed with a soul, should actually be deemed a soul that happens to reside during a body” said by master Carlos Gracie.

Brazilian jiujitsu as a martial art ground fighting

Therefore, Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) is a martial arts based on ground fighting. As a practitioner, you’ll discover that BJJ is a variation of multiple martial arts like Judo, wrestling, etc. 

Otherwise, the jiu jitsu fighter starts the fight from a standing position, and he can process a takedown to lead his opponent to the ground by utilizing superior leverage, grip upon your opponent.

After that, he can win the fight by controlling his opponent in ways in which force him to submit or scoring more points by leading him in a specific Brazilian jiu jitsu positions. In both cases, the jiu-jitsu fighter should use the proper BJJ technique. 

BJJ knowing

As a BJJ student, you learn how to control and overcome greater size, and an aggressive opponent with less strength merged with the utilization of superior leverage, grip, and position upon your opponent. 

Thus, the jiu-jitsu practitioners gain a deep understanding on the limits of their physical bodies.

jiu-jitsu Gi and No-gi grappling

There are two styles of the Brazilian jiu jitsu:

• Jiu jitsu Gi: the BJJ practitioner wears a uniform (kimono). 
• Jiu jitsu No-Gi: is like a grappling discipline, where the fighter wears a rashguard and short.   

4. Jiu-Jitsu Benefits

Brazilian JiuJitsu students enjoy practicing this beautiful martial art. Besides, BJJ has plenty of benefits to offer them such as:

• Enjoy greatly increased fitness activity.
• Problem-solving ability.
• Self-knowledge of their body and mind.
• Learn combat-efficiency of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
• Social benefits of working within an outsized group. 
• Etc

5. Brazilian jiujitsu belts

• Adults belt ranks

White belt

• White belt meaning

It defines a new BJJ student, who just begins training this martial arts discipline. 

• White belt timeline

A jiu jitsu white belt stays in this level for at least 2 years. It depends on his progress training Brazilian jiu jitsu.

Blue belt

• Blue belt meaning

The blue belt is the next promotion rank for a white belt.  The Blue belt BJJ practitioner has developed more knowledge about Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques and submissions.

• Blue belt timeline

A blue belt stays in this jiu jitsu level between 2 to 3 years.

Purple Belt

• Purple belt meaning

The purple belt attests a BJJ fighter who passes a minimum of four to 5 years of jiu jitsu practice and study. So, he is very savage in some BJJ positions. 

• Purple belt timeline

A purple belt stays in this BJJ level between 2 to 3 years.

Brown belt

• Brown belt meaning

The brown belt is the next belt promotion for a purple belt. It defines a student with a minimum of six years of jiu jitsu practice and study.

• Brown belt timeline

A brown belt stays in this Brazilian jiu-jitsu level between 1 to 2 years.

Black belt

• Black belt meaning

The jiu jitsu black belt is the belt after the brown belt.

• Black belt timeline

The black belt achieves this most desired BJJ rank in around eight to ten years.

There are other belts in Brazilian jiu jitsu high ranked than the black belt such as Red / Black belt, Red / White belt, and the Red belt.

• Youth belt ranks

Children between 4 and 15 years old can receive belt colors that reward progress after a white belt but before earning a blue belt. Which may only be awarded to people 16 years or older.

International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation specified 13 belts for competitors aged 4 through 15 years old. 

White, Gray-White, Gray, Gray-Black, Yellow-White, Yellow, Yellow-Black, Orange-White, Orange, Orange-Black, Green-White, Green, Green-Black

6. jiu jitsu submissions

There are dozens of Brazilian jiu jitsu submissions. And all lead a BJJ opponent to tap out. Here are some BJJ submissions:

• Armbar

source : Bernardo Faria BJJ

• Triangle

source : Bernardo Faria BJJ

• Kimura

source : Chewjitsu

• Omoplata

source : The Grappling Academy

• Chokes 

source : Bernardo Faria BJJ

7. BJJ influencer masters 

Sure Brazilian jiu-jitsu has many masters that had participated in the progression of this beautiful martial art discipline like: 

• Shinya Aoki: One among the best jiu jitsu MMA submission fighters of all-time. He was a BJJ ambassador in the MMA field. 
• Helio Gracie: He fought Kimura as tough together could and invented the design.
• Rickson Gracie: The son of Helio, he’s widely considered to be the simplest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner from the Gracie family. Self-reports indicate that he won over 400 fights without a loss.
• Royce Gracie: He opened the world’s eyes to the Brazilian jiujitsu discipline. He was undefeated in the UFC at some time.
• Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: One among the simplest heavyweight MMA submission fighters ever, referred to as much for his submissions as for his toughness.
• BJ Penn: He was also the primary non-Brazilian to win the black-belt division.
• Carlos Gracie Jr.: He creates the Gracie Barra jiu jitsu academy. Indeed, he participates a lot in the progress of the BJJ martial art. 

8. Jiu–jitsu basic positions

• The full guard

A BJJ practitioner takes the full guard if his legs are closed around the waist of his opponent.

• The half-guard
      A jiu jitsu practitioner has a half-guard when he put one of his legs among the legs of his opponent.
• The side control
      A BJJ student will get to side control position when you pass his guard and you control his side body. 
• The mount position

The mount position means you’ll sit on the belly or chest of your opponent together with your legs at the edges of his body.  

• The back take
  the back take is a tough control upon your opponent’s back. It’s one of the most dominant positions in Brazilian jiu jitsu. 

source: Shelly Doyle

Conclusion

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is one of the best martial arts everyone should learn. So, when you plan to start BJJ training.

Feel free to share with us your view of Brazilian jiu jitsu martial art.