Human Chess: The Art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Imagine a 150 pound man controlling a 250 pound man with ease, and without the use of weapons, strikes, or miracles. It happens nearly everyday at our academy.

What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art that focuses on ground grappling. BJJ answers the questions of how to deal with someone who is punching and/or kicking you, what to do to take someone down, how to react if someone takes you down, and what to do once you are on the ground. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu effectively addresses how to handle what happens in over 95% of all real hand to hand combat situations, according the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, the fight goes to the ground.

How does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu work?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is best described as a game of chess using one’s body. The object of BJJ is to use technique involving the use of leverage and positioning of one’s body to effectively control your opponent so that they cannot attack you, but you can attack them. The goal of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is to force your opponent to give up due to the application of a finishing hold also known as a submission. Submissions, as they are commonly referred to in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, are joint-locks (holds that threaten to hyper extend a joint), or chokes. When we spar and a submission hold is applied, the person caught in the submission signals that they give up by tapping their opponent’s body. It is through this system that we can train at full strength and speed without serious injury. It is also this ability to practice while going “all out” and “full contact” with a fully resisting opponent, that makes the training of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so realistic, effective, and rewarding.

Why do I see guys and girls around 115-140 pounds defeating 200+ pound men at the academy?

Do not worry you are not seeing things. Brazilian Jiu-jitsu was designed so that a weaker, smaller, and yes less athletic but more skilled practitioner could defeat a vastly larger and otherwise superior opponent through the use of proper positioning, leverage, and timing. All things being equal it is true that size, strength and athleticism are advantages, but through superior technique, these advantages can be negated or minimized.

How does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu compare to other martial arts such as Karate or Kungfu?

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is different from these arts, in that we emphasize groundwork, and they emphasize striking. In style versus style match ups known as challenge matches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners have been able to defeat pure strikers. This is proven in early UFC events (UFC’s 1-4), and in the documentary tape series Gracies In Action. At our schools, our members run the gamut from those who have no prior martial arts experience to those who are Black Belts in other arts, including owners of successful Karate schools. Everyone is welcome at our schools. What all of our students share in common is a great experience learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu together.