Introduction to Jujitsu / BJJ
Traditional Jujitsu originated in Japan as a battlefield art for samurai. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) was developed in Brazil by the Gracie family, adapted from Judo and traditional Jujitsu, with a revolutionary emphasis on ground fighting. BJJ proved its effectiveness in early UFC events and is now one of the fastest-growing martial arts in the world.
The concept
BJJ is both offensive and defensive. The core idea: most real fights end up on the ground, so the person who controls what happens on the ground wins. BJJ teaches how to take someone down, achieve a dominant position, and apply submissions (joint locks and chokes) — or how to escape from the bottom, sweep to a dominant position, and counter-attack.
The famous principle: position before submission. Establish control first, then finish.
What a typical class looks like
- Warm-up: shrimping, bridging, technical standup, guard pulls (10 min)
- Technique instruction: the coach demonstrates a specific technique or sequence, students drill it with a partner (20 min)
- Positional sparring: start from a specific position, practice attacking and defending (10 min)
- Rolling (live sparring): free grappling at controlled intensity (15-20 min)
- Cool-down and stretching (5 min)
Gi vs. No-Gi
- Gi BJJ: training and competing in a heavy cotton uniform (similar to a judogi). Grips on the gi are a major part of the game
- No-Gi BJJ: training in rash guard and shorts. No grips on clothing — faster, more athletic, closer to MMA grappling
- Most schools train both. For kids starting out, either is fine