Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that focuses on grappling with an emphasis on ground fighting. The goal is to gain a dominant position and ensure an attacker taps out as quickly as possible. It is based on a modified form of traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu called Jiu-do.
The idea is that soft wins hard. In other words, a small, weaker person can defend themselves against a stronger, larger attacker with the right techniques and movements. You can practice it for self-defense, during special grappling tournaments, and mixed martial arts tournaments. Sparring and continuous repetition of exercises play a key role in training. It's primarily about performance, especially during matches and tournaments.
History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The sport began when Mitsuyo Maeda, a master of Kosen Judo (a form of judo that specializes more in ground fighting, called Ne Waza), emigrated to Brazil. He modified training methods to non-lethal and taught these techniques to Carlos Gracie, who in turn passed them on to his younger brother, Helio. The brothers taught their children the sport, which continues the family tradition today. The Gracie family has continued to perfect the system over the years.
Vale Tudo matches (a precursor to Mixed Martial Arts) are often fought, focusing on ground fighting and technique adaptation. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu rose to prominence in the United States in the early 1990s when Royce Gracie won the first, second, and fourth "Ultimate Fighting" championships. Since then, it has become a preferred sport for many MMA fighters and is widely praised for its emphasis on ground fighting. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments are gaining traction worldwide and are becoming increasingly well-known and larger, such as the no-gi submission grappling tournaments of the ADCC (Abu Dahbi Combat Club).
The sport is sometimes called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but this name is trademarked by Rorion Gracie and refers to the style he and his teachers practiced. Other members of the Gracie family, such as Charles Gracie and Renzo Gracie, have something similar. The Machado brothers call it Machado Jiu-Jitsu. Each style has its own unique aspects but is generally considered derivative of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the Netherlands
Although the sport has been practiced in the Netherlands for years, it's still not very well-known, despite the fact that we are a global force in the field of martial arts. There are quite a few schools in the Netherlands where you can practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. They usually have a black belt teaching, but not all. The instructors are primarily from Brazil. Mathieu Peters from Oss is the first Dutch black belt. He passed the prestigious exam in January 2007 at the Yamasaki Academy in Washington, USA. The sport is expected to take off enormously in the Netherlands. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is considered one of the most effective martial arts.
In Belgium, there are already several black belts: Juan Grizzo, Sabatine, Mario D'Hoker, and Koen Smets. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is also very popular here, and the number of practitioners is steadily growing. In the past, many were forced to travel abroad for competitions and seminars. These days, clubs are increasingly organizing training courses, seminars, and competitions to raise their level.
