Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that focuses on Grappling with an emphasis on ground fighting. The aim is to gain a dominant position and ensure that an attacker 'beats' as quickly as possible. It is based on an adapted variant of traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu , called 'Jiu-do'.
The idea is that soft beats hard. In other words, a small weaker person can defend himself against a stronger and larger attacker with the right techniques and movements. You can practice it as self-defense, during special Grappling tournaments and mixed Martial Arts tournaments. Sparring and continuous repetition of exercises play an important role in training. It is mainly about the performance delivered, especially during competitions and tournaments.
History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The sport began when Mitsuyo Maeda, a master of Kosen Judo (form of judo that specializes more in ground fighting, called Ne Waza), emigrated to Brazil. He changed training methods to non-lethal ones 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.
People often fight Vale Tudo competitions (predecessor of Mixed Martial Arts ) in which they focus on ground fighting and adjustments of techniques. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came 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 sport of choice for many MMA fighters and is widely praised for its emphasis on ground fighting. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments have growing attention worldwide and are becoming better known and bigger, such as the no-gi submission grappling tournaments of the ADCC (Abu Dahbi Combat Club).
Sometimes the sport is called Gracie Jiu Jitsu, but this name is trademarked by Rorion Gracie and refers to the style that he and his teachers promoted. Other members of the Gracie family have something similar such as Charles Gracie and Renzo Gracie. The Machado brothers call it Machado Jiu-Jitsu. Each style has its own unique aspects but are generally seen as derivatives of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Although the sport has been practiced in the Netherlands for years, it is not yet very well known, despite the fact that we have great fame worldwide in the field of martial arts. There are quite a few schools in the Netherlands where you can practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Usually they have a 'black belt' teaching, but not all. The trainers mainly come 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 expectation is that the sport will take off enormously in the Netherlands. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is considered one of the most effective martial arts.
There are already a number of black belts in Belgium: Juan Grizzo, Sabatine, Mario D'Hoker and Koen Smets. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is also popular here and the number of practitioners is growing steadily. In the past, many were forced to travel abroad for competitions and seminars. Nowadays, the clubs themselves organize more and more internships, seminars and competitions to raise their level.
