Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was founded by Carlos Gracie in Brazil in 1925- almost 100 years ago. Since then, Jiu Jitsu has grown hugely in popularity and paved the way for one of the biggest sporting phenomenons of recent times- MMA and UFC.
Although if you are an outsider or new to martial arts, you may wonder- what can Brazilian Jiu Jitsu do in terms of defending myself?
Legend has it, Helio Gracie, (brother of Carlos) was very ill and weak when growing up. As a result of this, he adapted Jiu Jitsu with the mindset that a smaller or weaker person could gain the upper hand and submit a much larger physically stronger opponent. Therefore making Brazilian Jiu Jitsu one of the most effective martial arts for practical self defence.
When faced with a volatile or violent situation, many panic or react without thinking. Jiu Jitsu teaches you to tame your instinctive reactions – and apply intelligent and efficient techniques to counter the aggressive actions of your opponent.
Most untrained people without any martial arts or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu knowledge will think they must attack back in order to defend themselves. This is not always the case. Jiu Jitsu uses a serious of positions and pins to control your opponent. Once the opponent is under control a practitioner can now apply a submission hold ( if necessary) such as a joint lock or a choke hold.
Jiu Jitsu also teaches many escapes which are used in any serious self defence situations. These include how to escape when being held from behind, escaping from a choke or escaping from your opponent mounting you. These are common situations you could find yourself in when you need to defend yourself from an attack.
Having a calm and calculated mindset that is gained form practicing Jiu Jitsu is also a key part of defending yourself. Knowing what to do in a chaotic situation can help you stay calm and steer the conflict in your favour.
If you would like to learn more – Sign up for our next Self Defence Beginners Course here!
