What is jiu-jitsu?

What a strange name for a martial art, “jiu-jitsu.” By now, many people have heard about it and have a vague sense of what is jiu-jitsu. Of course, there are some who still have no clue what happens on the mats. Others associate the art with karate, taekwondo, kung fu, or some other traditional art. Then there is the group that knows something about jiu-jitsu because of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) or podcasts like the Joe Rogan Experience or Lex Fridman Podcast. Even influential people like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have gotten into the action. So, awareness of jiu-jitsu has grown on the American public over the last several years, but there is still a major gap between general perception and reality.

Historically, the martial art certainly was just that—martial. The art was developed by Asian militaries and mastered by Japanese samurai (Lindsay, 192). The sport made its way over to Brazil where the Gracie clan made it popular as they directly competed with practitioners of other martial arts to prove the value of what they had honed from their Japanese instructors. Therefore, the art is usually abbreviated “BJJ” for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and the Portuguese influences are reflected in the contemporary spelling of the word.

The name “jiu-jitsu” means something like “yielding art” since the goal is to use technique to defend against an aggressive opponent rather than brute strength (Lindsay, 192). Sometimes the word “pliable” is used to explain what is meant. The student of BJJ yields to movements and repositions himself and/or his opponent in such a way as to emerge victorious. Originally, proponents touted the advantages of BJJ for smaller men against larger, untrained opponents (Nakae, 4, 8). Of course, the idea of “untrained” is important. If an opponent is large and trained, this is a recipe for disaster. In that case, one learns to become a peacemaker quickly.

Jiu-jitsu is a grappling art. In essence, the art is simply another variation of wrestling which has been known to have been practiced since ancient times (Liederman, 15). Over against all of the striking arts, jiu-jitsu is about controlling one’s opponent. There is no need for punches or kicks when one can command the space between himself and the opponent and control the opponent with grips, takedowns, and pins.

Most all writers on the subject advocate that Jiu-jitsu is a form of self-defense (Nakae, 8). Just spending some time in class thinking about the threats surrounding oneself is more than what the common man does on this subject. Moreover, training how to defend oneself against grabs, throws, trips, pins, and more gives one an upper hand in physical altercations. Most forms of jiu-jitsu provide a comprehensive curriculum of self-defense.

Jiu-jitsu is also a regulated sport. This is prominently demonstrated by organizations such as the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (ibjjf.com) and the ADCC Submission Fighting World Federation (adcombat.com). There are rule sets and point systems to regulate competition. There are those who train the sport professionally nowadays and amateur athletes who compete part-time. There are large, international tournaments and local competitions. Those who train in jiu-jitsu can choose to compete or not, and most practitioners never compete in an official match.

Furthermore, the art of jiu-jitsu offers straightforward physical and mental exercise. This point is obvious to anyone who has observed a class session. Some have even made what seems to be ostentatious declarations about the physical health benefits of practicing BJJ. A writer from over a century ago was claiming things like “Jiu-Jitsu develops every muscle and strengthens every organ in the body” and “The man or woman who devoted 10 minutes daily to the practice of Jiu-Jitsu will enjoy a degree of health and strength that will make him or her thoroughly alive and fully conscious of the possession of perfect manhood or womanhood” (O’Brien, 1). These are lofty claims, but that same writer goes on to promise all sorts of specific health benefits to training in this form. Whether all of the claims could be scientifically proven is unlikely, but there are certainly benefits to the trainee in aspects of physical and mental health. One will need to learn for himself what good can come from the training by trying a class. Ideally, someone will take a series of classes before making a judgment.

Finally, jiu-jitsu is simply a hobby, and has become a very popular one in recent years. There is friendship and camaraderie to gain in training in this physical exercise together. Training partners are necessary, with two or more in class. There is a bond that forms between the men that is often lacking in society today. Jiu-jitsu provides something to think about, to study, and to discuss. The complex strategy involved in the sport has made it popular among not just athletes but also those who consider themselves intellectuals. The uneducated and educated, the younger and the older, the jock and the geek, all find themselves on the mat together with a new hobby in jiu-jitsu.

Advantages of training in the martial art of jiu-jitsu include self-defense, more confidence, better physical fitness, camaraderie with others, and control over oneself. Moreover, BJJ provides a level of training for one’s body, mind, and emotions for intense stress and pressure that is unique. True danger and stress are hard to simulate for training, and BJJ does it better than almost any other scenario. Practitioners of the art are able to go full-speed and full-force without the risk of major injury in ways that no other martial art can duplicate. This sort of training under intense pressure provides ample opportunity for stress management and better mental health. The benefits really are stunning.

Learn more about the Highland Jiu-Jitsu Club in King, NC at https://highlandjjc.wixsite.com/hjjc and on social media @HighlandJJC.

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Sources:

Liederman, Earle. 1923. The Science of Wrestling and the Art of Jiu-Jitsu. New York: Earle Liederman.

Lindsay, T. and J. Kano. 1889. “Jiujutsu: The Old Samurai Art of Fighting without Weapons.” In Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan. Yokohama: Meiklejohn & Co.

Nakae, Kiyose and Charles Yeager. 1958. Jiu Jitsu Complete. New York: Wehman Bros.

O’Brien, John. 1905. A Complete Course of Jiu-Jitsu and Physical Culture. Boston: Physicians’ Publishing Company.