Brazilian jiu-jitsu (//; Portuguese: [ˈʒiw ˈʒitsu], [ˈʒu ˈʒitsu], [dʒiˈu dʒiˈtsu]) (BJJ) is a grappling art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting. Brazilian jiu-jitsu was formed from Kodokan Judo ground fighting (Ne-Waza) fundamentals that were taught to Carlos Gracie by master Mitsuyo Maeda. Brazilian jiu-jitsu eventually came to be its own art through the experimentations, practices, and adaptation from the Judo knowledge of Carlos and Helio Gracie, who then passed their knowledge onto their family.
BJJ promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique, taking the fight to the ground – most notably by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat the other person. BJJ training can be used for sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition or self-defense. Sparring(commonly referred to as "rolling") and live drilling play a major role in training, and a premium is placed on performance, especially in competition, in relation to progress and ascension through its ranking system.
Since its inception in 1914, its parent art of Judo was separated from older systems of Japanese ju-jitsu by an important difference that was passed on to Brazilian jiu-jitsu: it is not solely a martial art: it is also a sport; a method for promoting physical fitness and building character in young people; and, ultimately, a way (Do) of life.[
The Gracie family (Portuguese: [ˈɡɾejsi]) is a prominent martial arts family from Brazil known for their development of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). They have been successful in combat sport competitions including mixed martial arts, vale tudo, and submission wrestling events. As a family, they uphold the Gracie challenge, which promotes their style of modern jiu-jitsu. Members are affinally and consanguineously related to the Machado family.
Origins[edit]
One part of the Gracie family line in Brazil descended from George Gracie, a Scotsman from the Carronhill estate in Dumfriesshire who emigrated in 1826 when he was 25 years old.[1][2][3][clarification needed] George was a son of James (b. 1772), the second son of family patriarch George Gracie (b. 1734), and Jean Patterson.[3] From George came Pedro, from Pedro came Gastão, who was the father of Carlos Gracie and Hélio Gracie. Carlos Gracie and Hélio Gracie are 1/8 Scottish.[4]
Jiu-Jitsu[edit]
Gastão Gracie from Rio de Janeiro, the grandson of George Gracie through his son Pedro married Cesarina Pessoa Vasconcellos, the daughter of a wealthy Ceará family, in 1901 and decided to settle in Belém do Pará.[5][unreliable source?]Gastão Gracie became a business partner of the American Circus in Belém. In 1916, the Italian Argentine Queirolo Brothers staged circus shows there and presented Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judoka and prize fighter.[6][7] In 1917, Carlos Gracie, the eldest son of Gastão Gracie, watched a demonstration by Mitsuyo Maeda at the Da Paz Theatre and decided to learn judo. Conde thus accepted to teach Gastão's son Carlos. In 1921, however, following financial hardship and his own father Pedro's demise, Gastão Gracie returned to Rio de Janeiro with his family.[5]
Maeda's teachings were then passed on to Carlos' brothers Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., and George. Hélio, however, was too young and sick at that time to learn the art and due to his medical imposition was prohibited to physically partake in training. Despite this, Helio became a coxswain for the local rowing team[8] as well as a competitive swimmer.[9] Despite his poor health, Hélio successfully learned the art of Jiu Jitsu through watching his brothers. Today, Hélio and Carlos are both widely considered by the Jiu Jitsu community and Gracie family as the creators of modern Brazilian jiu-jitsu.[citation needed]
For a number of years, the Gracie family ran a competitive monopoly on Vale Tudo events. [10] Through their competitive rise, the men allocated power and influence with which they sought to promote Gracie family members within the Vale Tudo community.[10]
Roger Gracie won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 10 times in various weight divisions (6 times at 100 kg, once at 100+kg, and 3 times in the Absolute division). He also won the Pan-American Championship in the Absolute division in 2006 and the European Championships in 2005 in the 100+kg and Absolute divisions.[11]
Kron Gracie won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in the under 77 kg division in 2013 [12] and the European Championships in the 82 kg division in 2009.[11]
Clark Gracie won the Pan-American Championship in the under 82 kg division in 2013.[13]
Kyra Gracie won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in the Women's under 60 kg division in 2005, 2007, and 2011 and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship four times (three times in the Women's under 64 kg division and once in the Women's Absolute Division).[14]
