Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu “BJJ” is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu “BJJ” promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique – most notably by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat the other person. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu “BJJ” techniques can be used for self-defense as well as sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. Sparring (commonly referred to as “rolling”) and live drilling play a major role in training to enhance the practice and understanding of the techniques in a live situation.
Since its inception in 1914, its parent art of judo was separated from older systems of Japanese jujutsu by an important difference that was passed on to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu “BJJ”: 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 of life.