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Wednesday, 13 April 2011

Learn To Fight On The Ground

By Victor Joseph


Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art that emphasizes grappling. There is some contention over exactly where its roots came from but it's believed they are from Chinese martial arts which were brought there from India. It was then further developed in Japan to become the system of Jiu-Jitsu which would later make it to Brazil.

The art began developing in the 1500s and then was further refined in the 1800s so that it could be taught and practiced outside of warfare. The original art, however, included more ground fighting than was emphasized in that developed by Jigoro Kano which would become known as Judo. At first, this was a weakness in the art.

When it became obvious that this was indeed a weakness, ground fighting techniques were included. This took place before the art was brought to Brazil which happened around 1915. Then, it was introduced by a Japanese practitioner of the art, Esai Maeda, to the Gracie family. Ground fighting was a part of what he taught.

It become honed into a much more effective art in Brazil because it was constantly being tested. Rather than worrying about a lot of rules, the schools there had competitions with no rules so that they could better perfect their techniques in real situations.

At first, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the Gracies were more or less synonymous but schools began to separate off. There are schools as well that trace back their lineage to Maeda directly, separate from the Gracies. Despite that, it's certainly true that they are the practitioners most recognized around the world and have had the most to do with its worldwide awareness.

The art includes such techniques as strikes, joint locks, choke holds, submission holds and other ground fighting techniques. The emphasis is on getting the opponent down on the ground. Part of the intent is to even up the odds when a smaller opponent is fighting against a larger and stronger one who will be able to reach farther and hit harder.

Because of the emphasis on fighting on the ground, these fighters often have a great advantage against even the best fighters in systems that focus on a standing position. Once these standing fighters are on the ground, they do not have the training or experience to cope with the situation effectively. Because of this, training in grappling is become more common, and this art is especially popular with people who want to compete in mixed martial arts or UFC types of competitions.

A number of approaches can be taken to training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including such methods as technique drills, partial sparring, and full sparring. Many clubs will also emphasize physical conditioning as well since stamina and endurance are important parts of effective fighting.




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