A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial arts academy designed to work with the principles of leverage and technique instead of brutal force and strength.
What is BJJ?
About BJJ Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art designed to work with the principles of leverage and technique instead of brutal force and strength. The main focus of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is on ground grappling, the most important but often neglected area of martial arts.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the only martial art and self-defense system that can hold its own when comparing Martial Arts styles. No other Martial Art in the world can make this claim! It has been proven time after time against all other martial arts with the same results: Every opponent is taken to the ground where they don’t have the necessary distance and speed to strike, and are eventually subdued because of their lack of skill. It is a fact that 90% of all fights end up in clinch and eventually on the ground, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will give you the necessary tools to fully protect yourself in the most common type of street confrontations.
How Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is used Today?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is used by a variety of people all over the world for a variety of reasons; some people do it to learn self-defense, get in shape, learn discipline, exercise, compete or even just as a hobby. People from walks of life practice Jiu-Jitsu.
The top fighters in the world use Jiu-Jitsu as one of their main skills in today's mixed martial arts events such as the UFC, Strikeforce and Pride Championships.
In the United States, as well as other countries Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been incorporated in their military and police training. The Army Rangers, Delta Force and several police departments all over the US have been using Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a part of their training for years. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can also be a very good tool for people working in the security field since it gives the practitioner the ability to control and restrain "aggressors" without the use of punching and kicking.
How Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became famous
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolutionized the way combat athletes and mixed martial artists view fighting in general after they witnessed a 176 pound Brazilian fighter by the name of Royce Gracie defeat 3 larger and stronger opponents in one night in a “no-holds-bar” competition called “UFC” by using Gracie or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the early 1990’s. Thus, the UFC was born. Ever since then, BJJ has become one of the most sought after Martial Arts.
Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is for Everyone’s Enjoyment
Jiu-Jitsu is not just for strong, athletic men. BJJ is an ideal sport for men and women of all ages and sizes because of the use of leverage and technique instead of brute strength. Many people feel intimidated when contemplating to being training Jiu-Jitsu, but this is a sport for all types of people from all walks of life and at Gracie Barra Westchase, we are here to help you reach your goal, no matter what it may be. Many people come to us for a variety of reasons: as a hobby, for a great workout, to learn how to defend themselves, improve their cardio, lose weight, or to better their Mixed Martial Arts skills for competition. Gracie Barra Westchase is a school for anyone interested in learning or bettering their BJJ game, Whatever your reason is, we have the a place for you!
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an Excellent Method of Self-Defense for Women
BJJ is an ideal form of self-defense for since most attacks on women end up on the ground; Jiu-Jitsu is one of the very few forms of self-defense that deals with the most neglected form of combat, ground fighting. Also most martial arts rely on speed, strength or the element of surprise to be effective. What is not put in to the equation is the fact that women are usually ambushed and attacked by surprise without given the opportunity to strike at the right moment. So what do you do when you find yourself on the ground with a person 100 pounds heavier than you on top of you? Certainly not punching and kicking.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts on T.V.
If you turn on SPIKE TV and watch The Ultimate Fighter show, you’ll understand the importance of ground fighting in Mixed Martial Arts. It is almost impossible to have a successful MMA career without being a BJJ Practitioner due to the effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, even in a professional fighting environment.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Workout
Many people who begin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu previously have done some form of exercise prior to BJJ. Most of those people don’t believe it can be that superior of a workout for them, and those people are always surprised after their first class. BJJ is a complete body workout that most people aren’t use to and used parts of your body, movements and muscles that the average person is not familiar with in the traditional workout routine.
On the other hand, many people who begin a BJJ regimen start for the reason of getting a great workout and a great workout is what they get! Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an unconventional way to get an amazing workout that will keep you interested, motivated and coming back for more.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts in Houston, Texas
Houston now has a growing number of academies and gyms that offer classes in these areas due to the popularity of the sport. Houston also hosts competitions every year organized by the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation), great for all of those who want to polish their game against others and work on their competition skills.
