“The ground is my ocean, I’m the shark, and most people don’t even know how to swim” – Carlos Machado, 8th Degree Coral Belt
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) has exploded in popularity over the past 20 years, in large part due to the proliferation of the sport of MMA and the success of the UFC, in which BJJ has become an essential part of any fighter’s game. An evolution of Judo, BJJ differs from previous grappling martial arts in its extensive exploration of ground fighting, in which sweeps and pins are used to control an opponent, with chokes and jointlocks being available to end the fight or force a “tapout”. Practiced either in a traditional “Gi” or in compression gear (“nogi”), BJJ isn’t just a martial art, but a rapidly growing worldwide community.
Though it may appear like an impenetrable morass of tangled limbs at a glance, BJJ is a puzzle box with endless depth and permutations for those with the regard to dig deeper. Sometimes it’s a frenetic scramble, sometimes a grinding war of attrition, sometimes a calm positional exchange. With so many ways to play, and countless submissions and guards to master, it quickly becomes clear why its practitioners seem so addicted and fanatical. You don’t need to learn a lot before you realise how much else there is to learn. Your first brush with an experienced practitioner may make you feel as if they’re using forbidden magic on you. If you have any curiosity whatsoever, the Zenlike calm and precision of someone who is able to tie you in knots while lying on their back without breaking a sweat, is something you’ll be chasing for years to come.
On top of the fun of trying to master something so interesting and varied, BJJ will also give you a new level of confidence in your ability to fight and defend yourself. Most people instinctively know how to strike, but very few people know even the first thing about how to grapple. Without rules explicitly limiting it, almost all fights will involve clinching or going to the ground. Knowing just a fundamental amount of grappling against someone who knows none, will give you an absolutely unfair advantage.
As part of such an exploding scene, you’ll soon realise that you’ll never be short of online resources to draw from, competitions to test yourself at, and future friends and training partners to meet.
Come join the community.
NEW GI MEMBERSHIP SIGNUP — NOW WITH FREE GI WORTH £100
Kaizen Academy is a certified IBJJF Academy under the head black belt instructor Michael Wood. Now is your chance to join in on the most rewarding journey in martial arts. The road to a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black-Belt! We are now offering a 3 month sign up that comes with a FREE GI! Message our contact form, Facebook page or Instagram for more details!
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