If you are considering starting yourself or your kids in martial arts, you may have come across Brazilian Jiujitsu, otherwise known as BJJ. This martial art, also considered a sport, is unique in many ways and differs from other martial arts. The Japanese word ‘Jiu Jitsu’ translates to ‘gentle art’ which is one of the reasons it has become so appealing for women, kids, and families in recent years. Here are some of the reasons BJJ differs from other martial arts…
1.There is no striking involved in BJJ
One of the reasons that Jiu-jitsu was named ‘gentle art’ was due to the fact that there is no striking involved whatsoever. This means no kicking or punching which is a dominant factor in many other martial arts. This can be an appealing factor for parents who want to get their child involved in self-defense, while also protecting them from striking. Comparatively, BJJ is focused on grappling and gaining positions & submissions. Gaging distance, gaining control, and creating leverage over the opponent is also a major factor in BJJ, which is practical in self-defense scenarios.
2. BJJ is technique-focused
It goes without saying that most martial arts involve some level of technique. However, the differentiating factor of BJJ is that it is technique-focused. Jiu-Jitsu is focused on technique over strength, whereas other martial arts combine the two. BJJ students are actually taught to steer away from using strength, and the idea of ‘the gentle art’ is that with the perfect position and technique, very little strength needs to be used.
3. BJJ is a mental game
Many practitioners will relate the game of BJJ to playing chess and there’s a good reason why. There are hundreds of positions and submissions that are involved in BJJ, and therefore, this creates thousands of possible directions that a grappling session can go. In addition to this, students of BJJ have to be very mentally focused during class as they pay attention to the skill being taught and start to execute it themselves.
The wonderful thing about BJJ, is that it is applicable no matter your size, age, or gender. So, if you’re thinking of starting yourself and your family in this incredible martial art, contact Gracie Parramatta on 02 9687 5480 to get started, or visit our timetable to book in your FREE session!
