We’re decoding BJJ with Jahangir Raza, a martial artist and trainer. A sportsperson for most part of his life, Jahnagir is an ardent follower of Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu, a submission expert with two championship titles, and also has his own Mixed Martial Arts Academy.
Get ready to get inspired, and kick some butt.
Brazlian Jiu Jitsu, or Gracie Jiu Jistu originated in Japan, as an amalgamation of Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Judo. It was brought to Brazil in 1914, which was when Helio Gracie and the rest of the Gracie Family further developed and refined this style of Jiu Jitsu to make it their own.
By 1925, the art came to be famously known as Gracie Jiu Jitsu. This form of Jiu Jitsu was specifically designed for a small person to be able to defend him/herself against a larger opponent, based purely on intelligence, technique, and leverage.
Since this is an art with technique, intelligence and leverage, rather than brute force, it doesn’t require one to be very strong, fit or athletic. We use grappling techniques and distance management for defence and a large range of chokes and joint locks to finish opponents as offence.
Jiu Jitsu is a full body functional workout – you will use muscles that you didn’t even know existed. Training involves a lot of body weight conditioning drills, which help you tone your body and build the ‘right’ kind of muscle.
By training a lot in Jiu Jitsu, you will not come out with huge arms and a chest, but your body will be flexible, agile, more toned, leaner and I promise that you will never get tired!
Unlike kickboxing, wrestling and various other martial arts, strength plays a very small role in BJJ, which makes it unique, since it works on principles of intelligence and leverage, making it a fantastic self-defense martial art for women.
If you train, your mind begins to get sharper and your body begins to understand conditioning. BJJ is not a rough art and it does not require you to throw punches and kicks at your opponent/training partners for practice, unlike a lot of other martial arts.
It is improbable that you will get injured, unless techniques aren’t understood fully while learning.
BJJ is known around the world for its innate ability to curb the human ego. I speak from personal experience. No matter how big, strong, athletic and agile you are, you will lose to the smaller opponent practicing BJJ. “Tapping” is key while learning.
In BJJ there is no losing – either you win or you learn.
Since BJJ was designed for a smaller person to face a larger and stronger one, it brings many tactics that can be useful, especially to women, against men, like ample joint locks, chokes and escape strategies.
For example, a female US navy sailor choked out a bus driver who attempted to rape her in Afghanistan using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There is no stereotypical person who trains in Jiu Jitsu. BJJ is like physical chess – it requires one to use the mental aspects of chess and the physical aspects of a practical fighting martial art.
It is as intense as you want it to be – you can push 100 percent every day or push 50 percent every day. The only equipment you require is your body and a few grappling mats!
Warrior’s Cove Mixed Martial Arts and Crosstrain Fight Club are two of the best places to learn this martial art.
