Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or BJJ, is a ground-based martial art which focuses on submission holds. Founded in the 1920s by the Gracie family, BJJ has since exploded in popularity, thanks to Royce Gracie’s success in the early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which showcased the effectiveness of the non-striking art over other combat sports.
Rather than relying on pure strength, BJJ is regarded as an extremely technical martial art that takes decades to master. While other martial arts such as Taekwondo or Judo take anywhere from three to six years to receive a black belt, BJJ practitioners can expect to wait ten years to earn the highest belt and truly claim expertise over the art.
BJJ is globally renowned as one of the most effective martial arts out there. The reasons for practicing the art vary from person-to-person; the BJJ community is one of the most diverse of any sport, and the Ironfist Gym Brisbane’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student base certainly reflects that.
BJJ is either practiced in a traditional Gi, or without one (known as ‘no-Gi’).
Here are the top four reasons why everyone, whether a child or an adult, man or woman, engineer or tradie, should be learning BJJ.
BJJ is highly effective for self-defence
There are many debates surrounding which martial art is most effective for self-defence, but BJJ remains at the forefront of the conversation. Individuals versed in BJJ will be able to take a fight to the ground, and utilise many different submissions to safely incapacitate a threat, all without delivering a single blow.
At Ironfist, our experienced BJJ coaches will teach you how to take an individual to the ground where you can apply a variety of submissions that are highly effective in a self-defense situation, regardless of physical size.
BJJ is a safer martial art
BJJ is unique in that, unlike many other martial arts, it does not incorporate any striking. Instead, practitioners rely on chokes, such as the rear naked or triangle choke, holds, such as the armbar, and locks, such as the leg lock.
The beauty of BJJ is that while these moves can neutralise an opponent, when grappling (known as ‘rolling’) in the gym, as soon as the choke, hold or lock is securely in place, you simply tap on your partner to let them know, and they will immediately release you.
This way, BJJ practitioners are able to learn these highly effective techniques day in, day out, with an extremely low risk of serious injury.
BJJ is an extremely technical and engaging martial art
It is often said that BJJ is ‘human chess’; although a casual onlook may struggle to appreciate the intricacies of the art, once you dive into Jiu Jitsu at Ironfist, you will begin to gain an understanding of its complexity. For this reason, BJJ attracts a wide variety of people, many of whom may not seem like the typical ‘fighting’ type.
From MMA fighters to philosophers, the physical chess match that is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has something to offer everyone.
BJJ instills self-confidence and discipline
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is more than just a combat sport. It is a martial art that requires discipline, and leaving your ego at the door. The self-confidence that comes with the hours you will be spending on the mat learning how to defend yourself on the ground is one of the key reasons why BJJ is so popular globally.
At Ironfist, our passionate Jiu Jitsu coaches are committed to providing a safe, productive learning environment so that everyone, from brand new beginners to our more experienced practitioners, can apply themselves fully to every lesson.
Give BJJ a go!
Think you’re ready to step onto the mat and give BJJ a go? If you are living in Brisbane, now is your opportunity! Ironfist Gym Brisbane runs BJJ Gi and no-Gi introductory classes five days a week. Grab a 2-session pass now, or call Ironfist to book in a time today!
Any other questions? Ask away! We are happy to help.
Get in touch.
Address: 2/4 Devlan St, Mansfield QLD 4122
Phone: (+07) 0431 685 085
Check out our timetable for more details.