3 Reasons for the Popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Posted by nycombatclub on April 4th, 2019

Traditional Jiu-Jitsu is a Japanese form of combat that was created centuries ago. Roughly translated as “peaceful way,” the art is said to have been created as a way to defend oneself without the use of weapons. A complicated form, it was introduced to Brazil by Esia Maeda, a Judo champion, in 1914. A small Brazilian boy named Helio decided to create a simpler form of Jiu-Jitsu that would be beneficial for those without the necessary physique. Today, that is known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has become quite popular. Here are three reasons for the popularity of BJJ in New York.

Simplified Version

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu uses many of the techniques of the traditional Japanese version but is scaled down to make it easier. The fact that there are fewer techniques to learn makes this type of Jiu-Jitsu much easier to master as those learning it are able to concentrate more on specific aspects. Rather than spending hundreds of hours on the art, like you would need to in traditional Jiu-Jitsu, this form allows you to avoid the practice from being a dominating aspect of your life. The ability to become successful at it with less practice is a major reason why many people prefer this style over the traditional one.

Similar Production

A concern about a simplified version of Jiu-Jitsu might be that it may not be as productive as the original. With fewer techniques being learned, it may be thought of as a lesser version. However, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu only takes the most important parts of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and implements them into the form. When the creator of this style used his newly-formed version against Japanese Jiu-Jitsu champions, he was successful in defeating them, despite being much smaller and using fewer techniques. This proved that you can be successful in this form when going up against those that have studied traditional Jiu-Jitsu.

Competitive Sport

Many people begin learning combat sports with the plan of being competitive. It may be assumed that a scaled-down version of the art will not have the same competitive spirit. However, the growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has made it just as competitive as the Japanese version. Today, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is very competitive and has its own international championship.

While the original form of Jiu-Jitsu is a Japanese style, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has become very popular on its own. These are just some of the reason why people have become interested in BJJ in New York.