Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Martial Arts training is about self-expression and self-improvement. Ask a Master of a respected Martial Arts that has been training for over 50 years why he or she has been doing this for so long and you will typically get a funny response! However, the answer will be self-improvement and/or self-expression. At Elite Training Center there are many arts and style to practice. One major goal is experience all the different systems and gain self-confidence is the practical applications and Martial Arts strategies of each art. Each night you train you are working towards your personal expression and self-improvement. You will be excited for the fitness goals you reached, the friends you have met and the feeling that you are learning something to help you in many aspects of your life. Nonetheless, I hope learn to enjoy the practices of what you are doing. Sports and competitions are another story, but before I write about that lets look at some of the rich history of jujitsu from Japan to Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil.
Ju Jitsu Combat Art From Japan
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a Martial Arts that has roots in Military warfare of Japan. Ju-Jitsu was used by the samurai. The period of Japanese history between the 8th and 16th centuries was covered with constant civil war and many systems of Jiu-Jitsu were utilized, practiced and perfected on the battlefield. This training was used to conquer armored and armed opponents.
It was originally an art designed for warfare, but after the abolition of the Feudal system in Japan, certain modifications needed to be made to the art in order to make it suitable for practice. During Feudal times, Jiu-Jitsu was also known as Yawara, Hakuda, Kogusoko, and an assortment of other names.
The earliest recorded use of the word “Jiu-Jitsu” happens in 1532 and is coined by Hisamori Tenenuchi when he officially established the first school of Jiu-Jitsu in Japan. The history of the art during this time is uncertain because teachers kept everything secret to give their art a feeling of importance and then would change the stories of their art to suit their own needs.
In approximately 1603, Japan came to a fairly peaceful period following the formation of the Tokugawa military government by Tokugawa Ieyasu. During this time (1603-1868), the feudal civil wars that had plagued Japan for centuries started to disappear. However, following the adage “living in peace, but remembering war,” the traditions of classical budo (martial arts) required that everyone should learn a method of self-defense for those situations where weapons could not be used and the practice of Jiu-Jitsu continued to spread. Forms and techniques displaying weapons skills of fighting began to yield to weaponless styles which incorporated many of the grappling ground fighting techniques of the older styles.
Birth of Judo
After the Feudal period in Japan ended (Jiu-Jitsu was no longer needed on the battlefield), a way to practice the art realistically was needed, which is why Jigoro Kano (1860-1938), an educated man and member of the Cultural department and a practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu, developed his own version of Jiu-Jitsu in the late 1800s, called Judo. Judo was helpful because it allowed practitioners the ability to try the art safely and realistically at the same time.
After a match-up between older styles of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo at the Tokyo police headquarters, Judo was named the national martial art in Japan. It was the official art used by law enforcement in the late 1800s, and continues to be popular to this day.
Because of the sportive outlet (rules that made practice safe), students of Jiu-Jitsu from Kano’s school were able to practice more frequently due to the fact that they were not always recovering from injuries. This multiplies the amount of training time for students of Kano’s school and drastically increased their abilities. Judo (Kano’s version of Jiu-Jitsu) was watered down from the complete form of Jiu-Jitsu, but still contained enough techniques to preserve its realistic effectiveness. He named it Kodokan Judo. The one problem that occurred was, in Kano’s opinion, ground work was not as important as achieving the throw or take down, therefore ground fighting was not emphasized in Judo.
There is a theory that claims that Judo was developed with the purpose of hiding the realistic effectiveness of Jiu-Jitsu from the western world. During World War II, many U.S. soldiers were exposed to the art of Judo and brought it back to America with them.
Brazil’s Connection To The Story
When the days of the Samurai came to an end, the gun replaced the sword, and new sportive ways to practice martial arts were developed. Eventually, in Japan many different variations of Jiu-Jitsu took shape, including Karate, Aikido, and Judo. But these arts were missing essential pieces of what the complete art of Jiu-Jitsu originally held.
This lack of reality created years of confusion in the martial arts community, a confusion that legendary Bruce Lee would later refer to as the ‘classical mess’. Bruce Lee was actually a student of Judo and did many studies on grappling while he was alive. He criticized traditional martial arts as being ineffective. The more traditional combat schools were simply practicing techniques no longer suitable for modern day combat, and with no way to safely test them, practicing these arts became like swimming without water.
It wasn’t until the sport art of Judo and the combat art of Jiu-Jitsu were introduced to the Gracie family in Brazil that the real art of Jiu-Jitsu would be brought to life again. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu (practiced as Judo) was introduced to the Gracie family in Brazil around 1914 by Esai Maeda, who was also known as Conde Koma. Maeda was a champion of Jiu-Jitsu and a direct student of Kano, at the Kodokan in Japan. He was born in 1878, and became a student of Judo (Kano’s Jiu-Jitsu) in 1897.
In 1914, Maeda was given the opportunity to travel to Brazil as part of a large Japanese immigration colony. In Brazil, in the northern state of Para, he befriended Gastão Gracie, an influential businessman, who helped Maeda get established. To show his gratitude, Maeda offered to teach traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu to Gastão’s oldest son, Carlos Gracie. Carlos learned for a few years (through many reports around 4 years) and eventually passed his knowledge and experiences to his brothers.
Helio Gracie, the youngest son of Gastão and Cesalina Gracie’s eight children (three were girls), was always a very physically frail child. He would run up a flight of stairs and have fainting spells, and no one could figure out why.
At age fourteen, he moved in with his older brothers who lived and taught Jiu-Jitsu in a house in Botafogo, a borough of Rio de Janeiro. Following doctor’s recommendations, Helio would spend the next few years limited to only watching his brothers teach.
One day, when Helio was 16 years old, a student showed up for class when Carlos was not around. Helio, who had memorized all the techniques from watching his brothers teach, offered to start the class. When the class was over, Carlos showed up and apologized for his delay. The student answered, “No problem. I enjoyed the class with Helio very much and, if you don’t mind, I’d like to continue learning from him.” Carlos agreed, and Helio became an instructor.
The Brazilian Style
Helio soon realized that due to his frail physique, most of the techniques he had learned from watching Carlos teach were particularly difficult for him to execute. Eager to make the techniques work for him, he began modifying them to accommodate his weak body. Emphasizing the use of leverage and timing over strength and speed, Helio modified virtually all of the techniques and, through trial and error, created Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In order to prove the effectiveness of his new system, Helio openly challenged all the reputable martial artists in Brazil. He fought 18 times, including matches against onetime world heavyweight wrestling champion, Wladek Zbyszko and the #2-ranked Judoka in the world at the time, Kato, whom Helio choked unconscious in six minutes. His victory against Kato qualified him to enter the ring with the world champion, Masahiko Kimura, the best Jiu-Jitsu fighter Japan has ever produced, and who outweighed Helio by almost 80 pounds. Kimura won the match but was so impressed with Helio’s techniques that he asked Helio to go teach in Japan claiming the techniques Helio presented during their bout did not exist in Japan. It was the recognition by the world’s best to Helio’s dedication to the refinement of the art.
At 43 years old, Helio and former student, Waldemar Santana, set the world record for the longest uninterrupted no-holds-barred fight in history when they fought for an incredible 3 hours and 40 minutes.
“If it were not for me, the Gracies would be selling Bananas in Largo do Machado!” – Carlson Gracie
Carlson entered the ring as Santana celebrated and challenged him. Though they had been friends while training at the Gracie Academy, Carlson told him that he was going to receive a beating for what occurred with Helio. Helio wanted a re-match with Santana but Carlson was chosen by Carlos to avenge the Gracie Academy’s reputation. The fight generated a massive amount of interest in Brazil. It was on the front page of newspaper sports pages and covered by television. To generate even more interest, Carlos Gracie challenged Santana to a Gi Jiu-Jitsu match against Carlson. The match ended a draw but interest in the fight reached a fevered pitch. The fight was to take place in Rio at the Maracanazino, a famous sports venue. The bout quickly sold out all 25,000 seats in the arena.
Carlson and Santana’s famous battle took place on July 21st, 1956. At fight time, Santana weighed 22kg(44.5 pounds) more than the young Gracie. This fight went much differently than their Gi match. Carlson dominated Santana. Carlson battered Santana with his fists, his throws and his ground game. Santana had heart and refused to submit but his corner had seen enough. Carlson had achieved the mount position at the end of the fifth round and unleashed a flurry of blows to Santana’s head. Santana would later say that he had been hit by a Carlson upkick in the first round and never fully recovered. Waldemar’s corner threw in the towel and the Gracie Academy was once again victorious. Carlson was carried out of the arena by supporters of Jiu-Jitsu. Santana was carried by his corner to the locker room where, as he simply put it, he “puked his guts out”.
Today February 1, 2013 marks the 7th year since Master Carlson Gracie’s passing. He was my instructor Rodrigo Mederios’ teacher. Carlson Gracie carried the Gracie name in Brazil during the 1950, 60, and 70’s. Carlson Gracie developed the legendary ”Champion Factory” produced by Carlson in Brazil during the 1980′s and 90′s was the original Competition Team and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Team Model with Amaury Bitteti, Alan Goes, Murilo Bustamante, Mario (Zen Machine) Sperry, Carlos (Carlao) Barreto, Wallid Ismail, Ricardo Liborio, Rodrigo Mederios, Roberto (Bebeo) Duarte, Rey Diogo, Dela Riva, Cassio Cardoso, Carlson Gracie Jr., Marcelo Alonso, Bolao, Maneco, Clovis, Crezio Chaves, Julio Fernandez, Marcos Soares, Conan, Rosadao, Rinaldo Santos, Parrupinha, Toco, Renato Tavares, Ricardo Arona, Paulo Filho, Rodrigo Minotauro, Rogerio Minotauro, Braulio Cassalarde, Victor Belfort and other great fighters!
Today we have Mixed Martial Arts as a sport. Today we have Mixed Martial Arts Fight Teams. Today we have Competition Teams for Jiu-Jitsu and Group Lesson Formats all accredited to Master Carlson Gracie. Without Carlson Gracie I ask, “Where would we be?”
My best,
Prof. Tony PacenskI
2nd Degree Black Belt
BJJ Revolution Team
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Redondo Beach Home Of The BJJ Revolution Team
Elite Training Center
1628 South Pacific Coast Highway,
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 543-1600
