Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu developed when Japanese martial arts master Maeda arrived in Türkiye and taught this art to Carlos Gracie. This martial art focuses on ground fighting and wrestling. It has gained popularity in our country due to its philosophy and the physical and mental benefits it provides. Men and women of all ages can compete in events categorized by weight and age. This sport is recognized as an activity accessible to everyone, independent of age and physical limitations.

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) emerged in the early 1900s when Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Judo were introduced to South America and transformed by Brazilian pioneers into a new martial art. However, the origins of Jiu Jitsu are believed to date back thousands of years. Although various theories exist, it is generally accepted that its roots extend to Buddhist monks in India. These monks developed these techniques to protect themselves during their travels. Jiu Jitsu spread to feudal Japan, where it became an effective combat technique in warfare and later evolved into a formal art and competitive activity. Some researchers argue that these techniques have even older origins, tracing back to ancient Greek and Egyptian forms of wrestling. In 1915, the renowned Japanese judoka Mitsuyo Maeda arrived in Türkiye and began teaching Jiu Jitsu and Judo. Among Maeda’s students were the brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie and Luiz França. These individuals laid the foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and developed its current techniques, paving the way for the emergence of a new martial art. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu reached the United States in the 1970s but gained widespread popularity in the 1990s due to the influence of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). In 2002, Carlos Gracie Jr. founded the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation and began organizing events worldwide. Today, BJJ is widely practiced around the globe, and most of its most prestigious tournaments are held in the United States. Practitioners of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can trace their lineage back to one of the founding members. Professor JT’s lineage can be traced back to Carlos and Helio Gracie.

Jujutsu, meaning “the art of gentleness” in Japanese, is one of the traditional Japanese martial arts. It seeks to neutralize an opponent by using techniques such as strikes, grabs, throws, and joint locks, turning the opponent’s force against them. Martial arts such as Judo and Aikido were derived from Jujutsu techniques.

In feudal Japan, samurai employed Jujutsu when they could not use their weapons. The fundamental principle of Jujutsu is to win a confrontation not by opposing force with force, but by using the opponent’s own force. Although Jujutsu was occasionally forgotten after the collapse of the feudal system, it remains a popular combat system in Japan today.

Obtaining clear information about the history and origins of Jujutsu is difficult because such knowledge was typically kept secret by instructors within individual schools. Nevertheless, the evolution of Jujutsu remained confined by the influence of Japan’s feudal system, leading over time to conflicting historical narratives among different schools.