Train at a Gracie Jiu-jitsu academy? A 5 min intro to Gracie Jiu jitsu for beginners
This is a unbiased look at what gracie jiujitsu offers, and is written by someone with a neutral view on Gracie JiuJitsu, but with a lot of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experience.
We hope you appreciate the upside-down approach to blog structure, one that makes more sense to us and is easier to read.
Quick intro Q&A
What is the purpose of Gracie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu?
The primary purpose of Gracie Jiujitsu is to protect the practitioner from harm. Brasilian Jiu-jitsu is a grappling system that is based on ground fighting and submission techniques. Gracie family lineage is most well-known for the development of Brasilian Jiu-jitsu.
What is the Gracie family’s approach to martial arts?
Short answer: Self defense first.
by learning techniques from Gracie Jiu-jitsu, you can use leverage and proper body positioning to defeat your opponent, even if they’re bigger and stronger. It is a selfdefense system that can be used in any situation, including selfdefense against regular attacks like punches and kicks as well as more dangerous situations like knife attacks or chokeholds.
What’s the difference between Gracie jiu jitsu and Brazilian jiu jitsu?
Self-defense
The Gracie Jiu Jitsu (GJJ) training is highly structured and emphasizes the practical application of techniques in real-world self-defense situations. GJJ emphasizes self-defense techniques and fighting opponents that don’t necessarily have martialarts experience, and that potentially carry weapons.
‘Normal’ BJJ is more sports-oriented and focuses on drilling, sparring, points, and competition. The training is often less structured and the focus is on fighting opponents within a ruleset, that wear the same type of clothes as you do, etc. The goal is perfecting techniques for use in a competitive setting, and not as a part of a unified self-defense system.
..but the truth is, it really doesn’t matter.
It is not that helpful for a beginner to compare Gracie Jiujitsu to sports-focused Brazilian Jiujitsu.
A more useful comparison would be to activities such as paddle tennis, jogging, or going to the gym. This is because the benefits of Jiujitsu are distinct from those of more typical activities, and this is important for new practitioners to understand. One of the main differences is the intimidating nature of entering a combat-oriented environment, which can be especially daunting for those with limited experience in combat.
This is something we hope we can help to change, and make you curious enough to show up at a BJJ gym near you!
Brief Intro and Background
Gracie Jiu-jitsu is a martialart and self defense system from brazil founded by Helio Gracie, and focuses on self defense using takedowns, grappling techniques, positional dominance, joint locks and chokeholds. The Gracie family teaches the art of jiu-jitsu from a beginner’s perspective, emphasizing self defense techniques and techniques that work in any situation where you are under threat by a single attacker.
An example of a Gracie Jiu-jitsu principle:
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu teaches that in a real self defense situation, a reliable way to defeat a stronger opponent is to save one’s energy and force the attacker to spend all of his energy in the process.
BJJ Classes you can train in a Gracie academy / jiu jitsu school
gracie bullyproof® – confidence
gracie bullyproof program is highly recommended to children how to defend themselves against bullies without resorting to aggression. It focuses on defensive techniques and teaches children to neutralize conflicts with non-violent verbal communication, rather than strikes. The goal is to empower children to stand up for themselves without becoming bullies themselves, and overcome bullies without violence.
Women empowered self defense ®,against a stronger and faster opponent
The women empowered® program is the official Gracie selfdefense course for women, using Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques. The 15-lesson program covers defenses against 20 common attacks, from hair grabs to weapon assaults, using leverage, technique and timing rather than strength, making it accessible to all ages and abilities.
Gracie Combatives Street Readiness & Reflex Development Class
gracie combatives® is a program that focuses on the 36 most effective techniques in jiu-jitsu, as determined by studies of real fights conducted by the Gracie Family. Originally developed for the U.S. Army, it is the only program dedicated solely to mastering these essential techniques. No prior experience is required, and the certified training instructors create a supportive and cooperative learning environment for students of all ages, genders, and abilities.
MasterCycle: leverage, timing, free training
This is how the gracie’s market the master cycle:
“The master cycle® is for those who have reached the Gracie Combatives belt level and want to continue their journey towards a GracieJJ black belt (doing group classes and private lessons) in a supportive and cooperative environment.”
What are the 36 core techniques of Gracie jiu-jitsu?
Trap and Role Escape, Americana Armlock, Positional Control Mount, Take the Back (Mount), Rear Naked Choke, Leg Hook Takedown, Clinch (Aggressive Opponent), Punch Block Series (Stages 1-4), Straight Armlock (Mount), Triangle Choke, Elevator Sweep, Elbow Escape (Mount), Positional Control (Side Mount), Body Fold Takedown, Clinch (Conservative Opponent), Headlock Counters, Double Leg Takedown, Headlock Escape 1, Straight Armlock (Guard), Double Ankle Sweep, Pull Guard, Headlock Escape 2, Guillotine Choke, Shrimp Escape, Kimura Armlock, Standing Headlock Defense, Punch Block Series (Stage 5), Hook Sweep, Rear Takedown, Haymaker Punch Defense, Take the Back (Guard), Guillotine Defense, Elbow Escape (Side Mount), Standing Armlock, Twisting Arm Control, and finally Double Underhook Guard Pass.
What are the 32 principles of Gracie Jiujitsu?
These principles will make zero sense to you before you try and apply them in real life. But if you want instant Mat Cred forever, then you learn them by heart before showing up to your first class! 😀:
Connection, Detachment, Distance, Pyramid, Creation, Acceptance, Velocity and Clock,River, Frame, Kuzushi, Reconnaissance, Prevention, Tension, Fork and Posture.False Surrender, Depletion, Isolation, Sacrifice, Momentum, Pivot, Tagalong and Overload,Anchor, Ratchet, Buoyancy, Head Control, Redirection, Mobility, Centerline, and Grandmaster.
Or; CDDPCAVCRCFRKRPTFAPFSDDISPMPRTOGAHCRMBHCRLMCG for short.
10 gracie family names
Renzo Gracie
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family, one of the most prominent and influential families in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is a 6th-degree black belt in BJJ and a former ADCC openweight champion. He has also competed with unshakable confidence in mixed martial arts mma, and has trained many UFC fighters.
Rickson Gracie
also known as ‘Hickson Gracie’ by people who can’t spell names in portuguese, is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is considered one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters of all time and is a member of the Gracie family. He is a 8th-degree black belt in BJJ and is known for his aggressive and unorthodox fighting style.
Carlos Gracie
was a Brazilian martial artist who is credited with being one of the primary founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is considered the father of the sport and was responsible for developing the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu system. He was a 6th-degree black belt in BJJ and was known for his ability to defeat much larger opponents using leverage and technique.
Rener Gracie
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family and is a 4th-degree black belt in BJJ. He is also a founder of the Gracie University, an online BJJ trainig platform. Rener is known for his teaching abilities and has trianed many high-level athletes in the sport.
Helio Gracie
was a Brazilian martial artist who is considered the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was the oldest son of Carlos Gracie and was a red belt in BJJ. He was known for his technical ability and his ability to defeat much larger opponents using leverage and technique. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Rorion Gracie
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family and is a 8th-degree black belt in BJJ. He is also the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is credited with popularizing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the United States.
Carlos Gracie Jr.
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family and is a 8th-degree black belt in BJJ. He is the son of Carlos Gracie and is the founder of the Carlos Gracie Jr. Association, an organization dedicated to promoting and teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Cesar Gracie
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family and is a 5th-degree black belt in BJJ. He is also the founder of the Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, an organization dedicated to promoting and teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Relson Gracie
is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family and is a 8th-degree black belt in BJJ. He is known for his aggressive and unorthodox fighting style and for his ability to defeat much larger opponents using leverage and technique.
Rolls Gracie
was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist. He was a member of the Gracie family and was a 4th-degree black belt in BJJ. He was known for his innovative and dynamic fighting style and was considered one of the most talented Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners of his time. He died at the age of 31 years old while surfing.
Outro FAQ
Can you grapple with a Gracie instructor?
All instructors who are part of the Gracie system will engage in live grappling with their students upon request, barring any injury or other complications which would prevent them from doing so.
This is an important part of the Gracie system, as it allows the students to experience first-hand the techniques and strategies of the instructor, and to receive more tailored instruction that can help them succeed in their martial arts journey.
Is MMA in the gracie curriculum?
The Gracie curiculum was created to teach people how to defend themselves in real-life situations and includes the fundamentals of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo and wrestling.
The techniques and strategies used in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are designed to help you gain control of your opponent.
While the Gracie curiculum is not directly related to MMA, it will give you the necessary skills to be successful in MMA competitions.
Where can i find a certified training center / certified gracie jiu-jitsu training
Conclusion
The Gracie family has been, and will continue to be, a major force in the preservation and spread of the art of Jiu-Jitsu. Through their dedication to the sport, they have brought its teachings around the world, as well as provided many opportunities to learn and practice the martialart in America. It is partly thanks to their hard work and commitment to the sport that Jiu-Jitsu is still thriving today.