What do you say when someone asks about jiu jitsu?

      When someone finds out I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I can almost guarantee that they will eventually ask me the question: "what is jiu jitsu?" As an instructor and a lover for the grappling arts, it's still a challenging question to answer. If it were football, baseball, karate, or even wrestling people would understand what you were talking about, but jiu jitsu seems to still maintain a degree of mystery and even misunderstanding. 

     Some things are clear. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the fastest growing form of martial arts in the world today. Not only is it a practical form of self-defense training, but also a great workout, fun, dynamic with constant new discovery. 

So what do you say?

     There are several different ways to express the physical art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu into words. One place to start is with the history of how jiu jitsu came to be known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Another place to start would be with an example: "Have you ever seen or been in a fight before? What happens in the fight if the person doesn't get knocked out in the first few seconds? It goes to the ground. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art that teaches a person how to defend themselves when the fight goes to the extreme. The training involves..." Or do you take on a more organic approach, using the concept designed by the 31FIFTY team "JIU JITSU FOR A BETTER WORLD," and explain the benefits of how jiu jitsu will make us, you, and your friends better in more than one way. Clearly, there are multiple ways to introduce jiu jitsu to someone who might not have any knowledge about it, but the most important thing to consider is if your explanation would get that person more or less interested in jiu jitsu. As we train and improve ourselves and our training partners, it's important to remember that we are also ambassadors for the great martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. 

SEE YOU ON THE MAT!

Eliot Kelly

916 595 4064

EDH BJJ 

What is Jiu Jitsu?

     What is Jiu Jitsu? I've been asked this question by many people since I started learning the Martial Art. Many people have been exposed to Martial Arts. Some people know about Tae Kwon Do, a Korean based martial art with an emphasis in kicking. Some people know about Karate, an Japanese, Okinawa based martial art with an emphasis in striking. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a Martial Art that has an interesting beginning, and in many ways is a hybrid of several different Martial Arts.

     We could take a look at understanding Jiu Jitsu through history, through philosophy, or asking some of the best black belts in the world, but the most real answer might be from asking those that are currently learning the Martial Art. Check out the video below, and see how members of El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu answer the question, "what is jiu jitsu?"

     At EDH, we like to talk about Jiujitsu being more than just a martial art. Instead, it is a lifestyle of training where the lessons and growth on the mat are meant to be carried over into our daily activities off the mat. As we train to improve ourselves, we quickly realize we are also training those around us. Most importantly, we are looking for ways to make a difference. A difference in ourselves, our relationships, and our community. We hope everyone gets to experience and belong to the community of martial artists, devoted to bettering themselves and those around them on and off the mat.

Eliot Kelly

El Dorado Hills Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

(916) 595 4064

Martial Arts from the Ground Up!