History of Jiu Jitsu

Jūjutsu, also known as Jiu-Jitsu, is said to have several roots before entering Japan.

Some Jiu-Jitsu techniques are said to originate from Babylonian times, such as the basic grappling position of two men standing and controlling the hip.

Fast forward to 230 BC in the early days of jūjutsu, the Japanese samurai warriors took lead in creating the more sophisticated jūjutsu artform. The jūjutsu concept of technique over strength, or yielding over resisting was taken directly from the Chinese Classics such as the Tao Te Ching.  Ancient fighting techniques and the emerging concept yielded a system termed jūjutsu.

In the 8th and 16th centuries, Japan was in a civil war and training was kept secret as a result.  The history of this period is brief, it is well known that Samurais may lose their weapon in battle,and these realistic unarmed techniques were proven superior.  Unarmed combat was proven to be absolutely necessary, and it was a secondary skill set to be utilized for a Samurai warrior.

From 1603 – 1868, Civil Wars started to dissolve, but the war was remembered.  The continuous practice of martial arts remained  Armored techniques transformed into striking and grappling techniques, which revolutionized the artform to a civilian-based training system for self defense.

In 1868, the Meiji Restoration of the Emperor replaced the feudal military regime established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603. During this time the samurai class, which included approximately two million individuals, and its ways were abolished from japanese society.

The Japanese people had become separated from their military arts and jūjutsu was then looked down upon.  The Bushidō (way of the warrior)  was no longer being upheld by instructors.  The Bushidō provided ethical guidelines to samurai warriors, and without this, uncivil behavior emerged.

Jūjutsu was an art designed for combat, for following the downfall of the feudal system in Japan, changes were needed to make the artform viable for modern times.  Jūjutsu was viewed as a system of self-defense and there was a lack of moral and discipline in the practice of the art following the downfall of the samurai class.

An urgent need to bring positivity back to the practice of jūjutsu called for further action.  As a result, Jigorō Kanō (1860-1938), practitioner of jūjutsu, developed his own approach to teaching the art in the late 1800s, called Kano Jūjutsu and later, Kōdōkan Jūdō.

He utilized the term jūdō instead of utilizing jūjutsu, due to the negative associations of the word jūjutsu. He did not create the term jūdō, but re-invented the term with a new meaning to be innovative.  Kano’s teaching method was based on technical training (kana) and sparring (randori).

The Kōdōkan Jūdō teaching methodology eventually replaced the old jūjutsu methods. It was taught in the public school system, military and law enforcement training.

Three principle objectives were taught, which was self defense, physical education and moral education.

Kano eventually de-emphasized groundwork, as he believed the techniques were not useful for self defense – especially for multiple opponents.    He believed throwing and striking should be learned first and grappling was secondary.

After World War II, many US soldiers brought back Judo to the United States, and the sport increased in popularity.  The self defense aspect was forgotten.

Jūjutsu arrived in America by popular demand in the latter part of the 19th century.  Businessmen, housewives and military/law enforcement began training.  To prove the martial arts’ superiority, Jūjutsu fighters would engage in matches against wrestlers and boxers – which proved that a small person can overcome a stronger persian by utilizing leverage and technique.

Jūjutsu in Brazil

In 1914, Jūjutsu gained traction in Brazil by way of Mitsuyo Maeda; a Japanese martial arts instructor who had the greatest impact in Brazil.  He was born in 1878 and started learning jūdō at the Kōdōkan in 1897.  He started training jūdō in 1897 and eventually adopted the generic name Jūjutsu; spelled “jiu-jitsu”.  This name was more popular outside of Japan and he was fighting for money.  This was opposite of Kanō’s belief, which was that matches should only be participated in to demonstrate the effectiveness of jūdō and never for financial gain.

In 1914, Maeda went to Brazil to teach the art and fight in events.  This is where he met Gastão Gracie, a businessman and fight promoter.  Eventually, Gastão’s son, Carlos, began training at Maeda’s academy.  Carlos moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1922 and did not practice the arts until 1928.  He began practicing once again when a training partner, Donato, from Maeda’s academy invited him to teach the police academy.

Carlos’ friend,  Donato, then opened a jūjutsu academy called “Academia de Jiu-Jitsu”, where Carlos and George both instructed.  Their other brothers, including youngest brother Helio, who was 16, joined them and began training as well. Carlos, Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., George and Helio, known in Brazil as “Irmãos Gracie (Gracie Brothers), eventually had a dispute with Donato who moved away from Rio. The Gracie brothers kept the academy and in 1932 they started referring to it as the “Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu” freely translated as Gracie Academy of Jiu-Jitsu.

Carlos Gracie was known as a thinker.  One who helped to teach, learn and fight jiu-jitsu.  An expert in marketing, to help guide and promote the art in Brazil.

The Gracie brothers, chiefly George and Helio, challenged wrestlers, boxers and capoeiras in Brazil to showcase the effectiveness of jūjutsu.

Carlos and Helio stuck together and created a very successful academy in Brazil.  They both saw the art that can transform people’s livelihood.  They did not agree with promoters highlighting the entertainment and money.

Meanwhile, jūdō slowly became a competitive sport, while losing its fighting style system.

The Gracie brothers were dedicated to teaching the art as solely self defense and not sport.  In 1952, Carlos and Helio built a luxurious academy in downtown Rio with the help of some professors (including Carlson Gracie, João Alberto Barreto, Robson Gracie, Hélio Vígio and Armando Wriedt, together with Pedro Hemeterio).  These were the first group of practitioners at this academy.  They wore a Navy Belt to distinguish themselves from the sport judo black belt instructors.  This academy was well organized, designed and managed.

Carlos and Helio’s goal was to showcase that a small person could overcome a naturally larger individual, with superior athleticism through jūjutsu. Hélio, who weighed 143 lbs, defeated high profile opponents such as German American wrestler Fred Ebert (192 lbs.), world wrestling champion Wladek Zybsko, (234 lbs.) and heavyweight jūdō legend Masahiko Kimura (200 lbs.).

Hélio did not consider himself a professional fighter, since he never fought to make money or prove himself.  He viewed himself as an instructor to perfect his teaching methodology.  His students included men, women and children, along with law enforcement and military personnel, which he had designed specialized programs for.  Many of the prominent individuals in the country of Brazil became Hélio’s students.

Carlos and Hélio Gracie became legendary jūjutsu grandmasters whose lifetime dedication to the art positively impacted the lives of thousands of individuals from around the globe. With the creation of the original UFC by Helio’s oldest son in 1993, Carlos and Hélio gained international acclaim for their dedication to the preservation and promotion of jūjutsu.