There are many different types of martial arts that people all over the world enjoy, for fun and as a competitive sport. Some of the most popular include karate, taekwondo, Krav Maga and Jiu-Jitsu. They all have their own style and rules, and have different levels of intensity. Some martial arts are easier and suited for participants of all ages, while others are much tougher and are best suited for young adults.

Learning a Martial Art

Martial arts are a great way for a person to learn self-defense, and there are lots of classes all around the world where men and women can come and learn the basics of self-defense with one of the arts.

If you are looking for a martial art to learn then you should definitely consider Jiu-Jitsu. In addition to the many martial art schools you can find in your neighborhood, you can also learn Jiu Jitsu online and there are a number of websites that offer virtual classes.

Many schools offer classes in karate for their young students, and this usually their entrance into the world of martial arts. From there, they might venture out and look at learning one of the other types as they get older.

In addition to being used for self-defense, martial arts are also popular for tournaments and sporting competitions. There are a number of martial arts that are actually Olympic sports, such as Judo, Karate and Taekwondo.

Even though martial arts have been around for centuries, it is only in the last 50 years or so that they have become mainstream and a lot of this is down to Bruce Lee, who developed the Jeet Kune Do style of the arts. Over the last decade, there have also been a lot of competitions such as UFC and Extreme Fighting which showcase a range of martial arts.

Jiu-Jitsu

One very popular martial art is Jiu-Jitsu, which has its origins in Japan, as it was originally developed as a martial art for samurai, in order to be used in combat situations in real life. The teaching of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is one where a great deal of emphasis is placed on discipline.

The other form of jiu jitsu is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, often abbreviated as BJJ. The main purpose of this brand of Jiu-Jitsu is to immobilize your opponent using your hands and legs. There are many different techniques that are taught that allow you to lock your opponent and halt their mobility.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

It wasn’t until Royce Gracie took part in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the United States that people really began to sit up and take notice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After successfully beating a range of fighters of different classes of weight and styles, there was great interest in the technique he was using, and many people wanted to learn the type of martial art he was so skilled in.

The main skill with BJJ is using the ground to immobilize their opponents. By using a variety of grappling moves, it is very easy for one fighter to completely immobilize another fighter who could be twice as big and strong. The thing with BJJ is that strength is not the most important factor – it is the agility and techniques used that have the greatest impact.

There are a number of pro wrestlers that practice Jiu-Jitsu including some very famous names in the world of wrestling such as Dave Bautista and the Undertaker, who actually holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Others include Shadia Bseiso, who was the first Arabic female wrestler, Shane McMahon and Samoa Joe.

Common Moves and Techniques

There are a range of moves that a fighter can use such as arm and leg locks, choke holds and a variety of other similar combinations. The very best fighters are able to take out their opponents in a matter of seconds. It is very effective in one on one situations and a good option to have in your locker in relation to self-defense.

There are a number of moves where you will see one fighter on top of another, and it may well look like the one on top is in total control. However, this is an illusion a lot of the time, and the fighter underneath is in the better position to immobilize their opponent through a choke hold or punch.

Levels of Brazilia Jiu-Jitsu

Gaining your belts in BJJ is hard work and requires a lot of dedication, practice and patience. Each belt usually needs between two to three years of hard work, and there are five belts to achieve. They start with the white belt, which is then followed by the blue, purple, brown and finally – the black belt.

It can take at least 10 years of hard work to reach the level of black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but when you have reached this level, you can then teach the martial art to other students.

Jiu-Jitsu is a very powerful martial art when it comes to ground level fighting. It is popular in tournaments and events, and has many advantages over other martial arts. Though each one has its pros and cons, there are a lot of advantages to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and on a ground level, students of other martial arts will struggle against an opponent who has mastered BJJ.