Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Brazilian jiu-jitsu, usually shortened to BJJ, is a grappling art. Students learn to take a partner to the ground, hold a strong position and make them give up with a joint lock or a choke, and they stop the moment the partner taps. There are no punches or kicks in ordinary training or competition. ^1,43,86 It is often called "the gentle art", in Portuguese arte suave. ⁸⁰

It grew out of Japanese judo, carried to Brazil in 1914 by Mitsuyo Maeda, a travelling judoka who fought under the name Conde Koma. In Rio de Janeiro the Gracie family and others reshaped it, and after the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 it became famous around the world. ^1,4,9 Who taught whom, and when, is told differently by the family and by historians, and the story gives both versions, each with its owner. ^1,5,6

A class is built on drilling a technique with a partner, then sparring, called rolling, from positions on the ground. Beginners spend much of their time learning to escape and to stay safe. ^1,2 Children wear their own series of belts, from white through grey, yellow, orange and green, and move to the adult belts at 16; adult belts go white, blue, purple, brown and black, and a black belt usually takes about 10 years. ^2,40

There is no single world governing body. Belts come from a student's own instructor, usually called the professor, and most academies belong to a team, such as Gracie Barra, the Roger Gracie Association, Carlson Gracie, Checkmat, Alliance or 10th Planet, or to none. In the UK the four home nation sports councils recognise one governing body, the UKBJJA, which insures clubs and checks instructors but does not award belts. ^40,80,82,141