Our program is built upon a bedrock of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Cassio brings his expertise in this martial art from his birthplace, Brasilia, Brazil. This art’s roots go all the way back to Japanese Jiujitsu, which developed in the 15-17 centuries in Feudal Japan. This combat system would eventually be systemized by Jigaro Kano, into what was then called Kano Jiujitsu, but which we now know as Judo. His student, Mitsuyo Maeda, immigrated to Brazil, where he taught a number of students who, in turn, developed their own “system,” which they called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Since that time, the art has experienced explosive growth around the globe, due in no small part, to the efforts of the Gracie Family, and the Ultimate Fighting Championships (U.F.C.). Today, it is not only a game changer in the fight game of mixed martial arts, but is a fun recreational activity which can provide a great workout for the general public, is a phenomenal form of self-defense, and is an exciting, competitive sport.
A large portion of the students’ time on the mat will be spent developing their skills at playing the BJJ game. This exciting, engaging sport develops cardio-vascular fitness, strength, and coordination. It’s like a physical game of chess, with moves and countermoves, that builds mental toughness as well as physical prowess. This fun game also helps keep the students’ interest, as they look forward to coming back time and again to try a new technique or strategy.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is comprised of movements designed to use leverage and timing to control and “submit” one’s opponent. This emphasis on technique is what enables a smaller person to control a larger, stronger one. This is what makes BJJ the perfect art for self-defense, as predators will inevitably select intended victims they perceive as being smaller/weaker. It also teaches methods of fighting from and escaping inferior positions, which again, is the perfect skill-set for smaller individual.
While the game aspect of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a great activity for all ages, we also believe it’s important to help our students learn practical, effective self-defense skills. The fundamentals of BJJ, combined with our Assertive Basic CombativesTM provide a solid foundation in self defense skills.
Assertive Basic CombativesTM is a system utilizing striking and kicking in order to stun or disable an attacker. It is an attempt to distill a solid, easy-to-learn set of effective skills from nearly 30 years of martial arts experience. It incorporates core concepts from a number of different arts, including kenpo karate, kickboxing, krav maga, and taekwondo.