  |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
At its core, BJJ is self defense. However, it is also considered a game, a competitive art and, by some, a way of life. Jiu-Jitsu uses the physics of leverage to submit opponents, irrespective of their size and strength. Certain leverage points exert thousands of pounds of pressure on joints, which are the most vulnerable points of the human anatomy. Other leverage points exert powerful energy on the carotid arteries (blood chokes) which results in the opponent either submitting (tapping) or blacking out. Another dimension of BJJ, however, is that it is a competitive art. Competition, or "Randori" (sparring) breeds battle-tested techniques and fosters innovation of new techniques and counters. The result is a constantly evolving martial art that incorporates many different independent styles, depending which school you learn from. Back to top What is the best martial art? Every martial art will proclaim itself to be the best. The UFC brought different schools of martial arts together to test them against each other in a no holds barred bareknuckle competition. It was Royce Gracie who dominated the UFC, beating much larger and more powerful opponents. Even wrestlers who live on the ground were submitted. Based on the performance of BJJ it can be argued that it is consistently a highly effective martial art. Modern day ultimate fighting and MMA have incorporated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into the arsenal of their fighters.There are many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools. Back to top Which school is best for me? Whether it's the Carlson Gracie Jr. schools like Gracie Barra or the Helio Gracie schools like Rickson, Royler and Renzo's academies, you're getting the real Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as a body of knowledge with different techniques and moves as the sport grows and new ideas are discovered. You cannot go wrong training in any of the Gracie schools or their derivatives. Back to top How are the non Gracie schools? When you go back far enough in the lineage, most all Jiu-Jitsu schools come from Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Back to top Do you practice it as self defense or as a sport? The way to learn the self defense aspect of Jiu-Jitsu is to treat it as a sport. It was Maeda, the Japanese teacher of the Gracies who brought the concept of "Randori" to the art of Jiu-Jitsu. So many of the moves of traditional Jiu-Jitsu were so dangerous that the students could not practice them on each other. He believed that by eliminating the deadly moves and using the principle of Randori on the non-deadly moves is superior, because the practitioner will learn to adapt to the natural variances of a real conflict. Competition allows you to feel real resistance from the opponent, and helps you hone your counter techniques and gameplan to a point where it's all automatic for you. Back to top Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? There are so many reasons to study BJJ
Who are some of the best practitioners in the sport?
 Who is Pedro Sauer? In 2005, Professor Sauer was named "Best of the Best BJJ Instructor" in a worldwide poll conducted by the renowned Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Why train with Professor Rob? There are many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors out there, and many are very good, having studied in the best traditional schools. Professor Rob studied under Professor Pedro Sauer, who is considered by many to be among the very best practicioners in the world. Pedro was the first non Gracie to run the Gracie Academy. Pedro earned his blackbelt from Rickson Gracie, the family champion in the Helio Gracie line. Pedro is now one of only a handful of professors worldwide who possess the black belt, an honor bestowed by the Gracies upon only the best practicioners after their 7th degree black belt. Rob is one of only 40 blackbelts Professor Sauer has promoted to date. Rob has a passion for Jiu-Jitsu and has had the honor to train with the world's leading Jiu-Jitsu practitioners around the world, including the guys from Team Brasa, Terere, Jamalao, Telles, Pedro Sauer, Jacare, and many others. When you train with Professor Rob, you are learning Jiu-Jitsu straight from the source. Back to top What if I have no background in martial arts or Jiu-Jitsu? Everyone has to start somewhere. You can start learning Jiu-Jitsu at any age. Back to top What are the advantages of private lessons? Every person is different, and therefore everyone has his/her own expectations from Jiu-Jitsu and personal needs. Private lessons are good for you because Professor Rob can hone in on what you need to achieve your goals. If injuries are your main concern, you will roll very lightly. Professor Rob does teach group classes, but it's his private students who get the best he has to offer. Rob shares his years of experience and only shows his privates his "top secret" moves that have made him a successful technician. Back to top What kind of people train with Professor Rob? Most of Rob's privates are between the ages of 35 and 60. Most are business owners who want the convenience of being able to train from home under close and professional supervision. Rob emphasizes safety, and advocates using technique over power. Jiu-Jitsu can be a safe and rewarding experience! Back to top How does the belt system work? In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, belts are earned, not bought. Unlike man other martial arts, the path to black belt is a long and arduous journey, requiring many times more commitment and training than other systems. You may notice that many professional competitors in UFC and other televised leagues are Purple and Brown Belt level, and yet are competing professionally. However, Jiu-Jitsu is not about the destination. Rather, it's about the journey. Each belt is approximately 500 hours of mat time. There are 4 belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: White, Blue, Purple, Brown and Black. Each belt level has stripes which are earned every 100 hours of mat time. Generally, a Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu will take about ten years to achieve, but it really depends on the level of committment. The highest belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the Red Belt that comes to only a select few professors in the world after the 7th stripe. Pedro Sauer is one of only a handful of blackbelts who has been awarded this belt. There are no shortcuts to earning a belt, and students are invited to test for a belt. Therefore, even if a student has partipated for 500 hours of mat time, it is his/her comprehension and skill level that determines promotion. Back to top
What is the point of a belt system? The belt system service multiple purposes. First of all, the belts are a progress milestone for students, a reference point for their accumulated knowledge and skills. The system is surprisingly even throughout the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world. There are simply a certain number of required techniques the student has to know, and a minimum number of hours on the mat. Jiu-Jitsu is a hybrid of knowledge AND experience. So if someone tells you that she is a purple belt, you know that she has an advanced knowledge base and is more sophisticated than a Blue Belt. Do I have to compete? When you train with master Rob, you are not under any obligation to compete. Back to top Do I need to be athletic? No. Jiu-Jitsu will make you athletic. It will teach you to move quickly and smoothly, find where your balance points are, and your muscle strength and cardio will be improved. Back to top Why do you train with a gi? The gi is a tool in many ways. It can act as a tool in your offense, a tool in your defense, and gives you consistent grabs and proper technique. The gi also simulates clothing for street applications of the techniques. The gi slows things down and makes moves slightly less comfortable. In so doing, it also makes students perform moves correctly in order to succeed. All of the best Jiu-Jitsu practioners start with gi, even if they later compete in non-gi tournaments. Back to top
Who are Rob's favorite Gracies? Rob's favorite Gracies are Rickson and Rolls.
How do I get started? Write to Rob or fill out the sign up form Back to top How much space do I need for home training? You'll want at least 100 square feet of space for training. Preferrably more, of course, but that's the minimum. Back to top Do I have to be strong to succeed? You have to be strong in character and tenacious. Jiu-Jitsu is less about physical strength, although strength is always an asset. Back to top Is BJJ really effective as self defense? Jiu-Jitsu started as a self-defense art, and all of the sport Jiu-Jitsu techniques are applicable in self defense. Some view Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as the ultimate form of self defense because submission is a definitive end to a conflict, as opposed to trading blows. Back to top Isn't BJJ hard on the body? One of the great aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that it does not involve striking, which can be hard on the joints as you age. When practiced correctly, Jiu-Jitsu is an excellent way to improve flexibility, strength and overal health. It is one of the few martial arts that can be practiced at almost any age. Back to top Where does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu come from? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an evolving art form with origins in Japan and innvoations in Brazil. The principle behind BJJ is Randori (sparring), and so new techniques are discovered all the time, transforming the art in real time. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a dynamic martial art, and is not fixed in its ways like so many traditional forms. This is one of the reasons it is so successful against other martial arts forms. Pragmatism rules over tradition. Back to top Who are Rob's protoges? Professor Rob tries to learn from everyone and is not stuck in a paradigm. Jiu-Jitsu is a constantly evolving tradition, the path of which is paved by numerous pioneers who have developed their own effective styles. Rob is a traditionalist and believes in crisp, Gracie technique as a base. But because Jiu-Jitsu is an evolving art, it's important to follow the latest trends and dynamics. There's a lot of innovation going on every day.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
