| Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil | | | | Jiu-Jitsu and that Helio Gracie did not invent it. The |
| Eventually, in Japan many different variations of the | | | | Gracie family developed the art of Judo into a more |
| art (Jiu-Jitsu) took shape, including Karate, Aikido, and | | | | effective rules-free style. While in Brazil, I learned |
| Judo. But these arts were missing essential pieces of | | | | about a Grand Master named "Fadda," who learned |
| what the complete art of Jiu-Jitsu originally held. Soon | | | | Jiu-Jitsu from a man named Luis Franca. Like Carlos |
| the day of the Samurai came to an end, the gun | | | | Gracie, Franca also learned Jiu-Jitsu (Judo) from |
| replaced the sword, and new sportive ways to | | | | Meada. Fadda took the Jiu-Jitsu he learned from |
| practice martial arts were developed. This lack of | | | | Franca and started his own school of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. |
| reality created years of confusion in the martial arts | | | | His popularity is not as great as the Gracie family, but |
| community, a confusion that legendary Bruce Lee | | | | nonetheless, he is an example of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| would later refer to as the 'classical mess'. The 'sport | | | | being refined and practiced outside the Gracie family. |
| arts', such as Judo and Kendo were wonderful in the | | | | His students compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments |
| way of offering their practitioners a safe way to | | | | and consider their art separate from both Gracie |
| realistically train the techniques of their system, but | | | | Jiu-Jitsu and the older styles of Jiu-Jitsu in Japan. This |
| often limited their practitioners with too many rules | | | | stands as evidence that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Gracie |
| to maintain effectiveness as a combative style. The | | | | Jiu-Jitsu is not the same thing. |
| more traditional combat schools were simply | | | | In 1967, the first federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was |
| practicing techniques no longer suitable for modern | | | | created by Helio Gracie, and the system of belts as |
| day combat, and with no way to safely test them, | | | | we know it was developed (white, blue, purple, |
| practicing these arts became like swimming without | | | | brown, and black). Around the time the Carlson |
| water. It wasn't until the sport art of Judo and the | | | | Gracie team was born in the early 1970's, the Gracie |
| combat art of Jiu-Jitsu were introduced to the Gracie | | | | family made their first split. Carlson Gracie was the |
| family in Brazil that the real art of Jiu-Jitsu would be | | | | son of Carlos and a very reputable Vale Tudo fighter. |
| brought to life again. Japanese Jiu-Jitsu (practiced as | | | | He claimed many victories while defending the Gracie |
| Judo) was introduced to the Gracie family in Brazil (@ | | | | family name, including avenging one of Helio's very |
| 1915) by Esai Maeda, who is also known as Conde | | | | few losses. There were now two sides of the Gracie |
| Koma. This name came about when Maeda was in | | | | Jiu-Jitsu Family, students under Helio and students |
| Spain (1908). While in Spain, Maeda, having some | | | | under Carlson. Helio's side would argue that Carlson's |
| financial troubles, used the Japanese verb "komaru", | | | | style of Jiu-Jitsu involved too much strength and that |
| meaning to be in trouble, to describe himself. Maeda | | | | it was Helio who developed the technique further |
| decided this didn't sound right, so he dropped the last | | | | due to the fact that he was much smaller than his |
| syllable and changed it to "koma." The word "conde" | | | | brother Carlos, who taught it to him. The fact |
| comes from the Spanish language, meaning "Count." | | | | remains that it is basically the same Jiu-Jitsu with a |
| Later in his life, Maeda would be given the Brazilian | | | | few natural variations in teaching methods in the |
| title of "Conte Comte," or Count Combat. | | | | actual application of techniques. Robson Gracie |
| Maeda was a champion of Judo and a direct student | | | | created a new federation in 1988 and Carlos Gracie |
| of its founder, Jigoro Kano, at the Kodokan in Japan. | | | | Jr. created the Confederacao Brasiliera in 1993. Carlos |
| He was born in 1878, and became a student of Judo | | | | Jr.'s federation is the most active one worldwide and |
| in 1897. In 1904 Maeda was given the opportunity to | | | | is responsible for the development of the World |
| travel to the United States with one of his teachers, | | | | Championships. The idea of the Mundial (World's) is to |
| Tsunejiro Tomita. While in the U.S. they | | | | attract foreign competitors in hopes of making |
| demonstrated the art of Judo for Theodore | | | | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu an Olympic sport. This was all done |
| Roosevelt at the White House, and for cadets at the | | | | around the time Royce was winning the first UFC |
| West Point Military Academy. This is an exert from | | | | (early 1990's) and giving America its first prominent |
| Roosevelt's letters to his children on wrestling and | | | | taste of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Members of the Gracie |
| Jiu-Jitsu (note the spelling is Jiu-Jitsu, not Jujutsu due | | | | family are not the only ones to operate federations |
| to the fact that it is before 1950): | | | | and associations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who may |
| White House, Feb. 24, 1905. | | | | organize tournaments or give rank within the art. In |
| Darling Kermit: | | | | an interview with Andre Pederneiras, a fifth degree |
| "... I still box with Grant, who has now become the | | | | black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and founder of the Nova |
| champion middleweight wrestler of the United States. | | | | Uniao team, he was asked about his involvement in |
| Yesterday afternoon we had Professor Yamashita | | | | the promotion of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and organization of |
| (Yamashita was Roosevelt's Jiu-Jitsu instructor before | | | | the art's first tournament. He stated that he had |
| Meada and Tomita had arrived there in the U.S.) up | | | | organized the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in |
| here to wrestle with Grant. It was very interesting, | | | | 1993, then the following questions were asked: |
| but of course jiu jitsu and our wrestling are so far | | | | "What is the difference between the first Brazilian |
| apart that it is difficult to make any comparison | | | | Jiu-Jitsu tournament you created and the BJJ |
| between them. Wrestling is simply a sport with rules | | | | Confederation (Carlos Jr.'s) Tournament?" |
| almost as conventional as those of tennis, while jiu | | | | "Price for one. In my tournament, I charged |
| jitsu is really meant for practice in killing or disabling | | | | competitors ten dollars per person and Carlos Gracie |
| our adversary. In consequence, Grant did not know | | | | Jr. charged thirty dollars. I only charged ten dollars, |
| what to do except to put Yamashita on his back, | | | | but I held the event in an expensive place called Club |
| and Yamashita was perfectly content to be on his | | | | Hebraica. At the time his tournament was held as the |
| back. Inside of a minute Yamashita had choked | | | | Clube Guanabarra and I know he paid nothing for this |
| Grant, and inside of two minutes more he got an | | | | place." |
| elbow hold on him that would have enabled him to | | | | "Did you collaborate on this event with the president |
| break his arm; so that there is no question but that | | | | of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation, Mr. Carlos |
| he could have put Grant out. So far this made it | | | | Gracie Jr.?" |
| evident that the jiu jitsu man could handle the | | | | "Of course not. The confederation did not exist yet |
| ordinary wrestler. But Grant, in the actual wrestling | | | | when I was putting this tournament together. After |
| and throwing was about as good as the Japanese, | | | | my idea, Carlos Gracie created the Brazilian |
| and he was so much stronger that he evidently hurt | | | | Confederation and started to make the other |
| and wore out the Japanese. With a little practice in | | | | Brazilian tournaments." |
| the art I am sure that one of our big wrestlers or | | | | "So basically he made a much greater profit than you |
| boxers, simply because of his greatly superior | | | | did?" |
| strength, would be able to kill any of those Japanese, | | | | "Exactly. I created the tournament so that all Brazilian |
| who though very good men for their inches and | | | | Jiu-Jitsu fighters could compete and have a good |
| pounds are altogether too small to hold their own | | | | time, not to get rich. Our priorities are were just |
| against big, powerful, quick men who are as well | | | | different." |
| trained." | | | | (from interview for Jiu-Jitsu.net, August 2001) |
| Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) | | | | JJ Machado on the Gracie Family's influence: |
| (Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children. 1919. | | | | "Carlos Gracie Jr. was our teacher from the beginning. |
| NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS, 1919 NEW | | | | When you say Jiu-Jitsu you have to link it to the |
| YORK: BARTLEBY.COM, 1999) | | | | Gracie family. That's the family that started our |
| Maeda eventually parted ways with Tomita, and | | | | Jiu-Jitsu style and we're just one part of that clan. I |
| settled in Brazil. Maeda was staying in Sao Palo City | | | | think that everyone today that knows Brazilian |
| to help establish a Japanese Immigration colony. At | | | | Jiu-Jitsu learned it, directly or indirectly, from a |
| this time Brazil held the largest population of Japanese | | | | member of the Gracie family. I think everyone should |
| people outside Japan. He was aided in Brazil by | | | | be grateful to them for that." |
| Gastao Gracie, a Brazilian of Scottish decent, who's | | | | A good example of how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is truly a |
| first experience with Jiu-Jitsu was most likely through | | | | mixed martial art and not developed PURELY by |
| managing an Italian boxer named Alfredi Leconti, who | | | | Gracie family members is illustrated in a question from |
| fought a friend of Maeda in November of 1916. | | | | an Interview with Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti by Kid |
| For some time in Japan, Judo and Jiu-Jitsu were | | | | Pellegro: |
| almost synonymous. Judo was known as Kano's | | | | "You are one of the few Black Belts from Rolls |
| Jiu-Jitsu. Regardless, this answers the question, "why | | | | Gracie, what was it like learning from him?" |
| do they call it Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and not Brazilian Judo?" | | | | "It was spectacular, Rolls as the best of his time, |
| Because they were essentially the same thing at the | | | | besides being a great instructor he was also an |
| time, remember, the Gracie family was learning | | | | incredible person. I trained with him from '74 until '82 |
| Jiu-Jitsu and Judo while Kano was still struggling to | | | | when he died. He died on June 6th, '82 and I had |
| show the difference between the two and popularize | | | | received my Black Belt in February. He would teach a |
| his art. In the early 1900's there was very little | | | | lot of self defense, stand up, and ground fighting, |
| difference between the two. In fact, Judo was | | | | with and without gi. It was a very complete class. He |
| merely a collection of Jiu-Jitsu styles, whose | | | | had started to do wrestling, so he added a lot of the |
| strongest points were put together to make what | | | | wrestling attacks, single leg and double legs |
| then became Judo. The Gracie family was introduced | | | | takedowns. So Rolls revolutionized the Jiu-Jitsu with |
| to Judo at a time when the Kodokan had recently | | | | his new positions. As a matter of fact, the "Triangle" |
| suffered a great defeat to the grappling style of the | | | | was invented by one of his students, Sergio Dorileo, |
| Fusen Ryu. This can be compared to the Ultimate | | | | Sergio had been studying a Japanese book of |
| Fighting Championship of the early 1990's, when most | | | | positions and invented the Triangle. At that time |
| martial artists were attempting to fight Royce Gracie | | | | everybody would pass the Guard the traditional way |
| standing. They would all eventually find themselves | | | | with one hand on the biceps and the other hand |
| on the ground, where they were at a loss as to | | | | between the legs and low, so all of a sudden, if you |
| what to do. Consequently, grappling became very | | | | would try to pass Dorileo's guard you'd end up in a |
| popular over the next ten years and many styles | | | | triangle. What was considered the right way didn't |
| began to incorporate grappling techniques into their | | | | work anymore. Can you imagine!!! Everybody had to |
| curriculum. Royce Gracie was simply doing what had | | | | go back and rethink a lot. It was an incredible |
| already been done in the early 1900's by the Fusen | | | | experience, I learned so much from Rolls, even the |
| Ryu to Judo practitioners of the Kodokan, so we can | | | | way he warm up the class was special. It was one of |
| easily draw the conclusion from the experience in our | | | | the greatest losses in my life and it took me years |
| own time that when Meada arrived in Brazil, he was a | | | | to get over. I still get choked up, to this day, when I |
| student of a Kodokan that was adding "new" | | | | reminisce." |
| grappling techniques to its system. | | | | During the mid 1900's while Vale Tudo (free-style |
| To show gratitude to Gracie for his help in the | | | | fighting) was developing in Brazil, there were experts |
| colonization, Maeda taught Gastao's son Carlos the | | | | of Judo, wrestling, capoeira, and boxing mixing |
| basic techniques of Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos Gracie then taught | | | | together in these no-rules contests. It is impossible to |
| his brothers Oswaldo, Jorge, Gastao, and Helio. In | | | | think that as these competitions took place, the |
| 1925 the brothers opened their first school, and | | | | participants wouldn't cross-train and "borrow" |
| Jiu-Jitsu was cultivated into a more effective martial | | | | techniques from their competition. This interview, |
| art and sport known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. What made | | | | taken from Black Belt magazine, illustrates this point: |
| this version of Jiu-Jitsu more effective was the | | | | Black Belt Magazine: "At what point in your Jui-Jitsu |
| constant exposure of its practitioners to real | | | | training did you decide that the art's techniques |
| situations. Between their own schools, Brazilian | | | | needed modification?" |
| Jiu-Jitsu players would compete in a sportive way to | | | | Helio Gracie: "I didn't invent the martial art. I adapted |
| keep the techniques of their art sharp. The Gracie | | | | it to my necessity-what I needed for my weight and |
| family would issue a challenge to all others to fight | | | | lack of strength. I learned Jui-Jitsu, but some of the |
| without rules. In these no rules or 'vale tudo' fights, | | | | moves required a lot of strength, so I could not use |
| the Gracie family and their students would evaluate | | | | them. I couldn't get out from some of the positions I |
| the techniques of their fighting art. | | | | learned from my brother because of my lack of |
| "If you want to get your face beaten and well | | | | strength and weight. So I developed other ways |
| smashed, your ___ kicked, and your arms broken, | | | | out." |
| Contact Carlos Gracie at this address..." | | | | Black Belt Magazine: "Why didn't anyone before you |
| -- Brazilian newspaper ad, circa 1920s | | | | refine the techniques of traditional Jui-Jitsu into a |
| Through the last fifty years, many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | | | | more effective style?" |
| schools have opened and broken away from the | | | | Helio Gracie: "Because most people who practice the |
| original members of the Gracie family, making subtle | | | | martial arts already have physical strength and ability |
| differences in styles within Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gracie | | | | that I didn't have. I needed to create those |
| Jiu-Jitsu, Machado Jiu-Jitsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are all | | | | [techniques]. This was the only way I had to |
| different schools of the same art. The Gracie family | | | | compensate for my lack of strength." |
| itself has hundreds of members who do not all | | | | No matter where you live or what style of Jiu-Jitsu |
| associate with one another. | | | | you practice, we all owe some degree of respect to |
| The formal teaching of Jiu-Jitsu to Brazilians by the | | | | the Gracie Family for introducing us to Brazilian |
| Gracie family began in 1940 when Helio opened an | | | | Jiu-Jitsu. The Gracie family is responsible for a large |
| academy in Rio. Over the next 18 years, if you | | | | part of the modern advancement or improvement of |
| wanted to learn Jiu-Jitsu from the Gracie family in | | | | Jiu-Jitsu. The term Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is used to describe |
| Brazil, you had a choice of four academies, all of | | | | the difference between the 'old' Jiu-Jitsu (jujutsu |
| which were located in Rio. The Gracie's were not the | | | | Jiu-Jitsu), and the Gracie family's advancement of the |
| only one's teaching Judo and Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil, but | | | | art through the 1900's. Now that 'Gracie Jiu-Jitsu' has |
| they were certainly the most popular, teaching over | | | | spread all over Brazil and to the United States, many |
| 2000 students in that 18 year period. A good | | | | champions of the art are being born that are not |
| example of this is Mehdi, a Judo master who came | | | | Gracie Family members. These champions are |
| to Brazil from France in 1949, and still teaches there | | | | contributing to the art's progression by improving on |
| now. There have been Judo schools in Brazil since the | | | | techniques and developing new ones. The bulk of |
| early 1900's and Sao Paulo still has a very large | | | | basic movements may still be Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but as |
| Japanese population. Mehdi's list of students include | | | | the art develops, the term 'Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu' becomes |
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belts Mario Sperry, Rickson | | | | more appropriate. As more and more innovators |
| Gracie, and Sylvio Behring, just to name a few. This | | | | contribute to the art outside of Brazil, it eventually |
| is another example of Judo's influence on Brazilian | | | | may be appropriate to simply call the art 'Jiu-Jitsu'. |