Brazilian Jiu Jitsu spread out of Brazil riding on the
principles of innovation, practicality, and effectiveness. In a sense, it
started a martial arts enlightenment where the basic assumptions of martial
arts were reconsidered and forced to either adapt or be abandoned. Techniques
began being measured by their practicality in a real fight, and how effective a
weaker man/woman could use them to subdue an attacker. Originally, Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu developed as a way to defend oneself in live combat. As the sport grew some practitioners began
developing techniques to best other BJJ fighters in a pure grappling match rather
than in a no-holds-barred setting. This resulted in a move away from a combat
based jiu jitsu style to a more sport based style. Recently, practitioners of
Sport Jiu Jitsu and Combat Jiu Jitsu have started a bit of controversy
regarding the usefulness or merit of each style. Enter Renzo Gracie, a legend
in both the combat world and the sport world, and according to him, “To try to
separate Sport Jiu Jitsu from [Combat] Jiu Jitsu is a sin… Like comparing the
beauty of two women... Both are beautiful in different ways." He’s right,
both styles have their own unique beauty, and Combat Jiu Jitsu's beauty lies in
its innovative, practical, and effective nature within the realm of a live
fight. It is not my intention to convince the reader Combat JJ is in any
way superior to Sport JJ. Instead I simply want to explain the benefits of
Combat JJ, and address some of the criticisms surrounding the style.
At its basis, the philosophy of
Combat Jiu Jitsu comes down to self-defense. This is not to say Sport Jiu Jitsu
isn't a valid form of self-defense, it just doesn't emphasize self-defense as
its ultimate goal. Yes, Rafa Mendez would most likely beat the shit
out of anyone who messed with him at a bar. Yes, if you can pass the guard of
an experienced competitor, you'll likely have no trouble getting to a dominant
position against an untrained attacker. However, proponents of Combat JJ would
argue that in order to truly maximize one's chances of leaving an altercation
unscathed, one must train for all the variables that surround a real fight.
This includes: striking, clinching, takedowns, ground-and-pound, up-kicks, and
cheap stuff like sucker punches and head-butts. Those who practice BJJ
understand that only through repetition can someone truly feel comfortable in any
position. Thus, without proper training for strikes one can never master the
techniques that minimize damage taken and maximize the chances for victory in a
street fight or MMA fight.
Just like in Sport JJ, one must put
themselves in different situations time after time in order to minimize
reaction time. Whether it is utilizing a berimbolo guard or a closed guard,
good BJJ fighters only start anticipating an opponent's actions after spending
countless hours in each position. Thus, sparing with punches in the gym helps the
fighter anticipate strikes so they aren't an unknown variable in a live
fight. Everyone can agree that repetition is the only way to get better, and by
constantly rolling with light strikes a Combat JJ practitioner is more
confident dealing with live punches than someone who only grapples. This
reality is a huge benefit that comes with training strike based jiu jitsu.
Competition wise, a Combat Jiu Jitsu
fighter translates easily into Mixed Martial Arts, but can also adjust for
Sport JJ. Rorion Gracie originally started the UFC to expose the effectiveness
of BJJ to the world. Today, every fighter in the sport must at least be
familiar with jiu jitsu in order to be successful. However, the BJJ moves they
learn must be practical and effective within the rules of an MMA fight since anytime
spent working on techniques that aren’t applicable is time taken away from
focusing on skills that will bring them success. Just like if a Sport JJ
practitioner is looking to win the Pan-Ams, he/she should focus on the
techniques that work best within the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Federation (IBJJF) rules and not techniques to block punches.
Furthermore, it is possible to stick to
the basics of Combat JJ and find success in a sport setting. A solid closed
guard and a tight top game are tough to beat in any setting. However, this can
only be done by keeping an open mind and training with guys/gals with a good
understanding of Sport JJ. Just like you don’t want to be in a real fight
without being prepared for every potential scenario, you don’t want to be in a
Sport JJ match underprepared for the potential techniques utilized by an
opponent.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is pragmatic by
nature, but the question is what is the practitioner being pragmatic for? In
Combat Jiu Jitsu, the goal is simple, to be able to win a fight. Whether it is
a street fight or an MMA fight, Combat JJ focuses purely on how to beat someone
trying to knock your head off. It is innovative because it redefined fighting
forever by making the ground game a crucial aspect of being a well-rounded
fighter. It is practical in the sense that only moves that work in a fight are
emphasized. It is effective in how smaller fighters can use leverage and
positioning to out maneuver stronger/bigger guys. The beauty of Combat JJ lies
in its practicality, effectiveness, and innovation within its own realm, and those
who practice it, especially at the highest levels, are artists interpreting BJJ
in their own way.
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