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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a form of self defense developed by the
Gracie family in Brazil. It is different from other martial arts because
it emphasizes technique and leverage as opposed to using
strength. Therefore BJJ practitioners are able to defeat much larger
opponents. Its techniques have been tested scientifically through experiment
( challenge matches ) with other MAs and is proven to work in a real life
situation. It has omitted all the techniques that would not work in a real
life situation. Therefore in BJJ there is no Kata or anything like that.
Tactics of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fighter
The tactics of BJJ fighters are to get their opponents on the ground.
Once on the ground the BJJ fighter will establish a superior position where
he can hit his opponent uninterruptedly or go for a submission
hold. Being in the superior position is important for the BJJ fighter
because he will be dominating his opponent. His opponent on the
other hand is in the inferior position in which he is being hit
and can't hit back with any significant impact. Also his
opponent will be wasting his energy trying to get out of
the inferior position while the BJJ fighter is saving his energy
to use it when his opponent's energy is spent.
There is a famous saying in BJJ - the ground is my ocean and I am
a shark swimming in it.
If you don't know how to swim with the sharks, then you'd better get
the F**K out of there.
Arsenals of a BJJ fighter
A BJJ fighter's arsenal consists of submission holds and strikes. These
submission holds includes chokes, neck cranks, arm bars, arm locks, wrist
locks, leg locks, knee bars and many more. The strikes includes punching,
elbow strikes, head buts, knees, kicks and much more. Remember,
if the opponent plays dirty by incorporating biting, groin shot
or eye jabs, BJJ fighters can bite, go for a groin shot and jab
too. In fact they would be better at it considering the superior
position that they are in when they bite or eye jab or go for a groind
shot.
My history in the Martial Arts
I started developing an interest in the MA since I was a little boy. I used to watch Bruce Lee movies or any MA movies. Movies that inspired me the most was Van Damme movies. Then I would train by myself using techniques learnt from the movies. Soon after I could do splits and kicks high in the air.
Then, I went on to studying Muay Thai at a local club. It was fun as hell. I enjoyed it but soon had to move to boarding school. There I studied Tae Kwon Do for 2 years. I was only a green belt but I have entered 2 tournaments and won gold each time. I even got a place to represent the state for SUKMA ( a national sports event where all the states competed against each other ). But I never took it because it was near the most important exam of my life, the SPM. Learning TKD did wonders for my legs and my kicking skills. But it was not complete because it almost ignored the hands. Punching was not emphasized enough. I felt that my hand skills was lacking. During this era, we were only exposed to the kicking and punching range of fighting. We were not aware of the most important range of all, grappling.
Anyways, my quest for MA got me learning Silat. I learned Silat Gayung Fatani. It was fun and had a lot of locks. But I felt that it was not reality based. I say this in the sense that the only sparring we did was two step sparring. This form of sparring is not realistic in the sense the opponent feeds you with a punch or a kick and you counter. With everyone knowing what to do and when to do it, I felt that this would not increase my skills. Now I am not saying that Silat is not useful or anything like that. Each MA has its own strong point. I am saying that in my particular experience with Silat, it lacked the reality based sparring sessions that is most needed. In TKD we are used to free sparring where you are allowed to fight freely and use techniques explosively and wittingly. This is what I feel is the most important part of training, this is when you put all those drills to use, the time where you learn the most.
My studies took me to the USA and it is over there that I got involved
in Kung Fu, TKD (again), Jeet Kune Do and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Jeet
Kune Do taught me that learning to fight in all ranges was important. The
four ranges are :-
1) Kicking
2) Punching
3) Trapping or Clinching
4) Grappling
JKD also taught me to absorb what is useful in any MA and to throw
away techniques that are not practical in a real life situation.
It was JKD who introduced me to BJJ. Once I tried it, I was hooked.
Not only was it fun, it was useful and easy to learn.
Thus beginning my study in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Since in Nashville at that time, there wasn't any BJJ schools at all,
we were forced to train using any means possible, using tapes, books and
even information from the Internet. Me and a couple of friends bought some
instructional tapes and started learning on our own. We also went to the
JKD class to train with other guys as well. BJJ is one of the MAs that
you can learn just by watching a tape and drilling it.
After about a year of training using tapes and sparring, finally a BJJ school opened in Nashville. It was Zanshin Dojo owned by a blue belt under Rickson Gracie named Eric Silver. I joined the class and trained as often as I could. It was great fun. And the proof that tape training really works is during my first day of class, I was tapping most of the regulars there. I was amazed. I thought I would get my azz kicked but it turned out that I could hang with the big boys. I was known for my arm bars from the guard. Since I was 155 lbs at that time, and fighting opponents much heavier than me, so most of my fighting was done from the guard.
Now after I graduated I had to come back to Malaysia and begin my life,
working etc. I really missed BJJ.
Now me and the same friends that started the tape training sessions
are training in Malaysia and recruiting a couple of other martial artist
who are interested in BJJ. Right now our club which I would like to call
MaTT Time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club has 11 members and there are
always more wanting to learn and join this club. Those who are interested
in training in BJJ are always welcome to join us. Just drop me a line and
we'll hook up and train.
My plans for BJJ in Malaysia is to bring BJJ and teach it here in Malaysia. I am going to the USA to accompany my wife, So I am going to get every ounce of BJJ instruction to get me the certification of representing BJJ in Malaysia.
Happy Training to all...
ArAi