THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO JIU-JITSU BRAZILIAN - Icspert

171 Pages·2008·4.54 MB·English

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
BRAZILIAN
JIU-JITSU
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
BRAZILIAN
JIU-JITSU
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO
BRAZILIAN
JIU-JITSU
Edited by Sarah Dzida, Raymond Horwitz, Edward Pollard,
Jeannine Santiago and Jon Sattler
Graphic design by John Bodine
Archival assistance and proofreading by Monique Perdue
©2008 Black Belt Communications LLC
All Rights Reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008942249
ISBN-13: 978-0-89750-297-9
Electronic Edition Published 2012
Warning
This book is presented only as a means of preserving a unique aspect of the heritage of the martial arts. Neither Ohara
Publications nor the author make any representation, warranty or guarantee that the techniques described or illustrated in
this book will be safe or effective in any self-defense situation or otherwise. You may be injured if you apply or train in
the techniques illustrated in this book and neither Ohara Publications nor the author is responsible for any such injury that
may result. It is essential that you consult a physician regarding whether or not to attempt any technique described in this
book. Specifc self-defense responses illustrated in this book may not be justifed in any particular situation in view of all
of the circumstances or under applicable federal, state or local law. Neither Ohara Publications nor the author make any
representation or warranty regarding the legality or appropriateness of any technique mentioned in this book.
Foreword
In terms of public awareness, the world of martial arts is a fairly insular
community, despite its international scope and broad infuence. Outside the
circle of dedicated students and fans of some notable competitor, it prob-
ably never really amounts to much on the radar screen of public opinion.
Until recently, if you asked anyone on the street to name a famous martial
artist, odds are they would say Bruce Lee. Younger people have probably
heard about the tragic death of his son Brandon. And then what?
The answer is: Gracie. Even if this name stirs no recognition, it rings a
bell. As this book is about to reveal, it is nearly impossible to consider the
subject of mixed-martial arts fghting without frst hearing about a member
of the Gracie family. It could be because they are responsible for energiz-
ing and rejuvenating the practice of martial arts. It could be because word
quickly spread about the 176-pound Royce Gracie defeating much larger
men in open competitions.
Because the Gracie infuence has become pandemic in martial arts, their
particular discipline has come to be known as “Brazilian jiu-jitsu.”
Here is the collected genesis of an emerging phenomenon as it was in-
troduced in the pages of these magazines: Black Belt, Martial Arts Training
and Karate/Kung Fu Illustrated. The contents have been carefully selected
and arranged to provide both a useful guide and a fascinating picture of
the incredible success curve that has made Brazilian jiu-jitsu the discipline
and sport of a new era.
Edward Pollard
Black Belt Managing Editor
BLACK BELT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GRACIE JIU-JITSU .................................................................................................. 8
GRACIE JIU-JITSU VS. THE WORLD .................................................................. 13
THE MAN WHO ACCEPTED THE GRACIE CHALLENGE................................. 17
ROYCE GRACIE TAKES ALL COMERS IN THE UFC ......................................... 21
THE BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU INVASION.............................................................. 26
ROYCE GRACIE WINS UFC—AGAIN ................................................................. 35
HELIO GRACIE, THE FATHER OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU ................................. 40
STILL KING OF THE HILL .................................................................................... 43
ROYCE GRACIE’S CONDITIONING PROGRAM ............................................. 50
TRAINING AT THE GRACIE ACADEMY ............................................................. 55
THE TWO-TIME UFC CHAMP IS ALL FOCUS .................................................. 58
TEN REASONS WHY GRACIE JIU-JITSU WINS ................................................ 61
ROYCE GRACIE SPEAKS ..................................................................................... 64
GRAPPLING IS LIKE SWIMMING ...................................................................... 67
TOUGHEST MAN IN THE WORLD ..................................................................... 69
IS RICKSON GRACIE THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER? ............................................ 77
ROYCE ON OVERTRAINING .............................................................................. 81
STREET JIU-JITSU VS. SPORT JIU-JITSU .......................................................... 85
WHO’S WHO IN GRACIE JIU-JITSU? ................................................................ 88
MODIFYING BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU FOR VALE TUDO ................................... 93
IMPROVING THE IMAGE OF THE ART ........................................................... 101
JIU-JITSU TRAINING IN BRAZIL ..................................................................... 103
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

ULTIMATE WARRIOR ......................................................................................... 108
THE TREASURE KEEPER ................................................................................... 119
ATTACKS AND TRAPS FROM THE GUARD .................................................... 125
SURVIVAL SPORT FOR WOMEN ..................................................................... 129
PROVING GROUND .......................................................................................... 133
GRACIES IN ACTION ......................................................................................... 139
THE HOUSE THAT GRACIE BUILT ................................................................... 144
GRACIE UPDATE ................................................................................................ 149
THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD ...................................................... 156
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH KYRA GRACIE........................................ 165
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BLACK BELT
GrACie Jiu-JiTsu
by Don Beu • Photos by Rick Hustead • Black Belt • August 1989
ritten accounts about Rorion Gracie can be misleading. Stories of
Whow he tied up a roomful of Chuck Norris’ black belts, or how he
choked out kickboxer Ralph Algeria in less than three minutes, or how
Navy SEALs come to him to hone their hand-to-hand combat skills can
give you a mental picture of, well, Rambo.
Consequently, meeting Gracie is a bit of a jolt when you expect
Rambo and are instead greeted with a warm smile and handshake by
a man who, at least in terms of personality and education, has more in
common with Gandhi.
Easygoing and articulate, Gracie could give diplomats lessons in charm
and tact. And if his friendly, personable manner runs contrary to the dis-
tant, stoic manner we’ve come to expect from many Asian masters of the
fghting arts, or the tough-talking bravado often shown by many American
fghters and competitors, that’s not unusual. This is because Gracie and his
family have been challenging and defeating a lot of traditions and beliefs
for more than six decades in their quest to prove the effectiveness of the
martial art.
And while the Gracie clan is renowned for challenging and defeating
fghters of virtually every style, behind the public victories are teaching
and training methods that also challenge many traditional beliefs. This
departure from tradition begins at the Gracie student’s frst class. For the
average judo or jujutsu student, as well as students of other martial arts,
the bulk of the frst lesson is usually devoted to learning to fall safely. And
the student’s time with the instructor must often be shared with the rest of
the class, usually also beginners who need the teacher’s attention.
By contrast, the Gracie jiu-jitsu student’s frst lesson is a private one, as
are the next 35 lessons of the basic course. In that frst class, the student
will learn fve simple and effective techniques: escapes from a head lock,
collar grab, front choke, bear hug and one ground-fghting technique.
Rather than spending at least half the class having the techniques
practiced on him, the Gracie student spends the entire class practicing the
techniques on the instructor, who provides constant feedback while the
student perfects the moves through repetition.
And what about learning to fall? The student doesn’t learn that until the
36th and fnal basic lesson. And while this fies in the face of conventional
wisdom and may raise more than a few eyebrows among those concerned
about safety, it’s important to remember that the Gracie student is not being
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
Rorion Gracie (standing)
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