A (short) history of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and three benefits of trying it out

Ever thought about tackling someone in a friendly manner?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (pronounced “joo-jitz-ooh” and usually shortened to BJJ) is a form of combat mainly composed of grappling between two individuals. Rounds start from sitting or standing positions and typically end on the ground with one individual “tapping out” or submitting to their opponent.

The first ever BJJ academy was founded in Brazil in 1925 by Carlos Gracie and his four brothers. That’s not even within the first several chapters of the sport’s story. Its roots stem from tactics needed on the feudal battlefield between Samurai warriors, whose heavy armor made striking in hand-to-hand combat exceedingly difficult. Realizing the effectiveness of chokes and joint manipulations in ground fighting, the first jiu-jitsu was officially taught to warriors in 1130 AD¹.

Today, the art of BJJ continues to grow, with more than 44,000 studios open in the United States alone².

If you’ve looked around while out and about and seen a little gym open in your neighborhood, have you considered opening the door? If you’re slightly daunted by the idea of “wrestling” or think of it as an aggressive sport, here are three surprising benefits of practicing.

1. BJJ actually leads to lower levels of aggression in participants. A study found that people who engaged in the sport processed emotions more effectively³ and experienced practitioners reported lower levels of aggression compared to groups such as baseball players, hip-hop dancers, and even a general control group⁴.
2. Feeling socially isolated? BJJ has been shown to provide social support that is quite effective in managing feelings of loneliness and social isolation, especially in participants who struggle with difficulties like PTSD⁵.
3. Maybe you’re just into being more fit. Studies have shown that BJJ increases your flexibility, and a dominant body type in the sport is classified as mesomorphic, or a more muscular and robust build⁶.

Convinced yet? I’m not pushing (or tripping) you to try it, but you could make some new friends and get fit while doing it; just make sure to start out slow and be patient.

References

1. https://www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com/blogs/blog/the-history-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu?srsltid=AfmBOopui0_aSYSClNBrL5w73O8FKo6JLjzJBYNxc0-FUiVRGyBktjeU
2. https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-studios/6246/#TopQuestionsAnswered
3. Wojdat, M., & Ossowski, R. (2019). Comparative analysis of the level’s aggression of women and men training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the light of the possibilities for therapeutic purposes. Journal of Education, Health and Sport, 9(5), 319-338.
4. Blomqvist Mickelsson, T. (2021). Brazilian jiu-jitsu as social and psychological therapy: a systematic review. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 21(3), 1544-1552.
5. Weinberger, K., & Burraston, T. (2022). Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in managing post-traumatic stress disorder: a longitudinal study. Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, 13(4).
6. Andreato, L. V., Lara, F. J. D., Andrade, A., & Branco, B. H. M. (2017). Physical and physiological profiles of Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes: a systematic review. Sports medicine-open, 3, 1-17.