Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu evolved when Mitsuyo Maeda, one of judo founder Kano Jigoro’s students, went to Brazil and befriended the Gracie family. Helio Gracie, the family’s youngest brother, created BJJ as an adaption from judo because he was frail and unable to perform many judo moves. This highlights one of BJJ’s primary benefits—it enables smaller and weaker people to overpower larger and stronger ones.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s steady growth in Australia is partly due to the sheer practicality and effectiveness of the art—a little training, applied correctly, goes a long way! But those who stick with BJJ and take their training to a deeper level find other benefits like an emphasis on values and a strong spirit of camaraderie. These qualities were a big part of what drew Peter de Been, the man who first brought BJJ to Australia, to the original Barra Gracie Academy. Hard work and a family-oriented approach have led to the Gracie-de Been competition team remaining undefeated in Australia since BJJ competitions first began in 1995.

IDF Joins the Peter De Been – Gracie Barra family!

Here at IDF training we really encourage our students to be well-rounded in martial arts and self-defence (as that is the mindset of any true Kravist), so we are very excited to have officially joined the Peter De Been-Gracie Barra family. We pride ourselves in offering the best and most authentic version of any fighting system we teach, and that is why we chose to join them. The Peter De Been-Gracie Barra family is the best Australia has to offer.

Why BJJ?

According to de Been, the reason why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu continues to attract new students, including many who decide to cross over from other martial arts, is that Jiu-Jitsu becomes part of a person’s lifestyle rather than just something they do in their spare time to keep fit. He explains, “It is essentially a lifestyle for both my family and myself. I encourage my two children to train hard and compete, and I have taught them that it is okay to lose, but it is also very important to have fun and learn. Jiu-Jitsu teaches many important life skills and values that can be passed on to future generations.”

After taking your first steps in training at any Peter de Been Jiu-Jitsu Academy, including right here at IDF, you’ll notice very quickly how friendly, approachable, and helpful the other students are. This is because they know exactly where you’re coming from (everyone starts at the beginning), and they also know that the fastest way for them to improve is to help you improve, too. Jiu-Jitsu is a great way to meet many interesting people and make new friends—a special kind of camaraderie always seems to develop from training together.

Unlike many traditional martial arts, Jiu-Jitsu techniques are not drilled religiously, and surprisingly, they don’t even form the basis of the training! Instead, the uniqueness of Jiu-Jitsu training lies in learning and understanding the concepts that underpin the overall art. Jiu-Jitsu techniques can only be applied successfully with a solid understanding of leverage and positioning concepts. Once you’ve got those down, they will allow you to find a “finishing technique” for any situation. We pass these control, positioning, and defence concepts on to you early in your training, so that you can start absorbing them right away. Then we reinforce the concepts throughout your training so they become second nature to you. These concepts form the foundation for Jiu-Jitsu from the beginner right up to the most elite level.

What Can I Expect?

Jiu-Jitsu training is physical, but not dangerous or frightening as there is no striking and you are always able to tap out if you need to stop for any reason. No forcing, no questions asked.

Because you partake in realistic full-contact sparring (with support and guidance the whole way), you will quickly adapt to the demands of the training. You will soon see remarkable changes in your body lines, along with weight loss and increased strength, flexibility, and overall fitness.

Another huge upside to your training will be an overall increase in your confidence. You will have the honour of knowing that you are learning what is considered to be the most effective form of self-defence in the world today, and the peace of mind that comes from integrating its concepts and skills. Training in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu will give you an underlying power which is yours to keep for the rest of your life.

For more information, check out the class timetable and prices. We will be running classes throughout the week both with and without the traditional gi training uniform.

We hope to see you at one of our BJJ classes soon! As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.