Saturday, January 18, 2014

Defining The Many Styles Of Jiu-Jitsu

By Nolan Barias


When you hear the word jiu-jitsu, you might think there is simply one style of martial arts. While it is a martial art, there are many different styles out there from Gi or No-Gi to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Each style has its differences and similarities.

No matter what style you choose to practice, all of the forms originated from the Japanese fighting style of Jujutsu, which translates basically to the art of being flexible. If you have ever taken Jiu-Jitsu classes, you can see that this is an apt definition for a martial art that teaches defensive strategies against larger opponents.

Sometimes you will see an MMA gym that offers both Gi and No-Gi classes on their roster. There are a few key differences. One of the main differences between the two is the uniform. In Gi Jiu Jitsu, fighters wear a traditional belted uniform while in No-Gi, fighters might just wear shorts and a rash guard or a t-shirt.

The uniform is different and because of that, the fighting techniques are a bit different, as well. When you wear the Gi, you can grab onto to the opponent's uniform, which can be a helpful way to dominate the opponent while you are grappling. However, you are not allowed to grab onto clothing in a No-Gi contest, and instead must rely on skills that help you grab key areas such as elbows, the neck or the knees. In this way, Gi offers a bit more flexibility in fighting.

Taking both Gi and No-Gi classes can be very beneficial because you will learn different techniques. As with anything in MMA, the more techniques you master, the better you will be able to adapt to any opponent. No-Gi tends to work better as a transition into mixed martial arts fighting, simply because the Gi is not allowed in the cage, so you cannot use some Gi skills anyway.

The difference between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is subtle. Some say that the main difference lies in philosophy. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is considered more as a form of self-defense where as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses more on sports and competition. That said, both styles include the same submission, controls and sweeps. So while you might not ever see a GJJ competition, an expert in GJJ has the same skill set as a fighter in BJJ.




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