Home

Tracy Hopkins
Association Representative Instructor

Tracy Hopkins
Instructor
Darrick Scott
Instructor
James Koska
Instructor
Jeff Lose
Instructor

History of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu is one of the oldest forms off martial arts known to man.

It is said to have originated in India more than 2,000 years before Christ, spread through China and eventually settled in Japan.

In 1914, a Japanese jiu-jitsu champion arrived in Brazil to help establish a Japanese immigration colony. Gastao Gracie befriended Maeda and helped to get the Japanese established. To show his gratitude, Maeda taught the basic secrets of jiu-jitsu to Gastao's son, Carlos Gracie. Carlos taught Maeda's techniques to his brothers: Oswaldo, Gasao, Joge, and Helio, and in 1925 opened their first academy in Botalogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Helio, the youngest brother, got involved in this martial art at the age of 16 when he began substitute teaching for Carlos. Despite his small frame and weight, he became the mastermind behind the development of jiu-jitsu.

Helio Gracie went a step further than his teachers by introducing techniques that required less strength than the Japanese style. Daring to break away from the traditional Japanese style, they began experimenting, modifying, and and perfecting simple techniques that would be effective regardless of stature. Though Jiu-Jitsu descended from the ancient Japanese style, the differences are quite apparent. Many of the Japanese facets of the art that depend on physical prowess and stiff motion were tossed aside, leaving only pure technique, rather than strength and speed.