JIU JITSU BEST MARTIAL ART

There have been many heated debates about which Martial Art has the best combat system. There will always be people who are biased because nobody is willing to admit another Martial Art is better than the one they practise. There are a host of factors that go into the makeup of all Martial Arts, as distinguishing the best out of them all is incredibly hard. There will always be Martial Arts that are better than others, but there are usually two or three standouts that share the same amount of capabilities. There are significant facts about jiu jitsu that make a good argument as to why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu could be the best combative fighting system.

What This Article Covers

• What Makes Jiu Jitsu The Best Martial Art
• Do Any Other Martial Arts Stack up to BJJ
• Is It Easy to Achieve a Black Belt in BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a perfect combination of strength, speed and strategy that encompasses the virtues of a premier Martial Art. The dynamic grappling art has become a formidable weapon of choice to many Mixed Martial Artists that compete in the UFC, as many of them have adopted submissions as their finishing tactic. The Brazilian Art has gained an extreme amount of popularity, that even celebrities that train bjj have come out to endorse the highly tactical combative system. BJJ has a highly functional movement system that incorporates a dynamic series of transitional components, most of these movements can lead to a diverse range of submission maneuvers.

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WHAT MAKES JIU JITSU THE BEST MARTIAL ART

There are numerous reasons why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can claim the number one spot in the Martial Arts world. First of all let's have a look at the game style in both aspects of sports and self defense. The bjj philosophy has an extremely advanced system of dynamic movements, and although it may take a long time to learn, a seasoned practitioner has built an impressive intuitive sense of grappling. BJJ does not rely on punching or kicking, instead the systematic approach of grappling involves takedowns, positional control, transitioning, sweeping and submitting opponents. There are an infinite number of variations of all maneuvers, making BJJ one of the most unpredictable and deadly Martial Art systems ever designed. 

The self defense aspect of brazilian jiu jitsu incorporates certain strikes like kicks to the leg or groin, strikes to the throat and nose. The system for defensive tactics is exemplary, as many law enforcement agencies have adopted the grappling art. BJJ is all about being aware of your surroundings and making the correct decisions while under the duress of a highly stressful situation. The functionality involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gives the student a hands-on approach to when a real fight scenario needs a quick response and a tactical solution. Training in the self defense aspect of BJJ will comprehensively give the student the proper conditioning they need to be confident and systematic in a real life conflict environment.

One of the reasons that separates Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the rest of the pack is the atmosphere within a Jiu Jitsu academy. The BJJ community is well known for its humble and encouraging mindset, as students will find a certain freedom within the comfortability of a BJJ school. Most Martial Arts are known for their hard headedness, as students will often feel like they are being sized up when they walk into a striking gym. Walking into a BJJ academy a student will feel nothing but acceptance and camaraderie as they will have an ability to learn and grow at their own pace. This is a clear advantage that BJJ has over most other forms of Martial Arts.

DO ANY OTHER MARTIAL ARTS STACK UP TO BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a formidable fighting system that is unmatched by the majority of the fight world, but there are a few Martial Arts that do hold up against BJJ. Mixed Martial Arts - this well known art form has evolved in leaps and bounds over the last decade. MMA is one of those Martial Arts that has the best of both worlds, a solid striking game, a dynamic takedown game and a highly functional submission game. Mixed Martial Arts takes the best parts of all styles and combines them into an all round version, and even though they don't specialise in one specific art like BJJ, they still have a formidable technical aspect to its fighting system.

Another form that holds up against BJJ is Sambo - this art is a deadly Russian combat designed to decimate an opponent. Sambo is a mix of wrestling, judo and grappling, as it uses a high ratio of extravagant throws and takedowns. There is a huge element of wrestling in their control systems, and they have a superb submission system. Sambo is well known for its extensive leg lock game, as the art is most definitely a brutal but very technical one. Luta Livre - the art of Luta Livre dates back to the early 1900’s, as it was the main competition for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Luta Livre is similar to No Gi grappling but utilises the ability to strike an opponent. The old school Luta Livre fighters used to compete against the Gracie clan in Vale Tudo fights, this art has had a significant influence in how Mixed Martial Arts has been shaped today.

Japanese Jiu Jitsu - this art has a significant history as the man who created jiu jitsu highly influenced many other grappling arts like BJJ. Jigoro Kano built a formidable system of grappling that has a lot in common with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The highly technical grappling art also utilised throws, striking and weapons based attack and defense. The system of Jigoro Kano's Martial Art formed the foundation for the ideology behind Helio's system of grappling. Another form that has a great reputation in the fight world is Krav Maga - this art is a highly functional combat system that was designed to win hand to hand combat battles in highly intense conflict situations. The self defense art is the number one choice for military and law enforcement across the globe. This art form was created as a way for the Israli people to defend their lives during some of the most hardest and enduring times in their history.

HOW LONG DO ATHLETES LAST IN THE SPORT OF BJJ 

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of those sports that is all about long jeverdy. It can be easy to burnout in BJJ if a student overtrains, and doesn't take proper care of their minds and their bodies. If a student trains with the right mindset and uses the correct jiu jitsu principles, then they will learn how to take the right path in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The core strengthening process of BJJ is second to none, as it will work out muscles a student never knew they had. When a student makes the decision to head towards a long career in BJJ, then they have to be mindful of a few things. Be humble, as a student won't last long in an academy if they are showing poor behaviour traits. Train smart, this means don't overdo it, don't push your body past its limitations as that is when injuries will happen. A good notion to remember is if a student is stubborn and does not tap, then they will be struggling with injuries and trying to fight two opponents, your training partner and your ego. 

Another important aspect of training for longer in BJJ, is to find a good life balance. Even though becoming obsessed with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will ultimately help a student achieve a higher level, it can also become a detriment to their future progression. It is important to take time away from training and spend it with family, go to the beach or follow other hobbies, this is important to keep a good balance in life. If a student can stick to these guidelines then there is no reason why they would ever need to stop training in BJJ. Many high level black belts keep training well into their later years, meaning that if a student trains smartly, then long jeverdy is on their side.

IS IT EASY TO ACHIEVE A BLACK BELT IN BJJ

Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most complex Martial Arts there is in the world. Most Martial Arts will see their students achieve a black belt in two to five years, but not in BJJ. The average student will take ten to fifteen years to achieve a black belt in BJJ, as the complexity of the art is considerably high. It can take two to four years per each belt rank, depending on skill, effort, competition and continuity. Some students can fast track their ability to be graded quicker through winning high stakes competition events, but in most cases they will still spend approximately two years per belt. 

In terms of complexity, learning the technical skills of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu takes hard work, focus and constant repetition. Students must show continuity within their training and improve considerably with their technical proficiency. Understanding concepts is one thing, but students must be able to integrate what they learn into their game styles. It is also important to find your own identity, as most high level practitioners will workout the movements that work best for them. Once a student can understand this it becomes a lot more clearer for them to evolve their Jiu Jitsu to a higher level. It is not easy to reach the black belt level, but if a student shows passion, stays humble, works hard and is constantly refining their skill set, they will eventually be rewarded with the coveted rank of black belt.

SHOULD EVERYONE TRAIN IN BJJ

There is no question that people from all walks of life should be training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There have been multiple accounts from people worldwide saying just how incredible it is to be involved with a great BJJ community. The standard that is set by all academy coaches and its members is phenomenal, as the art is well known for its humble and caring nature. People that suffer from any sort of mental health issues, whether it's domestic violence or mental and physical abuse, are all welcomed into an academy and made to feel like part of the team. The art caters extensively for women in jiu jitsu, as ladies seem to be at the high end of violent attacks around the world. The BJJ community is more than a Martial Arts academy, they are all about helping people become better versions of themselves. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can save lives, as it offers students a way to build their confidence within themself. Students will also find many forms of happiness as they will make incredible friendships with like minded members of their academy. 

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There are many benefits for members of a BJJ academy, as even children will learn how to interact with other children in an integral and supportive way. The building blocks that the coaching staff will teach incorporates how to be respectful and accountable for all people inside the academy. They will also teach incredible self defense techniques that will help all members in defending their lives, the lives of their loved ones or how to de-escalate an increasingly violent situation. Embracing the art of BJJ will give members the skills in dealing with highly stressful situations, meaning their decision making processes will improve significantly. 

There is also a health benefit, as training in BJJ will increase a member's overall fitness. This kind of training improves attributes in dexterity, agility, flexibility, strength, speed, conditioning and durability. Many students that have begun their BJJ journey, have started while they were overweight or just incredibly unfit, with all of them seeing results only weeks after starting. The consistent training will help a student lose a considerable amount of weight and get their fitness back up to a high level. There simply is no more time to waste, if you haven't started training yet, now is your time to get involved with a local Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy and start having fun, getting fit and learning to defend yourself.

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