This site is about Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). I've trained since 2006: I'm a black belt, teaching and training at Artemis BJJ in Bristol, UK. All content ©Can Sönmez
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01 January 2005
Test2
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+not+form+its+basis+-+especially+for+beginners%2C+it%27s+essential+to+have+an+instructor+physically+present.+Unlike+a+DVD%2Fbook%2Fvideo%2C+they+can+correct+your+mistakes+%28which+otherwise+you%27ll+continue+making+and+thereby+entrain+bad+habits%29+and+modify+their+advice+depending+on+your+particular+situation%3A+bodytype%2C+experience%2C+strength+etc.+Not+to+mention+you+could+potentially+injure+yourself+and%2For+others+if+there+isn%27t+an+experienced+eye+supervising.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AThat+isn%27t+to+say+DVDs%2Fvideos+etc+are+useless%2C+but+I+find+they+work+best+when+you%27re+refining+what+you+already+know.+For+example%2C+say+you+can%27t+quite+remember+how+that+scissor+sweep+went+last+night+in+class%2C+YouTube+might+well+have+something+to+jog+your+memory.+However%2C+even+when+going+down+that+route%2C+your+instructor+%28or+failing+that%2C+a+senior+student+who%27s+willing+to+help+out%29+should+always+be+your+first+port+of+call.+That%27s+both+for+the+reasons+above+and+the+fact+that+you%27re+paying+them+to+teach+you%2C+so+it+would+make+sense+to+get+the+most+out+of+your+investment.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AOnce+you%27ve+begun+training+under+an+instructor+and+are+looking+for+supplemental+material%2C+see+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fbjj-beginner-faq.html%23beginnerbooks%22%3Ehere%3C%2Fa%3E+for+my+suggestions.+Alternatively%2C+if+you+absolutely+insist+on+learning+from+DVD+%28perhaps+the+nearest+school+is+hundreds+of+miles+away%29%2C+then+I+would+suggest+taking+a+look+at+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fdvd-review-gracie-combatives-rener.html%22%3E%3Ci%3EGracie+Combatives%3C%2Fi%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+designed+as+a+home+study+course.+However%2C+once+again+I+would+emphasise+that+DVDs+will+never+be+an+adequate+substitute+for+qualified+instruction+at+a+reputable+school.+%0D%0A+%0D%0A%3Ca+name%3D%22womenandbjj%22%3E%3Cb%3EI%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cb%3E%27m+a+woman%3A+is+BJJ+right+for+me%3F%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fbjj-beginner-faq.html%23top%22%3E%3Cb%3E%3Cu%3E%5E%3C%2Fu%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E+%0D%0A+%0D%0ABJJ+is+an+excellent+choice+for+women.+In+terms+of+self-defence%2C+BJJ+is+perfect+from+a+female+perspective%2C+as+it+deals+with+the+unfortunately+common+self-defence+situation+of+rape%3A+BJJ+features+a+lot+of+attacks+and+defences+when+someone+is+in+between+your+legs.+It+is+also+a+martial+art+which+was+designed+for+a+smaller+person+to+overcome+a+larger+one%2C+which+again+has+clear+applications+for+women%27s+self-defence+%28see+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fallie-mcclish.html%22%3EAllie%27s+article%3C%2Fa%3E+on+the+topic%29.++%0D%0A+%0D%0AHowever%2C+while+BJJ+covers+the+ground+in+thorough+detail%2C+it+is+worth+noting+that+it+does+not+deal+with+strikes.+For+the+complete+picture%2C+you+may+want+to+cross-train+in+something+like+boxing+or+muay+thai+%28further+thoughts+on+self-defence+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fbjj-beginner-faq.html%23sportvselfdefence%22%3Ehere%3C%2Fa%3E%29.+%0D%0A+%0D%0A%3Ca+onblur%3D%22try+%7Bparent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully%28%29%3B%7D+catch%28e%29+%7B%7D%22+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Ix-tTDFty4Q%2FS5PhYhSV12I%2FAAAAAAAABKw%2FialoYjXKBWw%2Fs1600-h%2FJane%2BO%2527Malley%2BWeight%2BLoss%2BThrough%2BBJJ.JPG%22%3E%3Cimg+style%3D%22float%3Aleft%3B+margin%3A0px+10px+0px+0px%3Bcursor%3Apointer%3B+cursor%3Ahand%3Bwidth%3A+200px%3B+height%3A+168px%3B%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_Ix-tTDFty4Q%2FS5PhYhSV12I%2FAAAAAAAABKw%2FialoYjXKBWw%2Fs200%2FJane%2BO%2527Malley%2BWeight%2BLoss%2BThrough%2BBJJ.JPG%22+border%3D%220%22+alt%3D%22%22id%3D%22BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445944185789470562%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3EIn+terms+of+sport%2C+BJJ+is+a+great+work-out+%28see+the+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fthefightworkspodcast.com%2F2008%2F07%2F20%2Fweight-loss-bj%2F%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3EFightworks+Podcast%3C%2Fa%3E+for+a+good+discussion%2C+along+with+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sherdog.net%2Fforums%2Ff12%2Fshe-weighed-285-lbs-until-she-discovered-jiu-jitsu-965595%2F%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ethis+story%3C%2Fa%3E+of+a+42+year+old+mother+of+two%3A+other+awesome+women+into+or+past+their+40s+and+training+are+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fdagneybjj.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fjanuary-11-2010.html%22%3EDagney%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fjourney-of-fenix.blogspot.com%2Fp%2Fabout-me.html%22%3EFenix%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.feliciaoh.com%2Fwordpress%2Fresume%2F%22%3EFelicia%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fbjjvisionquest2006.blogspot.com%2F%22%3EVal%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Ffamily-mat-ters.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fold-chicks-rule.html%22%3EJen%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fsharkgirlbjj.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fmid-life-crisis.html%22%3EShark+Girl%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fjiujitsugirlinamansworld.blogspot.com%2F%22%3ECynthia%3C%2Fa%3E+and+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fgirlmmafighter.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eadliness+with+little+%3Ci%3Epractical%3C%2Fi%3E+deadliness.%22+%28pp17-19%29.+For+more%2C+see+my+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F1982%2F06%2Fhistory-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj.html%23jigorokano%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehistorical+summary%3C%2Fa%3E.+%0D%0A+%0D%0ASince+Kano%27s+innovations%2C+judo+has+grown+to+become+one+of+the+biggest+martial+arts+in+the+world+today.+There+have+also+been+changes+to+the+average+judo+club%27s+syllabus%3A+thanks+in+large+part+to+its+inclusion+in+the+Olympics%2C+high+amplitude+throws+are+now+the+main+focus+of+judo+%28as+that+is+what+wins+competitions%3A+the+rules+are+geared+toward+throwing+your+opponent+rather+than+grappling+them+on+the+ground%29.+This+means+there+is+less+time+for+%27newaza%27+%28groundwork%29%2C+although+a+good+judo+school+will+try+to+divide+teaching+equally+between+%27tachiwaza%27+%28throws%29+and+newaza.+Most+importantly%2C+judoka+still+train+randori+against+fully+resisting+opponents%2C+so+they+get+that+essential+feedback+on+whether+their+technique+is+effective+or+not.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AA+judoka%2C+Mitsuyo+Maeda+%28he%27s+known+by+various+names%2C+but+that%27s+the+most+common%29%2C+brought+the+art+to+Brazil+in+the+early+20th+century%2C+where+he+taught+it+to+the+Gracie+family.+At+the+time%2C+the+name+%27judo%27+wasn%27t+set+in+stone%2C+with+people+still+referring+to+Kano%27s+style+as+things+like+%27Kano+jiu-jitsu%27.+Hence+in+Brazil%2C+the+term+%27jiu-jitsu%27+stuck.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AFrom+judo%2C+the+Gracies+developed+their+own+variation+of+the+style%2C+which+has+become+known+as+Brazilian+Jiu+Jitsu+%28in+Brazil%2C+it%27s+normally+just+referred+to+as+%27jiu-jitsu%27%29.+Unlike+judo%2C+BJJ+focused+more+on+groundwork%2C+so+the+evolution+of+the+sport+went+in+the+other+direction%2C+with+highly+developed+groundfighting%2C+but+less+attention+to+throws.+BJJ+also+retained+the+approach+to+live+rolling%2C+so+as+in+judo%2C+you+test+your+technique+against+fully+resisting+opponents.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AJudo+has+spread+all+across+the+world+over+the+course+of+the+20th+century%2C+so+there+are+numerous+high+level+judoka+teaching+pretty+much+everywhere.+That+means+that+supply+is+high+compared+to+demand%2C+so+you+can+normally+find+good+quality+judo+relatively+cheap.+BJJ%2C+on+the+other+hand%2C+has+only+got+going+internationally+since+Royce+Gracie+showed+his+stuff+in+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F1993%2F11%2Fufc-1-beginning.html%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3EUFC+1%3C%2Fa%3E+back+in+1993.+BJJ+instructors+are+therefore+far+less+common%2C+meaning+that+it%27s+a+lot+more+expensive+than+judo+%28unless+you%27re+in+Brazil%2C+in+which+case+BJJ+has+been+there+since+1925%2C+so+less+costly%29.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AIf+you+can%2C+it%27s+ideal+to+train+both+judo+and+BJJ%2C+as+that+way+you+get+great+takedowns+combined+with+awesome+groundwork.+However%2C+if+you+have+to+choose+between+one+or+the+other%2C+your+decision+should+depend+on+whether+you+prefer+standing+up+or+staying+on+the+ground.+Also%2C+judo+is+usually+more+formal+than+BJJ%2C+so+if+you+don%27t+like+bowing+and+using+Japanese+terminology%2C+judo+may+be+a+bad+idea.+They%27re+both+great+grapp+was+sent+to+a+Russian+Orthodox+mission+in+Japan%2C+later+finding+his+way+to+the+Kodokan+during+1911.+He+would+eventually+earn+his+second+dan+in+judo%2C+and+after+three+years%2C+moved+back+to+Russia.+That+same+year%2C+Oshchepkov+opened+the+first+ever+Russian+judo+club%2C+in+Vladivostok.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AIn+1921%2C+Oshchepkov+went+to+work+for+the+Red+Army%2C+introducing+judo+to+Moscow+eight+years+later.+He+organized+Russia%26%238217%3Bs+first+judo+tournament+during+1932%2C+then+the+following+year+published+judo%26%238217%3Bs+first+Russian+language+rules.+Unfortunately%2C+a+proposed+competition+between+the+Moscow+and+Leningrad+teams+in+1936+was+prohibited+by+the+Leningrad+Sport+Committee.+Outraged%2C+Oshchepkov+wrote+protests+to+various+government+offices%2C+which+led+to+his+arrest.+He+was+charged+with+being+a+%27Japanese+spy%27+and+sent+to+prison.+In+October+1937%2C+he+died+from+what+was+officially+termed+a+%22fit+of+angina.%22+His+students+took+the+hint%2C+and+in+November+1938%2C+Anatoli+Arcadievich+Kharlampiev+announced+the+invention+of+%27Soviet+freestyle+wrestling%2C%27+which+coincidentally+looked+a+lot+like+Russian-rules+judo.++%0D%0A+%0D%0AFollowing+World+War+II%2C+Stalin+decided+that+the+USSR+would+compete+in+the+Olympics.+Since+the+Olympics+already+had+freestyle+wrestling%2C+in+1946+Soviet+freestyle+wrindividual+responsible+was+Vasili+Sergevich+Oshchepkov%2C+born+on+Sakhalin+Island+in+1892.+In+1906%2C+he+was+sent+to+a+Russian+Orthodox+mission+in+Japan%2C+later+finding+his+way+to+the+Kodokan+during+1911.+He+would+eventually+earn+his+second+dan+in+judo%2C+and+after+three+years%2C+moved+back+to+Russia.+That+same+year%2C+Oshchepkov+opened+the+first+ever+Russian+judo+club%2C+in+Vladivostok.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AIn+1921%2C+Oshchepkov+went+to+work+for+the+Red+Army%2C+introducing+judo+to+Moscow+eight+years+later.+He+organized+Russia%26%238217%3Bs+first+judo+tournament+during+1932%2C+then+the+following+year+published+judo%26%238217%3Bs+fiy+Vladimir+Spiridonov%2C+who+had+studied+catch-as-catch-can%2C+Greco-Roman%2C+and+Mongol+wrestling.+Spiridonov+had+been+developing+a+martial+system+concurrently+to+Oshchepkov%2C+but+the+two+strands+later+merged+into+what+would+become+SAMBO.+Spiridonov%27s+background+in+various+native+wrestling+styles+meant+that+his+version+of+the+sport+shifted+from+Oshchepkov%27s+judo+influences.+That+was+further+compounded+by+an+injury+Spiridonov+had+sustained+in+the+past%2C+leading+him+to+favour+low+rather+than+high+amplitude+throws.+While+Oshchepkov+could+be+said+to+be+the+father+of+sport+SAMBO%2C+Spiridonov+is+behind+the+military+version%2C+known+as+%27combat+SAMBO%27.+This+included+chokes%2C+along+with+weapons+and+striking.+Despite+his+contributions%2C+as+he+had+been+an+officer+in+the+Tsarist+army%2estling+was+officially+renamed+SAMBO+%28an+acronym+for+%22self-defense+without+weapons%22%3A+in+Russian%2C+that+is+%3Cb%3ESAM%3C%2Fb%3Eozashcita+%3Cb%3EB%3C%2Fb%3Eez+%3Cb%3EO%3C%2Fb%3Eruzhiya%29.+The+chokes+from+judo+were+not+included+in+what+came+to+be+known+as+%27sport+SAMBO%27%3A+according+to+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F07%2F19%2Fsports%2Fothersports%2F19fight.html%3F_r%3D1%26scp%3D1%26sq%3DSambo%26st%3Dcse%26oref%3Dslogin%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ethis+article%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+the+reason+may+have+been+a+d%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+this++caused+SAMBO+coaches+to+stress+groundwork+and+submission+holds+rather+than+high+throws.+Kronos+also+mentions+the+shift+in+philosophical+emphasis+from+character+development+to+sport+and+self-defence.+%0D%0A+%0D%0AThere+has+been+some+cross-over+between+SAMBO+and+BJJ%2C+thanks+to+people+like+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F1982%2F06%2Fhistory-of-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj.html%23carlsonandrolls%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3ERolls+Gracie%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+who+competed+in+SAMBO+tournaments.+The+most+important+contribution+has+been+SAMBO%27s+emphasis+on+leglocks%2C+submissions+which+for+many+years+were+frowned+upon+in+BJJ.+Instructors+like+Roy+Harris+learned+from+SAMBO%2C+seeking+to+incorporate+leglocks+into+the+curriculum+of+their+school%3A+this+has+continued+to+his+students%2C+like+Roy+Dean.++%0D%0A+%0D%0AIt+should+be+noted+that+by+unfortunate+coincidence%2C+%C+his+major+importance+to+SAMBO+was+later+downplayed.++%0D%0A+%0D%0ABetween+1921+and+the+present%2C+SAMBO+has+diverged+significantly+from+judo.+For+example%2C+SAMBO+players+wear+tight+jackets+%28%27kurtka%27%29%2C+shorts+and+shoes+%28%27%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSambo_%28martial_art%29%23Uniform_and_Ranking%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Esambovki%3C%2Fa%3E%27%29.+In+addition%2C+they+use+mats+instead+of+tatami%3A+according+to+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fejmas.com%2Fkronos%2F%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3EKronos%3C%2Fa%3E%2C+this++caused+SAMBO+coaches+to+stress+groundwork+and+submission+holds+rather+than+high+throws.+Kronos+also+mentions+the+shift+in+philosophical+oot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fbjj-beginnent+aq.html%23top%22%3E%3Cb%3E%3Cu%3E%5E%3C%2Fu%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E+%0D%0A+%0D%0A%3Cb%3EShort+Answer%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+A+BJJ+black+belt+called+Eddie+Bravo+gradually+moved+away+from+the+gi+during+his+rise+up+the+ranks.+This+led+him+to+build+up+a+series+of+techniques+around+a+bottom+position+he+calls+%27rubber+guard%27%2C+for+which+flexibility+is+very+important.+Bravo+also+has+a+method+for+the+top+game%2C+as+detailed+in+his+book%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fastore.amazon.co.uk%2Fslistralog-21%2Fdetail%2F0977731553%22%3E%3Ci%3EMastering+the+Twister%3C%2Fi%3E%3C%2Fa%3E.++%0D%0A+%0D%0ABravo%27s+approach+to+the+top+and+bottom+positions+in+BJJ+has+become+so+intricate+that+he%27s+given+the+whole+system+it27sambo%27+has+been+used+as+an+offensive+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSambo_%28racial_term%29%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Eracist+term%3C%2Fa%3E+in+the+past%2C+meaning+that+the+sport+is+sometimes+instead+referred+to+as+%27SOMBO%27.+Alternately%2C+because+the+Russian+spelling+in+cyrillic+characters+is+CAM%D0%91O%2C+the+term+%27CAMBO%27+has+also+been+used.+See+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sombojoe.com%2F%3Fabout%22%3Ehere%3C%2Fa%3E+for+further+discussion.+%0D%0A+%0D%0A%3Ca+name%3D%22tenthplanet%22%3E%3Cb%3EW%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cb%3Ehat+is+the+difference+between+10th+Planet+Jiu+Jitsu+and+Brazilian+Jiu+Jitsu%3F%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideyfoot.com%2F2006%2F10%2Fbjj-beginner-faq.html%23top%22%3E%3Cb%3E%3Cu%3E%5E%3C%2Fu%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E+%0D%0A+%0D%0A%3Cb%3EShort+Answer%3A%3C%2Fb%3E+A+BJJ+black+belt+called+Eddie+Bravo+gradually+moved+away+from+the+gi+during+his+rise+up+the+ranks.+This+led+him+to+build+up+a+series+of+techniques+around+a+bottom+position+he+calls+%27rubber+guard%27%2C+for+which+flexibility+is+very+important.+Bravo+also+has+a+method+for+the+top+game%2C+as+detailed+in+his+book%2C+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fastore.amazon.co.uk%2Fslistralog-21%2Fdetail%2F0977731553%22%3E%3Ci%3EMas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