Aliveness Gym Aberdeen

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - BJJ

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is primarily a grappling martial art with techniques and strategies deeply rooted in the science of ground fighting. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner will attempt to bring his opponent to the ground and then obtain a dominant position there. Once in this dominant position, the BJJ practitioner can choose from a wide arsenal of joint locks, chokes and strikes with which to subdue his attacker.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began to receive international attention when Royce Gracie won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993. The UFC pitted martial artists of various styles in no-holds-barred competition to settle the age old question, "Which style is the best?" Despite being the lightest competitor, Gracie went on to win three UFC championships and is the only competitor in UFC history to win four fights in a single night. Today, there are few martial artists in the world who have not heard of the Gracie family. Their unique style of grappling, called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is based upon two simple assumptions:

1.	Your opponent will be bigger, stronger and heavier than you
2.	A great majority of all REAL FIGHTS will end up with the combatants in a clinch and eventually onto the ground

Working from these simple assumptions, the Gracie family have developed a system of fighting that has revolutionized the martial arts world. Unlike most martial arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is relatively new. The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy first opened its doors in 1925, and for more than 75 years, the Gracies have practiced, fought and refined their Jiu-Jitsu in their native country of Brazil. However, it has only been within the last 10 years that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has received major international recognition from the martial arts community.

The techniques of BJJ are based upon the effective use of leverage, which enables a fighter to lift a great amount of weight and generate tremendous force using minimal energy. Only by utilizing leverage and technique can a smaller, lighter and weaker person hope to defend himself against an attacker who is larger, heavier and stronger. Time and again, BJJ representatives have shown the efficiency of the art by dominating fighting tournaments such as The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). That almost every professional mixed martial arts competitor now cross-trains in BJJ is a testament to its effectiveness both inside and outside the ring.

Statistics show that the great majority of all real fights end up with two fighters in a clinch and eventually on the ground; this is especially true if one opponent holds a significant advantage in strength and size. If you do not know how to defend yourself when you are brought to the ground by a stronger and larger opponent, you will end up in serious trouble. BJJ is the only martial art that effectively addresses the realities of "ground fighting." On the street, there are no referees to officiate or stop the fight. There are no weight classes, no time limits, no rounds and no rules. Anything goes. A fight inside a sanctioned ring under set rules against a consenting opponent is very different from being violently attacked on the street by someone trying to seriously hurt you. How will you defend yourself when a stronger, larger and heavier attacker pins you to the ground and hits you with everything he's got?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has revolutionized the martial arts community and has become the most sought-after martial art system in the world.

Positive Benefits

At first glance, the most obvious benefit for learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is knowledge of the most efficient and practical self-defence methods in the world. If you're thinking about learning the martial arts, please ask yourself what you would really like to accomplish. Are you more interested in the idea of learning a challenging new sport? Maybe you are interested in genuine self-defence? Or perhaps you are interested in just improving your own health? Regardless of your goals, knowledge of these martial arts instills within you a sense of empowerment and self-confidence, and will help to build your character.

Most martial arts claim to have a wide range of benefits beyond mere self-defence. One is often told that studying the martial arts will develop the "mind, body and spirit," instill self-confidence, build discipline and deliver various other benefits. Due to its emphasis on combat efficiency, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was often misunderstood and many thought that self-defence was its only benefit. This could not be further from the truth. It is precisely its emphasis on realistic and efficient combat that allows for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to offer its practitioners so much more.

You are presented with many physical challenges that must be dealt with in a practical and systematic manner. Each training session offers a multitude of "problems" which must be solved using technique and calm rational thinking.

You will also improve your coordination, physical fitness and develop a high degree of hand-eye coordination.

Perhaps most importantly, learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will help you learn to be patient and tolerant of others. If you are ever involved in an argument on the street, the worst possible outcome is that it escalates into a physical altercation. Our members become confident in their ability to handle virtually any aspect of a real fight and this allows them to behave in a calm and rational manner. By behaving calmly and rationally, it usually results in de-escalating a potentially dangerous situation before a physical solution is needed. If not, you can still rely upon your skills to protect yourself should it become necessary.

Increase self-confidence
Improve flexibility
Increase coordination
Reduce body fat
Increase energy levels
Have great fun

Increase self-esteem
Improve fitness
Develop faster reflexes
Reduce stress
Develop social skills
Learn humility and respect

It doesn't matter if you are an athlete, an executive, a mother or child. The benefits of our program can be realised by all. Aberdeen BJJ Academy has something for everyone.

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