{"id":1257,"date":"2022-12-16T15:53:02","date_gmt":"2022-12-16T15:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graciezug.ch\/en\/?p=1257"},"modified":"2025-07-14T08:13:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T08:13:15","slug":"is-bjj-a-self-defense-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/graciezug.ch\/en\/is-bjj-a-self-defense-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) an art of Self-Defense?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a fully comprehensive self-defense system. However, Gracie Jiu Jitsu has different elements. This is because the goals that people pursue with training can be different. There are different ways to train and with them different focuses. Otherwise, there is only one form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – only the goals that BJJ students and masters pursue can be different. Some want to participate in competitions, while others want to use BJJ for self-defense purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are BJJ teachers who hold the view: Gracie Jiu Jitsu begins where other martial arts end. What do today’s BJJ teachers mean by this statement? A prime example of this is that in most martial arts ground fighting is broken off or not even considered. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, however, it is often with the clinch that things really get started. This is not to say that standing fights should not be taken seriously. As before, fights start almost exclusively in the standing position. To neglect the standing fight would be fatal, especially with regard to defense against multiple attackers or in unsuitable surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of self-defense<\/a>, BJJ follows an important strategy: it is not possible to defend yourself effectively if you do not know how to avoid a fight. The goal that BJJ teaches is to avoid a fight; when it comes to the self-defense aspect. However, this does not apply when an attacker physically attacks a person. In this case, self-defense comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, in BJJ, an important question is: How does the fight turn out in terms of self-defense? A person who has never been exposed to self-defense is less likely to fight back than a person who regularly practices BJJ. Moreover, the latter will most likely perform better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-defense is an inner attitude. It refers not only to techniques that students of BJJ learn in training to defend themselves in the event of an attack. Ultimately, it means that BJJ students always train the punching, leverage and throwing techniques with the ulterior motive that their attacker might hurt them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What about the question: Was Gracie Jiu Jitsu originally developed for people who had no experience with self-defense? Its goal was not only to teach its students techniques of self-defense against all kinds of attacks, but to increase their self-confidence. Accordingly, they should be able to defend themselves against all possible attacks. However, over time, this program evolved into robot-like movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, a further development took place. It was not only a further development, but an important change of perspective. What exactly does the change of perspective mean? Self-defense in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu<\/a> is designed to defend against situations – rather than against people. Moreover, the goal is to train people to adapt their emotions to the situation at hand. It’s not just about defending yourself against an attack, but reacting correctly emotionally and self-defensively in the situation at hand. Anger should in no case be a companion of the techniques. Because this is followed by rash movements. These in turn result in consequences that can have negative consequences, especially for the person defending himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, in terms of perspective, the BJJ has always evolved. This includes the aspect of risks. They are just as much a part of it. In sports, there are rules that protect you. In a street fight, there are no rules and you can die. H\u00e9lio Gracie said, I fight not to lose. He was against the classic points system as it is in competitions. Moreover, he coined the saying: I try not to win, but not to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why shouldn’t people train for fun? Because dangerous consequences result from it. Instead, it is better to learn to defend oneself. Because self-defense is about an attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is self-defense?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Has BJJ evolved?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Is BJJ self-defense training better than BJJ competition training?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n