Gracie Jiu Jitsu
"The Jiu-Jitsu I created was designed to give the weak ones a chance to face the heavy and strong" - founder Helio Gracie
"I am a shark, the ground is my ocean, and most people can't even swim." - Rickson Gracie
Gracie Jiu Jitsu (self-defence BJJ) is designed to protect yourself in realistic situations – regardless of your age, size or physical strength. The system was developed by the Gracie family in Brazil and is based on Japanese Judo, but adapted and refined for Vale Tudo fighting. Vale Tudo literally means 'anything goes' in Portuguese and is considered the precursor to modern MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). At that time, they fought without rules, weight classes or protective equipment to prove which style really worked in a fight. According to Gracie Jiu Jitsu, the ideal scenario for a fight is as follows: close the distance, throw, maintain control, initiate submission. Where other martial arts stop (the throw or hold), that's where we really get started: ending the fight with a submission.
Rickson Gracie, son of founder Hélio Gracie, is a living legend in the martial arts world and embodies the deeper essence of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. He remained undefeated in dozens of fights in the Vale Tudo circuit. Rickson emphasises "connection, weight distribution, angles and distance management", making his style suitable for less athletic practitioners or for scenarios where there is a large weight difference. At Zero Point, we delve into the style and techniques of Rickson Gracie.
What is the difference between Gracie Jiu Jitsu and other related styles?
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ): emphasises athletic performance within a tournament environment, with a focus on points and submissions. Compared to GJJ, it focuses less on self-defence and situations involving punches or strikes. The athletic approach makes it very technical and innovative, but it is less focused on realistic confrontations outside the mat.
Grappling / No-Gi BJJ: This style is similar to BJJ but is practised without a gi (the traditional suit) and is often strongly focused on competition. It is technically very refined but lacks the component of punches, strikes and scenarios in which no rules apply. GJJ, on the other hand, continues to focus on practical self-defence in less predictable circumstances.
Judo: is an Olympic sport with a strong focus on throws and standing techniques. It places less emphasis on ground fighting and self-defence. Whereas GJJ works a lot from the ground and is based on street fighting, judo is more shaped by competition rules.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): combines elements of different martial arts in a fully sporting format. It is very comprehensive, but still bound by rules, rounds and protective equipment. GJJ, on the other hand, was developed with the idea of survival in situations without protection or rules, and therefore places more emphasis on control, defence and energy conservation.
Vale Tudo: Vale Tudo was a fighting style in which almost anything was allowed, including punches and kicks. GJJ proved its effectiveness here, and many of the GJJ techniques and principles align with this realistic approach to combat situations. While Vale Tudo was primarily about winning, GJJ adds a structured system emphasizing safety, control, and self-restraint.