Men’s Health Australia - 01.07.2018

ELITE 07 / 18

1

WHERE DO I START?

Rolling around on

the mats of your local gym.

Many chains now offer

Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ)

classes, but to commit to

the art rather than the

workout, you’ll need to find a

specialist establishment. Any

gym associated with Professor

Mario Sergio Yokoyama is a

good place to start. Check out

possibilities at mybjj.com.au

and graciejiujitsu.com.au.

THIS TRENDING MARTIAL ART WILL

TAKE THE FIGHT TO YOUR WAISTLINE

AND STOP YOUR FITNESS

MOTIVATION TAPPING OUT

The Rules

Of Fight Club

WITH GOOD

GRACIES

THE GRACIE FAMILY’S

SUCCESS IS NOW

SYNONYMOUS WITH

THE BRAZILIAN JIU

JITSU SYSTEM. HERE,

WE PRESENT A

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE

MEN YOU SHOULD BE

SEEKING TO EMULATE

1925-51

SPAR IS BORN

Carlos Gracie sets up a jiu

jitsu academy in Rio. His

brother Helio switches

the technique to help

small men tackle big

assailants: BJJ, as it is

now known.

1978-80

KICKSTARTER

Helio’s son Rorion moves

to the US to share his

father’s system, teaching

from his garage. He

invites people of all sizes

to fight him – and wins.

(^1993)
INTO ACTION
The Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC)
premieres on TV and
Rorion’s brother Royce,
the smallest competitor,
proves BJJ’s merits by
emerging victorious.
(^2008)
STAYING POWER
With the discipline’s
popularity growing,
Rorion’s sons Ryron and
Rener launch the
standardised global
training program, still
taught today, to preserve
its success.
5
WILL IT GET ME RIPPED?
You’ll never see any
marketing overtly promoting
its aesthetic outcomes. But a
swiftgooglewillvouchforthe
athletic physique that BJJ
affords. The physical exertion
and isometric holds involved
in grappling ensure that
earning your belts will help
you tighten them, too.
2
WHO’S IT FOR?
Anyone. BJJ’s ethos is to
help people defend themselves,
regardless of their size, and its
technical focus makes it
mentally stimulating. “There’s
also a social aspect,” says black
belt Sam Gibson. So strangling
classmates is a bonding
exercise, then.
4
IS THERE A SIGNATURE
MOVE TO MASTER?
Gibson recommends the
armbar, a lock that
hyperextends the elbow. With
your partner on their back, sit
on top of t he m at a 9 0° angle,
one leg over their neck and the
other over their chest. Hold
their free arm between your
legs with both hands, the wrist
fac i ng up, t he n pu l l it tow a rd s
you. P u sh you r h ip s up a s you
lean back to pressure the joint.
Then see how long they can
last. Prediction: tap out.
3
DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL KIT?
You r u su a l shor t s a nd
T-shirt will suffice for a starter
session – the traditional BJJ gi
can wait until you’re
competing. However, Neoprene
knee guards ($40,
thefightfactory.com.au) and
Finger Tape Premium ($8,
fingertape.com.au) will protect
you against painful friction
burns from th
prevent yo
to pop dislo
digits back in
after a grapple
gone wrong.
6
WHAT SHOULD I AVOID?
“Many make the mistake of
going into ‘beast mode’ during
sparring,” warns Gibson.
“Prioritising force over
technique isn’t what BJJ is
about.” And it could earn you
an injury – especially if you try
to rough up the wrong
opponent. The first
six months
of training are
about building
a technical base.
Take it slow,champ.
e and
at
e
ing
d
WORDS: AARON TOUMAZOU; ILLUSTRATION: ALCONIC
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BRAZILIAN
JIU JITSU