Frequently Asked Questions

The best time to start Jiu Jitsu is TODAY.  For a child, the earlier he/she starts Jiu Jitsu the more confident and healthier he/she will become.  However, our current schedule only includes classes for 15 and up.  We are planning to expand our programs and schedule to include kids classes starting at 7 years old.  Conversely, you are never too old to start your Jiu Jitsu journey.  Our program is based on mastering the basics and is built on the original Gracie Jiu Jitsu curriculum, which are techniques designed to be applied by persons of all ages and physical abilities.  

Absolutely not.  Don't wait to start.  A lot of people think they need to get in shape, lose weight, or gain endurance before they start Jiu Jitsu.  The only thing that will help you prepare for Jiu Jitsu is Jiu Jitsu.  Every class starts with street-practical self defense techniques.  Typically lessons build from a basic understanding of the techniques to a more detailed and nuanced application of the move.  It all starts by being brilliant on the basics.

We recommend wearing comfortable workout clothes, such as a t-shirt and athletic shorts or pants.  Uniforms (called a Gi) are available for your use while you try out our introductory program.  If you decide to join then you'll have the option to purchase a gi when you sign up.  Beginners are required to purchase a white academy gi.  As the student progresses to the next belt rank then they are allowed to wear a blue or black gi.

The simple answer is, "as long as it takes."  But, we know that's not a great answer.  Another not so great answer is to "not worry about the belt but focus on the journey."  Only black belts say that, however.  It can take 8-10 years, sometimes more, to progress through the belts; white, blue, purple, brown, and black.  Anyone can earn the coveted Jiu Jitsu Black Belt but 90%+ will give up before ever reaching purple belt.  Progress depends largely on your level of commitment, available time to train, ability to avoid injuries, and time off because life sometimes gets in the way.  It might be nice to know, that what you'll learn as a white belt will be the same techniques you'll use most often as a black belt. A white belt technique executed at the black belt level.  Unlike other martial arts, we do not hold back techniques by belt level.  Everyone learns the same techniques but it's time and consistency that separates the white belt from the black belt. As the legend, Chris Haueter of Combat Base says, "it's not who's good, it's who's left."

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) can trace its origins back to the Samurai with a modern connection to Japanese Jiu Jitsu and later, Judo. Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judoka, traveled to Brazil in the early 20th century to spread Jiu Jitsu (Judo) and began teaching while taking paid fights to demonstrate the effectiveness of Japanese Jiu Jitsu. Maeda's teachings heavily influenced the development of BJJ.  It was Maeda who introduced Jiu Jitsu to Carlos Gracie, the eldest son of the legendary Gracie family.  The Gracie family, particularly Carlos and Helio Gracie, played a significant role in the evolution of BJJ. They adapted what was passed down from Maeda to create a style of martial art better suited for smaller, weaker individuals. Helio Gracie, in particular, made important modifications to what he learned by emphasizing leverage, strategy, and the use of timing and body weight to overcome opponents.

In 1925, Carlos Gracie opened the first official Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This marked the birth of what would later become Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  To demonstrate the fighting effectiveness of BJJ the Gracie family issued the famous "Gracie Challenges," inviting martial artists from different disciplines to compete in no-holds-barred fights to demonstrate the effectiveness of their BJJ techniques.  Over the years, BJJ gained recognition and spread both within Brazil and internationally thanks largely to Jiu Jitsu's overwhelming dominance in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Today, from the battlefields of feudal Japan, to the streets of Rio de Janeiro, and ultimately to the shores of the United States and beyond, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has become one of the most popular and most effective martial arts in the world.  Now, it is simply known as Jiu Jitsu since its worldwide influence has caused it to adopt cultural and other grappling influences that has deepened its array of techniques far beyond what the Gracies practiced and taught in the early 1900s in Brazil.