Origins of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) traces its roots to the early 20th century, when Japanese martial arts such as judo and traditional jiu-jitsu were spreading beyond Japan. Unlike striking-based systems, these arts emphasized throws, joint locks, and grappling techniques designed to control or submit an opponent without relying on brute strength. When these techniques reached Brazil, they began to evolve in new directions.

The defining innovation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was its emphasis on leverage, body mechanics, and positional strategy, particularly on the ground. Practitioners refined methods to allow smaller individuals to neutralize or defeat much larger opponents, an idea that would become central to the identity of BJJ. Over decades of experimentation and refinement, Brazilian fighters developed a distinct grappling style that separated itself from its Japanese predecessors and established BJJ as a discipline in its own right.