Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ for short) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting with the goal of gaining a dominant position from which to force an attacker to submit/accept defeat using joint locks and chokes.

How does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu work?

BJJ allows a smaller, weaker person to defend themselves against a bigger, stronger assailant using leverage and proper technique. The aim is to close the distance between the defender and assailant in order to negate their reach advantage and avoid strikes. Typically the BJJ practitioner can then take the altercation to the ground where striking is much more difficult, and establish a position of control to subdue the assailant.

Why learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

• BJJ has proven to be an extremely effective form of self defence, and has been acclaimed by many as the single most effective martial art known to man.
• BJJ has also established itself as a competitive sport which is growing at an amazing rate.
• BJJ is a core component for most of the elite athletes competing in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) contests in organizations such as Japan’s Pride fighting Championships, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
• BJJ is a great way to get in shape. Several members of Taiwan Brazliian Jiu-Jitsu have lost weight in excess of 10Kg.
• BJJ is fun; it’s a hobby that men, women, and children of all sizes, ages, and backgrounds can enjoy. Through BJJ you will become healthier, more confident, and you will make friendships that will last a lifetime.<!--[endif]-->

What should I expect on my first day?

When you walk through the doors of Taiwan Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you will be greeted by one of our coaches or senior members who will ask you a few questions about your previous experience (if any), your reasons for joining us, and to generally get to know you better, while he or she acquaints you with the training facility.

In your first class you will go through the warm up portion of the class with the rest of the group. The warm up will include some light stretching and some movements that are specific to the movements in BJJ such as falling correctly, forward and backward rolls, and other drills.

You will then be taken to the side along with any other first timers and an coach will explain and demonstrate the basic positions of BJJ, the guard (this is what we use to prevent our opponents from gaining a dominant position), and how submission holds work. You will then have the opportunity to practice some of these very basic movements with other students of your level or with a coach. You are free to ask questions at anytime during the class and we will be glad to help you.

After you have had a taste of what BJJ is all about, you will get to watch the rest of the class as they engage in sparring or ‘rolling' as we tend to call it. At first glance it might look like a couple of guys tugging on each other’s clothing, but as you continue to watch, you will see some of those positions and movements that you have just learnt being put to use. You will see smaller people effortlessly defeat much larger opponents, you will see women defeat men, and through this you will learn that in BJJ, strength and weight take a back seat to technique and intelligence. Because rolling doesn’t involve striking, and that we can submit or give up at any time, it is safe enough that we can practice it in every class. Rolling is encouraged but not compulsory.

Finally you will join the group in some exercises such as sit-ups and push ups, along with some stretching to cool down. We end the class by shaking each others' hands in appreciation for the help that we have just given each other. The formal lesson lasts for 90 minutes but many like to stay behind and continue to practice with each other.

As the days and weeks go by, as your fitness, technique, and confidence increases, you will be gradually integrated into the main group and you will be well on your way to becoming proficient in this addictively martial art and sport.

Don’t give up!

All beginners find that BJJ can be tough at first; you will wake up with stiff muscles and a few small bruises here and there. When you are rolling with more experienced practitioners, you may feel that your progress is slow and you may feel frustrated. This is part of the normal learning curve of BJJ and it will pass; after few months or so, you will be the one making beginners feel frustrated. And remember, we are all there to help each other improve so feel free to discuss your concerns with us at any time.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a journey of a thousand steps—take your first with Taiwan BJJ.

• Keep your uniform clean
• Avoid foul language
• Respect everyone
• Be on time for class.
• Call us if you will be absent for a length of time.
• Always shake hands before sparring.
• NEVER get too aggressive while sparring, you should relax and go easy - don't grind away, or go too hard trying to tap people out.
• No shoes on the mat.
• Refrain from horseplay, talking, and interrupting while your instructor is teaching.
• Keep yourself properly groomed- finger and toenails need to be clipped short for safety's sake.