Gracie vs Sport Jiu-Jitsu – Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Richboro

What's the difference and why does it matter to me?

It is very important to understand the difference between pure SPORT-BASED Jiu-Jitsu training (how it is taught in most Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools) and the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® approach when considering where to train. This is true for both beginners and experienced students who are returning to Jiu-Jitsu.

In our view, there are a couple of very important differences:

1. Sport Jiu-Jitsu does not teach you the critical mindset and skills needed to manage the distance (and therefore the damage and energy expended) in an actual altercation or street-fight.

2. Starting out at a sport Jiu-Jitsu-oriented school generally produces the same result – somewhere around 90% of sport Jiu-Jitsu students quit.

In this video, our teachers, Ryron & Rener Gracie do a great job of discussing the differences. The Jiu-Jitsu path can lead to lifelong enjoyment, fitness and self-actualization – or it can end in frustration and injury. It is well worth INVESTING 20 minutes to help you decide what’s best for you and your goals.

The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Approach

Although Gracie or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is the most effective martial art on planet, it is a relatively young martial art. Lacking a standardized curriculum, it is common practice, at BJJ schools around the world, for techniques to be presented in complete randomness. Each day, the instructor shows up to class, having no clue what to teach, and asks the students: “What do you guys want to do?” as if the students know what should be practiced. Learning in such an unorganized environment can be extremely frustrating and overwhelming. New students almost always feel left behind since the techniques are usually tailored to meet the needs of the more advanced students. In most cases, students experience a sensation known as “Technique Overload” and end up quitting within 3 to 5 months of enrolling, and when they do, the instructor believes that the student’s lack of discipline is to blame. What they fail to realize is that when a student quits, the problem lies not within the work ethic of the student, or the techniques of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but within the format in which BJJ is being taught.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Teaching Strategy
Realizing that the key to global dissemination was the development of a formalized curriculum, Ryron and Rener Gracie dedicated several years to organizing all the techniques in the most logical sequence based on their simplicity and usefulness in combat. Originally, due to its linear nature, the curriculum could only be taught in private lessons. But, after 15 years of experimenting with different training programs, the Gracies developed a curriculum that would enable students to learn all the techniques in a group class setting and still get results that are comparable to those of private classes.

Aside from the unparalleled structure and organization of the curriculum, what makes the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® training programs unique is the way in which we present the techniques. Perfected over three generations, the teaching methodology used at all Certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Training Centers allows students to learn at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed or left behind. Furthermore, we conduct all group classes with the utmost concern for safety, and we demand that all students treat each other respectfully regardless of skill level, gender, race, nationality, or creed.