The origins of Jiu-Jitsu, “gentle art” in Japanese, came from India where it was developed by Buddhist monks.
Concerned with self-defense, the monks developed a technical system based on the principles of balance, body articulation, and leverage, avoiding the use of force and weapons.
With the spread of Buddhism, Jiu-Jitsu traveled through Southeast Asia, and China where it finally reached Japan, where it developed and became popular.
From the 19th century onwards, some Jiu-Jitsu Masters migrated from Japan to other continents, living off the teaching of martial arts and the fights they organized.
Mitsuyo Esai Maeda, known as Count Koma, was there. After traveling with his troupe fighting in several countries in Europe and America, he arrived in Brazil in 1915 and settled in Belém in the State of Pará. 1916, where he met Gastão Gracie, Father of eight children, five men and three women, Gastão became a Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast and took his eldest son Carlos Gracie to learn to fight with the Japanese.
In 1925, he returned to Rio and opened the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy. He invited his brothers Oswaldo and Gastão to help him and take over the education of young George Gracie 14 years old and Hélio Gracie 12 years old. From then on, Carlos Gracie passed on his knowledge to his brothers, adapting and perfecting the technique for the physique characteristic of his family. He also conveyed his philosophy of life and concepts of natural food. He pioneered the creation of a special diet for athletes, the Gracie Diet, making Jiu-Jitsu synonymous with health.
With an efficient Self Defense Technique, Carlos Gracie saw in Jiu-Jitsu a way to become a more tolerant, respectful, and self-confident man. Seeing the superiority of the Jiu-Jitsu that he developed, he began the development in the core of the Family, becoming a family tradition. Carlos Gracie challenged the great fighters of his time, winning them all! Then he went on to manage his brothers’ careers. Facing opponents 20 or 30 kilos heavier, the Gracie family soon acquired national and international fame and notoriety.
Attracted by the new market that opened around Ju-Jitsu, many Japanese came to Rio de Janeiro, but none of them formed a school as solid as Academia Gracie.
The Jiu-Jitsu that they trained favored the training of takedowns (what we know as Judo) and the Gracie’s improved the ground fighting and finishing moves.
By modifying the international rules of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu that he and his brothers trained and taught, Carlos Gracie started the First case of change of Nationality of a fight or sport, in the history of the world sport.
Years later, the Japanese martial art was renamed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, being recognized WORLDWIDE AS A FIGHT OF BRAZILIAN ORIGIN, and being exported all over the world, including Japan.
