Jiu-Jitsu | Jiu-Jitsu Virginia Beach VA 23451

Our Kid's Programs

There are many reasons your child will benefit from learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They will develop life-skills (self discipline, respect, confidence), learn practical self-defense and last but not least, they will learn to associate exercise with happiness.

Life-Skills. There are certain character traits that contribute to a person's success in life. Honesty, trustworthiness, self-respect and respect for other are only a few of the traits deveoped by BJJ. Martial arts have always been a valid place for children to develop those traits. Children spend a third of their life in the public school system where they are bombarded by negative influences. Having a role model, outside of the home assists children in facing harmful and destructive influences head on and allows them to make the right decisions.

Self-Defense. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), "The Gentle Art," is a great martial art for self-defense. Many, if not all, confrontations in childhood are between two people of unequal size. At the core of BJJ is the ability for a weaker or smaller person to defeat/control a larger or stronger adversary. BJJ is different from many other martial arts because it lacks strikes (kicking or punching). If kicking and punching are the self-defense tools you have available, the escalation of force is most often instantaneous. BJJ provides the tools to enable the defender to escalate or de-escalate the situation in a non-violent way if chosen.

The Gentle Art

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art and self-defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting. It was formed from Kodokan Judo (Newaza) fundamentals that were taught to Carlos Gracie and Luiz Franca by Mitsuyo Maeda and Soshiro Satake. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu eventually came to be its own art through the experimentations, practices and adaptation from the Judo knowledge of Carlos and Hélio Gracie, who then passed their knowledge on to their extended family.

BJJ promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using proper technique, leverage and most notably, taking the fight to the ground and applying joint locks and chokeholds to defeat an opponent. BJJ training can be used for sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition or for self-defense.