Fight Shorts, Grappling Shorts, Jiu Jitsu Gi Are Necessary For Bjj

By Author: pedro barcellos
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Fight shorts, grappling shorts, jiu jitsu gi are necessary for BJJ


Watched Brazilian jiu jitsu competitions on television or in matches across the country? Fighters of this mostly ground-grappling sport can wear fight shorts or grappling shorts.


But, how did this MMA or mixed martial arts sport begin? Why is it so popular in so many countries around the world? Brazilian jiu jitsu began when Mitsuyo Maeda opened his own academy known as jiu jitsu. A decorated fighter, Maeda had studied Judo well and won over a 1,000 free fights in the United States, Great Britain, Europe, Cuba, Mexico and Brazil.


Hanging up his fight shorts, Maeda trained new students


Winning victorious fight after fight, Maeda retired and opened his own jiu jitsu academy. And in the early 1920s, he trained Carlos Gracie. Gracie learned techniques from Maeda and studied hard. In 1925, Gracie and his brothers opened their own academy.


Famous for issuing the “Gracie challenge”, ...
... the Gracie brothers invited fighters to matches. The Gracie brothers emerged victorious and they continued to hone their skills and honour their teacher, Maeda. BJJ gained popularity in the US in the 1990s when Royce Gracie won a several Ultimate Championship Fighting matches.


How does this sport using fight or grappling shorts differ from Judo?


Unlike Judo, Brazilian jiu jitsu encompasses elements of the Judo disciple and emphasizes ground techniques and also incorporates some holds. However, it is mainly used to defend one’s self against a larger, perhaps stronger opponent. Judo these days is less used for defence and is used more in sports competitions.


This allows students of bjj to compete against each other and practice grappling moves wearing MMA or mixed martial arts-approved grappling shorts. Similar to boxer’s shorts, grappling shorts do not have zippers in the front. This is to protect fighters from injuring themselves or their opponent. While other types of Judo may emphasize take downs and holds, Brazilian jiu jitsu emphasizes footwork. This is because the bjj discipline is mainly used for self defence.


Different equipment needed for BJJ


Brazilian jiu jitsu uses a different gi than judo. A Brazilian jiu jitsu gi has narrower sleeves than the traditional judo gi. This is because in Brazilian jiu jitsu a competitor does involve grappling and footwork.


A Brazilian jiu jitsu gi has narrower sleeves so that it makes it more difficult for competitors to grab a hold of their opponents. A traditional jiu jitsu gi has wider sleeves as opponents use more grappling holds and defensive holds. Though they are similar, a Brazilian jiu jitsu gi and a jiu jitsu gi are made of different materials and cannot be interchangeable between sports.