The smooth art
"Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu forever changed how the world approached unarmed hand to hand combat."
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, roughly translated from the original Japanese as the "gentle art" or "smooth art", triggered an international revolution in martial arts in the 1990s as Jiu-Jitsu practitioners entered organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to dominate a new, "anything goes" combat sport called Mixed Martial Arts, which pitted fighters of various martial arts background against each other. Today, BJJ remains is an essential skillset, with the vast majority of current UFC fighters and champions training the techniques or holding a belt rank in the art.
BJJ is primarily composed of various grappling techniques: takedowns, throws, joint locks, and strangling techniques, which can be used to completely control or "submit" opponents - even against significantly larger or stronger foes. This style emphasizes technique over power, timing over speed, and intelligence over intensity.
A typical class in Astoria at ITC Jiu-Jitsu may include Amateur & Professional MMA fighters, Armed Forces & Law Enforcement personnel, or accomplished competitors in other martial arts, the vast majority of students are simply regular people of all backgrounds, with normal jobs, families, and responsibilities.
Why? Because although Jiu-Jitsu is a tremendously powerful, proven combat system - its also the ultimate hobby. Every class, students can expect to get a comprehensive workout which trains the mind as much as the body (they call it "human chess" for a reason), to learn effective techniques & concepts, and to safely practice something FUN and ENGAGING with people who share a common interest.