In literal translation, Ju Jutsu (Jiu-Jitsu) means “gentle art” in Japanese. The origin of this martial arts form cannot be pinpointed. Similar fighting styles have been verified in different people, from India to China. It is known that the Jiu-Jitsu development environment and its refinement were the samurai schools, the warrior caste of feudal Japan. Jiu-Jitsu was introduced to the Gracie family in Brazil around 1917 by the champion Mitsuyo Maeda, known as “Conde Koma”. Part of a Japanese immigration colony, Maeda settled in the state of Pará, where he founded his martial arts academy and had Carlos Gracie as one of his students.

Due to his improvement in life through Jiu-jitsu, Carlos disseminated his knowledge to his four younger brothers: Gastão, Oswaldo, George, and Hélio. In the 1930s, the Gracie brothers opened the family’s first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Rio de Janeiro, initiating the Gracie teaching methodology composed of self-defense, takedown, standing fighting, ground fighting, and philosophy which are the pillars of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. For five generations, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners contributed to developing the art and strengthening its expansion throughout Brazil and the world, influencing hundreds of thousands of people.