What do H&A fans think of Brazilian jiu jitsu?

[slideyfoot]

Not sure if this is the right forum (apologies if not), but I'm basically on here to ask what people thought of Brazilian jiu jitsu, as introduced by the Rev Elijah Johnson character. I'm a Brazilian jiu jitsu guy myself, and after hearing Home & Away was apparently going to feature BJJ as part of a storyline, I was interested to see what (if any) the impact would be.

Has it inspired anybody to go check out a club for themselves? Or just read up further on the sport? I can babble at considerable length if anyone has a question, but I'll save that for if and when somebody shows interest in the topic.

I've only watched episodes 5020-5025 so far, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the writers treat BJJ as the story arc progresses. There have already been a few intriguing choices made in BJJ's depiction so far, but again, I'll avoid getting into those unless people are interested in discussing them.

[alreetlike]

I did read a little about it as I have a general interest in martial arts. I've tried to take up stuff a few times though and failed, and don't currently have the money to be getting lessons in anything! I'm determined to become good at something in the future.. so feel free to convince me it should be BJJ!

[slideyfoot]

I'm determined to become good at something in the future.. so feel free to convince me it should be BJJ!

Heh - excellent! Just what I was hoping someone would say.

Ok, this is going to be long, so I'll put in the short version first (I'm assuming that most of the readers on here are women, but much of this applies to men too):

BJJ teaches a small person to defeat a larger opponent, using leverage rather than strength. It also features a position called 'the guard', where someone is in between your legs. Therefore, absolutely perfect if you're worried about self defence situations like rape. Once you understand the guard, you'll have no problem choking people out from there (so if that was on the street, you'd therefore be able to subdue somebody without hurting them), or locking out their elbow/shoulder etc.

It is also brilliant fitness. For example, I can cite this story of a mother of two who dropped from 285lbs (129kg) right down to 188lbs (85kg). Even better, you can keep on doing it right into old age. I have trained with people who are 85, and one of the founders of the sport was still training up until his death at 95.

If that perk yours interest, then I can point you to a map of all the BJJ clubs in the UK, here. For Newcastle, you've got the following options.

Now for the long version, from my FAQ:

BJJ is an excellent choice for women. In terms of self-defence, BJJ is perfect from a female perspective, as it deals with the unfortunately common self-defence situation of rape: BJJ features a lot of attacks and defences when someone is in between your legs. It is also a martial art which was designed for a smaller person to overcome a larger one, which again has clear applications for women's self-defence.

In terms of sport, BJJ is a great work-out (see the Fightworks Podcast for a good discussion, along with this story of a 42 year old mother of two), and far more interesting than running on a treadmill at the gym. Fitness is one of my big reasons for training in BJJ, as I found the gym a little dull. BJJ keeps me interested, because it’s a complex sport: there's always something new to learn.

It is true that comparatively speaking, there aren't many women in the sport at present, so it's likely you will have to spar with men. However, I don't think that’s a cause for concern, from what I've seen over the years I've done BJJ. In my experience, the women at the Roger Gracie Academy have no trouble training with the men, particularly when the man in question is a small guy like myself.

Then there are inspiring examples like Penny Thomas: she has both competed and won against men, earning a silver medal in the men's brown belt division at the 2007 Triple Crown. You can see from her website that she is not a hulking mound of muscle: she won through technique. The idea that women are somehow "inferior" to men in BJJ (or indeed anything else based on skill) is utterly ridiculous, as Thomas has convincingly demonstrated.

If you're training for self-defence, then it also makes sense to train with somebody whose bodytype is more likely to match your typical attacker: a large male. That option is open to you in a BJJ class, where training partners tend to be helpful and happy to give out advice. On a practical note, you may find this useful if you have long hair.

I would love to see more women in the sport, so I hope you'll decide to check it out. There are even women only classes available in some places, like kimonogirl in Toronto and Gracie Barra America, though as I said, I don't think you should have a problem training in a mixed class.

If you need some inspiration, you could read what some other women BJJers have written. Take a look at these blogs by Georgette (check out her female-specific gi reviews), Elyse (who also has another blog purely devoted to buying a gi as a woman, here), Leslie (awesome post on training BJJ as a woman here), Jo (who has an excellent series of articles on her blog), Jen, Shama (a top competitor at 114lbs), Felicia, Meg (her in-depth Koral gi review for women here), Jem (who has a more recent blog here), Jenn and Val.

You could also listen to this episode of the Fightworks Podcast, all about women. Then there's this interview with the aforementioned Felicia Oh. There is also further reading on the excellent Grapplearts website, here and here, along with this post from Jits Happens.

I did read a little about it as I have a general interest in martial arts. I've tried to take up stuff a few times though and failed, and don't currently have the money to be getting lessons in anything!

BJJ can be a little expensive, which is definitely a downside. It is still relatively new in this country (the first instructors started coming over in the late '90s), so they can charge a premium. On average, you'll often pay about £10 a class. I started at the Roger Gracie Academy, which is probably the most expensive club in the country, where it starts at £90 per month, going up to £100 after you get you blue belt. Though you do get a lot of potential classes for your money: they run around 20 sessions a week.

HOWEVER, they aren't always that pricey. I currently train at an RGA affiliate in High Wycombe, where you pay £40 a month. I train twice a week, meaning it only costs me £5 per class. Also, the related style of judo makes for a good substitute, as that is often cheap.

If anyone has any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer.

[alreetlike]

Interesting read, thanks. I'll go through some more of the information when I have a bit more time!

[slideyfoot]

Interesting read, thanks. I'll go through some more of the information when I have a bit more time!

Cool - let me know what you think, and if there's anything you want to ask. Same goes for anyone else reading the thread: there is almost certainly a BJJ school near you, just waiting to get you in shape, build your confidence (it seemed to work for Leah, after all ) and most importantly, provide you with something both challenging and fun to do.

Out of interest (probably just mine, but meh), I thought I should note that the BJJ you'll see in Home & Away (at least judging by episodes 5020-5025) isn't the same as what you'll see in a real BJJ class. Three things stood out from the episodes I've seen so far (I'll save the third thing for later, as I don't think the relevant episode has been screened in the UK yet):

1. The Gi

NOBODY in BJJ would wear a gi like Elijah's. That is straight out of The Karate Kid. In BJJ, you'd have something like the one I'm wearing on the right, as you'll often use the sleeves for grip, and they'll also set you up for submissions, throws, sweeps etc. However, from reading other threads on here, I realise why they went sleeveless. The whole "ooo, look at his muscular arms" thing was a plot point, and also set up Miles for a joke. So from that perspective, makes sense.

2. Class Size

Elijah has far too many people for the mat space he is using at Summer Bay High School. That would be a tight fit for two people, let alone the seven he's planning to teach (I think Leah is obscured from that angle). You can see a more average sized mat space in the picture next to it. Sparring is often very mobile, so there needs to be plenty of space to stop people crashing into eachother.

You'd also want a uniform surface, unlike the varying thickness of the mats Elijah is using. Then again, it's a space in a school, so isn't going to be as swish as a purpose built school. Maybe I can hope for the Summer Bay BJJ Academy to open in a future episode?

[slideyfoot]

3. Leah's Standing Wristlock

This is slightly more plausible than the sleeveless gi or class size, as it is within the realms of possibility that you might try a wristlock, if you apply it like Roy Dean in the middle picture. However, it is very unlikely you'd attempt it from standing, as that is only likely to work if your opponent is being entirely compliant. If a BJJer were to use a standing submission, it would be the guillotine, which Ryron Gracie shows on his brother Rener in the pic on the right. That involves wrapping one arm around and under the neck and pressing the bony part of the forearm into their throat (you'd also need to secure it with your other arm: there are several options).

More likely, however, a BJJ practitioner would want to take it to the ground, by using some kind of throw or takedown. The strength of BJJ is its grappling, which is why you won't see much in the way of aikido-style wristlocks, such as the one Leah used in episode 5023. Though even there, it didn't look as if she had sufficient control over Miles' arm.

4. Shoulder Throw

So far, this is the only technique I've seen that you might actually be taught in a BJJ class. Throwing is more prevalent in BJJ's parent art, judo, but as competitions start standing up, takedowns are a relevant skillset. In judo, the throw is called 'drop seoi nage' (I think: I'm not a judoka). The more typical ippon seoi nage doesn't involve dropping to your knees.

Interestingly, it looks as if the writers of episode 5024 picked this throw to play up the close bodily contact. In a martial arts context, it is simply a technique, but in a romantic context (especially with the music they play over the top and Leah's expression), they're attempting to make out that it's more like a loving embrace.

That is occasionally an issue for people who haven't trained in BJJ before, but it generally disspiates once they start. There is nothing romantic about somebody trying to choke you out or break your arm. Nevertheless, something I got into discussing here, as part of the related issue of homophobia and BJJ.

[Pierced Musie]

I hate to say this but I feel that this whole BJJ storyline was just a way of getting Leah & Elijah together. Having watched H&A for years I can see this storyline dissolving within a few months, with the occassional mention in the future. I could be wrong though.

I just don't want to see you get your hopes up about this character trait (believe me, a few of us on here have gone through that with this show). That said I do like the idea of combating anxiety with this, because it has been suggested to me by many.

P.S The Gracie family rock. I have no idea how I learnt about them but I have watched a few doc's on the family and was blown away by the skill.

[slideyfoot]

I hate to say this but I feel that this whole BJJ storyline was just a way of getting Leah & Elijah together. Having watched H&A for years I can see this storyline dissolving within a few months, with the occassional mention in the future. I could be wrong though.

Most likely, but it's nevertheless entertaining to follow along while it lasts. I don't often get the chance to see how the general public looks at BJJ, so I'm relishing this one.

That said I do like the idea of combating anxiety with this, because it has been suggested to me by many.

Definitely a good option: where are you in Warwickshire? There are a few options in the area: I'm a Warwick Uni student, so I know that there is a place in Canley that offers classes for £5, called Combat Athletics, as I've trained there myself a few times. The main hub, however, would be Gracie Barra in Birmingham.

List of Warwickshire clubs here.

P.S The Gracie family rock. I have no idea how I learnt about them but I have watched a few doc's on the family and was blown away by the skill.

Interesting: which docs? They first rose to prominence, at least outside of Brazil, through the Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Action tapes, which hit the mail order market in 1988. Rorion Gracie was all over the martial arts magazines after that, releasing another tape series, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Basics in 1991 (this time, not a documentary, but an instructional video: my review here).

The most important event in getting their name out, however, was the Ultimate Fighting Championship (my summary of the first one here, second one here). Rorion's younger brother Royce swept the tournament, and BJJ began its climb into the mainstream. It is now a fast-growing sport all around the world, with strongholds in the US, Japan and of course Brazil. Here in the UK it is rapidly expanding too, and Australia also boasts plenty of schools.

If you've got a REALLY long attention span, I've also got a history of BJJ, here. Don't say I didn't warn you, though.

[Pierced Musie]

Heh, a Warwick Uni student. I'm thinking of applying there next year to study Chemistry. There are a lot of places situated around where I live (I am between Leamington Spa & Stratford-Upon-Avon, which both have a lot of Martial Arts classes). I found Gracie docs on youtube and I think it was when I was looking up the name of an old WWE wrestler (who was brutal and not fake) to see what he is upto now (Ken Shamrock)... but that is off-topic.

I really like the idea of H&A tackling the anxiety issue and I really hope it doesn't just go away within a month, even if the self defence helps. Anxiety/panic disorders rarely get sorted out within a few weeks, even if they were brought on by such a violent event (as in the riot). I know that H&A storylines can not run smoothly/like fluid sometimes, and feel like they are just dropped in without no warning (a bit like the riot actually) but the progression from the riot, to Leah closing in on herself, to trying to dig herself out of the darkness has been realistic. And the inkling of her mixed feelings towards Elijah is fascinating to watch. Is it fear of being hurt by him mixed with... lust? Or is it a slight case of 1 step forward 2 steps back.

[MeganSaturday]

Looks as if Home and Away's research wasn't particularly brilliant for Brazillian Ju Jitsu. Though I suppose they didn't expect people to go online and check that their techniques were right