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What is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and what is the difference between Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu, BJJ and Japanese Ju Jitsu?
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What are the benefits of practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and does it work
for women?
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Do
I need to be fit, young and very athletic to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
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How is a general group lesson? How is a general private lesson? Do you offer seminars to
other martial arts schools?
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How does the belt ranking system work in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
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How to became a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor?
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Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is so different from other traditional martial
arts?
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I
studied several years of Muay Thai and i feel confident about my fight
skills why should I learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
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Why do you say that Brazilian Jiu JItsu is a proven to be working
fighting system?
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Does Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches how to fly ike shaolin monks, disappear
like ninjas or win a fight against multiple aggressor attacking me with
gun machines?
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Why do I need to wear a Kimono/Gi/Uniform to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
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Where can I buy a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Kimono/Gi in
Bangkok
or Thailand?
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What is the difference between GRACIE Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and general
SPORT Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Which one is better?
-
What is the difference between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and other ground
fighting systems like Judo, Submission wrestling or general grappling?
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Who are you? Are you a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt instructor? How do
I know I can trust you?
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How many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructors are there in Thailand?
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Where can I learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in
Thailand?
Are there any schools or clubs you can suggest?
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Are there any SPORT Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions in Thailand?
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How much do you charge for private lesson or small groups?
-
Where do you teach?
-
How long do I need to learn the basic and be able to easily defense
myself in street fight?
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When can i start?
ANSWERS:
- What is Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu and what is the difference between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and
Japanese Ju Jitsu?
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was created by Grand Master
Helio Gracie from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It focus on real street
fighting situation and self defense. Grand Master Helio Gracie.
BJJ stands for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Japanese Ju Jitsu comes from Japan, off course. Ad like many old and traditional
martial arts full of beautiful and artist techniques unfortunately does not work very well when used in
a real fight.
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- What are the benefits
of practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Does it work for women?
Aside from learning how to defense yourself
effectively against any size aggressor, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an
excellent activity as it builts and/or increase self confidence. When you
train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you are exercising every muscle of your
body including your brain.
As for WOMEN, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the perfect and consider best form
of real self defense against a rape attack. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu work because of BODY MECHANICS
not strength, during most attacks on women a victim will end up in a
bottom position that we, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner consider very
favorable to effectively attack and finish the aggressor. In fact the
Gracie Academy developed a system called RAPESAFE especially tailored to
women.
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- Do I need to be fit,
young and very athletic to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
No you don't. Because the key to correct Gracie
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Self Defense learning is to use BODY MECHANICS and
leverage; you do not need strength or agility to execute a technique.
There is a say in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: If you are using strength to
apply a technique that means you do not know that technique.
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- How is a general
group lesson? How is a general private lesson? Do you offer seminars to
other martial arts schools?
Usually both group and private lessons are about
60 to 90 minutes per session.
During a group lesson, students will warm up for about 5 to 10 minutes,
then they will learn and try 3 to 4 techniques later they will
spare for about 20 minutes focusing on and try to apply what was learn
during that lesson.
During a private lesson a student will warm up for about 5
minutes, if the student is new to Jiu Jitsu i will teach him the basics
and lesson after lesson progress into the Helio Gracie Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu self defense and ground fighting. If a
student already knows some grappling, ground fighting or Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu then i will spare with him 3 or 5 minutes right away so to
understand what i believe he needs to work on most. If instead a student
already has something in mind he wants to learn or work on then i will
satisfy his request. At the end of each lesson i will spare about 10
minutes with the student stopping several time to show him opening to
finishing techniques he may have not see or/and correct mistakes.
Yes, time to time, i agree to teach seminars into other martial arts
school interested in improving their ground fighting game. A seminar
usually last all day long, and can last few days, during this time depending on the group
knowledge of ground fighting and grappling i will show different
techniques.
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- How does the belt
ranking system work in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
For adults it is the following if learning
under an instructor supervision in
a group and regularly (about 6 to 8 hours a week let's say):
White to
Blue, about 1 to 2 years
Blue to
Purple, about 2 to 3 years
Purple to
Brown, about 2 to 3 years
Brown to
Black, about 2 to 3 years
It is possible however to speed up the process up training more often
and/or taking many private lessons.
Between belts there are 4 sublevels, these are white stripes that are usually applied
by the instructor or trainer on your belt end.
Belts in Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu are different from belt in Judo, Karate or other martial arts,
the color is different and they have a black 10cm end on it where
usually stripes will be applied.
Usually a black belt is never issue to student under 18 and sometimes
even if the student is good for it, he may need to wait till he is 21.
A good example to this is the Gracie Family. Son from Grand Master Helio
Gracie, grown up training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since birth and everyday
they had to wait to be old enough before receiving their black belt.
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- How to became a
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor?
Once you are a black belt, let's
say in about 8 to 10 years of training regularly within a Brazilian Jiu
JItsu academy you can consider yourself a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
instructor.
However you can start teaching a class and/or opening your own club once
you are a blue belt already. At this level you are not an instructor
instead you are a trainer/coacher. Only from purple belt and up you can
issue your students belts promotion.
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- Why Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu is so different from other traditional martial arts?
Easy, because it works.
Mixed Martial Arts fighting events, started in Brazil many years ago
(called Vale Tudo) copied and reproduced in USA under the name of UFC
(Ultimate Fighting Championship), later in Japan (called Pride) and now
many others popping up everywhere clearly shown the world that you need
to know some ground fighting system if you want to be effective in a
real fight.
When these kind of competitions started it was very interesting to watch
pure martial art 1 style fighters, example karate fighter vs. a wing
chun fighter, Taekwondo vs. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ect, there everybody
realize the importance of knowing how to fight on the ground. Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu always won. So every fighter started learning it...
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- I studied several
years of Muay Thai and i feel confident about my fight skills why should
I learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
I consider Muay Thai to be the
most effective standing up fighting system... however statistics say
that 80% of street fights end up to the ground... if you end up on the
ground during a street fight, with your opponent mounting you and
unloading punches on your face , what are you going to do? Do you know
how to get out of such situation?
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- Why do you say that
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a proven to be working fighting system?
Decades of Mixed martial arts, no rules fighting
events and everything goes fighting competitions have proven it.
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- Does Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu teaches how to fly like shaolin monks, disappear like ninjas or win
a fight against multiple aggressor attacking me with gun machines?
No, it does not. I personally
believe that this kind of techniques are possible only on a movie set.
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- Why do I need to wear
a Kimono/Gi/Uniform to learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was created by
Grand Master Helio Gracie as a scientific self defense system to work in
real street fight situation not in sport competition. In a realistic
street fight attack your aggressor will wear some kind of clothing. Gracie
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches you how to use your opponent clothing and
turn it into a lethal weapon. To train these techniques hundreds
of times we need to wear strong clothing that wont break/rip after 1
week.
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- Where can I buy a
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Kimono/Gi in Bangkok or Thailand?
I never saw a shop in Thailand
selling Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi or Kimono. If you want a real one
you can order it from Brazil, there are many online shops who ship
international. However it is my suggestion to start training with a
normal judo kimono. You can buy one at FTB in Bangkok, price start at
700 bath.
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- What is the
difference between GRACIE Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and general SPORT
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Which one is better?
Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was
created for self defense, as it works using BODY MECHANICS and leverage
not strength, to really allow even a small person to be able to win
against a much bigger or heavier aggressor.
SPORT Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is an evolution from its traditional and
original version. As many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy opened all over
Brazil there was a need for competitions. Unfortunately these
competitions were originally created with time limits, allow
competitors to win by points and weight categories. Because of
these rules, athletics only training for SPORT competition developed a
game based on gaining points stall the round wait for the time to
end and win by points instead of submitting.
So there is a big difference between the 2 way of training in Brazilian
Jiu Jistu. Which one is better? The answer is up to you, if you want to
compete in sporting event then you need to train the SPORT version, if
you care about street fighting self defense then you need to train the
original version.
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- What is the
difference between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and other ground fighting systems
like Judo, Submission wrestling or general grappling?
Judo is an Olympic sport created by Jigoro Kano, a
Japanese Ju Jitsu expert, around 1900 and 1905.
Submission Wrestling / Grappling is a sport usually practiced on the
ground, you can win by points or submission. it is very similar to
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu except it is practiced without a kimono, therefore
limited to much less number of techniques.
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- Who are you? Are you
a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt instructor? How do I know I can trust
you?
You can see my lineage of Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu on the best BJJ database in the world:
http://bjj.org/a/people/bellagamba-gionata.html
I am not a Black belt therefore i
don't consider myself an instructor. I am a purple belt. I started
training GRACIE Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Miami at a real Gracie academy,
so real that during my first visit to that school Helio Gracie himself
was there doing a class. I am one of the few person in Thailand if not the only one who learnt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu directly from the Gracie family and i keep traveling to Spain and Brazil to continue learning from the Gracie family (Royce Gracie, Royler Gracie, Robin Gracie, ect..).
With my other location in Italy ( CLUBJITSU.com ) I am affiliated to the
International Gracie Jiu
Jitsu Federation which mean professionalism and gracie standards in the offered
tutoring.
I studied Brazilian Gracie Jiu
Jitsu with:
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Ari Galo (head instructor of Carlson
Gracie academy, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Robin Gracie (Barcelona, Spain)
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Royce Gracie
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Giorge Beraldi
(Arena Jiu Jitsu, Curitiba, Brazil)
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Bolao Jiu
Jitsu students (Bolao Jiu Jitsu,
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Rafael "Gordinho" Corrêa
(Gracie Barra, Barra de Tijiuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Royler
Gracie (Gracie Humaita,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Vinicius Aieta
(Gracie Tijiuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Saulo Ribeiro
(Gracie Tijiuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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Helio 'Soneca' Moreira (Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil).
Now I ONLY train under
Helio 'Soneca' Moreira
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) i am a purple belt in
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Helio 'SONECA' Moreira also often come to
Thailand and use it as a base for seminars all over asia. If you are
interested in arranging seminars or having private lessons please
email me.
http://bjj.org/a/people/moreira-helio-soneca.html
You can read more if you click on TRAINERS
page.
What i am writing here is what you would hear from any reputable
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school, nothing else. Surf around check at the
Gracie academy website.
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- How many Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu instructors are there in Thailand?
Helio 'SONECA' Moreira
also often come to Thailand and use it as a base for seminars all over
asia. If you are interested in arranging seminars or having private
lessons please email me.
http://bjj.org/a/people/moreira-helio-soneca.html
There also some blue and purple belts that are
allow to teach as trainers/coacher.
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- Where can I learn
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Thailand? Are there any schools or clubs you can
suggest?
I travel a lot that's why i
decided not to open an academy in Thailand yet. I rather teach private
lessons and seminars in Bangkok and Phuket area.
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- Are there any SPORT
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions in Thailand?
Not yet at this time. This martial art is very new
in Thailand.
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- How much do you
charge for private lesson or small groups?
It depends on how many hours and people.
It is preferred under a form of donation using PayPal.
60 minutes individual private class is 25 US dollars or 1000 bath
60 minutes 2 to 4 people 35 US
dollars
or 1500 bath
total
60 minutes 5 or more people 50 US
dollars or 2000
bath total
60 minutes ONLY Sparring/rolling
(no teaching)
private lessons (1
student per time) are 10 dollars or 500 bath per 60 minutes.
Discount and special agreements:
For 10 prepaid lessons package discount of 10%
For 30 prepaid lessons package discount of 20%
For
50 prepaid lessons package discount of 30%
Prices are quoted in US dollars and Thai Bath. If you choose to pay by
credit card using PayPal it will be in US dollars. You can pay clicking
on the credit card logo below.
I strongly suggest you to email me first and schedule a lesson before
buying it, this to avoid long waiting periods.
For seminars rates into other schools email me
bkkjedi@gmail.com
Remember that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not like another traditional
martial arts. Because it works for real and it is difficult to find
qualified trainers and/or instructors it is more expensive.
My rates are
about half of what is the standard around the world. You can visit Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu academy websites around the world and compare their rates for
private lessons. Even in Brazil, a country very similar to Thailand
salaries wise, where you can find a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy on
every block, only in Rio 20,000 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu students, rates
start at about 2000 bath per 1 hour going up to even 8000 bath per 1
hour!
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- Where do you teach?
In Bangkok:
Dance Center ( Sukhumvit Soi 33 ),
Chula university
gymnasium ( just few minutes from MBK Mall and Siam Square ). I am now looking for small place to use for
private lessons only. If you have the space (with at least 4sqm mats) i can train you at your
location.
In Phuket:
I should have a location in Patong (Phuket) half 2004.
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- How long do I need to
learn the basic and be able to easily defense myself in street fight?
To complete the Helio Gracie
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu self defense system you need about 40 hours. This
covers most common aspects of street fighting self defense.
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- When can i start?
As i mentioned before i travel a lot, also to continue learning
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, so i am not in Bangkok/Phuket or Thailand all the
times. Email me if you need more information.
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To go back to the main
index of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Thailand click here
Gionata Bellagamba
www.BJJThailand.com
Copyright © 2003 All rights reserved.
Revised: 07/26/06.
|
2003 Training with Royce Gracie
2003 Training with Royce Gracie
2003 Training at Gracie Humaità with Royler Gracie, in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
2003 Training with Robin Gracie
2003 Training with Soneca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2003 Training with Soneca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2003 Training at Gracie Tijiuca with Vinicius Aieta, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil (in the picture also Jean Marc Noblot, Chan and Mu)
2003 Training at Bolao Jiu Jitsu in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2003 Training with George Beraldi, Arena Jiu Jitsu, Valenza - Italy
Gionata Bellagamba
2003 Enjoying the sun of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gionata Bellagamba, 2003
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
2003 Training with Royce Gracie
2003 Training with Royce Gracie
2003 Training at Gracie Humaità with Royler Gracie, in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
2003 Training with Robin Gracie
2003 Training with Soneca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2003 Training with Soneca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2003 Training at Gracie Tijiuca with Vinicius Aieta, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil (in the picture also Jean Marc Noblot, Chan and Mu)
2003 Training at Bolao Jiu Jitsu in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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