Jiu-Jitsu is often referred to as the “gentle art” due to its unique approach to combat and self-defense. The term “gentle” may seem contradictory when discussing a martial art, but it reflects the underlying philosophy and principles of Jiu-Jitsu.
One of the main reasons Jiu-Jitsu is called the “gentle art” is its emphasis on using leverage and technique rather than relying solely on strength. Jiu-Jitsu techniques are designed to allow a smaller, weaker individual to overcome a larger and stronger opponent by utilizing leverage, joint locks, and strategic positioning.
This clip is definitive proof BJJ is not ‘The Gentle Art’
This focus on technique and efficiency makes Jiu-Jitsu a martial art accessible to people of all sizes and physical abilities.
Another aspect that contributes to Jiu-Jitsu’s designation as the “gentle art” is its emphasis on controlling and submitting an opponent without causing unnecessary harm or injury. While Jiu-Jitsu does involve joint locks and submission holds, practitioners are trained to apply these techniques with precision and control, ensuring the safety of both themselves and their training partners.
The term “gentle art” encapsulates these principles and distinguishes Jiu-Jitsu from other martial arts that may prioritize aggression or forceful techniques.
But anyone who has ever trained BJJ can tell you rolling is a mentally and physically draining experience that often balances on a thin line between fitness, pain tolerance, flexibility and assertiveness.
Of course, in competition the experience is additionally ramped up.
This brings us to a recent viral video in which we can observe the brutish techniques with which a submission is getting setup regardless of the attempts to defend.
In BJJ, there’s plenty of tips and tricks to sink in a submission but while a clever setup takes a lot of effort, bullying your opponent can be substantially easier.
The introduction of Combat jiu-jitsu only further blurred the lines. In the clip, we can even see the infamous Vagner Rocha python submission used as an attempt to thwart defense more than an actual submission.
While many different rulesets have different requirements, actually pulling off a finish can be a daunting task. Which is perhaps, why this guy got overeager and used every brutish trick in the book.
