Full Circle Digital Magazine September 2013 | Page 42

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The art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu for children
by Steve Bazzea
Cave paintings from Mongolia, dating back to the Neolithic age of 7000 BC, show grappling skills of two men. Further discoveries show carvings on a stone slab, depicting three pairs of wrestlers, is dated to around 3000 BC... The historical evidence of how grappling pre-dates forms, katas and Kung Fu Panda training is overwhelming. And lest we forget; Mixed Martial Arts owes its success to Brazilian jiu-jitsu on how it revolutionized the way we think about functional martial arts and self-defence today. Using the correct use of weight distribution to apply submissions, Brazilian jiu-jitsu operates in skill sets of the technical fundamentals of posture, pressure, leverage, mobility and stability to immobilize opponents. Brazilian jiu-jitsu sings the song your body wants to hear in terms of how movement on the ground engages the neuromuscular system that very few other sport and exercise systems can. For children who lack core and upper body strength, Brazilian jiu-jitsu addresses all their physical weaknesses in a fun and enjoyable manner. Moving on the ground is about fluency, balance and strength. Yes, it’s fun and exciting, but as any practitioner knows, it is also hard work, and it demands a disciplined effort, if one is to make progress. Grappling involves how to effectively deal with the physical discomfort, but out of the effort and discipline needed to learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu, children learn valuable lessons about humility, self-control, and perseverance in the face of hardship. They don’t learn these things because an instructor gave them a new, brightly coloured belt, but by their own effort on the mat. I have been coaching children in martial arts for over 35 years – the inroads they make in a very brief time in jiu-jitsu, is always inspiring. It’s quite as if they need that physical engagement. In fact, Joseph Campbell talks about how boys need the athletic participation, in order to tame and integrate themselves. Principles and concepts of Brazilian jiu-jitsu (and other areas of life!) Posture first – all the time. Be one move and one second ahead of your opponent at all times. Responsiveness - the interplay of action and reaction Develop strategies for different opponents Work your weaknesses

Healthy is the new high, calm is strong, play relaxed – this is jiu-jitsu, we win the intelligent way. Matt Thornton – SBGi president

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FULL CIRCLE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2013

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