Because grappling is an essential and necessary part of self defense, even if you prefer striking! Grappling skills give you the ability to modulate the level of violence needed in any situation and also gives you the ability to choose where the fight goes, particularly with takedowns and throws. And Jiu-Jitsu in particular gives you the skill set to defend yourself off of your back and to get back to your feet safely. No one wants to be on their back in a self-defense situation, but it can definitely happen and you need to know what to do and have the skill set to do it effectively.

Absolutely not! Even if you are in shape, grappling fitness is entirely different than other types of conditioning and students still report feeling out of shape! The best way to get in shape for Jiu-Jitsu is to actually train Jiu-Jitsu. The human body naturally adapts to whatever you consistently pursue.

Just bring yourself! Ensure that your fingernails and toenails are trimmed, and that you have a cheap pair of flip flops whenever you leave the mat to go to the restroom.

The belt progression is White, Blue, Purple, Brown, and Black. It takes an average of 10 or more years of diligent training to achieve the rank of Black Belt.

You will eventually need a Jiu-Jitsu uniform, called a Gi and there are numerous options to choose from. I personally recommend Sanabul for their Essential Gi, which costs $64 dollars. Great quality and affordable!

You will learn how to survive in bad positions and become skilled in both escaping and preventing them. As your defensive skills develop, more time will be spent learning how to counter attack from various guard positions utilizing various submission attacks and sweeps and learning how to control from various top positions. Significant time is also spent learning how to take down opponents with control using throws and takedowns from both wrestling and Judo.

Helio Gracie - Relson Gracie - Scott Devine - Garth Spendiff