What's Brazilian jiu-jitsu? It is both a martial art and a sport that focuses on grappling in order for you to defeat your foe.

Several of the moves were adapted from judo and jiu-jitsu. Picking up how to perform the proper technique enables even a smaller and more frail person to defeat someone that is stronger which is why it's also used in self-defense classes.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu developed as recently as in the early part of the century. It recently earned global fame after Royce Gracie won the Ultimate Fighting Championship several times after it was founded in in the early 90's. As a result, thousands of schools are now teaching this art.

One can most likely say that the significance as a sport is second to football.  There are contests held often like the European Championships, the Mundials and the Pan American Games

If you want to excel in bjj, repetition is key and the only method you can do that is via training and sparring. This means going against a live and resisting opponent under simulated conditions while at the same time being cautious not to cause any serious injuries.

During rolling and tournaments, wrestlers are required to don the kimono. It looks just like what you would have on when you train judo. The difference is that the gi has tighter cuffs on both the jacket and pants.

Submissions in Brazilian jiu-jitsu are performed either through chokes or joint locks. Choking as you well know involves constricting the windpipe so the enemy is unable to breathe. Apart from that, there is also what is known as a strangle which collapses the carotid artery. A choke is less efficient than strangles and may cause permanent damage or even death which is why the second is used more often during competition.

As for joint locks which are probably more safe, what you're doing is generating a fulcrum with the body position which will force the joint to move past its normal range of motion. This is also known as hyperextension and since there's no way out of it, the foe has no other action but to quit. 

Anyone can learn bjj. As you get better, you are promoted to the next belt class. Beginners start with the white and move their way towards the red belt. For those who are below 15 years of age, you work your way from white to green belt.

How quickly you grow depends on the amount of time the person dedicates and how quickly they learn. To get to the elite class for example, it takes at least ten years or even more.

With BJJ leaving its mark on the global scene, you will not have a hard time discovering a gymnasium that's offering classes. The only thing you have to do now is manage your time wisely since this is done in a group setting and you are just one of many that are learning the ropes of this martial art. As a noob, you don’t have to get a kimono so just come in wearing a rashguard and board shorts.  If you are trying to find a bjj blog that doesn't take it too seriously, you should check out doyoubjj.com.