What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (and what does it mean to me?)

Spider Guard in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? I get this question all the time, and though it seems simple enough, I always struggle with the answer in the same way that a racecar driver might struggle with the question “what is racing?” For example, if they were to answer like this: “I and my friends jump through the windows of our cars and quickly make left-hand turns on a one lane road until a black and white flag is waved at us!” They aren’t really communicating their passion or capturing the spirit of the sport.  Continue reading What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (and what does it mean to me?)