Gracie Jiujitsu was trademarked and stands separate from Brazilian jiu jitsu, though naturally there are many similarities. Aside from certain martial art techniques that have been developed by the Gracies over the years, the main thing that separates Gracie jiujitsu from all the other Brazilian jiu jitsu disciplines out there, is the philosophy that goes hand in hand with the training. This philosophy is the foundation of Jiu-Jitsu according to the Gracies and accepting it is the first step if you want to train in their schools.
The first principle of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is about control. In a fight, this involves being the one who will dictate what happens during the fight. Part of this is in physically controlling your opponent and restricting his movements to what you want him to do; the other part is the self-control that you need to impose upon yourself so that you can make the best choices to win the fight. This is personal training at its best, and it is part of a healthy lifestyle. It is expected that you are able to exercise enough control to eat properly and take care of your health.
The next principle of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu involves patience. This is particularly important for a fighter, since so much that occurs in a fight can depend on timing and whether enough patience has been used. Patience is often rewarded, as opportunities are more likely to appear. For those who rush, bad decisions are more likely to occur. This philosophy is instilled from the beginning and it is expected that if you can be patient on the mat, then you will display the same quality in your life outside of the dojo.
The final of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu principles is efficiency. This is particularly important for a fight, since the foundation of this discipline is built on the assumption that you will be fighting someone stronger and bigger than yourself. Jiu-Jitsu schools will often promote the idea that you drain your opponent of his or her energy while conserving your own strength in order to finish the fight. This applies to daily living as well, with the idea that you are able to maximize your results through an efficient application of effort, whether it is in business or social situations.
As you can see, Gracie Jiujitsu goes well beyond the mat, and really the only people who will succeed in this discipline are the ones who are able to live their lives according to the ideals that the discipline is based upon. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies are everywhere nowadays, and you can probably find one that won’t require a commitment on your part to lead your life outside of the dojo according to the Gracie Principles. But whether that will result in you being a better fighter is unlikely, since how you are on the mat is not so different from how you are when off it.
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