“Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Made by Vacirca Brothers – Part 2.”
The impetus for this article is the considerable interest in our Gracie Jiu-Jitsu international network, “Gracie Concepts®”, and in our latest DVD series, produced by BUDO International. I would like to express my gratitude to those individuals who have provided me with the motivation to persevere and to never abandon my efforts.
I would be remiss if I did not extend my sincerest gratitude to the esteemed colleagues and students who have consistently attended my seminars, workshops, and instructor education courses over the years. It is always encouraging to witness considerable attendance at my Gracie Jiu-Jitsu seminars across Europe. It is also gratifying to observe the remarkable expansion of numerous partner schools and training groups established by the Gracie Concepts® network, which share the same Vacirca Brothers Jiu-Jitsu vision.
Prior to the introduction of Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Europe during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the practice of Jiu-Jitsu was on the verge of extinction in numerous countries, including Switzerland and Germany. Several organizations devised new belt curricula, incorporating elements of Wing-Chun, Thai boxing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Boxing, as well as other techniques deemed beneficial by the respective headmasters. A similar phenomenon occurred in Japan. Only one or two schools were still adhering to the traditional approach, but they were also developing new techniques. Therefore, the notion that travelling to Japan will lead to the discovery of traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is a fallacy. In my opinion, one of the oldest schools is Daito Ryu Aiki-Ju-Jutsu, but the quality of instruction will vary depending on the teacher.
Fight Like a Gentleman…
If one can control an adversary or neutralize his assaults without resorting to a potentially lethal strike, it can be reasonably assumed that one is adequately prepared to defend oneself. The two slogans “fighting like a gentleman” and “reduced to the essence” has been in use since 1995, when my brother Demetrio and I opened the inaugural Gracie (Brazilian) Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Europe, in our hometown of Zurich, Switzerland.
Consider the remarkable ability to render an adversary immobile with a single hand, through the strategic application of leverage against a limb. There are multiple methods for achieving this, which were developed in Japan and subsequently named Jiu-Jitsu by its founders. It can be translated in numerous ways, including “Ju-Jitsu” – at it is used by the Kodokan Judo Institute to name the “Judo self-defense program”. Nevertheless, the techniques and principles remain largely consistent, or at the very least, highly analogous….
GRACIE CONCEPTS® HQ by Franco Vacirca 