Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Cairns’ premier Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy, with ten Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belts
What is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
Referred to as “The Gentle Art” Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is ideal for men, women and children. The overall fighting strategy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed to equip a physically smaller or weaker individual with an effective method of defending against a larger and stronger attacker. BJJ also has the most developed methods of fighting while on one’s back, a position weaker fighters will often find themselves in, when attacked (how many fights end up on the ground?!). BJJ is very effective and applying the techniques correctly is paramount. It takes time to get the techniques right and this is why BJJ takes so long to get “good at” (typically a black belt in BJJ takes around 10 years to attain with regular training 3 times a week). Brazilian Jiujitsu becomes a way of life and after the first couple of years you realize the journey is a never-ending one which is fun, rewarding, challenging and frustrating. One thing we can promise is you’ll never be bored.About our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes
We run classes 7 days a week at different times of the day. Conveniently we also offer adults BJJ classes at the same time that the junior BJJ classes run, meaning that families can literally train at the same time and learn in an age appropriate way. BJJ is a martial art the whole family can enjoy and we have many families where both Mum, Dad and the kids all train. Both juniors and adults are able to do “Gi” and “No Gi” classes. Adult beginners are most welcome to any class, but we also have dedicated beginners classes and a specific beginners program (Start to Stripe). Juniors learn from a rotating curriculum so get a chance to touch on all techniques in a way that is never boring or dull. Sparring (called “rolling” in BJJ) is part of both junior and adult classes so you know what you are learning actually works.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is popular with everyone!
We are proud to have a practicising female brown belt owner, Jeska Maunder, and a large number of female members participating in our classes creating a welcoming space for female BJJ beginners to acclimatize in this male-dominated sport.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a VERY effective self-defence tool as it is a martial art which essentially was created to be able to defend and attack from a supine position (lying on ones back). If thrown to the ground, a practitioner of BJJ would have the skills to render her attacker unconscious or break a limb to injure them so they could not continue their attack. As BJJ was created for the smaller, weaker opponent it does not rely on strength or size to execute the techniques which are highly effective. Don’t waste your time on some “self-defence” course. You need to train regularly, be conditioned to being physically handled so that if you were ever attacked and thrown to the ground you would have the muscle-memory to defend yourself and escape, not FREEZE!
We have female brown, purple belt, blue and white belts plus some amazing juvenile girls coming up through the ranks. It’s a very exciting time for females in this sport and we really encourage all females to join in. Stop hating exercise and join us to do something that is fun, engaging, challenging and will build your confidence in yourself like nothing else.
What to wear in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class
“Gi” classes are taught wearing a “Gi” sometimes referred to as a “Kimono” and is more sport focused using the gi to perform various chokes and submissions. “No Gi” classes are taught wearing normal workout type clothing (shorts or tights and a rash guard) and is more dynamic and fast-paced due to the reduced ability to create “holds” without the “Gi”. Shorts and rash guard shirt is ideal to wear, however a normal close-fitting t-shirt can also be worn.Frequently Asked Questions
How do the gradings work?
When you get a belt with us, that belt is recognised anywhere in the world. You can be confident of your level against other Jiu Jitsu players. We hold gradings every 4 months. If members have attended an adequate number of classes (39) they may gain a stripe on their belt. Once 4 stripes has been reached, members are then considered for their next belt. As a rough guide you can expect to gain a new belt every 2 years if you train consistently (3 times a week).
How many belts are there?
For an adult there are 5 belts. White, blue, purple, brown and black.
Everyone starts on white. A black belt generally takes a minimum of 10 years to achieve training 3 times a week.
Belts also have a stripe system and there are 4 stripes per belt. Black belts also get degrees. We have 10 black belts at Fusion! One with 3rd degree, several with 2nd degrees and some with first degrees.
How often should I train?
2 times a week is required to see progress. 3 times a week is ideal.
Our champions train 5-6 times a week.
Can I compete?
We encourage our students to compete as much as possible as it accelerates their progress, provides excellent motivation and builds a lot of confidence, however there is no obligation to do so.
We offer “in-house” competitions to gain the experience of competing in a low-pressure environment, but which is an exact imitation of what an official competition would entail from the registration process to the dynamic match times, referees and points. We also hold 2 official regional competitions a year.
Our team of athletes and coaches also travel regularly to the major competitions around Australia and Internationally.
Our Jiu Jitsu Community
We are committed to a relaxed, family-friendly, ego-free community and hope all who come to learn BJJ with us feel that they are in their second home and enjoy close camaraderie with their fellow team mates.
With Cairns and North Queensland’s highest ranked instructors we are confident that you will be in the most capable hands… now it’s just up to you!
**To ensure you learn authentic BJJ you should check that your school/ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy is a member of the governing body established to monitor official academies and their ranks.
The governing body is called the Australian Federation of Brazilian Jiu jitsu (AFBJJ). We have been a long term member of the AFBJJ since 1997 and uphold it’s high standards.