The Rise to the Top of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
by amare on February 9, 2010
in Martial Arts
Gracie Jiu-jitsu is known world wide as one of the most effective forms of hand-to-hand combat. The Gracie family took the teachings of a Japanese man and adapted them to make them more effective, especially when dealing with a fight on the ground. Helio Gracie was probably the most instrumental in making this form of jiu jitsu into something unique. Helio’s main contribution was to adapt the martial art techniques so that they would be effective in defeating bigger and stronger opponents.
As he grew more skilled, Helio launched the origins of Gracie Jiu-jitsu in a series of high profile matches. Despite not always winning these competitions, Helio received acclamation for lasting a great deal longer than anybody thought he would be able to against more powerful and more qualified foes. In 1951 he fought Masahiko Kimura, then seen as the best jiu jitsu fighter in the world. Kimura claimed that if the competition lasted longer than three minutes, then Helio would be proclaimed the winner; Helio lasted for thirteen. In 1955, the longest match in the world took place when Helio held off a fighter twenty years younger than him and forty pounds heavier for three hours and forty minutes.