BJJ History

Carlos Gracie

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has a deep connection with the origin’s of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu which was taught and passed down to Carlos Gracie in 1914 by a Japanese Jiu-Jitsu champion named Esai Maeda who had migrated to Brazil.

Carlos’s father Gastão Gracie, had aided Maeda with his immigration and to establish a Japanese community in Brazil. As an expression of his gratitude for Gracie's assistance, Maeda taught the Brazilian's oldest son Carlos the essential techniques of the ancient art of Jiu-Jitsu.

Carlos then went on to teach Maeda's techniques to his four brothers, and in 1925 they opened the first Jiu-Jitsu academy in Brazil.

Helio Gracie

All the brothers excelled in the art of Jiu-Jitsu but one shone more than the others and his name was Helio, the youngest and smallest of the five.

Helio, due to his small frame and light weight (only 60kg) he paid special interest in the use of leverage in all of the techniques when he began learning Jiu-Jitsu. By successfully applying the application of leverage to the art, he was able to make it possible for a smaller opponent to defeat a larger one.

He began experimenting, modifying and enhancing the basic techniques to make them effective for a person regardless of his or her stature. Thus began the development of a new and more effective art - Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Renzo Gracie

Master Renzo Gracie. One of the true martial arts legends, Renzo Gracie is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt from the famous Gracie family. 

Renzo was born on March 11, 1967, in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil. He is the grandson of Gracie Jiu Jitsu founder Carlos Gracie and son of 9th Dan BJJ black belt Robson Gracie, brother to Ralph and Ryan Gracie. Like most men in the Gracie family,  Renzo started training Jiu Jitsu as an infant.

He had formal instructor from many of the Gracie patriarchs, but to of his biggest influences were the legendary Rolls Gracie and Carlos Gracie Jr (the man who later awarded him his black belt)..  

Professors Glick and Dunne

WJJU Jiu-Jitsu - Professor Dunne and Professor Glick established WJJU to provide the most effective Jiu-Jitsu instruction in the world by giving students a safe, non-competitive, progress-oriented learning environment. Jiu-Jitsu has been tested and proven as one of the world’s most efficient, effective system of self-defence through the ongoing pursuit of excellence among the Gracies and their black belt students, and through the introduction of ground grappling into the training regimen of nearly every major martial art worldwide.

Both Professor Dunn & Glick are 2nd degree Black Belts under Master Renzo Gracie & Professor John Danaher. Through their diligent study and practice of the art over the past 25 years Professor Dunn & Glick run five successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies in Brooklyn, New York.

Shifu Stuart Holdsworth

Shifu Stuart has been studying martial arts for more than 20 years starting of in Japanese karate in 1994 before begining training in Chinese Kung Fu in 1998.

Since 2008 Shifu Stuart has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu along side his continued study of the Chinese diciplines.  

Shifu has traveled to America many times and also brought Professor Glick to Australia several time to reinforce his BJJ Skills. Recently, under their guidance and the teaching philosophies of Professors Dunne & Glick he was graded the rank of Purple Belt in BJJ.

He also is an affiliate member with the World Jiu-Jitsu United group and is the Australian representative for that organisation.
I've been doing BJJ at SHMA for three years now. I have a background in Karate and Kung Fu but I'd never done any ground techniques so this was an entirely new terrain. Being on the ground brings a lot of new challenges not only of a technical nature but also because you have to overcome the natural urge to keep a distance to the other person. This is why the training environment is absolutely crucial and at SHMA I've always felt safe.

It is a clean, controlled and friendly environment where a lot of emphasis is put on technique rather than strength. I think BJJ is especially beneficial for women for self defence purposes and I have found that some BJJ academies tend to be more focused on sport BJJ rather than self defence BJJ with mainly male practitioners which can be a bit intimidating. SHMA is perfect as their training philosophy is “Partners not Opponent’s” which allows for a safe training environment where techniques are built over time injury free with a focus towards solid basics.......Francine