Our Lineage and Why it Matters

When people talk about their BJJ training or their academy they will often refer to their lineage. Much like a bible verse they will track, in chronological order the link each student has to the ‘source’ of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. But why is lineage important? Why should we focus on who taught our teachers teacher? At Eastside Jiu Jitsu our lineage is central to what we do because it elevates jiu-jitsu to something greater than ourselves.

Lineage is about respect

When you step onto a Jiu Jitsu tournament mat, you do it alone. Your opponent won’t be thinking about who your instructor is, and even less so who his instructor was. However, when you step on that mat or when you enter your academy for training you are doing so only because of the passion, dedication and hard work of greater people who have come before you. We reference our lineage at every opportunity to pay our respect to those teachers who invested in us and in doing so made us the people we are today.

Lineage serves to preserve the art

As an art form like BJJ grow, they run the risk of being watered down. While progression and innovation is important, with every decade that passes we push further away from the ‘source’ of Jiu Jitsu. While that gap will only continue to grow, recognising an academies lineage can help maintain the ‘quality contro’l of the art form. As we reference the grand-masters who have come before us we in turn recognise the standards they set and adhere to them. Progression in Jiu Jitsu is a slow and agonizing road. Respect and homage to our lineage helps maintain these standards. It ensures the art and standards grow with Jiu Jitsu and do not be a victim of Jiu Jitsu’s expansion.

 

Lineage keeps us humble, and humility leads to strength

A key component to progression through Jiu Jitsu is the recognition that humility is not weakness but that it leads to great strength and mastery. A common BJJ trope insists that students “leave their ego at the door”. Our lineage and the photos we place on the walls of our academy serve as a further reminder of how far we all have to go on our BJJ journeys. When we look at high hung photos of Carlson Gracie Sr. we have no choice but to check our egos and remain humble.

 

Our Lineage

Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlson Gracie Sr. > Carlson Gracie Jnr. > Ben Hall > Raph & Brad

http://www.graciejiujitsu.com.au/history

We are proud to be bringing our lineage and our brand of Jiu Jitsu to Murrumbeena, Glen Eira and all of Melbourne.