For the wildly dedicated practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu, Brazilian martial art represents much more than a mere discipline of self-defense. It is a path to self-realization.
“Jiu-Jitsu vs the World,” a feature-length documentary directed by Dan Lewis, delves deep into the sport for its deeper meaning by traveling from coast to coast and exploring the lives of those who have embraced it in their hearts.
“Eat Films“ traveled all over the country to interview BJJ’s most prolific and skilled instructors and discussed what it really means to practice the Gentle Art. The film primarily consists of sit-down interviews, including insightful anecdotes from Gary Tonon, Renzo Gracie, Jeff Glover, Fabio Santos, and more. It is rather long (1h 35min), but we recommend it to all who step on the mats on a weekly basis, or those considering starting their BJJ journey soon.
Throughout the course of “Jiu-Jitsu vs The World”, we hear from countless athletes who have experienced profound life changes and uncovered deeper layers of themselves through this martial art. It is their way of life, and they approach it with a sacred feeling of almost religious fervor.
The intensity of discipline required to become profound in Jiu-Jitsu has deterred some of them away from drugs and desperation, and inspired them all with a sense of meaning and purpose that they carry over into their relationships and other important elements of their daily existence. The sport demands an all-encompassing commitment to many of life’s most precious virtues, including patience, self-control, thoughtfulness, empathy and the ability to be fully present in the moment.
Many of them make it their mission to spread the teachings of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu among the young, as demonstrated in “Jiu-Jitsu vs The World”. In their view, BJJ should be implemented as an essential component of the children’s educational curriculum. They believe that early exposure to the sport of BJJ empowers children to more readily access their best abilities in transcending defeat, overcoming adversity, and realizing their full potential.
“It’s not a sport, it’s not a martial art, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a way of living, it’s a way to improve your life.”
Nobody manages to become a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu without a good share of aches and pains on their journey… or even broken bones. Most people don’t stick to it long enough to get hold of that belt because it takes a lot of dedication and falling in love with the art.
Right now there are a lot more men who are actively involved in Jiu-Jitsu, but little by little women are becoming more interested in the sport, too.
