Yoga Jiu Jitsu

8/6/2019 Yoga Jiu Jitsu

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iu-jitsu, the oldest style of martial arts, is believed to

have originated in ancient India more than 4,000

years ago before spreading through China and eventu-

ally establishing in Japan where it developed into the

fine martial art it is today, Yoga, too, winds back thou-

sands of years to its native India. They also share similar philo-

sophical principles, as well as physical skill requirements, such as

flexibility. Hence, the roots of jiu-jitsu and yoga are historically

intertwined as if they were sibling arts from the same genealogical

tree. Aware of this powerful connection, the serious jiu-jitsu prac-

titioner who also commits to practicing yoga can refine their art

considerably, and will likely bend the back of the competition-

literally.

As jiu-jitsu and yoga evolved and became popular in modern

Western societies, they have shown convincing characteristics of

being the yin and yang of the grappling martial arts. They seem to

blend naturally into each other's essence. As in the striking martial

arts (karate, taekwondo, etc.), the grappling martial arts also

require a specific type of training in order to enhance the effec-

tiveness of techniques. Thus, what kata (rehearsed moves) repre-

sents to the karateka (the karate practitioner) for training fluidattack motions, yoga can - and should be - the indispensable sup-

plementary training of the dedicated jiu-jitsu practitioner, because

flexibility is a physical condition of paramount importance in the

martial arts of jiu-jitsu. In fact, even the etymological context of

T h e V i a n d Y aY o g a a n d j i u - j i t s u , b o t h t h o u g h t t o h a v e

o r ig in a t e d i n I n d ia m o re t h a n 4 ,0 0 0

y e a rs a g o , a r e h i s to r i c a ll y i n t e r t w i n e d

a n d c o n ta i n m a n y c o m m o n e l e m e n t s

w h i c h c a n g re a t ly b e n e f i t t h e

p r a c t i t i o n e r s o f b o t h a r t s

/- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



o f t h e G a p p l i n g A r t sS , t - v a n g a s a n a

. ( S h o u l d e r S t a n d )F o r I m p r o v in gS a n k a k u - J i m e

( T r ia n g l e C h o k e )The traditional Sarvangasana is performed with the legs straightened up. But when practicing this posture

for jiu-jitsu purpose, this variation is ideal (:1.). Start by lying flat on your back and slowly move your legs up,

supporting your body weight on your arms and shoulders. Bring your feet together while bending your knees.

Then, after maintaining balance and posture, move your arms to the front of your body as if holding an

imaginary opponent's arm and switch your legs to the triangle choke positiun (2). Hold this position for 5 to

10 seconds breathing slowly and rhythmically through your nose. Always remember that proper breathing is

a fundamental component in yoga practice, Zen meditation, and jiu-jlt su randori (sparring). This practice

wil l surely enhance your ability to apply the tr iangle choke (3).

GRAPPLING • 79



O h a n u I ' a s a n a ( B r i d g e ) F o r Im p r o v i n g E s c a p e F r o mT h e M o u n t ( U p a I n B r a z i l i a n J iu - J i t s u )Dhanurasana I s a simple posture to pract ice. lyirng flat on your back, band your knees pressing

your feet firmly against the floor. Breathe in through your nose and exhale while arching your

back asfar as comfortably possible. This asana is very beneficial to Improving the mot ion and

the back arch necessary to dislodge an opponent f rom the dominat ing mounted position (1). It

also helps to strengthen the lower back muscles, which is a crucial body section of a grappler.

This asana closely resembles an at tempt to dismount an opponent (.2).

the word "jiu-jitsu" demonstrates this

physical necessity: }u means pliability,

flexibility, or to give way. [itsu means a

fighting form or practice (unlike do ,

which is a more spiritual form of martial

training) ,1

Indeed, yoga practice can be extremely

beneficial to all martial artists, hut it ispar-

ticularly advantageous to the jiu-jitsu p,ac-

titioner because of the nature and relation-

ship of jiu-jitsu techniques and variousyoga asanas (poses), But before exploring

the benefits of integrating yoga practice in

jiu-jitsu training, it is important to have a

basic understanding of yoga,

W hat is Y o g a ?Yoga is one of [he si x systems of Indian

philosophy and was first mentioned in the

Upanishads, the Indian scriptures written

between 2500 and 600 B.C. The word

"yoga" is derived from the Sanskrit root

Jug meaning to bind, join, attach andyoke, to direct and concentrate one's arren-

80 • GRAPPLING

nun on, to use and apply. It also means

union or communion.' It is a system of

techniques and disciplines for self-develop-

ment involving the body, the intellect, the

mind, the emotions, and the will. In short, ·

yoga is a system of physical and psychical

skills the Yogi (the yoga practitioner) uses

in order to reach specific predetermined

goals for self-development.

There are various classifications of sys-

tems of yoga: [nana Yoga (union by

knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (union by love

and devotion), Karma Yoga (union by

action and service), M antra Yoga (union

by voice and sound), Km tra m ga (union

by vision and form), Laya an d Kundalini

mga (union by arousal of latent psychic

nerve-force), T an tr ic Y og a (union by har-

nessing sexual energy), .H a th a m ga (union

by bodily mastery), and R aja Y og a (union

by mental mastery}.' However, the two

particular categories that can mostly ben-

efit the martial artist are Hatha mga and

R aja m ga, the t\VO most widely practiced

types of yoga in the Western world. The

former works through the body upon the



mind and the latter works through the

mind upon the body. Together they can

contribute to physical, mental, and emo-

tional equilibrium, while increasing flexi-

bility, strength, concentration, and self-

control; all of which are invaluable attrib-

utes to the dedicated jiu-jitsu practitioner

- and martial artists in general.

Hatha Yoga is considered the most

practical of all types of yoga. It focuses on

the promotion of good health while

expanding the latent energies in the phys-

ical body, as the postures are executed with

tranquility and purpose. Thus, Hatha Yoga

practice envisions preparing the body to

become an energized center in which effec-

tivemental control can develop in a supple

healthy body, which makes it closely asso-

ciated with Raja Yoga.

Raja Yoga,also known as Royal Yoga, is

directed toward the control of the mind.It

has also been called me "YogaofWill," for

it develops will through concentration and

meditation by tuning the nervous system

to be in harmony with higher vibrations. '

Meditation, therefore, is one of the most

important elements in the practice of Raja

Yoga. And for the jiu-jitsu player who

incorporates the practice of Harha and

Raja Yoga into their training routine, they

are sure to develop a nimble body and a

quick and serene mind that will give them

an absolute edge on the mat - and in self-

defense on me street.

Wh a t is J iu ·J ils u?According to the great Japanese

scholar Inazo Nitobe, "Jiu-jitsu may be

briefly defined as an application of

anatomical knowledge to the purpose of

offense and defense. I t differs from

wrestling in that it does not depend upon

muscular strength. Its feat consists in

clutching or striking such pan of the ene-

my's body as will make him numb and

incapable of resistance. Its object is not to

kill, but to incapacitate one for action for

the time being."> In essence, it is a martial

art that heavily relies on [he principles of

leverage, balance, and patience to seize

the opportunity to turn rhe opponent's

strength against themselves.

H a l a s a n a ( P lo w P o s t u re ) a n d K a l ' n a d i p a s a n a( P lo w P o s t u r e V a r i a t i o n ) l o r Im p r o v in g R e s i s ta n c et o a n O p p o n e n t A tt e m p t i n g t o P a s s t h e G u a r dStart with the Plow Posture lying flat on your back. Take a deep nasal breath as you begin

lift ing your legs of f the floor. Slowly exhale while moving your legs back as faT as comfortablyposslble (1). Then, switch to Karnadipasana by bringing your knees close to your shoulders

and hold your feet with your hands while pushing them against your body for extra extension

(2-3). The practice of this asana will give you the flexibility necessary to endure the pressure

of an opponent trying to stack you up In order to pass the guard (4). Royce Gracie showed

how important this ability Is In UFC IV against Dan Severn who stacked up all of his 250

pounds-plus on Royce's neck before succumbing to a tr iangle choke by the great champion.

Jiu-jitsu, which is spelled in a number

of different ways, is deceivingly known as

"the gentle art." Although it is speculated

that it originated in India, it is virtually

impossible to determine me precise origin

of jiu-jitsu - and most martial arts in gen-

eral - because of lack of written historical

records. However, the history of the

development of jiu-jitsu in Japan is fairly

well documented.

The known origins of jiu-jitsu can be

found in me distant days of Japanese his-tory, which can he divided into eight

periods ranging from tile Ancient period

(before 650 A.D.) to me Modern or Meiji

period (from 1868 to the present). How-

ever, it was during the Murornachi period

(1337 to 1563) that the development of

jiu-jitsu as an unarmed combat strategy

began to be methodically developed by

the Bushi (the samurai warrior class),

whose sole purpose in life was to fight for

GRAPPLING • 81



his lord. As the art of jiu-jitsu developed,

the samurai quickly seized upon the

system of Zen (usually rranslared as con-

centration or objectless meditation), and

it became "the religion» of the warrior

class. This awareness of the need for med-itation and concentration power that the

samurai found in the practice of Zen, the

modern jiu-jitsu fighter can rediscover,

and perhaps even more comprehensively>

in the practice of yoga. Notwithstanding,

Zen should not by any means be disre-

garded altogether, on the contrary, it

should be carefully observed.

Before it became a popular style of

martial arts in the late twentieth century

(largely because of the success of Brazilian

jiu-jitsu in NHB events), jiu-jitsu reached

its apex from the late 1600s to the mid-

18005. Then, with the rise of industri-

alism in Japan and the advent of modern

warfare tactics that relied on firearms, jiu-

jitsu faded away while giving birth to the

new art of judo created by Jigoro Kano,

who was a jiu-jitsu practitioner himself.

Today, there are many specific forms of

jiu-jitsu that specialize in certain aspects

82 • GRAPPLING

of the art (e.g., Aiki [itsu, Goshin Jutsu,

Hakko Ryu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, etc.).

Y o g a a n d J . iu -J i t s u a sY in a n d Y a n g

The arts of jiu-jitsu and yoga can beintertwined as if they were interdepen-

de nt, like the yin and yang of one

common art. Although often practiced

separately as the distinct activities they

are, there are some mutual characteristics

in their philosophical approach and phys-

ical requirements of their practice - par-

ticularly the need for developing flexi-

bility - which could bring them closer

together for the benefit of both arts. Let's

see how a parallel can be delineated

between yoga and jiu-jitsu.Despite the fact [hat martial arts in

general and jiu-jitsu in particular are per-

ceived as either sportS or self-defense

training, there is an extraordinary self-

development and spiritual component in

the practice ofjiu-jitsu. This third dimen-

sional aspect of jiu-jitsu (mania I arts)

sho uld no r be neglected, for it is an

intrinsic principle of mastery and was

S i l ' s a s a n a( L e g B e h in d T h e N e c k )F o r Im p r o v in g E s c a p eF ro m H e a d lo c k sSirsasana is a posture that has to be

developed gradually according to the

flexibi lity level of the practitioner. Start

lying on your back and bring your legs

backwards as far as comfortably possible

(l.). For j iu"j itsu purposes, you can practiceby lying on your side and bringing only one

leg over your neck or as far as you are able,

though you should try to stretch up aliUle

more with each practice (2). This Is a great

a 5 aMa to Improve escaping from headlock.s

from the "one-hundred kilo position," as .it

is called in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (3).

fundamental in Busbido (the way of the

samurai). There are several ryus (schools)

and senseis (instructors) who emphasize

the philosophical and spiritual discipline,

as well as the sport and self-defense ele-

ments of jiu-jitsu. In fact, some martialartists will practice for several years before

becoming aware - and some never will,

unfortunately - that "martial ar ts are

essentially avenues through which they

can achieve spiritual serenity, mental tran-

quility, and the deepest self-confidence.?"

Professor Henry Okazaki, one of the

most distinguished jiu-jitsu instructors in

the United States, named his dojo (a place

where martial arts and mediration are

practiced) the Kodenkan, which can be

translated as "The School for the Trans-mission of Esoteric Zen Teachings." In

his dojo he preserved classical jiu-jitsu

techniques as well as the practice of mar-

tial arts as a spiritual discipline.' Also,

Japanese Zen Master Taisen Deshimaru

emphatically stated that "if you want to

study Zen you should practice a martial

an first. '" No wonder the traditional

Continued on page 115



YOGAAND JIU-JITSU

Continued ttotr: page 82

Japanese samurai took up Zen practice as a means of improving

their overall skills. And it is in this philosophical stance and the

development of flexibility in the physical body that jiu-jitsu and

yoga blend together.

Yoga is a form of spiritual discipline that utilizes physical

exercises to facilitate the expansion of consciousness while pro-

moting good health. Before becoming popular in the West, it

had been practiced in Buddhism and Hinduism for millennia.

Through conscientious and regular practice, the yogi Strives to

achieve physical, mental and emotional balance, and ultimately

Samadhi (perfect, total concentration), a ll of which are impor-

tant training goals for martial artists.

In addition to the philosophical and spiritual attributes of

yoga, the oldest known science of self-development, practicing

the physical postures (asanas), the breathing exer cise s

(pranayama), and meditation (Dhy,ana) can be the most perfect

supplemental activity for the jiujitsuka who wants to reach the

zenith of their grappling skills. And as male needs female, posi-

tive depends on negative, and yin is the inseparable element ofyang, jiu-jitsu and yoga can, indeed, be a naturally perfect com-

bination that should lead the practitioner toward excellence in

the martial art of jiu-jitsu.

Pra ctic in g Y og a w ith J iu -J its u in M in dWhen you practice yoga with the purpose of enhancing your

jiu-jitsu skills, it is important that you create your own program

based on your specific needs and goals. Firstly, you should

acquire a yoga book or video (see resources for suggestions) and

choose a specific selection of asanas that will assist your reaching

your goals. However, before determining what batteries of

asanas you want to incorporate in your training, you shouldkeep in mind certain guidelines. Aladar Kogler, Ph.D., a

renowned expert in training athletes through yoga practice rec-

ommends the following:

"Consider your experience in yoga. Are you a beginner or

advanced student? Set your goals. \What is the primary goal you

want to achieve with the battery of asanasi (e.g., relaxing your

body-mind, increasing flexibility, erc.) Remember with yoga you

can simultaneously achieve more than one goal.

Starting the routine with a short meditation will lead to

heightened concentration during the entire practice. This medi-

tation will be a transition to the concentration required for your

ttaining or competition. Itwill enhance clear thinking and elim-

inate anxiety and stress!" In addition, Dr. Kogler also recom-

mends establishing a general yoga routine taking the following

elements into consideration.

Start wi th asanas that stretch and relax the limbs and

strengthen the muscles, ligaments and joints. Self-suggestive

verbal phrases and mental imagery should be used to affect the

body. Yoga asanas are 80 percent mental and 20 percent phys-

ical. Practicing yoga asanas is [ike meditation. Start your rou-

tines with easier asanas. Rotation to one side should be practiced

Continued on page 116

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YOGAAND lIU-lITSU

Continued from page 115

with rotation of the opposite side. Do not practice sooner than

one-and-a-half to two hours after eating. [0 Several asanas are

demonstrated in the photo techniques. As with any martial art,

there are numerous functional benefits that you will find out for

yourself once you start to practice. Yoga offers limitless applica-

tions to its many postures.

C o n c l u s i o nToday, both jiu-jitsu and yoga are two of the most popular

Oriental arts practiced in the Western world. They have infil-

trated mainstream society and even become trendy in various

circles. What does not seem to have been realized yet is how

they perfectly supplement each other, both in their philosoph-

ical nature and physical practice. Thus, the serious jiu-jitsu prac-

titioner who integrates yoga practice into their training will cer-

tainly develop flexibility, endurance, strength, concentration,

and, ultimately, self-confidence. Namasre! ~

Sebastian de Assis, Ph.D., is a . fr ee la nc e w ri te r b as ed in C o rv al li s,O regon. H e has been studying and practicing yoga and jiu-jits« fo r

m o re t ha n 25 yea rs . H e ca n b e rea ch ed a t martialzen@hotmaiLcom.

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