Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling martial art and combat sport that was designed for the ​smaller frame individual to be able to defend and protect themselves against a larger, stronger and heavier opponent ​by using leverage to over power their attacker. BJJ focuses on submissions, which could be joint lock or choke. At Brazil-021 Houston we follow the rules set forth by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). You can read more about the rules and regulations here! There are certain techniques that are not legal for a certain levels of training. See the attached illustration for examples!

Choosing a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School is no easy task! It is important that you find one that meets your expectations and goals! There are many variables that go into choosing a school, for example, do you agree with the academy philosophy, do you feel comfortable in the environment for both you and your family, do you agree with the messages that are past to the students and most important, is it safe? These are all important aspects to take into account when choosing a martial art school that is the best fit for you and your family! Especially if you have no experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or if you are looking for your children! With all that in mind, that is why we offer a complimentary trial week to potential students who are looking to join our family here at Brazil-021 Houston. That way you have the opportunity to see what we offer as a martial art school. There are many variables that go into training other than price, however we understand that pricing and budget are important as well. We like to discuss pricing in person and meet each individual, to make sure everyone is on the same page in regards to what your personal goals are for training! We have a variety of training packages that fit most budgets!

Absolutely! We strongly encourage you to try multiple classes before deciding to enroll at our academy. We offer a two day trial, to all new students regardless of skill level! You can contact us here to schedule your trial and consultation!

Class will start on time! Please make sure you give yourself time to get to the academy, sign the waiver and get ready for your first class! We recommend arriving about 15-20 minutes before the class start time. We do require the Gi (uniform) for class. We offer rentals at the academy for your trial week! We do not allow walking bare feet at ANY moment in the academy unless you are on the mats. This is to prevent any kind of transferring of bacteria and other germs on the mats. With that being said, we recommend for you to wear shoes you can take on and off easily to access the mats freely. Any kind of athletic clothes are great for under the Gi. Feel free to bring a water bottle! We also have a water fountain and other drinks for purchase. Class will start with a stretch and warm up, followed by drilling and depending on the day sparing/live training. You will be paired with a higher belt and be introduced to very basic techniques. An instructor or an assistant will be with you at all times. Starting something new is always the hardest part, give yourself time and remember that anyone who is an expert in something now was a beginner at one point!

No, Jiu-Jitsu has no age restrictions! It all goes back to finding the academy that meets your expectations and feeling comfortable in the environment. It is also important to find a Professor that you trust and understands your personal goals!

At Brazil-021 Houston safety is always our number one priority. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the only martial arts that you can train a 100% one round, bow shake hands with you training partner, get up and be able to train again. Understanding what positions you are safe in and what positions you are putting yourself in jeopardy are key to protecting yourself in training. Our programs are focused on building a strong foundation to make sure you are prepared properly to recognize those positions.

The simple answer, of course! Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was designed to work in favor for the smaller and weaker individual to be able to effectively protect themselves against a larger and stronger opponent. When you think about the unfortunate, but all too real scenarios that a woman could face in a real life self-defense situation, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is very realistic as it covers multiple techniques, from not only being on the ground, but standing as well.

What are the belt rankings in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? At Brazil-021 Houston we follow the standards set forth by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). You can read more and visit their website here! Before we jump into belt progressions, belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu represent a Jiu-Jitsu practitioners skill level, knowledge and understanding of the martial art. It represents the amount of time, dedication, sweat and so much more that a that a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner has endured to hold their current belt rank. It is very easy for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to become an everyday necessity. The Jiu-Jitsu bug might get you your first day on the mats or it might take a couple of months of training, learning and understanding. Regardless of age all new students will begin with their white belt. There are two types of promotions a student can receive, a stripe or a new belt. A stripe is simply a piece of tape that wraps around the black bar of the belt, but this little piece of tape means more than that. It represents a sign of progression, understanding, dedication and so much more as you progress through each belt rank. New belts do not come easy in BJJ. On each belt you will receive a maximum of 4 stripes on each color belt. Each belt does have age restrictions to hold certain color of belt. For example a practitioner cannot have the rank of black belt until the age of 19, backed by training and skill level. Youth Students (4-15 Yrs) Youth from the age 4-15 will progress through the youth color belts, which consist of white, grey, yellow, orange and green. In the recent years IBJJF introduced the white and black stripes within each color of the belt. As an adult we understand the time and consistency that is required when it comes with training. With that being said, if you have a child that starts training at the age of 4 and continues to train until they are 15 years old. They originally would be progressing through 5 belts in 11 years, an average of 2 years at each belt rank. By adding the striped belts within each belt color, this allows the Professor of the academy to award stripes and belts more often to the youth students. See attached illustration! Adult Students (16+) Adult students will begin with their white belt and progress through the color belts blue, purple, brown and black. A lot of people might think that the belt ranks stop at black, but there are other belts that follow the black belt. These belts come with years and years of training, teaching, dedication, age restrictions and being active in the martial art, rather it be being a student or being a Professor and leading an academy. The highest belt that can be received in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a red belt. The age minimum for a red belt is 67 years old, which requires a minimum of 48 year of holding a black belt. White Belt Someone who is just starting their Jiu-Jitsu journey. The white belt is a very important belt! At white belt you will learn what Jiu-Jitsu is and how powerful of a tool it can be in all aspects of your life! This is where you build your foundation, if you do not have a solid foundation in your Jiu-Jitsu, progressing through the belts will be challenging. Blue Belt An individual who now has an understanding of Jiu-Jitsu and speaks the language. If you have received a blue belt you are no longer considered necessarily a beginner, but there is still so much ahead to learn. In our opinion, blue belt is the most important belt! At blue belt you will begin to find what techniques fit in you game and what your Jiu-Jitsu game is! Are you a guard player? Do you like to pass? The list goes on! This is where you will probably see a most of the techniques and submissions. The IBJJF requires a student to hold a blue belt for a minimum of 2 years. Purple Belt The purple belt, is considered the intermediate adult rank. A purple belt has spent hours and hours on the mats, and has gained a vast amount of knowledge, drilling the same techniques over and over. This is where you begin to sharpen your game! The IBJJF requires a student to hold a purple belt for a minimum of a year and a half. Brown Belt Brown is the highest belt other than reaching a black belt. By now you are at the final stages of reaching a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It is common to see brown belts instructing classes and preparing for the next level of their training. The IBJJF requires a student to hold a brown belt for a minimum of 1 year. Black Belt Many people see the accomplishment of a black as the end, but receiving a black belt is just the beginning! There are always new things to learn and new challenges to face, everyday on the mat is a new experience and lesson to learn. A black belt has spent thousands of hours on the mats dedicating their time and by now has expert technique and skill level. The proper way to refer to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has passed the requirements and teaches classes is "Professor", which means teacher in Portuguese.

On average it takes about 10 years to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Obviously time varies depending on each practitioner and the time he/she spends dedicated to the martial art and time on the mats. See the attached illustration!

No! Many people start Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to lose weight, exercise more, learn how to defend themselves and to live a healthier lifestyle. Training Jiu-Jitsu is a way you can accomplish all of these goals while having fun and learning something that truly benefits your life. Everything can be done in moderation, start slow and allow your body get used to activating different muscle groups!

Watch our belt tying tutorial here! Professor Marcos will show you how to tie your BJJ belt three different ways!

No, we do not require out student to compete. We have many students who are established in their career, have families and train to keep a healthy lifestyle, exercise and to have fun. We also have many students who compete regularly! Professor Marcos always respects and stands by his students every step of the way, to help them reach their short term and long term goals!