Presentation

Demian Maia’s academy has been created to teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the most complete way. The principle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is to provide self-defense by using strength intelligently – using body leverages to finish the fight while causing minimal damage to the opponent.

There is no place for a big ego in Jiu-Jitsu. We test ourselves everyday in class, and we must be willing to make mistakes and learn from them. When somebody applies a good lock or chokehold on us, we have the option to submit, learn from the mistake and avoid injury – or, conversely, to refuse to submit, risk serious injury and be off the mat for days or even months. Those who lack humility learn its value the hard way.

In training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the student develops many valuable attributes: flexibility, using strength intelligently, discipline, and especially control of the ego – attributes that apply not just during class but also in everyday life. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches more than self-defense – it teaches students how to become better people.

Lessons

WARM-UP - The aim of the warm-up at the beginning of class is to prepare the body for the technical work to follow. The warm-up lubricates the joints, stimulates the cardiovascular system and accelerates blood circulation – all of which prevent injury.

SELF-DEFENSE – This is the essence of Jiu-Jitsu. Simulating real situations, the student learns how to defend himself against all kinds of attacks. The roots of every technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu come from these real-world self-defense situations.

TECHNICAL POSITION WORK – This part of the class is dedicated to learning the techniques of sport Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The student will learn how to control, attack, and defend against an opponent.

PARTIAL TRAINING – Using the technical position taught in class, students train that specific position but make it more real by having a partner provide resistance. Partial training focuses on one particular aspect of a fight to make the learning process easier.

RELAXING – The class ends with a stretching session and brief cool-down, giving the student a proper recovery after the workout.

Camp

Camps are one of the newest concepts of Jiu-Jitsu training. Demian Maia’s camp is available to Brazilians or foreigners who don’t live in São Paulo but want professional Jiu-Jitsu training. Camp students stay in a residence near the academy, accelerating the learning process by being around Jiu-Jitsu during their entire stay (typically 1 month). We recommend this length of camp because it allows students the time to get acclimated to a new environment so they can best absorb as much Jiu-Jitsu as possible.

In addition, students make new friends and gain an awareness of and appreciation for Brazil. The package includes classes 2 or 3 times a day – as many of the Academy classes as the student wants. The camp also offers extra activities (for an additional charge) including: Portuguese classes (taught by English speakers), private Jiu-Jitsu lessons, and private Jiu-Jitsu physical training classes.

To learn more about the training camps, click here

Seminar

A seminar is a technical class normally divided into 2 one and half-hour periods. Demian Maia’s Academy offers seminars in academies throughout Brazil and around the world. The instructor will teach technical positions of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and answer student questions about the techniques. After each position is taught, the teacher carefully monitors and corrects the technique of the students. Then the teacher shows another position, monitors and corrects students again, and so on. This kind of class is one of the most interesting ways to learn because in two hours students not only have access to many techniques from elite-level instructors, but also receive high-levels of detailed instruction. Even students already familiar with some of the positions will learn many new details and have their minds open to new points of view.

To learn more about the seminars, click here

History of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

A brief history about the most efficient martial art for real fighting

More than 2500 years ago, Jiu-Jitsu – which can be translated as “gentle art” – began to be developed in India by the Buddhist monks. Due to their religious and moral beliefs, they did not believe in using weapons; however, frequent attacks from bandits forced them to take swift action. They studied the body for ways they could incapacitate it in the most humane manner. For centuries this martial art remained only in the East, before exporting to countries like China and Japan.

In 1914, a Japanese man named Mitsuyo Maeda (known as Conde Koma) came to Belem do Para, Brazil and started to teach Jiu-Jitsu to the son of a friend. Name: Gaston Gracie. Carlos – son of Gaston – learned the martial art from his father and then taught brothers Helio, George, Gaston and Oswaldo.

Physically weak, Helio Gracie began to study the movements of Jiu-Jitsu, trying to find levers in all positions of the art so it was not necessary for him to use excessive strength and energy during a fight.

Through careful study of body mechanics and leverage, as well as practical experimentation, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was born – a complete martial art in which a person could defeat a much stronger opponent.

To prove the efficiency of Jiu-Jitsu, Helio (along with his brothers and students) began to face fighters representing a diverse array of martial arts. The verdict? Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu always walked away victorious.

More informations about the Academy Demian Maia JJ Brasil

Av. Diógenes Ribeiro de Lima, 2419 – Alto de Pinheiros

São Paulo – SP, 05458-001, BRA

Fone. + (55 11) 3023-6015 mapa