The Mendes Bros on Self Defense [Video]

[Budo Jake]

The role of self defense in BJJ is a hot topic as of late with Rickson and others claiming that self defense is the heart of BJJ.

The Mendes Bros operate one of the top "sport" jiujtitsu academies in the world and I've never seen them training "traditional BJJ self defense" so I wanted to get their perspective on whether they feel an obligation to teach the self defense curriculum of "Gracie" jiujitsu.

So here you go!



In part 2, coming out tomorrow, I ask them a similar question, about training throws and takedowns.

 

[Shooto Panama]

Eternal debate.

Agree with some of their points like there is no need to separate or label a class like "self-defense" just be straight honest with everybody, teach basic BJJ and tell your students this and that won

 

[Oldguy]

That was a great interview. In my opinion, the brothers are 100% spot on.

I see the whole "Our Jiu Jitsu will work for self defense and your Jiu Jitsu won't" as a crude marketing attempt by certain people to stay relevant.

A good sport Jiu Jitsu guy will know how to modify his game for a real fight. It's not rocket science.

Besides, no ones Jiu Jitsu is a complete art for self defense. A person needs to know how to punch, kick, and use weapons (guns and knives).

Grappling is just (a very important) part of the picture.

 

[Shooto Panama]

I believe it

 

[brendan raedy]

Honestly where do some of you people live that your neighborhood can support an expensive BJJ school, but you are so terrified about an unnamed assailant jumping out of the bushes and putting you in a headlock or grabbing your collar?

 

[Oldguy]

Violence can happen anywhere. Sure, some places are more dangerous than others. But, don't kid yourself. There are no crime free zones on planet earth.

I'll bet every one of the people killed at Charlie Hebdo thought they were in a good neighborhood the day they were murdered.

It would have turned out differently if each of them had the means to fight back (armed with a Glock).

 

[Zankou]

Violence can happen anywhere. Sure, some places are more dangerous than others. But, don't kid yourself. There are no crime free zones on planet earth.

I'll bet every one of the people killed at Charlie Hebdo thought they were in a good neighborhood the day they were murdered.

It would have turned out differently if each of them had the means to fight back (armed with a Glock).

Lol it would not have turned out differently.

It actually illustrates the problem. You want to defend yourself, don't get into fights. Christ it's not that hard. Get a decent job and move into a safe area. I've never even seen a fight of any kind for many years, much less been in one. What, is the guy at Peet's Coffee in Brentwood going to throw down with me because I cut in line on him?

Now if multiple jihadi terrorist are coming on a raid against your office in full armor, that's largely the realm of fantasy, and your cross collar choke from mount is just not going to do the job no matter how much you drill it. From Wiki's description:

"The armed men sprayed the lobby with gunfire immediately upon entering. The first victim was maintenance worker Fr

 

[Linthec]

I understand that some people don't care about self-defense, and just want to roll and have fun learning how to beat others in a jiu-jitsu match. Nothing wrong with that.
However, 99% of those people have some grappling experience and decided that sportive rolling is the most fun part of grappling to focus on.

No one, I repeat NO ONE, walks into a jiu-jitsu academy for the very first time and thinks "wow what a cool sport I want to grab someone's clothes and roll around on my head with my feet their face, too!!!" Shit like that's an acquired taste.

White belts want to learn self defense.

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

I've never even seen a fight of any kind for many years, much less been in one.

The majority of fights I see, I see because of jiujitsu. Tournaments, MMA fights, house parties, etc

 

[Zankou]

The closest I ever see is in martial arts training and at large family gatherings (like weddings), where tempers naturally flare all the time.

Both seem to consistently bring out the worst. Not life threatening, but dumbass brawls will happen.

 

[brendan raedy]

Violence can happen anywhere. Sure, some places are more dangerous than others. But, don't kid yourself. There are no crime free zones on planet earth.

I'll bet every one of the people killed at Charlie Hebdo thought they were in a good neighborhood the day they were murdered.

It would have turned out differently if each of them had the means to fight back (armed with a Glock).

Not sure if serious?

Did the Mendes bros say that BJJ schools should teach sport, self-defense, and firearms?

 

[brendan raedy]

I understand that some people don't care about self-defense, and just want to roll and have fun learning how to beat others in a jiu-jitsu match. Nothing wrong with that.
However, 99% of those people have some grappling experience and decided that sportive rolling is the most fun part of grappling to focus on.

No one, I repeat NO ONE, walks into a jiu-jitsu academy for the very first time and thinks "wow what a cool sport I want to grab someone's clothes and roll around on my head with my feet their face, too!!!" Shit like that's an acquired taste.

White belts want to learn self defense.

Maybe, but as BJJ branches out this will happen more and more often. I got into wrestling because I wanted to learn a sport just as much if not more than wanting to defend myself.

 

[randomg1t]

It would have turned out differently if each of them had the means to fight back (armed with a Glock).

yeah, let's just give guns to everyone. then no one will ever get shot.

 

[Grok]

I will definitely watch the vid later (it's blocked at work right now) but I think any "style" of BJJ will work for self defense as long as you understand basic principles of how to read aggressive body language, how to "sense" when someone is going to escalate to violence, using deescalating words and body language yourself and so on.

No matter your style of martial arts, good self defense starts WAAAAY before a punch or kick is ever thrown.

 

[Zankou]

yeah, let's just give guns to everyone. then no one will ever get shot.

It's okay though, because a rigorous process of screening, testing, training, and regulating gun ownership will ensure that only the good guys get guns, so they can defend themselves.

Wait, that's not part of the self-defense package? There should be many more guns and also much LESS regulation of them?

... something has gone wrong in the self defense equation.

 

[selfcritical]

I understand that some people don't care about self-defense, and just want to roll and have fun learning how to beat others in a jiu-jitsu match. Nothing wrong with that.
However, 99% of those people have some grappling experience and decided that sportive rolling is the most fun part of grappling to focus on.

No one, I repeat NO ONE, walks into a jiu-jitsu academy for the very first time and thinks "wow what a cool sport I want to grab someone's clothes and roll around on my head with my feet their face, too!!!" Shit like that's an acquired taste.

White belts want to learn self defense.

Former wrestlers. People who have played any sport seriously before.

 

[Oldguy]

Not sure if serious?

Did the Mendes bros say that BJJ schools should teach sport, self-defense, and firearms?

No. They said a good sport Jiu Jitsu guy will adapt his game for self defense. They are correct. My point is that self defense includes WAY more than grappling. That is the bigger issue.

The people died at Charlie Hebdo because they didn't have the means to fight back. A gun is a tool. You may never need a gun during your entire life. But, when or if you do, you will need one really, really bad and there is no substitute.

Restricting people from carrying guns only guarantees the bad guys will have easy targets.

I carry one every day. It is as easy and natural as grabbing my wallet as I leave for work. No big deal.

 

[rmongler]

yeah, let's just give guns to everyone. then no one will ever get shot.

is this really the level of debate f12 is capable of?

 

[Ice 9 Cobra]

Wait, weren't there armed police who were guarding and died in the Hebdo attack?

 

[Zankou]

They killed a security guard and two police officers.

All of whom failed to train self defense appropriately, apparently, which would have enabled them to effectively defend against surprise jihadi assault. In particular, their omoplata technique was terrible ... this is because they had only trained sport BJJ, not true self defense BJJ.