Gracie Humaita Jiu-Jitsu Schools Legacy And History

Gracie Humaita Jiu-Jitsu  also known as “Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu” is one of the oldest BJJ schools. It was founded in 1985 with the aim to provide brute strength to the weak people. BJJ is all about how a short person can dominate over a big and stout one. Gracie Humaita, started by Carlos Gracie with only one academy, today Gracie Humaita is scattered in multiple branches and affiliations in almost six continents.

This academy was opened on a different approach as there were other academies opened by the Gracies. That approach was to provide advantages to a weak person despite his/her short body size to dominate over a heavy guy.

Royler Gracie was the one who took the academy’s name to the top place. He is the first ever fighter who won ADCC fights three times in a row. He is considered the finest of all the Gracies, although all Gracies are excellent in their own way. Gracies were always in the limelight for their beliefs and interests. But Gracie Humaita gained its true fame when Royler Gracie started competing. And after his World Championships, there was a sudden rise of students in the academy. And then the system of branches and affiliates started and today Gracie Humaita is one of the biggest BJJ networks you will ever encounter.

Gracie Humaita evolved from the Academia Gracie. The core founders of it were obviously the Gracies. Rickson Gracie is often credited as the main coach of Gracie Humaita.

Gracie Humaita was founded in 1985 by Grandmaster Helio Gracie who is a 10th-degree Red Belt, with the prime purpose of inculcating BJJ techniques in the masses to promote defensive techniques.

Helio Gracie never believed in aggressive fighting. Rather, he was of the view that a fighter’s defensive techniques should be so strong that they nullify aggression. Helio Gracie was always into competitive sports.

The history of Gracie Humaita lies with the advent of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. It all started when Mitsuyo Maeda came to Brazil and taught BJJ techniques to Carlos Gracie Senior. After that the era of BJJ began and it is still in trend.

Helio Gracie was smaller in size as compared to other Gracies of his age. He suffered from weakness due to which he didn’t attend school with his brothers. He just used to watch his brothers practice BJJ. On a rare occasion, Carlos Gracie wasn’t available for a class where practitioners were waiting for him. Helio Gracie stepped in the scene and offered to teach him. Some students got so impressed by Helio’s fighting style that he asked Carlos Gracie if his instructor could be Helio.

Though, Helio Gracie never actively practiced BJJ but by just watching he was able to learn a lot and the credit goes to his intelligence. On that day, Helio Gracie decided to become a full-time instructor at the academy. And he performed his duties till his last breath.

In 1925, Carlos Gracie decided to form a BJJ academy. He was just 23 years old and wanted to expand BJJ by inviting practitioners to learn the gentle art. Academia Gracie was opened at that time as the ultimate home for BJJ practitioners. Gracie brothers were the instructors at the Academia Gracie. The true teachings of BJJ were the essence of the academy.

The academy was opened in Rua Marques de Abrantes.

In almost 1980, the academy was shifted to the Vasco da Gama Club. It was because of the larger number of students that enrolled in BJJ classes. The area in Rua Marques de Abrantes then turned small for the greater number of students. So the Gracies thought of shifting it to a bigger place.

The Gracies learn Jiu-Jitsu from the Japanese masters. They then inculcated the same techniques to their students and the legacy still goes on. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a variant of Jiu-Jitsu that specifically focuses on teaching techniques where a smaller opponent can overcome a bigger one. Defensive techniques are the essence of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. And that is why GJJ is termed as the best form of self-defense.

GJJ is against violence and aggressive techniques and that is what distinguishes it from BJJ.

In 1985, the academy was opened in the Humaita region in Rio de Janeiro. It was then termed as Gracie Humaita.

Today Gracie Humaita is one of the most leading BJJ academies in the BJJ world with its practitioners opening their own Gracie Humaita branches today. The academy was famous in Brazil but today it has a strong USA team too.

The current head of Gracie Humaita is Royler Gracie. He is an 8th-degree Red and White BJJ Coral Belt holder. Along with being the head of Gracie Humaita, he is an IBJJF and ADCC Hall of Famer.

The Gracie Humaita headquarters are located in Rua Humaita, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Leticia Ribeiro, the 6th-degree BJJ Black Belt is one of the most decorated fighters of Gracie Humaita. She is an IBJJF Hall of Famer and a multiple times World Champion. She is the founder of Gracie South Bay in San Diego.

Alexandre Ribeiro is a 5th-degree BJJ Black Belt under Saulo Ribeiro. Not only did he excel in BJJ but his MMA career, though short-lived, was also fabulous.

Beatriz Mesquita is a 2nd-degree BJJ Black Belt under Leticia Ribeiro. She is a multiple times World Champion.

Saulo Ribeiro is a 6th-degree BJJ Black Belt. He is an IBJJF Hall of Famer who started Jiu-Jitsu University with Master Royler Gracie. He even wrote a book named “Jiu-Jitsu University”. And it is considered as one of the best written pieces of work that can help any BJJ practitioner despite his/her belt level.

Mackenzie Dern is a BJJ Black Belt under Wellington Dias. She is an excellent BJJ as well as an MMA fighter. After building a strong BJJ career. Mackenzie stepped into the UFC. Her MMA record is 12-3-0. Royler Gracie and Leticia Ribeiro, both played an important role in her life.

Gracie Humaita is ranked number 27  on the IBJJF academies ranking list.

Gracie Barra and Gracie Humaita both are the academies controlled by the Gracies. The main difference is that Gracie Humaita is focused on the vision of Master Gracie. Which is the major attention to self-defense techniques and the techniques that help practitioners ace in competitions.

There are more than 100 certified Gracie Humaita academies in six continents and the numbers are still growing.

The message of Helio Gracie paid attention to the weak practitioners.

Gracie Humaita has been instructing the actual teachings of BJJ, the same way the Gracies wanted it to be. The center of attention has always been the principles of gentle art. Helio Gracie has always valued the techniques of BJJ because of the body leverage it provides. His whole life he gave the same message. After his death, Royler Gracie was the one who continued the legacy.

Other practitioners such as Leticia Ribeiro not only stand out as the best practitioners of Gracie Humaita but also started her own Gracie Humaita academy and is continuing Helio Gracie’s legacy. Gracie Humaita is ranked 27 on the IBJJF academies list. And in the coming years, Gracie Humaita will have more branches all over the world.

Photo Credit: @rolkergracie