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Is the Gracie Jiu Jitsu being taught today at most Gracie schools the same style that was being taught before the UFC? Or has mma's evolution influenced what most Gracies teach today? Has Gracie jiu jitsu become more of a cross training style compared to the pre UFC days? Does this vary from one Gracie school to the other?
Well there are very few true Gracie schools. Most are so "cult like" in their helio Gracie is a prophet that they do still train per his direction. He did not believe in incorporating new styles, or anything as he, and by extension they believe his style is perfect. This is IMO the reason you don't see many gracies fight. Roger and renzo are not Helios kids or grand kids but cousins so they don't go that route. Helios nephew Carlson was a true mma pioneer IMO but you will see his schools (his son more now that he passed) where not gjj but Bjj schools, apparently you must have legal permission to call your school a gjj school even if your name is Gracie. Rorion made sure he got his part of the name.
Roger and renzo are not Helios kids or grand kids but cousins so they don't go that route.
I was wondering if Renzo's school reflected more of an mma influence since he's stayed closed to the current mma world with competing himself and coaching in the IFL a few years back.
Renzo is surely the man, outside of rickson Gracie, renzo is the only Gracie mma fighter I would really say I truely respect. Relek Gracie beat sakuraba by decision last year but damn relek is half sakus age.
I was wondering if Renzo's school reflected more of an mma influence since he's stayed closed to the current mma world with competing himself and coaching in the IFL a few years back.
I think Renzo's school will. The board is good for MMA fans to discuss. I also have some other channel for the latest UFC news, like Greenfeedz.com
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Originally Posted by Motion
Is the Gracie Jiu Jitsu being taught today at most Gracie schools the same style that was being taught before the UFC? Or has mma's evolution influenced what most Gracies teach today? Has Gracie jiu jitsu become more of a cross training style compared to the pre UFC days? Does this vary from one Gracie school to the other?
All I can tell you is my experiences which were post UFC.
I started training in Boston in 1998. And under my instructor at the time we basically cover what some call sport Jiu-jitsu for competitive bouts. Basically a style that was geared toward getting you ready for the grappling end for a UFC about. And to be honest we covered self-defense very rarely. Basically for a lot of my stand up stuff and headlock escapes I used my old high school wrestling. Which has/and still is effective enough for me. But from what I been told and read there was more of a self-defense aspect back in the day. I remember when Royce and Charles Gracie put out their self-defense book. I saw how much stuff on the self-defense side the BJJ had. And actually I did make an effort to learn most of it. I can't say I've ever mastered it but have a good feel. But from what I've seen from the schools I've attend (3 of them). Most students are not interested in the pure defense stuff. A lot of guys that have a wrestling or some type of martial arts background just rolls their eyes when stuff like that is taught. They want to be taught sport stuff and to roll live as oppose to practicing self-defense.
Granted I have seen in the last three years where I'm at now (northern NJ for now). There has been more of a movement/effort by the instructors to add in self-defense to the classes. Whether this effort will last or not remains to be seen. But personally I don't mind it being added in, though at time it does get rather tedious and boring. I think it’s good to know if you ever get surprised and you’re back on your heels for a minute. Granted I’d probably revert back to my wrestling in a stand up position. But some other folks I don’t think it would hurt to know some of the self-defense stuff.
All I can tell you is my experiences which were post UFC.
I started training in Boston in 1998. And under my instructor at the time we basically cover what some call sport Jiu-jitsu for competitive bouts. Basically a style that was geared toward getting you ready for the grappling end for a UFC about. And to be honest we covered self-defense very rarely. Basically for a lot of my stand up stuff and headlock escapes I used my old high school wrestling. Which has/and still is effective enough for me. But from what I been told and read there was more of a self-defense aspect back in the day. I remember when Royce and Charles Gracie put out their self-defense book. I saw how much stuff on the self-defense side the BJJ had. And actually I did make an effort to learn most of it. I can't say I've ever mastered it but have a good feel. But from what I've seen from the schools I've attend (3 of them). Most students are not interested in the pure defense stuff. A lot of guys that have a wrestling or some type of martial arts background just rolls their eyes when stuff like that is taught. They want to be taught sport stuff and to roll live as oppose to practicing self-defense.
Granted I have seen in the last three years where I'm at now (northern NJ for now). There has been more of a movement/effort by the instructors to add in self-defense to the classes. Whether this effort will last or not remains to be seen. But personally I don't mind it being added in, though at time it does get rather tedious and boring. I think it’s good to know if you ever get surprised and you’re back on your heels for a minute. Granted I’d probably revert back to my wrestling in a stand up position. But some other folks I don’t think it would hurt to know some of the self-defense stuff.
But that’s just my thoughts.
The Gracie system markets their stuff as self-defense.
Pretty much all of the self-defense stuff used in the Gracie self-defense system is legal in MMA, BJJ, and no-gi competitions. You will almost never see it used in those situations because it is not very effective (except for the headlock escapes).
It is ironic that most of the self-defense techniques are not used full force (except for the headlock escapes). Practicing full force against resisting opponents is the biggest factor that makes BJJ so effective.
Gracie JJ doesn't exactly have a reputation for being open to other styles or schools of thought.
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when stuff like that is taught. They want to be taught sport stuff and to roll live as oppose to practicing self-defense. 
