April 19, 2023,
Instruction by experts at a Dojo is wonderful.
An argument could be made that there is no better place to learn the varied disciplines of MMA.
Practicing with a friend, trained in MMA, is good too.
Studying and learning Jiu-Jitsu from an expert and top level pro, absolutely has its benefit as well.
Especially when it comes to learning Jiu-Jitsu.
Jiu-jitsu is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponents.
Sometimes when people say, she is trained in MMA, including us, trust us, mostly what that means is, she is trained in Jiu-Jitsu. There are other Mixed Martial Arts but in our opinion, Jiu-Jitsu reigns supreme.
Part of the reasoning for that is the concept itself.
"Jū" can be translated as "gentle, soft, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding", and "jutsu" can be translated as "art or technique". "Jujutsu" thus has the meaning of "yielding-art", as its core philosophy is to manipulate the opponent's force against themself rather than confronting it with one's own force.
Make sense?
Jujutsu developed to combat the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no form of weapon, or only a short weapon.
Because striking against an armored opponent proved ineffective, practitioners learned that the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws.
These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against them, rather than directly opposing it.
Time to look at one of the best Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.
The top MMA star and Jiu-Jitsu specialist McKenzie Dern is someone who has a lot to offer.
Mackenzie Dern is an American professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.
She is a former world No. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor, currently ranked 6th among the female divisions.
fciwomenswrestling.com femcompetitor.com, fcielitecompetitor.com fciwomenswrestling2.com grapplingstars.com UFC-photo-credit-Youtube-Screenshot-Editorial-use
She is an ADCC and no gi BJJ (black belt) World Champion.
As of November 8, 2022, she is #7 in the UFC women's strawweight rankings.
Very impressive.
In December of 2021, here is what our associates at FCI Women’s Wrestling magazine (fciwomenswrestling.com) had to say about her, “Being objective in writing about a sports star or Hollywood luminary is much easier if you have no emotional attachment involved.
Writing about a celebrity in either field that you are mesmerized by greatly limits your objectivity.
It is hard to be objective in writing about the MMA star Mackenzie Dern.
First of all, she is incredibly good looking with punches filled with charisma, which impels you to want to know all about her.”
Yes, we always want to know more about Mackenzie. If you are ascending in your Jiu-Jitsu training, maybe you should too.
Even going back to her childhood.
As a child, Mackenzie grew up traveling back and forth between Arizona and her father's native Brazil.
She began training by the age of three and practicing with her father and stepmother who is also a black belt, Luciana Tavares.
Mackenzie started competing at a young age, and began competing in the adult divisions at 14 years old. She has won a world championship in every belt level as she progressed to black belt rank, which was awarded to her by her father in December 2012, three months prior to her 20th birthday.
Ms. Dern is fluent in English and Portuguese. She has stated that Portuguese has become her primary tongue.
Due to her six, 1st place finishes at the Asian Open, Mackenzie is the only female Jiu-Jitsu competitor to have won Gold Medals, at Black Belt level, at each of the 5 principal and highest ranking IBJJF Gi Championships.
The other events are the Worlds, the Euros, the Pan Ams and the Brazilian Nationals. One of her biggest achievements in BJJ came when she managed to defeat Gabi Garcia despite a huge weight difference, becoming one of the few women to do so.
Look first hand at some of her Jiu-Jitsu work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF0NukDg7Po -
Top Submissions: Mackenzie Dern
Pretty amazing right?
In the fully competitive female submission wrestling world, as we watch extensive videos, the largest separator between competitors is knowing Jiu-Jitsu and applying it well.
If you are new to female submission wrestling, it is critical to learn Jiu-Jitsu and look to great examples.
Let’s look to another super star example.
Bianca Basílio, also known as Bia Basílio, is a submission grappler, mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor.
A multiple time world champion in colored belts, Ms. Basílio is the 2022 black belt World Jiu-Jitsu Champion, a 2019 Pan American Champion, ADCC Submission Fighting World Champion and a three times Abu Dhabi World Pro Champion.
After practicing gymnastic for a few years she discovered Jiu-Jitsu. From the age of 12 she started training with Diogo Almeida, the co-founder of Almeida JJ, at a social project in the back of his house.
Talk about powerful bonds and childhood memories.
After receiving her orange belt brother Caio Almeida took over her training. At 15 she won her first world title in the blue belt junior division.
In 2016, as a brown belt, Ms. Basílio won the Brazil Nationals, the Pan-American Championship and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, resulting in her promotion to black belt in December of the same year by her teachers, Caio and Diego Almeida.
In June 2022 Basílio became the 2022 World Jiu-Jitsu Champion after defeating Amanda Canuto via advantages (0-0, 3-0 advantages).
Now, as a newer female grappler, if you want to learn from one of the best, Bianca is a perfect example, as well.
The greats of Jiu-Jitsu have their strengths. Bianca’s was the “foot lock”.
Check out this YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D67CLoE7oY
Bianca is relentless and incredible. She has quite a few YouTube videos that are absolutely worth checking out.
Mackenzie and Bianca. Those are two stellar examples.
We love a good book, don’t you?
When it comes to obtaining insights on learning Jiu-Jitsu, this appears to be a good one.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Basic Techniques Paperback – May 15, 2007
By Fabio Gurgel (Author)
“This comprehensive guide to “the gentle art” by one of its foremost practitioners and teachers helps readers master the fundamentals on which a confident self-defense or professional competition career are based. The book covers the history and theory of jiu-jitsu; contains extensive sections on practical techniques such as strikes, holds, locks, throws, and evasions; distinguishes Brazilian lineages such as ground fighting and sudden attack techniques from other traditions; and shows readers how they can overcome any attacker, with as little effort and physical strength as possible.”
Sounds very effective.
If you are new to the female submission wrestling game, or mostly experienced in traditional grappling, learning and perfecting Jiu-Jitsu will take your game to a whole different level.
Especially if you learn from and imitate the best.
Like Mackenzie Dern.
~ ~ ~
OPENING PHOTO Nomad_Soul-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-usefciwomenswrestling.com femcompetitor.com, fcielitecompetitor.com fciwomenswrestling2.com grapplingstars.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackenzie_Dern
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jujutsu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bianca_Bas%C3%ADlio
https://www.fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
https://fciwomenswrestling.com/
