Exploring the world
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

For some people, the term "martial arts" conjures images of The Karate Kid and the film’s lead character, Daniel, kicking his leg or breaking a plank of wood with his bare hands.
Not all martial arts require extreme flexibility or splintering building materials, however. Brazilian jiu-jitsu, for one, is more about ground contact with an opponent and keeping the ego in check. Locally, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United, at 6740 Bustleton Ave. in Castor Gardens, offers classes to white and brown belts alike.
The Times got to experience the action last week as your intrepid reporter took an adult BJJ class with the school’s owner, Jared Weiner. He noted that telecasts of competitive mixed martial-arts bouts, which include BJJ, on pay-per-view are turning on people from all walks of life to the form.
Weiner, 28, a former professional skateboarder, began studying BJJ in 1995 and recently became a black belt. He has traveled all over the world, including Brazil, to train and compete. He chose the Bustleton Avenue location to set up his school because of the strong Brazilian community that encircles it.
"It’s a mixed community," Weiner said. "I have a really good relationship with other Brazilian businesses. We have a ton of Brazilian students. Some nights, there are more Brazilians than Americans."
One is Brazilian Top Team black belt Wilson Reis, 21, who stays in the U.S. for a few months at a time to train and compete. While Japanese master Mitsuo Maeda brought jiu-jitsu to Brazil in 1914, BJJ did not gain popularity in the U.S. until the 1990s.
In Brazil, Reis noted, "It’s part of the culture." The sport is second in popularity behind soccer, he added.
One difference between BJJ and other martial arts is that instructors also compete, even after receiving their black belts. In turn, Weiner will not give a black belt to just anyone.
"You have to know the teacher," he said. "I want to be a brother. I won’t give a belt (to a student) just because they’re awesome."
BJJ specializes in submission grappling, or ground fighting, which includes chokes and arm locks. Weiner said there are several BJJ schools in the Philadelphia area — a testament, he believes, to the form’s growing popularity.
People choose BJJ for a variety of reasons, not just to learn how to fight or compete, Weiner claimed. His roughly 100 students differ in gender, age and physical ability.
Student Jay Gratzinger is candid about why he started doing BJJ.
"I was fat," explained the 31-year-old professional. "I was out of shape. I had studied martial arts in the past. Jiu-jitsu was one thing I wanted to do."
Andrew Sanderbeck, 22, started taking classes four weeks ago. The collegiate swimmer said the workout he gets from BJJ is more intense.
"I’m tired at the end," he said.
He’s also more clear-headed.
"I feel more comfortable when I’m on my way home about things that happened during the day," he said.
Les Hirsch’s son Max, 16, participates in high school soccer and wrestling. He started training at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United almost a year ago. He already has progressed to his blue belt and is nationally ranked in mixed martial-arts competition.
"I’m going to be doing this in a few months," Hirsch said.
Students practice on padded mats and wear a heavy gi, or kimono. A typical class involves 30 minutes of warm-ups and conditioning, 30 minutes of technique practice with a partner, and 30 minutes of free sparring.
The "warm-up" actually feels more like a full-out cardiovascular routine. The class jogged around the mat several times, which didn’t seem too tiresome. But then Weiner added difficulty by making students hold their arms out in front of them, pop up their knees, hop on both feet and walk in a crouching position.
Things were going smoothly for your Times reporter until she tripped on the mat and stubbed her big toe — twice.
"Are you OK?" Weiner asked.
He let me stand out the next exercise — scooting backward across the mat on your bottom. I joined back in for what looked like a manageable move: dragging my body across the mat using only my hands.
In reality, the exercise is a lot harder than it seems. It is used to strengthen the upper body, so if you lack power there, it’s a difficult journey to the other side of the mat. Some students struggled, stopping in the middle to regain their breath. But everybody eventually got back up and kept going.
After doing crunches and push-ups in a circle, students partnered up to learn and practice new moves.
I worked with petite but powerful instructor Sharon Bonewicz. Weiner said one of the notable things about BJJ is that size doesn’t have to matter.
"It really breaks people’s egos down," he said. "A big guy can get torn up by a small guy."
Or a small girl. Bonewicz is a brown belt and Pan American medalist who travels to Brazil every year to train and compete.
The class first learned a straight-arm lock from the closed guard. At the end, one opponent’s neck is trapped between another opponent’s legs. The one who submits — or is defeated — taps his opponent to alert him that he’s had enough.
The second position was a sweep from the closed guard to the mounted position. It involves one opponent who lies on his back and rolls another opponent onto the person’s back.
Bonewicz gave good feedback to strengthen my technique.
"Get a good grip on my gi," she advised during the sweep move. "Keep your leg close to mine. Kick your leg into my armpit."
In the end, Weiner gave me a "thumbs-up" for effort.
So, BJJ is not an easy sport. The cardio workout the class provides conditions the entire body. The next day, my forearms, abdomen and upper back ached. The students do give mutual support and respect during class, which helps keep the advanced and the unskilled "United".
For people who stick with the martial art, the benefits are many.
"There’s one student who has lost about thirty pounds in a few weeks," Hirsch observed. "You can just tell in the way he walks and acts, it’s changing him."
Whatever the fancy or fitness level, Weiner never turns an eager student away.
"I give everybody an equal chance," he said. ••
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United offers classes Monday through Saturday for all levels. For more information, call Weiner at 215-333-4660 or visit www.BJJUnited.com
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 15-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com