The New
CHRISTIAN DERR
People are increasingly taking to the mats to practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a combat sport used by mixed martial arts fighters. But the training benefits also reach well outside the match zone. By Michele Chiappetta
Mixed martial arts is so in right now that it’s probably no wonder your children are asking about training in the sport. Maybe you’re thinking about it too. Whether you’re watching MMA celebrities like Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Jon “Bones” Jones duke it out on the sport’s bar screen or watching from your couch in the comfort of your own home, this sport keeps viewers on the edge of their seats anticipating thrills, devastating athletic moves, and even some blood. It’s no wonder many people are itching to try out some of those moves for themselves. One of the martial arts in the MMA pantheon that people gravitate to in fascination is a seemingly simple yet potent fighting form known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Christian Derr, owner and chief trainer at Clinch Martial Arts Academy in Owasso, provides classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to many Green Country area residents. It’s a sport that is growing in popularity here. “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art very similar to wrestling,” says Derr, “but instead of trying to pin your opponent’s shoulders to the mat, we are trying to make our opponent give up or submit. There are not a lot of fancy moves but a focus on doing very basic techniques against a fully resisting opponent. It doesn’t rely on strength or power but on technique and leverage. Through the use of proper leverage and technique, a smaller, weaker JUSTIN SHEPHERD person can defeat a larger, stronger person.”
38 FEBRUARY 2017