Since he burst onto the scene as George St. Pierre’s grappling coach in the late 2000’s, John Danaher has risen to be recognized as one of the foremost minds in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and competitive grappling. More than just a coach, Danaher has garnered a reputation as a philosopher of the art. His social media is read by hundreds of thousands, serving as daily inspiration for students around the world. Danaher is able to take the complex and often contradictory rules of jiu-jitsu and break them down into universal concepts.

Practitioners across the globe continue to use jujitsu as a tool for personal development. For many, the jujitsu academy is the one place in which we purposefully practice virtuous action. On Jiu Jitsu seeks to codify the mechanisms by which jujitsu shapes the individual, as the character traits required to achieve mastery in sport are the same that our highest humanity requires.

This is a manual designed to get white belts to competent blue belts in as fast a time as possible. Zen Jiu Jitsu is more a rendition of concepts than techniques. This is the simplest and easiest way to break down and simplify the many and varied ideas, philosophies, and combinations in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu arsenal. For both competition Jiu Jitsu and self-defense Jiu Jitsu, most white belts need to fully understand the concepts, but they can be VERY confusing!

Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art; it is a lifestyle that promotes health, confidence, self-determination, and balance. Famed jiu-jitsu instructor Rener Gracie presents the core teachings of jiu-jitsu and explains how they can apply to all of our daily lives.

From legendary Brazilian jujitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.