Photo Credit: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Since 1925, over 40 members of the Gracie Family have dedicated their lives to developing the jiu-jitsu system of self defense.  From its roots also sprang the ever popular MMA and the now ubiquitous UFC. So what is Jiu-Jitsu and why should you incorporate its practice? It's not solely a martial art; it is also a method for promoting physical fitness. We've tapped the Gracies themselves to provide a list of the 10 best reasons to try Jiu-Jitsu.

1. Jiu-jitsu is a great source of cardiovascular exercise which promotes good overall health.
    
2. Jiu-jitsu is a great core workout which helps a person with overall stability and balance.
    
3. In addition to the health benefits, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu teaches very important self-defense techniques that may help to save a person's life if caught in a situation with a physically aggressive opponent.
    
4. When a person knows how to defend himself or herself physically, they feel more confident!
    
5. Jiu-jitsu is a very family-oriented sport. It's a lifestyle that can be practiced by a family as a whole.
    
6. The more well-versed a person is in jiu-jitsu, the more they learn to be calm under pressure, which can help a person learn to relax during normal hectic problems of their daily encounters.
    
7. Since jiu-jitsu is a close contact martial art with many training partners, it's a great way to make friends.
    
8. Promotes a healthy diet. Whether a person trains competitively or leisurely, it's common for practitioners of the sport to adopt the entire jiu-jitsu lifestyle, which entails a healthy diet.
    
9. Learning the intricate jiu-jitsu techniques helps promote problem solving and critical thinking skills.
    
10. Jiu-Jitsu is for everybody, regardless of age, sex, or physical limitations! Based on the gentle nature of jiu-jitsu, its range of practitioners is vast!