BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a self defence martial art which finds its roots in early Judo as founded by Jigaro Kano in the late 19th century. It uses leverage, control and pins, to submit and subdue an opponent. This can be very effective when you have an opponent who is a lot bigger and not very technically adept, making the art very effective for people of a smaller stature. It was a Martial Art that had been altered and developed by the Gracie family in Brazil in early to mid 20th Century. The art is always developing with new concepts because of its problem solving nature, this makes the art fluid enough to look at and test new ideas.

At Sasquatch Studios Jurassic Coast, we’re passionate about Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and are dedicated to providing quality martial arts instruction to children and adults of all skill levels. Our team of experienced and knowledgeable instructors, led by Chris Hearn, is committed to helping our students reach their goals.

We also practice something we call submission wrestling which has similarities to jiu jitsu and also some differences. One main difference is that this is trained in sports clothes like board shorts, spats or rash guards. Meaning you have use you weight and control of the limbs differently to control your opponent, rather than relying on grips to help achieve this.

While fundamentally they are similar, there are subtle differences in some aspects as well as the rule set, which is why we teach these and view these as different sports.

At sasquatch studios we adhere to a belt system which is advised by the international Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). This gives us guidelines on minimum time periods spent on each belt. These are slightly different for children who do BJJ. 

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The things we look for as instructors fall under 3 main categories. 

• Attendance

• Attitude

• Technical ability