Part 3/14:
The Roots and Evolution of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil
Machado details that until 1993, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was largely a regional practice confined to wealthy neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro. It was primarily a self-defense art, with very few tournaments—sometimes only one or two annually—and practices rooted in personal protection rather than sport.
The first generations of the Machado and Gracie families trained during this era, implementing techniques that relied heavily on leverage and positional control. The traditional focus was on aiming to defend oneself rather than competing for championships, which were rare and modest in size.