In the fall of the 2018-2019 school year, the Athletics Department will introduce Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a new intramural sport, to the Choate campus. Dr. Edrik Lopez, who this year joined the School’s English Department, holds a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and will be coaching this sport in the fall. Dr. Lopez also coaches wrestling and softball.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling-based sport. The goal is to submit an opponent or win by points, which can be done by getting an advantageous position. There are few rules for the sport, but the most important forbids striking. Through proper technique, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu allows smaller fighters to defeat larger opponents.
Dr. Lopez said, “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a highly addictive sport where a participant learns and practices grappling techniques in a friendly environment. It is low-impact on the joints. Participants learn how to grapple and defend themselves on the ground. In our class, we’ll follow the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation point system which recognizes the self-defense advantage of various positions.”
He continued, “Originally, Jiu-Jitsu is a self-defense art that settled the eternal question of which martial art was actually the most effective. There were experts from all different disciplines like judo, boxing, and kickboxing who were going to fight it out in a tournament style setting, and Jiu Jitsu won. That is how modern MMA, or UFC, was born. No worries, we are not doing UFC! Just grappling. Our class is a sport.”
When asked about potential injury, Dr. Lopez said, “There’s always the risk of injury in any sport. Our class will be especially geared toward beginner techniques. We’re going to be practicing the ‘catch and release’ method.”
Lastly, Dr. Lopez addresses who would benefit the most from this new addition. He explains, “I highly recommend jiu-jitsu for current wrestlers or anyone interested in wrestling but were afraid to try something as intense. I believe they’ll discover the reason why jiu-jitsu is the fastest growing sport in the U.S. Schools typically charge $125-$200 per month. In our small town of Wallingford, there are three academies that are thriving. To be able to take it for free at Choate would be many people’s envy. Jiu-jitsu will help your cardio and core. You will find no jiu-jitsuka who is not heart or core healthy. It will help with balance, particularly total body orientation and movement.”
Above all, Choate students look forward to participating in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and taking advantage of another unique opportunity on campus.
