Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training available in Arlee

By B.L. Azure

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor Aaron Brien (bottom) maneuvers Cole Rice into a submission hold. (B.L. Azure photo)

ARLEE — Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a relatively new form of self-defense martial arts but its roots run deep in the Japanese martial art of Judo. In 1904 five experts in Jiu-do, a derivative of Judo with different goals, philosophy and training regime, were dispatched throughout the world from Japan to spread the physical and philosophical mantra of Jiu-do.

Its founder, Kano Jigoro wanted Judo to be more than a martial art. He envisioned it as a competitive sport, a method of promoting physical fitness, a character builder for young people and eventually a way of life.

It eventually morphed into Jiu Jitsu until 1925 when the Japanese government mandated that the martial art taught in schools should be officially called Judo.

One of the five dispatched, Mitsuyo Maeda, eventually arrived in Brazil in late-1914. The martial art caught on quickly there and newspapers referred to it as Jiu Jitsu and the name stuck. The Brazilians added to the martial art and it became known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. At the forefront of the Jiu Jitsu movement in Brazil was the Gracie family who took it upon themselves to promote their version of the martial art sport. When the Gracies arrived in the United States in the early 1900s their form of the art was called Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it stuck.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu spread throughout the United States and eventually Montana. Last fall it arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation in the hands of Aaron Brien, a member of the Crow Tribe. Brien has been involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2006 when he started training in Missoula while attending the University of Montana. He soon found that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was a perfect fit for him.

“This is something I had a knack for. I fell in love with this,” Brien said. “It’s one of the best sports to build character.”

Cousins Carter Clinkenbeard and Cole Rice loosen up with some leg moves at the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes in the Arlee schools’ wrestling room. (B.L. Azure photo)

Brien moved to the reservation when his wife, Misty accepted a job in the Arlee school system. Soon after his arrival last year he got the idea to offer training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to anyone interested. His main goal was to get Indian youth and adolescents involved in it, to offer them another option for participation in a sporting activity.

“I originally wanted to do this to get Indian kids involved but it is not just for Indians it is open to the community,” Brien said. “Everyone is welcome. This is an opportunity for kids to do something new, an option they didn’t have.”

He said he couldn’t have done what he is doing without the blessing of the Arlee School District. He approached Superintendent John Miller and told him what he wanted to do and requested the use of district facilities, in this case the wrestling room in the junior high school. Miller gave him the green light with the stipulation that the offering had to be available to all in the school district.

Brien began offering the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes last October. He teaches an Americanized version of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. “We Americanize everything in this country. We always want to put our mark on something, make it bigger and better,” he said. “We teach them grappling not fighting.”

In the beginning there were 24 people from adolescents to adults. That has now settled down to about 15 people including a half-dozen Indian youngsters. Students come from Arlee, Ronan, Polson, St. Ignatius, Missoula and Darby. They have formed the 406 Jiu Jitsu Club and have their sights set on becoming involved in team and/or individual competition.

“This is very much a team sport,” Brien said.

Brien participates in regional Mixed Martial Arts and traditional Jiu Jitsu competitions. He said an individual is only as good as their training partner(s).

“There is a real practical side of what I’m doing but there are also selfish reasons,” Brien said. “It provides me with training partners while introducing them to something new. It also does a lot for me other than the physical aspect of it. I enjoy coaching and seeing people develop the skills needed for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.”

Brien said Brazilian Jiu Jitsu both physical and cerebral.

“Every muscle is used but the most important thing is the mental. What chess is to checkers, jiu jitsu is to boxing,” Brien said. “It’s like a philosopher talking to a punch drunk boxer. You learn a lot about yourself and your character because in the end it is just ‘you’ out there on the mats.”

Brien said he is satisfied with the turnout for the training classes.

“It seems to be working so far, which is cool,” he said. “It has turned into something greater than I thought it would have.”

Brien plans on offering training lessons to younger kids, around seven or eight years old.

“I would like to do a kids class, perhaps once a week,” Brien said, adding that the focus would be on proper warm ups and positioning before moving on to submission and grappling basics.

Arlee High School sophomore Bryce Norling said he became interested in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after watching competition on TV. He said he knew a little bit about the arm braces and choke holds but little else until he became involved in Brien’s program.

Norling plays football and wrestles for the Arlee Warriors and said that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and working out in the weight room keep him active and in shape.

“I would like to keep this going all year round,” Brien said. “I enjoy teaching and seeing people develop their skills. I want all these guys to be better than me.”

The classes are every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-8 p.m. They are open to all people without charge.

For more information, contact Aaron Brien at 529-7991.