Tapping Into the Richness of Tradition

I recall watching the Ultimate Fighting Championship's first competition in 1993. Martial arts experts from many disciplines entered the contest. Judo, grappling, striking, boxing, sumo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwon do, and kung fu were all there. The fighter who prevailed though this immense array of accomplished fighters was Royce Gracie, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master. He weighed 180 lbs and looked the least dangerous of all the fighters but was able to submit three opponents in relatively easy matches. Gracie is a lifelong practitioner of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, developed by his father Helio. For over 90 years, the Gracie name has stood for one of the most effective defensive martial arts in the world. When Royce entered the octagon, he was escorted by about a dozen family members. The use of leverage against the opponent and removing the opponent's strengths are key concepts to the style of fighting. Royce seems to be intensely proud of his heritage and takes the responsibility of fighting for his discipline very seriously. In fact, I saw one of his recent matches and Royce was very close to getting his arm broken but he simply refused to submit. His father and brother threw in the towel for him knowing Royce would rather have his arm broken than submit.

What is a source of rich history and tradition that you can tap into?

http://www.gracieacademy.com/