SINGAPORE — She learned boxing from her elder brother about 10 years ago, but it recently occurred to Ms Nur Qistina Shaffian that she needed to be better equipped in the art of self-defence.

So she turned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

In March this year, the Singapore Institute of Technology student attended her first jiu-jitsu class at martial arts academy Impact MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).

"There seemed to be more cases of assault happening to women, as seen in the news and on social media, so I wanted to learn how to defend myself if someone were to attack me or grab me from behind," the 25-year-old said.

Several martial art academies that offer Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes told TODAY that they have seen a wave of interest in the sport, with some reporting up to 40 per cent increase in new membership signups in recent years.

However, self-defence is not the only reason people had chosen to pick up jiu-jitsu. For some, chasing glory in competition is what drives them.

Such is the case for 16-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion Jedd Tan, who joined martial arts academy Evolve MMA at the beginning of 2022 and began trying out muay thai, boxing, mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu.

He eventually chose to specialise in jiu-jitsu, managing to get his blue belt after just 11 months of training. This is much faster than the average jiu-jitsu practitioner, who would typically take one to two years to receive their blue belt.

Now, with two gold medals in regional jiu-jitsu competitions, Jedd is already establishing a name for himself in the sport.

He is set to represent Singapore in the upcoming World IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu 2023 Championship in Long Beach, California in June, and will be competing in the Blue Belt — Juvenile 1 (16 years old) division, in the super-heavyweight category.

The championship is one of the most prestigious international jiu-jitsu tournaments.

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU'S RISE IN POPULARITY

Unlike other combat sports like boxing which primarily focuses on striking the opponent, Brazilian jiu-jitsu revolves around grappling and ground fighting techniques, with the eventual goal of controlling and submitting the opponent through joint locks and chokes.

While jiu-jitsu is still a niche sport compared with other martial arts forms, the participation of several celebrities has thrust it into the spotlight.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg recently made the news when he won gold and silver medals at a competition in California.

Mr Paul Lim, 25, a student at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, has seen a rise in jiu-jitsu's popularity in his eight years of training in the martial art.

“I think jiu-jitsu is definitely getting more popular with it being included in regional sports events such as the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games. We also have more celebrities and successful people doing it now,” he said.

Mr Melvin Keh, 29, a gym manager of Impact MMA, said an average of 15 members attend its weekend jiu-jitsu classes. He has seen a 20 per cent increase in overall signups for jiu-jitsu classes over the past three years.

Mr Chance Wanlass, a 53-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach and co-owner of martial arts academy Singapore Submission Grappling, said there were few schools offering "hardcore" Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes when he arrived in Singapore from the United States in 2012.

“There were about five schools that taught Brazilian jiu-jitsu seriously back in 2012, and I would estimate that there were around 300 people in Singapore practising jiu-jitsu,” he said.

“Now, there are easily 1,500, maybe 1,800, people practising jiu-jitsu in Singapore, with more than 25 schools that offer various levels of jiu-jitsu.”

Based on an online search, TODAY found 27 martial art academies offering Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes.

Mr Wanlass has noticed a 40 per cent increase in new memberships over the past three months, with the academy now boasting more than 150 active members.

According to him, jiu-jitsu now is not as competition-focused as it was in the past.

“Now, more people do it for hobby and lifestyle, which makes it a very good environment for beginners,” he added.

New practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu cite various reasons for taking up the sport.

Ms Tiew Jia Hui, a 24-year-old intern at social media agency Socialyse, does it to work on her fitness, in addition to her gym sessions.

“I’ve never done any martial arts before, but jiu-jitsu seemed beginner-friendly to me. I also look at it as a social activity with friends," she said.

Mr Hang Fong Khye Jarel, 23, a student at the Singapore Institute of Technology, feels that jiu-jitsu helps to improve his problem-solving skills. 

“Jiu-jitsu has a lot of moves, a bit like human chess. When your opponent challenges you with a move, you need to know how to counter it correctly,” he said.