 | |
| Also known as | GB |
|---|---|
| Date founded | 1986[1] |
| Country of origin | Brazil / US |
| Founder | Carlos Gracie Jr |
| Arts taught | Brazilian jiu-jitsu |
| Ancestor schools | Academia Gracie |
| Practitioners | |
| Official website | graciebarra |
Gracie Barra (GB) is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy and team co-funded in 1986 by Carlos Gracie Jr., a son of Carlos Gracie, one of the founders of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
The Gracie Barra academy was established in 1986 by Carlos Gracie Jr. (known as Carlinhos) at the Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.[1] Gracie, a son of Carlos Gracie Sr. one of the founders of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, had been head coach at the main Gracie academy in Downtown Rio de Janeiro, before leading his brother Rolls Gracie's school in Copacabana, following his tragic death in a hang-gliding accident.[2] The academy became known as Gracie Barra in reference to the neighborhood.[3]
In a year the academy went from 20 to 200 members including some of the students Gracie had coached at his brother's academy, such as Jean Jacques Machado and Renzo Gracie.[1] The team became one of the best in the world, winning the World Championship multiple times. In 2002 Gracie Barra competition team members won 8 gold medals in the men's black belt division.[4]
In 2005, with the assistance of Marcio Feitosa, Gracie moved the team's headquarters to Irvine California, United States.[1] In 2010 Gracie Barra created the instructors' certification program. Gracie Barra has graduated more than 500 black belts all over the world.[1]
Gracie Barra CompNet (Competition Network) are tournaments held between GB schools with rules based on the IBJJF, the first CompNet tournament was held in June 2008 at the Gracie Barra Headquarters.[5]
