About

The martial art of jiu jitsu was first developed in feudal Japan, as defensive system of last resort for samurai: if a warrior was unarmed and faced with violence, striking and grappling was employed to subdue an assailant. As the culture modernized, jiu jitsu evolved into a self defense practice which relies more on takedowns, throws and ground fighting. In the early 20th century, Mitsuo Maeda, a Japanese immigrant into Brazil, introduced the Gracie family to the art. The Gracies updated and streamlined the combative techniques and tested it in countless bouts and challenge matches. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is now one of the most popular systems of self defense and combat sport in the world.

Academy owner and lead instructor David Cronenwett has been an active student and practitioner of jiu jitsu since 1996, and received his black belt, after many years of moving around Montana, in October 2015.

Helena BJJ is an affiliate of Lovato Jiu Jitsu Association, led by American grappling legend, Rafael Lovato.