Brazilian jiu jitsu schools can trace their roots to the early 1920s when the Gracie family began to learn jiu jitsu from a master visiting from Japan. Gracie Jiu-jitsu developed from the teaching Hélio Gracie and his brothers received into a discipline that would allow a smaller fighter to best a bigger and stronger one. Hélio continued to adapt the martial art techniques so that they became even more efficient and soon he was earning the respect of those around him.