BJJ is a grappling art that is practiced primarily on the ground. To the outsider, it may appear to be very similar to wrestling. The difference is that BJJ is the art of submission - or getting your practice partner into a position where they have no alternative other than to "give up" or "submit". This is done with a variety of joint locks and chokes that are all designed to be very effective without injuring your partner.
One of the best aspects of BJJ is that, unlike many other martial arts, you can practice at 100% - meaning you don't have to "pull punches" so to speak. That might sound like a scary proposition but, as effective as BJJ is, it is still a very gentle art and you can practice all day long and not get injured.
Once you have a properly applied technique, your partner will not be able to escape and will have to "tap out" which ends the match with no one getting hurt. In a self-defense situation, you have the option of taking the techniques further than you ever would in class actually causing injury or unconsciousness!
