What brings surfing and jiu jitsu together?

For some strange reason these two sports have an unusual connection. It seems that many practitioners of jiu jitsu enjoy surfing and vice versa. Since they aren't related sports, as surfing would be to skateboarding, or jiu jitsu to other martial arts, it raises the question... why do these sports overlap in the way that they do? Well sure, lots of people like to participate in more than one sport but I think there's more to it than that. I already pointed out that Rickson and Royler, two of the best in the world at jiu jitsu, also like to surf. But did you know that two of the world's best surfers, the Irons brothers Andy and Bruce, also train jiu jitsu? I think that's a pretty interesting coincidence, don't you?

Well, I don't really know for sure why these sports have the relationship that they do, but I have at least one idea about it. I think it has to do with the beaches in Brazil, particularly around Rio de Janeiro where jiu jitsu developed some of it's fame and surfing was also very popular. Also many surfers might be interested in learning martial arts because of the conflicts that arise when scrambling for waves in a crowded area, and jiu jitsu has proved itself very effective for self defense.

Please share any other opinions you guys might have! (post a comment or email surfjitsu@gmail.com)