Classes for the popular martial art jujitsu have been in high demand at both Oxnard and Ventura colleges.

There are only two jujitsu classes offered and every semester they fill up quickly. Students like Israel Vasquez, a 21-year-old paralegal and theology major at Oxnard College, appreciate the opportunity to enroll.

“The class is very fun,” said Vasquez. “As a martial artist, I like to spread my knowledge of martial arts. Here, I get a chance with one of the best jujitsu teachers.”

Graciela Casillas-Tortorelli, Oxnard College physical education professor and jujitsu instructor, has been involved with various forms of martial arts for over 36 years. She believes the class has become popular because of its mainstream popularity and the advertising of the sport by the Gracies, a Brazilian family who are recognized with the emergence of the martial art in today’s society.

“Obviously, because of the Gracies promoting it, because as people, we like to see contact, we like boxing, we like to see people get beat up,” said Casillas-Tortorelli, when asked about jujitsu’s popularity. “The reality of it is that humans enjoy that.”

Richard Goff, a criminal justice professor at Ventura College, teaches the Monday night jujitsu class. Goff also credits the Gracies and the use of jujitsu in the mainstream media for its success.

“I credit martial arts movies,” said Goff. “People like Jet Li and Jackie Chan in particular. “The martial arts are more mainstream in movies, it becomes more mainstream [and] it gets more popular.”

Casillas-Tortorelli focuses on teaching students how to apply the skills they learn from jujitsu to everyday life.

“My students show up, we warm up thoroughly and then we learn different tactics that are really more for the street,” she said. “Many of the tactics I teach are translatable [to competitive jujitsu].”

According to Casillas-Tortorelli, jujitsu is a good thing to learn. Both teachers agree that it helps to build confidence, can help saves lives as it teaches defensive mechanisms and also helps with body movements.

Goff believes jujitsu is beneficial because it is a good work out and it teaches someone how to defend themselves.

Mario Cesar Cardona, a 20-year-old nursing major at OC, is currently taking Casillas-Tortorelli class.

“It’s really fun and it’s a lot of self defense that I can use everyday on the street, because you don’t know who might attack you,” Cardona said. “What we do here is you learn how to defend ourselves in the street. The teacher here [Casillas-Tortorelli] teaches us how to avoid and maneuver through contact.”