The martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a transformative and self-defining activity for many participants. This ethnography explores how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu becomes a transformative practice. Through the use of thick participation and theories of embodiment this thesis proposes that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu's intense physicality facilitates community building. This thesis considers the role of gender within this community and suggests that re-learning the body through ritual and embodied knowledge can lead to an altered body-mind experience.