Breathe: A Life in Flow – A New York Times Bestselling Memoir of Martial Arts and Personal Growth

by Rickson Gracie, Peter Maguire, Jocko Willink (Foreword)

From legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA master Rickson Gracie comes a riveting, insightful memoir that weaves together the story of Gracie’s stunning career with the larger history of the Gracie family dynasty and the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, showing how the connection between mind and body can be harnessed for success both inside and outside the ring.

Undefeated from the late 1970s through his final fight in the Tokyo Dome in 2000, Rickson Gracie amassed hundreds of victories in the street, on the mat, at the beach, and in the ring. He has joined the pantheon that includes Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan as one of the most famous martial artists of the twentieth century. Jiu-Jitsu, the fighting style developed and pioneered by his family, has become one of the world’s most prominent martial arts, and Vale Tudo, the “anything goes” style of Brazilian street fighting over which the Gracies had a monopoly, was an early precursor to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Simply put, without the Gracie family, there would be no sport of “MMA,” no 4-billion-dollar UFC empire, and no “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” at strip malls all across America.

In Breathe, for the first time, Rickson will share the full story of how his father and uncles came to develop Jiu-Jitsu, what it was like to grow up among several generations of world-renowned fighters from the Gracie clan, and the principles and skills that guided him to his undefeated record. From learning to assert himself on the streets of Rio to gaining fame and honor in Japan and emerging through heartbreaking tragedy, the martial arts master shares tales of overcoming challenges, extolling universal virtues and showing readers how pride and ego are the enemies of success. 

With never-before-seen photos and profound insights into the sport and way of life that only a studied legend can provide, Breathe is an entertaining and magnified view of an enduring legacy as well as an inspiring tale of weathering life’s complexities and overcoming them with style and grace.

Genres: Biography, Martial Arts, Nonfiction, Sports, Health, Memoir, Audiobook

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2021

Reviews

[Chuck Kechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I have to say, I respcet the hell out of Rickson Gracie's accomplishments.

That being said, I both really liked and was disappointed in his book: Breathe: A Life in Flow. It was "great" getting to see "behind the curtain" a bit- to see how and where he was raised and how that drove his evolution. To get a personal "road map" into his family's history and the history of the development of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (and thus Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu). How he dealt with the deaths of his older family member Rolls Gracie and his son Rockson.

But.

I was hoping for more than just a hint (if we even got that) of what he did to drive that evolution. A few chapters had a sentence to two, or maybe a small paragraph on some highlights - mindfulness, breath control, Ginastica Natural, etc. but nothing of any real depth.

Maybe I was being overly hopeful that he would "catalog" a few of these areas.

Still.

It is an excellent read. And, one I'd recommend - especially to those who study combat sports.

[Joseph Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like biographies of successful people. But only if they share details on how they developed internally to get where they have been.

This book is like a top rated apple pie. The crust and appearance is described in detail. But none of the ingredients are shared for the benefit of the reader. I love material arts. I train almost every day. And I love feeding off of people. I enjoy learning from others. But this book, all though it has its moments of entertainment for the martial artist...as a whole...the material lacks any instructionianal lessons, motivational teachings for creating drive, mental focus, etc.

The book is an external storyline of Rickson. The content is not holistic. The material does not go beyond the surface history of the Gracie family. Its mostly for those who are extreme fans of material arts. And enjoy the history of past pioneers in this field.

[Sebastian Gebski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had few people recommending me this book, so I was very surprised with how mediocre it turned out to be :(

Pros:
1. This is a book about Gracies. THOSE Gracies. Folks who have invented BJJ and generations of epic mixed martial artists.
2. It spans across generations, starting with the origins of Gracie family in Brasil.
3. It's an "easy read". Good for running, good for commuting. Doesn't annoy, neither put you to sleep.

Aaaand that's about it - when it comes to Pros :(

Cons:
1. Frankly, the book lacks depth in MANY places: starting with the origins of Gracie JJ (aka BJJ) - there's surprisingly little on how Helio and Carlos have developed the style, why they did it, what they have struggled with, etc. There's far more about how Helio treated his family and what he thought about monogamy ...
2. Rickson was (is) no angel - there were things he simply had to admit (to stay credible), but don't get fooled. The picture he brings here is so sugar-coated that my teeth ached. Just read excerpts about his divorce with Kim, giving up the case with Rockson, why he chosen Pride over UFC or had particular conflicts with other family members. Rickson does EVERYTHING possible to avoid dirty laundering or anything that would make him appear controversial.
3. I like books that I can "get something out" of. That's not the case here. Yeah, I know it's a book about athlete (incredible athlete!), but there were books about athletes that has left me with my mind open (the one about Schwarzenegger, or the one about Raramuri trail runners). "Breathe" doesn't bring much to the table.

So, in the end, 2.5-2.7 stars. As I respect Gracie as an icon, I'm rounding it up to 3.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rickson Gracie is probably the greatest fighter--real fights, not rules restricted sport fighting--in the last 100 years. The stories of what he was capable of have been legends for decades. Some of that is his physical build, but only a little of it can be attributed to that. He is big, but not the biggest guy at all. He is fast, but so are other people. What sets him apart is his training and his mindset.

Training: He grew up being trained in a unique style that was invented by his father and uncle, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It's not world famous, entirely thanks to his family. He started when was still a toddler and lived a life completely consumed by this, dropping out of school at 13 to focus on fighting for money and running training classes. (Plus, he spent several years living a wild, truly lawless life with the gangs of Brazil.)

Mindset: It's not what most people think. He's not a rage machine who is ruthless. He is actually calm, fully present in the moment, accepting of even death if that's what it takes. He describes it as being in the flow state.

If you're into martial arts or pro sports, then this is a fascinating glimpse into the mind of the greatest of all time. I can't resist saying that it's also heartbreaking to me to see the turmoil he has been through in his relationships. From his mother and father to his son and his wife, serious trauma happens again and again. This family figured out how to fight, but they didn't figure out how to live well. They achieved greatness in their field, but at what cost?

[Y.S. Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breathe is an autobiography of Rickson Gracie, a former jiu-jitsu champion and one of the best martial arts practitioners in the world today. Breathe details his upbringing in Brazil, his training, and his ethos in jiu-jitsu and life.

WHAT I LOVE IN THIS BOOK
What is striking about this book is the in-depth examination of the art of jiu-jitsu and its importance outside of the ring to personal development. Lovers of the sport would love the tips, the tricks, and the philosophies of Rickson as he lays them out in the book. Even those who are not into the sport will come to appreciate the level of candour displayed by the author and the lessons jiu-Jitsu provides for all.

WHAT I DISLIKE
The first few chapters delve into the Gracie family and how Rickson came to be born. It looks at the family dynamics and idiosyncrasies of the Gracies. The author presents how it shaped him and made him who he is today.

I feel this section of the book could have been made shorter as it was a tad too long. Having said that, the earlier chapters do provide a solid background and good insights into the rest of the narrative.

WHO THIS IS FOR
Breathe is for practitioners and non-practitioners of jiu-jitsu. Everyone should be able to take one or two lessons from the strange and incredible life of Rickson Gracie.

Many thanks to Dey Street Books for providing a review copy.

[Bianca Bitere · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Getting big cauliflower ears, being in constant pain, having big guys and stinky gi’s sitting on your face -these should not be the prerequisites for learning Jui Juitsu”

I gave this book a 3.5/5 because of many reasons. But I wanted to reflect quickly on the strong points of this book… Rickson is a legend. 1000000%. His fighter mindset, inner peace, and control of emotion are ELITE.

What’s really sticking with me is the beginning of the book sadly. At the beginning, I felt very uncomfortable and disappointed as a woman blue belt reading about the origin of the Gracie jujitsu world - a world I have been opting into for almost 2 yrs now… It was not a space originally created equality for all gender.

Bjj will be about 100 years old in a couple years. Times are very different now. And the misogyny has been well removed (for the most part). Towards the end of the book, Rickson reflects on his daughters and denounces his father’s negative mentally towards women roles.

If anything, it makes me want to be more on the mat and keep investing in my self defense skill set.

Sorry for the rant.
B

[Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. If you are a fan of MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you will definitely love this! I have always heard stories about him and his family but to hear his story was amazing!

You don't have to be into MMA/BJJ to enjoy this story. Highly recommend.

[Smothlin Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book outlining the history of Gracie Jiu Jitsu, the Gracie family, and Rickson's personal history.

[Sebastiaan Reemeijer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had gehoopt dat het ook veel over ademhaling ging, maar dat was helaas niet zo. Verder wel een leuk boek als je in to Jiu Jitsu bent

[Anubis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing they teach you in our academy when starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is that it is in fact called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

The Gracies are probably the most known family of martial artists in the world. There are a lot of legends and myths about them, but also a lot of proven facts which seem contrived and too good to be true. The Gracies have many "enemies"; people are annoyed at them, jealous and envious. So it's often hard to understand some of their history. The Gracie rise was before the internet and cameras on every phone, so a lot of the Gracie legend comes to witness accounts, which could have their own motivation.

Anyways if i go to the book itself, i can only say "wow". I expected a lot from this book given the high reviews, but i was blown away. I don't remember the last time i read a book where i lost sense of time while reading it. Suddenly closing in on the last chapter it was 2am, but i decided to push through and read till the end.

I've read that the Gracies were odd, but holy cow. Rickson literally grew up in a cult and wasn't aware of it. The stories of his life are incredible. Don't want to spoil anything, but a fiction writer would hardly dare to put some of the things i read in a book so it would not sound too unreal.

But where the book shines the most is in the style it's written. I don't remember the last time where i read a book where the author was this direct about himself and his past. Rickson doesn't care what people will say when they will read the book. He is raw. He is honest. He does not try to portray himself as a saint. More importantly, he does not try to apologize for the mistakes he made in his life. He understands the pain that they sometimes caused, but doesn't run away from it or try to rationalize it. He talks about drugs. About sex. About cheating. About fighting. About death.

It's really a great book. Even if you are not a martial artist, you can learn a lot from reading it, and seeing the experience of a man that has experienced as much as Rickson did.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This autobiography of the phenomenal Brazilian Ju Jutsu practitioner, Rickson Gracie, begins with ancestral origins that include a Gracie who fought in the US Civil War through Rickson’s boyhood in Rio and his professional fights in Japan, and onward to how he reinvented himself after family tragedy and the end of his fight career. Along the way, he conveys lessons learned not only through personal experience and from his father and uncle, the founders of Gracie Ju Jutsu, but also through his studies with Olando Cani -- a yogi and developer of bioginastica. While the book is overwhelmingly about a life in Ju Jutsu, Cani’s influence plays a crucial role as the yogi taught Rickson about breath control, and, among a huge pack of skilled Gracie fighters, that ability was pivotal in Rickson’s rise to the top. (The book’s title, “Breathe,” hints at the role breathwork played in Rickson Gracie’s legendary capacities for enduring, flowing, and keeping his head in seemingly unfavorable situations.)

The memoir is candid, offering insights into not only Rickson’s path to success, but also his failings (which, not unexpectedly given his single-minded obsession with Ju Jutsu and fitness, more often involved life as an impetuous youth, as a father, and as a person – generally – than it did his life on the mat.) The book also explores some of the fissures in the Gracie clan and how they grew under the pressure of the family’s mammoth success. With autobiographies, it’s always a challenge to know how true a picture one is getting, but Gracie’s willingness to self-critique makes this book feel truthful.

This book is fascinating and highly engaging. If you’re interested in martial arts, it’s a no-brainer for one’s reading list, but any reader who enjoys a memoir of a life intensely lived will find the book highly readable.

[Sir Nicho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I enjoyed the book it did not improve my opinion of the Gracies. He talks about humility and being humble a lot, but comes across as very egocentric. It reminds me of how I felt after reading BJ Penn's book, an individual who lacks self awareness and has a particular level of naivete. These would be apt descriptions of Rickson as well. Most of the well known sordid bits of his past are glossed over and not gone into detail much, if at all. The self censorship is pretty obvious if you have any knowledge of the Gracies/jiu jitsu/UFC/MMA/Pride. The self aggrandizing can be a bit much, but probably won't detract most if any from reading it. It's written in such a way to make it seem he's being more upfront about himself than he actually is. Nevertheless, I'll probably read it again in the future because I enjoy reading about martial arts and individuals journeys with practicing them.

[Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book that is light in depth.

I liked this book and, as a total notice to BJJ and the Gracie family, it gave me an interesting insight into both.

However, despite my lack of prior knowledge, I still felt that it lacked any great depth or real insight into Rickson’s life.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steel sharpens steel.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

240 pages of humble bragging, not one obstacle, decided to divorce his wife and then divorces his wife in one paragraph. I respect him tho lol

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

Rickson Gracie: old man yells at the clouds.

In my naïveté, I assumed by the title that some fundamental lessons about existence would be transmitted to me from legendary Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler and vale tudo fighter Rickson Gracie. What did I get? 150 pages of Gracie family drama, followed by 50 pages of Rickson detailing his vale tudo career, with a fetishistic obsession with his time in Japan and the "samurai spirit", capped with 50 pages of spiritual observations about life after divorcing his wife and moving back to Brazil, and finishing his tour de force by browbeating the state of modern BJJ grappling.

Not enough of a self defense emphasis, he says, in modern BJJ grappling, while simultaneously criticizing the hard sparring culture and emphasis on porrada... Which one is it, Rickson? He seems to be advocating for the lost jiu jitsu of his grandfather Helio Gracie, a man revered with a cult like fervour, a jiu jitsu which allows the weak coward to defeat the strong tough guy. Rickson argues for punch blocks and self defense techniques, seemingly ignoring the existence of combat sports which do striking and stand up grappling far better. Rickson seems to think BJJ needs to be the perfect self defense martial art, and criticizes the overemphasis on it as a competitive endeavour.

Oh well, the book is very readable, though this isn't due to some magic penmanship from Rickson. The prose is basically non existent, utilitarian at best. I can't fault him too much, as English is his second language, but still, you would think some effort from the editors would go towards making the language smooth.

I suppose it achieves the goal of making it sound like Rickson is talking to you, as his voice is very clear throughout (see previous paragraph).

There are some good aspects to this book, ones that took me by surprise. Rickson is surprisingly adept at turning anecdotes into life lessons, and at describing the feel of the fight. For all their fetishistic, and dare I say orientalist tendencies, his descriptions of his time fighting in Japan are very compelling.

Rickson is also surprisingly philosophical in his own depiction of his spirituality at times: "I walked my bike to the edge of the sea, and as I was taking off my shoes, I noticed something white poking through the sand. I didn't know if it was a rock or a shell, but I immediately felt drawn to it, so I dug it out. It was a small wooden figure with the head of an elephant and human arms and legs. It looked vaguely familiar, and for whatever reason, I felt its positive energy in the same way that I felt drawn to the energy of the sun or the sea. I put it into my pocket and took it home. When I got home, I felt compelled to build the figurine a small house in my backyard. First, I made a wooden floor, then I built a frame that I thatched with palm fronds. Once I was satisfied with how it looked, I put the statue inside. I do not believe in luck or coincidence, to me, everything is a sign that is either positive or negative. I accept the fact that forces larger than me are in charge, and I look for spiritual clues in life."

There's something simple, vulnerable, and human, about this. Rickson captures what it feels like to have a gut instinct and follow it, rationality be damned.

[Robert Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m immune to Gracie ego strokes. I take them at face value. One can assume that a lot of their family history can be over exaggerated and fluffed up to make the family legacy more impactful in the world of martial arts. With that being said, this book is an amazing tell all speaking on a little bit about Rickson’s private history, his emotions, his thoughts, his upbringing and a very vivid recounting of his relationships within his family. This is not a self help book by any means but I was able to take so many lessons from this book and incorporate them into my life. This book is a riveting history of love, loss, heartache, willpower, and conquest. The conquest here is how to conquer yourself in the midst of chaos and understanding that going against the grain is the key to your biggest problems. This book is a worthy read for martial artists, fanatics, and everyday people.

[Pedro Vieira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diving into the world of BJJ has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in 2025, and because of that, this book was a must-read. I was expecting more insights related to the title. Not much is said about breathing itself, and Rickson doesn't go deep into specific techniques. Even so, it's a solid read.

What I wasn’t expecting was to relate so deeply to several aspects of his story. One quote about the loss of his son, Rockson, really struck a chord with me:
"At first I felt that I could rationalize this tragedy and move forward with my life, but then I realized that rationality cannot always suppress raw emotion."

Recommend it. Easy, fun, and sometimes thought-provoking read.

[Nick Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been training jiu jitsu for 13 years, since the age of 8, and I have never truly taken a look behind the curtain of the Gracie family. After reading this, I have gained respect for Rickson as a fighter, but have unfortunately lost respect in ways for Rickson and the entire Gracie family. I will always be grateful for what they’ve done as martial artists and instructors, but I cannot get behind most of their moral decision making. I understand that nobody is perfect, but I was surprised at the sheer amount of disrespect towards their wives, the drug use, and the arrogance towards others and each other. “Spirituality” will only get you so far, we all need JESUS!

[Rajasekar Narayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting information on the life of Rickson Gracie. It is very well organized in chronological order that makes it such a delight to read and follow the story.

At certain moments it is inspiring to learn how Rickson had overcome obstacles and his dedication and commitment to the art of Ji Jitsu. I would love to learn more stories and insights on how what and how Rickson built that dedication when things looked difficult. These areas weren’t covered in depth as I would love to.

Besides that, it is a good book to learn about the personal side of a Ji Jitsu Legend!

[Lil F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because I am interested in martial arts so it‘s 5⭐️ for me. The book tells about the history of the Gracie Clan Jiu Jitsu which made the family members to worldwide legends. From Brazil to the US to Japan. Unmatched in every division, throwbacks and drama but infinite support inside the family. Maybe not that interesting if you are not into martial arts though.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this memoir. The writing was clunky at times but Rickson really captured the true intention and nature of JiuJitsu. Even if you don’t practice martial arts you should take the time to read this book. You get a little bit of history into the sport but hearing Rickson’s spiritual and mental journey was very enlightening. JiuJitsu shows you who you really are.

[Rope · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and engaging short autobiography for MMA fans or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu addicts like me.

[Azam Ch. · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice book about overcoming fear and his life :)

[Kiki Hendriks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessant boek, het leven dat beschreven wordt staat ver van mijn werkelijkheid af. Ook geeft het informatie over het ontstaan en verspreiden van BJJ vanuit Rickson zijn perspectief. Om die reden interessant om te lezen.

[Antony Monir · Rating 3 out of 5]

“When I saw his dick, it was the happiest day of my life.”

3 stripe white belt activities. 3/5

[Tim Verbergt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story and martial arts history.
But there was an arrogant tone in this book that I didn't enjoy all that much.

[Sooraj $ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Naval Ravikanted my way through this book. I'm so glad I did cause I looked forward to the teachings of biogenastica and mastery but the book was mostly an account of his family and fights.
Not quite what I wanted but I've skimmed through enough.

[Ferenc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this masterpiece quite a lot because it follows the Gracie family’s journey and jiu jitsu as a whole from the start to today’s time.

Enjoyed the spiritual pieces in the Rickson’s journey.

If u want to start Jitsu or doing it already it is a MUST TO READ.

[Mehrzad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story and history of Brazilian / Gracie Jiu Jitsu, from the best to ever do it. Whenever there has been a mention of history of BJJ in any podcast, mostly Joe Rogan Experience, specially related to martial arts and MMA, the name of Rickson Gracie would have came up again and again, as the champion of this historical family and clan. As a martial arts enthusiast and BJJ practitioner myself, I have always been curious. I thought Royce Gracie was the champion of the Gracie family since the UFC was initially concocted to demonstrate the dominance the Jiu Jitsu over other martial arts, which he one prevalently. But as the time went on, and mostly due to the conversations that Joe Rogan had with Jean Jacques Machado, I got more and more skeptical about Royce's impact. The inevitable outcome was me purchasing this audiobook, listening to it in a couple of sittings and also listening the episode with the author himself.

The book covers the history of Gracie family and how and why the Gracie Jiu Jitsu was created. It covers the stories, mostly personal, in a pretty down-to-earth manner, which had had verified before with other BJJ figures. It's a unbelievably great read / listen for anybody interested in martial arts, let alone JJ.

Another note to mention here is, as I was introduced to Bushido, the concept of the "Way" in Japanese martial artists, samurais and related topics, I managed to cover copious amount of sources to figure out what's really going on. So far, most of the martial artists, fighters and athletes, either don't completely understand it or just stick of physical aspect of it. As far as I comprehended so far, it's beyond any physicality, dominance in their respected martial arts category, and history. It's also about mental aspect of it, how to connect with surroundings, nature, spirituality (which I haven't been able to achieve it), and more importantly, and how to "know thyself". Rickson Gracie, the author, has been and is an exemplar of this, and tells his stories in a stoic manner that makes enjoying the read / listen of this title, inevitable.

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