Helio Gracie, the father of Gracie jiu-jitsu, has passed at the age of 95. Gracie passed in his sleep early Thursday in Itaipaiva, Rio de Janeiro, after he had been admitted to a local hospital a few days prior for stomach problems.

“He passed the way he always wanted to –- quick and fast,” said an immediate relative, who asked not to be identified. The relative said Gracie’s body would be buried on Thursday.

The youngest of Cesalina and Gastao Gracie’s eight children, he learned traditional jiu-jitsu by watching his brother, Carlos, teach it, but his small frame made it difficult for him to execute the moves. As a result, he adapted techniques to fit his limited physical ability and gave rise to modern-day Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Gracie was involved in two legendary fights. He lost to Masahiko Kimura -- a man who outweighed him by some 80 pounds -- in 1951 when Carlos threw in the towel after Kimura broke Gracie’s arm with the shoulder lock that now bears his name. Four years later, Gracie fought former student Valdemar Santana for nearly four hours and won by technical knockout after Santana succumbed to exhaustion.

His impact on the sport of mixed martial arts was profound. His son, Rorion, was credited with developing the concept that became the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and another of his sons, Royce, won the first two UFC tournaments in 1993 and 1994. Two other sons, Rickson and Royler, also competed in MMA.

Gracie is survived by his wife Vera; his sons Rickson, Royler, Rolker, Royce, Relson, Robin and Rorion; his daughters Rerika and Ricci, as well as numerous siblings, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. 

Team:

We'd like to thank Professor Bruce Shepherd for conducting another incredible workshop at Spencer County Martial Arts. The focus today was on submission escapes...what to do when you're almost to the point of no return. We'll have a highlight reel and photos posted in the near future. If you weren't able to make this one, we plan to have him back very soon for another workshop.

In addition, we wouldn't be able to offer such seminars and workshops at the Academy if it were not for the support of our students and the larger jiu-jitsu community in Louisville and beyond. With that, we'd like to thank all of today's participants for supporting the growth of the art and the advancement of technique.

There's much more to come, too!

Our sister school, Louisville Martial Arts Academy, will host Luis "Limao" Heredia (a Master Pedro Sauer, 4th-degree black belt representative) again on March 22 and 23, one week after the Rickson Gracie seminar in Nashville.  

More details will follow on Professor Heredia's seminar.

In the meantime, we'll see you on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

If this synapsis of Rickson's seminar series in Brazil is anything like what we're about to experience in Nashville in March, then we're in for an experience of a lifetime:

Rickson opens his box

In 2009, Gracie plans to hold seminars in eight Brazilian cities

The man who most knows Jiu-Jitsu decided to export, at the end of 2008, the knowledge he has acquired over nearly half a century of life. Thus, when Rickson takes a seat and prepares to open the box he carries, everyone’s eyes fix on him, with unmasked eagerness. It’s not a metaphoric box, but a Styrofoam cooler.

From it, the icon of the gentle art removes a morsel of white cheese, half a watermelon and a vast bunch of bananas. The scene plays out in the glorious Flamengo rowing club, where the restaurant is nearly as run down as the current Carioca squad is, which explains the suspense. What could the master from that pitiful buffet?

And thus fed, and with the aid of a two-liter bottle of an American brand of isotonic drink that Rickson has noticed had the best effect on his body, the professor replenishes his energy for a 150-person seminar, over 12 hours stretching over Saturday and Sunday. The idea is, in 2009, to take the series of seminars, which is actually a “course” divided over ten stages, to eight cities in Brazil. 

The class in Rickson’s city of birth, Rio de Janeiro, on the 11th and 12th of October, was the first stage of his personal project, which was covered in a six-page report in the mainstream press. “I want to take awareness of the martial art to the mainstream. Today, Jiu-Jitsu is efficient as a fighting style, but not to the point of boosting one’s development,” said the Gracie to the “Jornal do Brasil” newspaper on December 14th. On the seminar in Rio, he remarked: “It was one of the most moving moments in my life. I realized Jiu-Jitsu is still a family.”

And there really were even family members among the participants, alongside world champions, veteran black belts and young white belts from an assortment of academies. “When I was really small,” says Kyra Gracie, “I remember having asked Renzo: ‘Uncle, is Rickson everything they say he is?’ And the answer has stuck in my head since: ‘No. He’s much more.’”

Kyra didn’t regret it, and confirmed her cousin’s technique. In three hours, before lunch time, the Gracie has escaped every mount, surprised everyone with technical details and tought details even regarding solid base standing. He showed it in practice to all the students. And he didn’t even come close to getting tired, perhaps the most impressive part.

“For every position, Rickson showed invisible mistakes, practiced by all fighters or competitors, whether amateur or world class athletes. Hence, he would show the reasons for losing positions or excessive use of force when performing simple positions, in which minute details in adjusting or angling, posture or balance, mean enormous differences in the final outcome of the position or, the greater objective, in finishing off the opponent,” related Breno Sivak, Rickson black belt and co-organizer of the event.

Felipe Costa, roosterweight world champion, approved: “Rickson’s seminar was without a doubt a great investment in my career. I didn’t learn any revolutionary new technique in the seminar, it was work on the basics with very interesting concepts, aimed a pure technique, the whole time.”

After lunch, Rickson re-started the seminar laying out the importance of eating properly for quality of life and physical conditioning. And, on moving his diaphragm to show the benefits of yoga-based breathing, one of the younger participants at the seminar realized he was living out a moment from the movies: “Hey dad! That’s from the movie The Hulk!”

Alliance leader to participate for second time

After top black belt competitor Michel Langhi hinted that his teacher would be participating in the upcoming European Championship, GRACIEMAG.com set off after master of superstars Fabio Gurgel for confirmation, and confirmed it.


“I think it’s really natural [competing]. I’ve been doing it my whole life and still do, firstly because I like it, secondly because I think the new generations need to see Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t end at 30, and to keep myself up to date and closer to my students. As my master, Jacare, says, ‘a general should be on the front lines,’” stated the experienced black belt.


Fabio Gurgel, at “3.9” years of age, as he likes to say, will compete in a European Championship for the second time, at the European 2009, to take place from January 30th to February 1st, in Lisbon, Portugal.


In 2007, the Alliance top man took gold in the Senior I super heavyweight category. Besides being an example, the general, as he is affectionately known by his students, demonstrates how time and experience really are what set veterans apart when facing reality. 


“The state of spirit is what motivates me to compete, since during each phase of life one faces it differently. Even if I’ve fought the same adversary before it may be completely different this time around. I go into tournaments knowing that even though I’ve competed thousands of times it may be completely different,” stated Gurgel, who has been training at the Alliance branch in Turku, Finland, for the past week.



“Today I’m starting another week in Helsinki. I’ve been training a lot, preparing and organizing our team here. Truth is I’m missing the quality of training we have in Brazil, but on the other hand I have more time to rest and prepare myself. It’s a trade that I’m not yet sure whether it’s good or bad, we’ll see next week,” he said, jokingly.


With a confident posture, Gurgel said he hopes to have a good championship. Not just himself, but his team. “Alliance has been growing for some time and at we’re organizing ourselves for the European. It wouldn’t be a surprise to us if we win the championship, but we’re not favorites, since not many will be coming up from Brazil. Nevertheless our team here is strong and we’ll be taking nearly 100 athletes,” said the master of beasts like Sergio Moraes, Gabriel Vella and Demian Maia in finishing.

Courtesy of Gracie Magazine:

Kron Gracie in JJ European

Sign-ups end Friday

If the 2008 Worlds left a bitter taste of defeat for having been overcome by Serginho Moraes on his black belt debut, the 2009 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship offers Kron Gracie, son of the legendary Rickson Gracie, a chance to show he has a place among the best black belts on the planet. The young fighter confirmed his presence in the middleweight category of the event to take place January 30th, at the Casal Vistoso Complex, in Lisbon, Portugal.


With the sign-up deadline of Friday the 23rd approaching, the volume of big names to confirm their participation will rise. Besides Kron, already present on the official list are last year’s champion Alexandre Souza, Lucio Lagarto, Michel Langhi and Eduardo Telles.


Also to compete is Remco Pardoel, known from his participations during the early days of the UFC, and Fabio Gurgel, the leader of team Alliance, entering in the senior category.


Click here to see the updated IBJJF list.


And stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com for news direct from Portugal, to keep you up to date on what transpires at the first big Jiu-Jitsu competition of 2009.

Courtesy of Gracie Magazine:

Kron Gracie in JJ European

Sign-ups end Friday

If the 2008 Worlds left a bitter taste of defeat for having been overcome by Serginho Moraes on his black belt debut, the 2009 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship offers Kron Gracie, son of the legendary Rickson Gracie, a chance to show he has a place among the best black belts on the planet. The young fighter confirmed his presence in the middleweight category of the event to take place January 30th, at the Casal Vistoso Complex, in Lisbon, Portugal.


With the sign-up deadline of Friday the 23rd approaching, the volume of big names to confirm their participation will rise. Besides Kron, already present on the official list are last year’s champion Alexandre Souza, Lucio Lagarto, Michel Langhi and Eduardo Telles.


Also to compete is Remco Pardoel, known from his participations during the early days of the UFC, and Fabio Gurgel, the leader of team Alliance, entering in the senior category.


Click here to see the updated IBJJF list.


And stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com for news direct from Portugal, to keep you up to date on what transpires at the first big Jiu-Jitsu competition of 2009.

Team:

Excellent work on the mats last night! Instructor Scott covered the Kata Guruma (shoulder wheel) and several half-guard passes. Below is one of the variations covered of the throw. Remember with half-guard passes, control the head by applying weight with your shoulder on your opponent's jaw. Reverse the direction of your knee if your foot gets trapped. The knee slide is also an effective way to pass.

We'll review these again in the near future, but, in the meantime, work them into your game plan at open mat.



See you all on the mat -- this Thursday!

Team:

Recently we posted a new school photo to our blog and website. We like to update our class picture every so often so that accurately reflects the student body. In the 16 months or so the school has been in existence, we've seen incredible growth.

All of this is a testament to you, our dedicated students. There are great things ahead for the Academy and we're proud to instruct each of you. We thank you for your commitment.

One needs to look no further than the class photos to see the growth of the Academy in action. The first class photo (shown below) was taken more than one year ago at the church where it all started.

The second class photo was taken in July 2008 at our new location. Notice a difference?The third photo was taken this month.

We'll take another photo later this summer -- hopefully with a wide-angle lens!

See you all on the mat -- tonight!

Team:

Here's a great article written by Martin Rooney, a trainer of top athletes in a variety of sports. He speaks about how having discipline is a common theme among exceptional performers. It sounds like common sense, but it's worth examining on a deeper level:

The Butterfly Called Discipline


Over the last ten years, I have had the luxury of working with a multitude of top level athletes in almost every sport one can imagine. From fighting to football, from bobsled to basketball, I have found that there are many attributes that all athletes must share to enjoy success.

About a year ago, a World Cup soccer player I was training asked me what I believed to be the most important quality an athlete could possess. At first, a number of qualities came to mind, but when I really examined the question at length, I believe there is one quality that encompasses them all. This quality is discipline. Every other quality that an athlete can possess and nature must be done using the maximal amount of discipline. If the right amount of discipline is not present, every aspect of performance that it affects will eventually suffer. When I use the term discipline, I am defining the term as control over yourself. You are the only one that can really let yourself down. When you lose discipline, or self control, usually less than desirable results occur. During this article I will give you some memorable tools to ensure that breakdowns in your discipline will happen as little as possible.
When I was an athlete on the US Bobsled team, there were a number of times I did not demonstrate the right amount of discipline. From missing a workout to going out partying to being late for meetings, I will not say I was ever perfect. Around this time, my father saw that I was not focusing myself as well as I could. That is when he introduced me to what in science is called The Butterfly Effect. The Butterfly Effect can best be described as the fact that nothing is predictable, and that enormous positive or negative effects can often be produced by very tiny causes. The example that is often used is that science has shown that the tiny flapping of a butterfly’s wings in Japan could lead to a monstrous storm in Brazil. So always keep in mind that as small as you think something is, it can have a huge positive, or negative effect.

Now examine for a second the ways that you flap your wings each day when it comes to your training. Do you ever miss a workout? Do you always eat correctly? Do you push yourself as far as you need to go? The answers to all of these questions are most often no. Many athletes I have asked these questions usually say, “Who cares, I am only missing one workout” or “Don’t worry, I will eat well tomorrow.” But now let me illustrate the Butterfly Effect as it relates to discipline. Let’s say that over a training period of 12 weeks leading up to a competition you miss 6 workouts which is only one every two weeks. Let us also say that you didn’t eat well 20 of the 84 days of training. Then when the competition came, you were defeated because you narrowly lacked the strength and stamina needed for the win. Even though you felt you prepared, you now see how small breakdowns in discipline at the time lead to very big consequences. Understanding this, you must see that there are no small aspects to anything in training because tiny flaps of your wings can lead to a victory or defeat up to years from now. This knowledge should help you to sharpen your discipline so that you question the result of every decision you make about your training.

Another method to examine the Butterfly Effect and your discipline is a question I often ask my athletes, “How would you train if you knew this was your last competition?” Many answer that they would now attack every aspect of their training with a new overall zest for achievement. I am usually disappointed with this answer because it shows that none of the athletes believe that they are working as hard or as smart as they could. This further shows that there is a breakdown in their discipline along the way in their training. What you must realize, my friends, is that we only have a finite number of competitions and days to train, so you must treat each of those as if it were your last. If you are not living each workout to the fullest, you are not flapping your wings as hard as you could to cause great positive effects later.

An excellent way for an athlete to attempt to examine their current level of discipline is what I call the Discipline Curse. After working with athletes for so long, I have also noticed a trend among most of them once their career was over. Most believe that their lack of discipline or knowledge did not allow them to achieve the level that they wanted. They can also usually pinpoint the times in their careers when this discipline as missing. I always tell my athletes that the worst feeling an athlete can be cursed with the regret of looking back on their career and feeling empty because they could have done much more. If they knew their shortcomings then and regretted it, this means you can pinpoint your errors now to avoid the shortcomings that could haunt you later. No one is perfect, you are going to make mistakes and have breakdowns in your discipline. If you can minimize this as much as possible, great things are bound to happen. There will be good and bad days, just search for the lesson in each. Just make sure you are always looking to avoid the Curse.
The final example I will use to demonstrate the importance of discipline is with the Law of the Shark. A shark, as we all know, must forever keep moving forward, or he cannot breathe and dies. Imagine the discipline that the shark has to possess. Perhaps there are days he wants to stop and take a rest, but this is not an option. You must attack your athletic career with the same ideals. Just like the shark, you must constantly try to move forward. If you are not constantly bettering yourself, you are only staying the same or getting worse. You must become disciplined enough to never let yourself stay at one level for too long. We all know there are going to be tough days. There are going to be times that that voice in your head says “Don’t worry, you can quit right here.” Those are the days to utilize the examples I gave above to make sure that your discipline doesn’t falter. Before you ever quit, miss a workout, stay out too late, or eat what you know is wrong for you, ask yourself, “Am I flapping my wings to move forward like a shark, or am I placing a curse of regret on myself for years to come.”

Team:

Excellent job on the mats today! Instructor Scott wanted me to pass along accolades to the team for the hard work and effort by everyone. I'm in the process of moving into a new home, and I'm tapped out from all the painting and other projects that come with such a transition. I will be in class on Monday, though!

Don't forget that we will be having an open mat tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 18) from noon to 2 p.m. Come ready to train hard and with a game plan. Maybe try to work the following drill from Master Sauer...it's all about timing your opponent's transition to mount and escaping through the back door. 




See you all on the mat!

Team:

Check out the following video from Master Pedro Sauer. It's an excellent back-attack combination involving the gi. Work it into your game, but don't try it on me!



See you all on the mat -- this Saturday!

Team:

Here's an excellent compilation of techniques that demonstrate the awesome beauty and effectiveness of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Thanks to Roy Dean for the find and Chris Moriarty for the exhibition.

See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Check out the following story out of Bakersfield, Ca. It's about a 9-year-old boy who used the jiu-jitsu skills he learned in class to submit a pit bull who was attacking a friend. Not sure if this is the first time jiu-jitsu has been used to submit an animal, but this story is another example of the effectiveness of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Courtesy of Bakersfield News: 

Boy stops pit bull attack with jiujitsu choke hold


A 9-year-old Bakersfield boy is being called a hero after he saved a girl and her dog from a pit bull attack.

Drew Heredia said he and a friend were walking a small dog Dec. 30 when a pit bull jumped on the dog. The unidentified 12-year-old girl reportedly tried to save her dog, prompting the pit bull to turn on her.

Heredia said he jumped on the pit bull and applied a choke hold that he learned while taking classes at a Brazilian jiujitsu studio in southwest Bakersfield.

"It was kind of a heart-pounding moment," Heredia said. "It was very scary."

He said he held the dog for 20 minutes until an animal control officer arrived.

“At first, I wanted to kick it, but then I thought it’s not a good idea, because it could get my leg,” Heredia said.

The girl was taken to Mercy Southwest Hospital where she was treated for puncture wounds.

The pit bull was quarantined at the animal control office, where it will be euthanized after 10 days. No one has claimed the dog.

The girl's dog was injured, but it's expected to survive. The dog ran away during the attack but returned home Friday afternoon.

Team:

This information comes courtesy of Allan Manganello, from our sister school Louisville Martial Arts Academy. If you could only make one seminar for the rest of your life, this is the one to attend. Don't know who Rickson is? Type in his name on YouTube and you'll find things like this:







Rickson Gracie will be in Nashville, TN to offer his first open seminar in eleven years. The seminar will be held on March 14th and 15th at McGavock High School. The seminar is open to students of all levels and will focus on the fundamental elements which make his techniques considered to be the finest in the world as well as the philosophy behind his Jiu-Jitsu.

There will be five hours of training each day with a break for lunch. No spectators are allowed to attend, no video taping of any kind and no still photography during the seminar including cell phones pictures.

Pre-registration will be from FEBRUARY 1st through MARCH 5th.
The cost will be $150 for SATURDAY ONLY and $250 for SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

Registrations received for ONE DAY only (Saturday), will be held until FEBRUARY 25th to allow maximum registrations for TWO DAY participants.

After MARCH 5th, admission will be $175 for SATURDAY and $300 for SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

Certificates of participation will be given out at the seminar for students who are registered prior to March 5th.
Those who register after March 5th will receive certificates afterwards by mail.

SPECIFIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED SOON. NO MONEY OR APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME.

Seminar Registration Fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Location:
McGavock High School
3150 McGavock Pike, Nashville TN 37214

*This Seminar has a limited enrollment of 200 students.

*All participants must wear a clean uniform, without shoes.

*Enrollment will be on a first come first serve basis. 

Team:

Great work on the mats today! Thanks to everyone who made it in for the group photo, too. It will be posted to the site very soon. The school continues to see solid growth, we had more than 25 in class today -- unbelievable! We'd like to welcome Ken to the family as well. Instructor Scott worked with the more advanced students and I helped with the

Don't forget that tomorrow is open mat from noon to 2 p.m. Come ready to train hard and with a game plan. Keep up the great work.

See you on the mat!

Tomorrow at 12:15 p.m.! Class photo -- be there, even if you can't stick around for class before or afterwards. This is the last reminder, I promise.

Team:

Our friends from Gracie Barra sent us a revised video on competition scoring. Here it is:



See you all on the mat -- tomorrow afternoon!

As chosen by www.onthemat.com:

Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles

Team:

Excellent job tonight on the mats! We'd like to again welcome the new students -- you guys are looking great. Instructor Scott covered two front choke self-defense techniques that are part of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu curriculum. Work them into your game! They're a requirement for advancement so make sure you fine-tune the details and practice them often.

We then transitioned into specific details on common mount attacks. Again, it's all about fine-tuning your game. Remember, the class photo is Saturday at 12:15 p.m., so come ready to smile and then train hard!

In addition, Professor Bruce Shepherd returns to SCMA on Jan. 25 from noon to 2 p.m. for a submission-escape seminar. This is not one to miss!

I'll leave you with a cool clip of Chuck Norris (a.k.a., Walker, Texas Ranger) and John Machado putting on a demonstration at a seminar, circa 1991.

See you all on the mat -- this Saturday!

The True Beauty of Jiu-Jitsu

It's an expression of my individuality. I may have many fingerprints from my teachers all over my game, but at the end of the day it's MY jiu-jitsu - just as it's YOUR jiu-jitsu. We may all know how to do the basic armlock from guard - but each and every single one of us does it differently. No matter how inexperienced, physically limited or old you are - there is a specific technique or movement that nobody does as well as you - you can move your body more efficiently in that direction or sequence than anybody else! Human beings have the innate desire to create. So many of us today work boring, repetitive jobs that completely suppress our creativity. But on the mat we can awaken this creativity and merge it with our individuality. This is manifested in many ways - how we absorb what we are taught and adapt it to our physical abilities and body types and how we integrate new techniques into our existing game are just two examples. Making up moves 'on the spot' to get of certain positions or apply leverage is another. Rickson Gracie is often quoted as saying that how we grapple reveals our personalities - something which I find truly fascinating. One example I can think of - at my academy there used to be a guy training who was super-charismatic and outgoing. Watching him spar was a direct reflection of this - the guy was always a bunch of big, wild movements - which totally mirrored his extroverted character. Conversely, one of the blue belts at the same gym is the quietest guy you'll ever meet. To watch him roll you can almost "see" the silence in his movements. So the next time you are about to roll think of it as if you were about to play a piece of music or paint a picture - out of the six billion people on this planet there's no one else who can do it quite like you. Courtesy of www.jiujitsubrotherhood.com

Team:

Team:

Don't forget that this Saturday we plan to take our new class photo. We've had several new students begin since our last group shot was taken, so it's time for an update! It'll go down at 12:15 p.m. and please make every effort to attend, or risk being photoshopped into the shot!

See you on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Here's a cool photo slideshow of something that's rarely captured on film; a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt test.

See you all on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

Make plans to attend a submission-escape seminar on Sunday, Jan. 25 from noon to 2 p.m. Professor Bruce Shepherd returns to SCMA for what will be another information-packed seminar. Cost is $25 and space is limited, so please see an instructor to reserve your spot. If you haven't trained with Professor Shepherd, don't miss out. This seminar will be focused on how to escape common submissions and attacks in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Click here to read Professor Shepherd's bio.

See you all on the mat -- this Thursday!

Team:

Excellent work on the mats yesterday -- and a good way to start off 2009. We had an awesome class that focused on some good cardio in the beginning and then transitioned into the drop ippon-seionage. After that, instructor Scott covered a self-defense technique (bear hug from behind -- over the arms) and took your questions which led into us working some guard recovery drills.

As always, we ended with several rounds of free training. Remember to stay focused on your technique especially when you're exhausted. That's how you improve!

In addition, four new students will be joining us on the mats on Monday! We'd like to welcome them to the SCMA family and make sure to introduce yourselves.

Reminder -- New SCMA Class Photo


We plan to take a new class photo next Saturday at 12:15 p.m. -- after the kids class and before the adults class. Please make every effort to attend the photo session, even if you have to leave afterwards.

That's all for now -- keep up the great work and we'll see you on the mats tomorrow night!

Best,

The SCMA Instructor Team