The 7 deadly sins of BJJ, and which of them harms you most
The BJJ student who seeks to train religiously and be blessed by constant progress must avoid the vices that harm their health, whether of body,…
Wisdom
Managing performance and mind: Bruno Oliveira’s concepts to evolve in BJJ
Bruno Oliveira has been for 10 years a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, but it was in the 2018/2019 season that he decided to invest off the…
Does listening to music before a fight help an athlete perform better?
It's common to see, matside in competitions, fighters enjoying some music before performing. The playlists are of the widest variety, and each athlete listens to…
Here’s some of the best advice to give kids starting out in BJJ
[First published in 2009. Scroll down for plain text.] EMAILS TO A YOUNG WARRIOR Teachers reveal the advice they would give their own kids, should…
3 tips by Pedro Valente for defeating the enemy within
The BJJ philosophy goes far beyond finishing moves and points scored in tournaments. One example of this fact was provided by Pedro Valente, a GM…
Master Leão Teixeira and the art of breaking up a fight with BJJ
Grandmaster Carlos Gracie (1902–1994) used to teach, "The mouth is the first weapon of the BJJ practitioner," and it is through words that a student…
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, success and depression
My name is Rodrigo Lima, I'm a dental surgeon, specialized in orthodontics and facial orthopedics. And a good one! I have almost two decades on…
Ten lessons for future champions inspired by the life of Ayrton Senna
1. The three-time world champion (his titles obtained in 1988, 90 and 91, with runner-up finishes in 1989 and 93) viewed his work as a…
Training for Warriors: Chasing Zen
[First published in 2006. Part of the Training for Warriors series, by Martin Rooney*] “The person who comes to control his body by hard…
How to bounce back from the biggest beating life can hand you, with Rickson Gracie
To practice BJJ is to learn -- little by little, day by day -- to harden yourself to be able to withstand what life throws…
Some wisdom to help you have a better year in 2009, or whenever
In its last issue of 2008, Graciemag collected the best remarks made by fighters that year in the hope our readers could find in them…
Ruptured ACL? Here’s a specialist’s perspective
By *Dr. Al DeSimone Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture remains one of most devastating injuries to a competitive athlete. The ACL is one of the major…