Photo: Personal Archive

Esdras Jr is in the midst of a great phase on the competitive circuit of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF). The black-belt from Ares has been going strong for four consecutive tournaments – he became champion at the IBJJF’s Dallas Open, Houston Open, New Orleans Atlanta Open and, most recently, at the No-Gi Pan, one of the most important competitions on the 2021 calendar.

His latest triumph, along with the points won in previous tourneys, caused Esdras to grab the top spot in the master 1 feather division with 135 points – nine more than the UFC fighter Rani Yahya.

In a recent interview, Esdras Jr spoke of what makes him a champion in 2021. “It’s hard to talk about just on aspect, but I think consistency is the key to reaching any goal. Maybe I’m not even training more in terms of volume, but without a doubt, I’m trying to train in a more intelligent way. Knowing how to understand your body and respect your limits is very important to comprehending when you have to do that training session where you’re fighting for real – most days! – or train by trying to understand and control the situations more. I’ve been going hard in my physical preparation since late last year, focusing a lot on injury prevention work. I’m feeling very well physically and mentally.”

To earn the gold medal at the No-Gi Pan, Esdras Jr had to defeat three tough opponents, including Silvio Duran (Nova União) in the semifinal round and Ermilio Lima (Fight Sports) in the final.

According to Esdras, he felt well and prepared for each match. “I was happy with my performance,” he said. “But I can say the toughest fight this time was cutting weight. The last time I weighed less than 67kg, I was in middle school! This Pan was the first time I hit feather in no-gi, which is well below feather in the gi. On the day of the competition, I woke up weighing 66kg – there I woke up feeling well and ready to fight. It was an incredible journey.”

Photo: Personal Archive

He went on to offer advice on winning any BJJ competition: “First, one should not worry about the result! Perhaps it seems like madness to say that, but when we think about results too much, the tendency is to demand a lot of ourselves, and I believe this demand brings about unnecessary tension. Step on the mat alert, but with tranquility. It’s about doing what you trained to do, match by match, trusting yourself and your jiu-jitsu. That’s all you should think about. Have patience to play – jiu-jitsu is like chess.”

And finally, on the subject of mindset, he said: “When you do what must be done, it works out! It’s a matter of training hard, dieting, physical preparation, technical and tactical training, knowing your strong points and developing a game plan. It’s impossible not to feel well and prepared. Step on the mat and believe that your plan is going to work. Work on your mind to be positive when things don’t come out as planned, because knowing how to control your mind is important. Believe until the end! I couldn’t go without mentioning also Fellipe Barros, my mental coach, who is always there when I need him.”

In the United States, Esdras trains beside Osvaldo Queixinho at Ares BJJ in Phoenix, Arizona.

Whether you are a white-belt just starting out in 2018 or have been practicing BJJ for many years now, it doesn’t matter. We all should read these 10 tips in order to get the most out of our BJJ training and make sure we’re up to speed in the future.

1. Trust and be trustworthy.

NEVER hold a sub past the tap-out. When in doubt as to whether your training partner has tapped, let go—better safe than sorry. By striving to be a more reliable training partner and trust your teammates and coaches, the environment becomes a safer and more pleasant place in which to learn. If you’re not having fun, none of it makes any sense. BJJ is something you carry with you for the rest of your life. Each stage should be great; after all, the art is the most wonderful addiction you could possibly have.

2. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is done in a gi.

As much as no-gi is a sport in its own right, make sure to have a good understanding of the techniques in classical BJJ before venturing into no-gi. It’s easier to adapt your gi techniques to no-gi than the other way around.

3. Don’t ask black-belts to roll.

You can train with black-belts, but make sure you’re invited. This tip is kind of old-fashioned and is often resented by recently promoted students. What happens is that the higher-ranked feel like they are being challenged when a lower-belt fighter asks them to roll. You have to realize that they know who is available just by the way the person looks at them. Look at them humbly and make it clear you’re available—if they want to, they’ll invite you. And take my word: it’s always more rewarding to roll when you’ve been invited than when you do the inviting.

4. Find the best instructor for you.

Students are often discouraged when their start in jiu-jitsu is less than ideal, so it would behoove the beginner to do some research before committing to a class, making sure the instructor they pick enjoys what they do and is kindly to all students, not just their best ones. If after starting classes you get the feeling the instructors aren’t paying you enough attention, don’t accept that as being normal—it isn’t. A much better alternative to quitting is to switch to a gym where you feel welcome.

5. Have faith.

Believe in the techniques. As frustrating as it may be at first, try your best to defend by using the techniques already in your repertory. If you feel like you’ve run out of options, have a word with your instructor; they’ll be glad to get input on your needs.

6. Communicate.

One of the coolest things about jiu-jitsu is the exchange of ideas on how to perform a technique. Feel free to ask the more experienced students questions. Ask what you could have done to foil an attack or pull off that submission you were so close to getting. They’ve surely been through those situations before and can clue you in on all the ins and outs. Higher-ranked students tend to enjoy being appreciated and get a kick out of being able to help.

7. Do your homework.

It’s frustrating to a teacher when they do their best to teach a new move or concept, and then a short while later a student has already forgotten it. Doing lots of repetitions is essential, even if you feel a particular technique doesn’t fit your style. Keep in mind that as a beginner, you don’t have a set style yet, so what seems useless to you today may turn out to be your greatest asset tomorrow. Besides doing repetitions, take a few minutes each day to go over the techniques in your head.

8. Tap out.

Nobody wants to see a student intentionally tap out, but good students aren’t afraid to take chances or put themselves in positions of disadvantage. If you do tap, so be it; let it serve as a lesson. During moments of real danger, your chances of prevailing are all the greater when you’re accustomed to such harrowing situations.

9. Try new things.

There’s no point in sparring like you’re fighting in a championship final the whole time. Sure, there are times when you should go hard, but let your coach be the judge of when that should be. Generally speaking, I recommend always trying new things, putting the move of the day to practice. The more diversified your game is, the better the tools you’ll have at your disposal in the future.

10. Self-defense is of the essence.

There are plenty of teachers out there who are oblivious to the importance of teaching even basic self-defense techniques—some for lack of familiarity, others because they feel they moves are outdated. Down the road, self-defense techniques will provide you with an understanding of moves you so far haven’t a clue about. Not to mention that they’re fun. Keep in mind that each of the current techniques, even the tournament-level techniques, in some way or another originated from the basics. Knowing and understanding the basics is like a lesson in history, and will keep you from making basic mistakes.

Whether you need to get over a hump in your life or simply accomplish a goal, a family oriented and trusting environment is the recipe.  A strong belief that  the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle could and should be applied in your everyday life is the core of Uflacker’s philosophy.

He talks about all this and more in this short film by All Things BJJ:

“My two judo Instructors! Feels good to be the white belt again!” Photo: Instagram @rafarosendobjj

GMA member Rafael Rosendo Dos Santos is the owner and head professor at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu of Greenville in South Carolina. An active competitor, he is also a teacher who prides himself on knowledge. As many say, you never stop learning in Jiu-Jitsu but new challenges in, say, a different martial art is an even bigger step towards gaining knowledge.

Recently Rafael has taken up Judo as a way to extend his abilities on the mat. We wanted to know what it felt like for a seasoned black belt to return to the mat wearing a white belt and what lessons he learned. Check it out:

GRACIEMAG: When was the last time you wore a white belt before this?

RAFAEL ROSENDO: It has been a long time. The first time I wore a white belt was in 1997 when I was just thirteen-years-old and I’ll be 31 this month!

How long have you been a black belt?

I have been a black belt for the past ten years.

What is the importance of remembering what it is like to be a white belt?

When you are a black belt for a long time it can be easy to forget how it used to be. If you keep a white belt mindset you will wake up every day trying to get better each time you step on the mat. When you look back you will see the years of your life pass by, just like my life on the mats. It has already been 16 years and I’m still learning in Jiu-Jitsu like it is my first class! Jiu-Jitsu can be a neverending history if you keep an opened mind! Just as well, it is good to maintain a humble attitude!

What lessons are you learning as a white belt now?

The lessons I’m learning right now doing Judo and putting myself as a white belt, is how to have more patience because as a white belt you want to know everything in the first day. And just like in Jiu-Jitsu it may take some time, so we must learn to understand that in order to be better it will need effort and commitment.

Are you able to use what you’re learning in Judo towards Jiu-Jitsu?

Yes, sure! To be a true Judo and Jiu-Jitsu practitioner I would take the risk of saying that it is the same art applied with different philosophy and one works more on the feet and the other more on the ground. But the principle of leverage and saving energy by using the opponent’s energy to manipulate the body are the same. Definitely balance is something that is helping me a lot by doing Judo!

See some of Rafael’s Judo moves working into his Jiu-Jitsu here:

Leandro Lo tries to choke Alan Finfou at the Rio Open. Photo: Gustavo Aragão / GRACIEMAG

Last weekend, the gymnasium at Tijuca Tennis Club hosted the sixth edition of the IBJJF’s Rio Open, an event that occurs parallel to the charming International Masters and Seniors.

More than that, it also served as the stage to a great fight between a skinny fighter and a super-heavyweight, a type of duel that has always been part of the essence of Jiu-Jitsu.

Leandro Lo, the lightweight world champion, signed up this time at middleweight, and the tactic worked: he won the absolute at the end of a final versus João Gabriel Rocha.

After passing through the light heavyweight Felipe Preguiça (Gracie Barra) in the semifinal of the open, Lo beat João Gabriel by one advantage. After the match, he commented on his victory with GRACIEMAG: “The decisive point in this fight was again my guard; I had to take my spider guard to its limit to win this [laughs]! After many years of training, I feel good under my opponent, regardless of whether he is a big guy like João or a smaller guy. I use this game of spider guard and it has always worked – I always control one sleeve and hold tight there near the bottom of the pants, and I drill it in the gym. And it worked in the absolute final,” said the Cicero Costha student.

That same afternoon, Leandro won gold at middleweight with an arm submission against Alan Finfou (Checkmat) in the final. He told of what changed for him in this new category: “I prepared myself better than for the Pan, when I fought also among the middleweight and did not do well. Now I am doing weight training and preparation! I think that was key for me to get good at middleweight. I did not really like working out, but now I’m picking up the weights and feeling much stronger,” said Lo, who praised the runner-up.

“The fight with Alan Finfou was good; I had fought with him in Sao Paulo before the Rio Open. He is very tough on top, he applies good takedowns and is fast. Finfou threw me down, but I adjusted myself and got back at him with a sweep. Then I got his back and applied the choke, but my arm was a little over his mouth and ended up slipping. So I made the correct grips on his arm and found an armbar at the end.”

Before leaving the venue, GRACIEMAG wanted to know about Lo’s stamina, which seems to have no end during fights. To which Leandro replied with this nugget: “It’s what I always tell people, teammates and fans: in fact I do not have a lot of stamina. What
I do is pace myself very well during fights, holding my grips fast. It looks like I’m attacking all the time, but sometimes I pretend to attack – some of those times I rest… You need to know how to pace yourself.”

Victor Estima knows what success in Jiu-Jitsu feels like, having been a top black belt competitor for years under the Gracie Barra banner and opening successful academies in the UK. To him, earning money can only get you so far on the road to happiness and success is not always deemed by the number in your bank account.

Without loving what you do, that 40-45 year span in the working world could eat up your life and cause you a lot of unwanted stress and unhappiness. His life revolves around working hard in Jiu-Jitsu and reaping the rewards. See what he has to say himself in this video from Stuart Cooper Films about success in life, not just in Jiu-Jitsu.

Draculino on the mat doing what he does best, teaching. Photo: Ivan Trindade

Have you ever heard the phrase “train like a white belt?” It doesn’t mean that you should forget everything you know, wear gis that don’t fit you correctly and bruise more than usual. It means to train with no ego. No matter the belt color around your waist, you should always be open to knowledge and understand that you can learn things from everyone, and you should!

But we’ll get Gracie Barra leader Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes speak to you about it instead:

Fix mistakes in training. Photo: Erin Herle

Our GMA member Travis Tooke from Team Tooke MMA in Houston, Texas lets us in on three things he believes can help a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner learn whether an expert or a beginner.

He says these things may be obvious but sometimes we all need reminders. The best tip of all is not only is it okay to make mistakes, we need to acknowledge them and not resist change. But we’ll let Travis, a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie, Jr. since 2004, tell you himself:

Caio Terra “keeps the imaginary opponent at bay” with a hip movement that’s vital in Jiu-Jitsu defense. Photo by  Terence Bordon/GRACIEMAG.

To become a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and one of whom a teacher can be proud, the first thing you have to do is say, “Yes!” and accept the invitation to do your first Jiu-Jitsu training session. After that, though, it’s all about saying, “No!” and keeping a number of unnecessary things out of your life.

For every no, you lose a dozen kilos and gain a dose of self-confidence.

Recently, your favorite Jiu-Jitsu magazine printed a list of 42 things that don’t go together with the life of a clear-headed Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. What follows are just five of them.

Missed out on the article? Subscribe to GRACIEMAG here! And email sac@graciemag.com to find out how to fill in the gaps in your collection.

1. Say no to shortcuts!

Endurance, strength, skill—it all comes with time. Don’t resort to performance-enhancing substances. It won’t be long before you pay a price you can’t afford, if you do.

2. Say no to arrogance

Don’t underestimate anyone at the Jiu-Jitsu academy. That “old-fogey” stretching over in the corner of the dojo may well be a master of whom you’ve never heard. That newcomer who showed up for the first time could turn out to be a stalwart sparring partner. Train seriously and with safety in mind, always.

3. Say no to omission

Don’t hide Jiu-Jitsu from your friends—get them to train at your school with you. You’ll see how much more fun it makes training.

4. Say no to envy

You can have as many role models in Jiu-Jitsu as you see fit. But don’t be envious of the way someone else’s trajectory or game is going. Repeating your teacher or colleague’s history is next to impossible. Don’t get frustrated because you’re not

at the same level as one of your mat mates. One day, when you least expect it, you’ll be a role model to someone who thinks you’re great.

5. Say no to heroism

There’s no room for heroics at a Jiu-Jitsu academy. If the hold is in snug, tap out without thinking twice. The trauma you may cause your teacher, friends and your very self isn’t worth it—not to mention the weeks sidelined from training.

To learn more and keep your Jiu-Jitsu up to date, subscribe here.

Carlos Gracie Jr. and Roger at GB América, in California / Photo by Ivan Trindade

GRACIEMAG 180, now in book stores, features 55 precious lessons for Jiu-Jitsu practitioners of all ages, belt colors and objectives. If you haven’t checked it out already, rush and get yours before it’s gone. And subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss any precious lessons by receiving future issues in the comfort of your own home

Now what GRACIEMAG.com wants to know is: what’s the best advice you ever got from your teacher?

Comment below!