Front Row: Prof. Alan Stockman (left), Prof. Justin Morris (center), GMA Schhol Host Prof. Benjamin Salas (right). Photo: Personal archive

Students studying Jiu-Jitsu from across the Midwest traveled to Port Washington, WI to participate in a very unique training experience – guard training from three different black belt school owners! This fun and informative event was presented in the spirit of our art…mutual benefit.

The technical descendant of polymath Jigoro Kano’s Jiu-Jitsu, Jiu-Jitsu promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using proper technique, leverage, and most notably, taking the fight to the ground. It can be enjoyed as a sport or practiced for self-defense.

To most people the defining element of modern Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is most probably the Guard Position. Owing most of its development to the Gracie Family, this primarily defensive position is as diverse as it is effective.

Guest instructors at this exciting event included:

Prof. Benjamin Salas has been training since the early 90’s and holds a black belt under Master Carlson Gracie Jr. Benjamin is an IBJJF ranked competitor and a frequent provider of training to agencies within the law enforcement and military communities.

Prof. Justin Morris is a black belt under Master Marcelo Monteiro, who was a student under and protégé of Master Ricardo DeLa Riva. Justin runs Third Heaven Martial Arts in Beaver Dam and is one of the earlier pioneers of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in the state of Wisconsin.

Prof. Alan Stockman runs Carlson Gracie Indianapolis and holds a 1st degree black belt under Master Carlson Gracie Jr. Alan who earned his purple and brown Belts from Master Marcelo Monteiro, is a fluent Portuguese speaker having lived, trained, and fought in Brazil.

Participants in attendance represented many different schools including:

Four Winds Martial Arts – West Allis, WI (Carlson Gracie Team)
One World Martial Arts – Appleton, WI (Jeff Curran Team)
Stockman Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Greenwood, IN (Carlson Gracie Team)
Third Heaven Martial Arts – Beaver Dam, WI (Marcelo Montierio Team)
South Elgin Budokan – South Elgin, IL (Carlson Gracie Team)
Seamless Progression Academy – Port Washington, WI (Carlson Gracie Team)

To learn more about GMA Seamless Progression Academy and see more photos from the event go to www.facebook.com/seamlessprogressionacademy

Professors Benjamin Salas and Francisco Maya at the camp. Photo: Personal Archive

Professor Benjamin Salas successfully hosted the 2014 Wisconsin Carlson Gracie Mini-Camp at GMA Seamless Progression Academy of Martial Arts in Port Washington, WI. The five-day camp brought Professor Francisco Maya of Carlson Gracie Portugal to help teach at the event for all belt levels and ages.

At the conclusion of the event, they traveled to the Carlson Gracie HQ in Chicago, IL where Maya was promoted to second degree black belt.

Professor Francisco Maya promoted by Carlson Gracie Jr. Photo: Personal Archive

Also teaching at the camp was Professor Benjamin Salas himself as well as Professor Alan Stockman of Carlson Gracie Indianapolis. The camp covered techniques from all three Carlson Gracie Team instructors brining a varied knowledge base to those in attendance.

For more information about Seamless Progression Academy of Martial Arts visit www.facebook.com/SeamlessProgressionAcademy

GMA Seamless Progression Academy of Martial Arts will be hosting the 2014 Wisconsin Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Mini-Camp from 24 to 28 March in Port Washington, Wisconsin. This five day event will be led by Prof. Francisco Maya (Carlson Gracie Portugal). Prof. Maya began studying Jiu-Jitsu in 1992 under Grand Master Paulo Maurício Strauch (9th Degree Black Belt) and then went on to train under such notables as Marcos “Parrumpinha” da Matta, Eduardo “Gavião” Ommati, Vauvenargues Marinho, and Carlson Gracie Jr. Special Guests include Prof. Alan Stockman (Carson Gracie Indiana) and Master Carlson Gracie Jr. (Carlson Gracie Team Illinois).

The event will be hosted by Prof. Benjamin Salas who owns and operates Seamless Progression Academy (Carlson Gracie Wisconsin). Benjamin has been practicing Jiu-Jitsu since 1995 and has trained, competed, or instructed in over a dozen countries – including a number of trips to Portugal where he trained under Prof. Maya. Benjamin specializes in BJJ fundamentals as well as law enforcement applications of the martial arts.

Training will be conducted at the Seamless Dojo which is located at 307 N. Franklin Street, Port Washington, Wisconsin 53074 with separate youth, adult, beginner, and advanced sessions.

The Mini-camp will be broken into different sessions by skill level with greater attention being placed on rolling in the advanced sessions. Prof. Maya will be the Mini-Camps lead instructor with Prof. Stockman and Salas acting as assistant instructors. At the conclusion of this camp everyone is invited to travel with the group down to Chicago for the 2014 IBJJF Chicago Spring Open and compete/cheer on your BJJ family members.

Youth sessions are limited to 8 attendees and adult sessions are limited to 12 attendees.

Please contact Seamless Progression to pre-pay/reserve your spot as soon as possible through www.facebook.com/SeamlessProgressionAcademy or at seamlessprogressionacademy@gmail.com.

Prof. Francisco Maya and Prof. Benjamin Salas. Photo: Personal Archive

You can check out photos of the clinic here:

For more information about Professor Benjamin Salas and the Seamless Progression Academy team go www.facebook.com/seamlesssprogressionacademy