André’s four medals won at the 2018 Chicago Open. Courtesy of André Almeida

A high-performance athlete with numerous victories in some of the toughest tournaments int he world, André Almeida wants to have an even stronger campaign in 2019. After suffering from an injury for almost an entire season and covering, thanks to BJJ, this beast is now on the loose again.

A representative of Gracie Barra, André appears in the IBJJF rankings as one of the top best 20 fighters of his division, and his accelerating pace since last year is nothing to scoff at.

“For a few years now I’ve been fighting to build a solid career in the competitive scene,” he says. “At the start of 2017 I broke my foot fighting and went for a big chunk of that season recovering and training to make a comeback. The year 2018 was much better; it was phenomenal to me. I finished second at the No-Gi Pan, in New York. That was very cool.”

Last year saw André compete a whole lot. In the process of climbing to the top 20, wins came in IBJJF Opens in Las Vegas, Denver, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago and Austin. “Now, for this 2019 season, I want to hit the ground running even harder to win even more titles, focus on the more important championships, like the Pan and the Worlds,” he adds. “In 2016, as well as winning medals at the IBJJF Pan, I also won the ADCC Nationals in the U.S. in gi and no-gi (a really tough tournament), and I intend to fight once again under ADCC rules this year.”

André topping the Atlanta Open podium last year, in a hard-fought gi division. IBJJF

Of course, the life of a BJJ champion usually includes teaching, and André is happy to share the knowledge he acquired over years of training at Gracie Barra. “The year 2018 was algo good to dedicate myself to teaching,” he tells us. “I taught many seminars in America, at Gracie Barra branches in Santa Barbara, Aurora, Deerfield, West Lancaster and others.”

André’s goal is to put himself at the top of his division this year, already fully recovered from past injuries and training intelligently — and harder than ever.

André com as quatro medalhas conquistas apenas no Chicago Open de 2018 em resultado expressivo. Foto: Arquivo pessoal

Atleta de alto rendimento, com inúmeras conquistas nos torneios mais disputados do mundo, André Almeida visa uma campanha ainda mais dourada para 2019. Depois de sofrer com uma  lesão por quase uma temporada e se recuperar, graças ao Jiu-Jitsu, a fera está solta para este ano alçar vôos ainda maiores.

Competidor da equipe Gracie Barra, André figura no ranking da IBJJF como um dos 20 melhores da sua categoria, e seu ritmo ascendente desde o ano passado promete conquistas de grande porte para o lutador.

“Há alguns anos eu sigo na luta para construir uma carreira sólida no cenário competitivo”, analisa André. “No começo de 2017 eu quebrei o pé lutando, e fiquei grande parte daquela temporada me recuperando e treinando para voltar. O ano de 2018 foi muito melhor, foi fenomenal para mim. Fiquei em segundo lugar no Pan Sem Kimono da IBJJF, em Nova York, foi muito legal.”

Ainda sobre a lista de conquistas do casca-grossa em 2018, torneios de expressão internacional servem como impulso para outros planos ainda mais ambiciosos para a temporada que se inicia.

“Lutei muito na federação internacional e, mesmo voltando de lesão, me coloquei entre os 20 melhores do ranking mundial. Ganhei alguns opens da IBJJF no caminho também, como os de Las Vegas, Denver, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago e Austin, por exemplo.

“Agora, para esta temporada de 2019, quero chegar mais forte para conquistar ainda mais títulos, focar nos campeonatos de maior evidência, como o Pan-Americano e o Mundial. Em 2016, além de medalhar no Pan da IBJJF, eu conquistei também o ADCC Nationals nos EUA, com e sem kimono, um torneio duríssimo, e pretendo atuar mais uma vez sob as regras do ADCC neste ano.”

André no alto do pódio do Atlanta Open do ano passado, na disputada categoria de kimono. Foto: IBJJF

Além de ferrenho competidor, André ainda administra seu tempo para dividir um pouco do que aprendeu em anos sob a bandeira da Gracie Barra com demais adeptos da arte.

“No quesito aulas, o ano de 2018 foi bom também para me dedicar mais em lecionar. Ministrei muitos seminários na América, nas filiais da Gracie Barra em Santa Barbara, Aurora, Deerfield, West Lancaster e outras.”

A meta é se colocar no topo do cenário competitivo em sua divisão neste ano, já plenamente recuperado das lesões de outrora e com os treinos executados de forma inteligente, mais fortes do que nunca.

American soldiers using BJJ in their close-combat class.

By Andre Almeida of Gracie Barra Simi Valley

Jiu-jitsu is becoming increasingly used as a training tool by the Armed Forces. Its characteristics of control and manipulation of the body make jiu-jitsu not only a necessary skill for self-defense and mixed martial arts, but also a must-know technique in the fight against war.

The following 5 theoretical tips/lessons are part of a course that I have taught to many different types of Special Ops teams and branches of the Armed Forces back in Brazil and, most recently, I taught a course to the U.S. Air Force soldiers as part of this squad’s war training:

1) The ethics of war. The jiu-jitsu practitioner should be trained to be the best fighter, but it should also be an instrument to improve life and balance the mind and spirit, strengthening and reinforcing good principles.

2) The training of the mind. The training required for the mastering of jiu-jitsu offers and enables a better understanding of different situations, making it easier for the soldier to read and visualize each peculiarity, which allows the work of a more complete reaction in a situation in check, even under great pressure for a quick response.

3) Understanding the lever. The key is the understanding of the lever in such way that the soldier can learn how to use locks and chokes in an effective way, but knowing how to use a proper reaction to the action taken. In other words, the mastering of jiu-jitsu allows control of the situation without falling into the trap of the abuse of power and, at the same time, the risk of being dominated when in battle.

4) Seeing defeat as a bridge for improvement. Learning how to embrace difficulties and challenges as a path for improvement is a fundamental mindset for the soldier on the war front. Progress in jiu-jitsu begins with a step back so than you can walk forward. You first learn how to fall so that you learn how to get up, and any introduction to jiu-jitsu will teach you to first neutralize the attack and then be offensive. In this way, jiu-jitsu teaches to see failure as a part of progress and to accept defeat as a work in progress.

5) The mastery of jiu-jitsu for personal growth. There is no activity that works and trains every aspect of the individual like jiu-jitsu. An intellectual activity will sharpen the mind but neglect the body; conditioning alone will be beneficial for the body but will neglect the mind. Jiu-jitsu is the only activity that will train and improve all human needs. From a war perspective, the soldier will be trained to keep a sharp mind for the correct application of any measure that requires a strategy action or plan an attack and the body will be trained for the fight but it will also be trained not to be broken and endure the hard days of war.

The post Five ways Brazilian jiu-jitsu is helping soldiers on the war front first appeared on Graciemag.]]> https://www.graciemag.com/5-dicas-do-jiu-jitsu-utilizadas-por-soldados-do-exercito-no-front-de-guerra/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-dicas-do-jiu-jitsu-utilizadas-por-soldados-do-exercito-no-front-de-guerra Mon, 11 Jun 2018 04:24:09 +0000 https://www.graciemag.com/?p=209882 *Por Andre Almeida O Jiu-Jitsu vem sendo cada vez mais utilizado como ferramenta de treinamento pelas forças armadas. Com suas característica de controle e manipulação do corpo, o Jiu-Jitsu se coloca como uma arte marcial fundamental não só de defesa pessoal, mas também como necessária para treinar a mente dos soldados no front de guerra.…

Soldados americanos aplicando o Jiu-Jitsu em aulas de combate corpo a corpo. Foto: Divulgação

*Por Andre Almeida

O Jiu-Jitsu vem sendo cada vez mais utilizado como ferramenta de treinamento pelas forças armadas. Com suas característica de controle e manipulação do corpo, o Jiu-Jitsu se coloca como uma arte marcial fundamental não só de defesa pessoal, mas também como necessária para treinar a mente dos soldados no front de guerra.

Destaquei cinco dicas/lições teóricas que ensinei para os soldados da Força Aérea dos Estados Unidos da América em um curso que ministrei como parte do treinamento de guerra deste esquadrão. Leia com atenção.

1. A ética de guerra. O praticante de Jiu-Jitsu deve ser treinado não só para ser o melhor lutador, mas a arte deve servir também como instrumento que vai proporcionar uma vida balanceada com foco na disciplina física e mental, fortalecendo o caráter e reforçando os bons princípios.

2. O treinamento da mente. O rigoroso treinamento necessário para o domínio do Jiu-Jitsu proporciona e possibilita um melhor entendimento das diferentes situações, facilitando ao soldado uma melhor leitura e visão do meio, que permite o emprego de uma reação mais adequada a situação em cheque, mesmo quando sob grande pressão e necessidade de uma rápida resposta.

3. O entendimento da alavanca. Faz-se fundamental o necessário entendimento da alavanca, estrangulamento e diversas chaves (como chave de braço, chave de pé, entre outras) por parte do soldado para que sempre seja empregada a devida reação para com a ação tomada. Em outras palavras, o domínio do Jiu-Jitsu permite ao soldado o controle da situação sem a necessidade de abuso de força e, ao mesmo tempo, reduzindo o risco de ser dominado quando em batalha.

4. Enxergando a derrota como ponte para a melhoria. Aprender a abraçar as dificuldades, os desafios e as derrotas como um caminho para a melhoria é um dica fundamental para o soldado no front de guerra. Qualquer progresso no Jiu-Jitsu começa com um passo para trás para depois caminhar para frente. A aula introdutória básica ensina o aluno a primeiro cair para depois aprender a levantar, ensina a primeiro neutralizar o ataque para depois atacar. Dessa forma o Jiu-Jitsu ensina a aceitar o fracasso e o desconforto como parte do progresso.

5. O domínio do Jiu-Jitsu para a melhoria individual. Não há atividade que trabalhe e treine todas as facetas do homem como o Jiu-Jitsu. O trabalho intelectual vai afiar a mente mas o corpo será negligenciado, enquanto o condicionamento físico por si só melhora o corpo mas negligencia a mente. O Jiu-Jitsu atende a todas as necessidades humanas. Dentro de uma perspectiva de guerra, o soldado será treinado pelo Jiu-Jitsu a manter a sua mente perspicaz para adoção correta de qualquer medida que demande um pensamento de estratégia, de ação ou planejamento de ataque. O corpo estará treinado para o combate mas também será treinado para não ser quebrado e suportar as difíceis jornadas da guerra.

*Andre Almeida ensina na nossa GMI Gracie Barra Simi Valley, nos EUA.

The post 5 dicas do Jiu-Jitsu utilizadas por soldados do exército no front de guerra first appeared on Graciemag.]]>

Flavio, Ricardo, André at the New York Spring Open

Purple belt André Almeida definitely has some serious Jiu-Jitsu genes in his body. The younger brother of black belts Ricardo and Flavio Almeida took a while to start in the gentle art, but when he did he knew that was what he wanted for his life.

At 24 years old and training since he was 13 under Jefferson Moura at Gracie Barra headquarters, in Rio de Janeiro, André is already making some big waves in the competition circuit.

After competing at the 2016 Pan, he decided to stay in the USA to have an intense training camp alongside his brothers for the 2016 Worlds.

We talked with André about his start in Jiu-Jitsu and his plans for the future. Here’s what he had to say.

GRACIEMAG.COM: Your brothers are well known within the Jiu-Jitsu community, but you are still a new face. What can you tell us about yourself and your beginning in the gentle art?

André Almeida: I have 24 years old and have been practicing Jiu-Jitsu since I was 13 years old. My mother never really wanted me to start Jiu-Jitsu and like 90% of the kids in Brazil I always were really into soccer but I had always a big influence of my older brothers (Ricardo and Flavio Almeida) that always used to take me to their tournaments and to their trainings in Gracie Barra. One day I was jumped by a bunch of older kids because of a girl back in Brazil and my older brothers (both already living in United States) called their friends and training partners at Gracie Barra to help me out. After that I knew that I wanted to join that team, so I started training Jiu-Jitsu. I’m a purple belt and I currently train at the first Gracie Barra, our headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under the guidance of Professor Jefferson Moura. I came to the United States to fight on IBJJF PanAms and decided to stay until IBJJF Worlds doing a camp with my brother Flavio Almeida witch is helping me everyday to get my game sharp for a good result at World’s.

The brothers at the gym

GRACIEMAG.COM: What role your brothers Ricardo and Flavio played in your development in Jiu-Jitsu? 

André Almeida: Today I’m totally devoted to the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and that has happened, in big part, because of my older brother’s influence. A couple of years ago I was finishing Law School and working on one of the biggest Law Firms in Brazil, back then I had no time to do almost anything but I used to escape on the middle of the work shift (sometimes at noon sometimes at 6 pm) to train with a couple of friends, after training I would put the suit back on and head back to the office. A couple of times I heard people asking how could I have sweat so much, and I would always put the blame on the hot humid Brazilian whether. My older brothers always played an important roll in my life as been a big inspiration of mine, I believe that their influence has made me grow so much faster than the average kids. I have learned a lot from their actions in simple things like work ethic, never giving up, always believing in yourself. I had the opportunity of embracing – since a young age – the world of my brothers and to watch them thriving in their tournaments. I can easily say that if I’m passioned about testing myself today is because of their influence and good exemple. Fighting alongside my brothers has always been a dream of mine and this year we were able fulfill this dream when we all won our categories Gi and No-Gi competing together at the New York Spring International Open Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF. Following the steps of my brothers I’m glad to defend Gracie Barra and to represent the next generation of Almeida’s.

GRACIEMAG.COM: What do you see for your future in the gentle art?

André Almeida: I have been training Jiu-Jitsu for over 10 years now and I’m 100% focussed in competition and preparing for IBJJF World’s this year. I’m dedicating myself entirely to competition and I plan to one day be a Black Belt World Champion. For this year I have won the gold medal at the Atlanta Open, New York Spring Open, New York Spring Open No-Gi, Arizona Open, NABJJF Silver State Open and NABJJF Silver State Open No-Gi; have won second place at the San Jose Open No-Gi; and have won 3rd place at the Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF, Las Vegas Open, San Jose Open. I’m not thinking about MMA at the moment but I have always liked and followed the sport. I always admired my older brother Ricardo Almeida for his accomplishments on the sport as athlete and now as a one of the greatest MMA coaches and whenever I get the chance I take the time to visit him on New Jersey and train with his team.