Renato Tavares (ATT) with Chicago Open medals / Photos: personal archive

Jiu-Jitsu black belt Renato Tavares, our GMA at ATT Vero Beach, Florida, dominated the senior age group at the Chicago Winter Open last weekend in Illinois, USA.

A student of late Grandmaster Carlson Gracie, Renato won both the featherweight division and the absolute, and spoke with GRACIEMAG.com about his conquest.

“This year I managed to take first at weight and open weight. I had three matches: the two at weight I won on points, and the one in the absolute I won by submission, closing out the brackets with Giulio Timóteo, my teammate at Carlson Gracie’s academy back in the 1990’s. It was a good test for the Pan. Now it’s all about ironing out the mistakes and going for another gold medal at the Pan. I won it last year, in 2009 and in 2001,” he recalled.

JIU-JITSU IS REPETITION, POSTURE AND ATTENTION TO DETAILS

“All competitions are a learning experience. Whether in preparing for an event, in warmup, mental preparations, strategy—everything counts and you always learn,” preaches Renato.

“Each championship has a level, and for this one I’d been training hard to get ready for the Pan. I’ve been working a lot on the open guard and de la Riva guard from bottom position, as well as guard passing from top. The most important part is to get good at a given position and do the position specific to your game a lot. Always do a lot of repetitions and pay close attention to the details and posture,” said the teacher in conclusion.

In the video below, Renato shows how to develop and effective guard. Check it out and do lots of repetitions, always under the supervision of a qualified Jiu-Jitsu instructor.

Renato Tavares (ATT) com as medalhas conquistadas em Chicago. Foto: Acervo Pessoal.

Faixa-preta de Jiu-Jitsu Renato Tavares, nosso GMA na ATT Vero Beach, na Flórida, dominou a faixa etária sênior, no Chicago Winter Open realizado no último fim de semana, em Illinois.

Aluno do saudoso grande mestre Carlson Gracie, Renatinho foi campeão no peso-pena e no absoluto, e comentou a conquista com o GRACIEMAG.com.

“Este ano consegui ficar em primeiro no peso e no absoluto. Fiz três lutas, duas no peso ganhei por pontos e uma no absoluto por finalização, fechando a chave com Giulio Timóteo, meu parceiro na academia Carlson Gracie nos anos 1990. Serviu como teste pro Pan. Agora é corrigir os erros e correr atrás da medalha de ouro no Pan de novo. Fui campeão no ano passado, em 2009 e 2001.”, lembrou ele ao GRACIEMAG.com.

Jiu-Jitsu é repetição, postura e atenção aos detalhes

“Todas as competições são um apredizado. Seja na preparação antes do evento, aquecimento e preparação mental antes das lutas, estratégia. Tudo conta e se aprende sempre”, ensina Renatinho.

“Cada campeonato tem seu nível e pra esse vinha treinando forte pois é preparação para o Pan. Tenho treinado muito guarda aberta e De la Riva por baixo, e passagem de guarda por cima. O mais importante pra ficar bom em uma determinada posição, é fazer bastante a posição especifica pro seu jogo. Sempre fazer muita repetição e atenção nos detalhes e na postura”, conclui o professor.

No vídeo abaixo, Renatinho mostra como ter uma guarda eficiente. Confira e faça muitas repetições, sempre com a supervisão de um instrutor de Jiu-Jitsu. Bons treinos.

Tagarela goes for sweep. Photo: personal archive

Jonatas Gurgel, better known as Tagarela, teaches Jiu-Jitsu at ATT Florida but defends team Atos in competition. Last weekend the black belt, who is just picking up competition rhythm again, managed a solid victory.

In disputing the absolute division at the FGL (Florida Grappler League), the lightweight submitted the game Marcus Bochecha (CheckMat), who was recently promoted to black belt after winning his weight group and the absolute at the last Worlds. Tagarela went on to beat two more opponents to take home the 500-dollar bounty.

“I beat Bochecha by 9 to 0 and submitted him with a choke from back mount. In the second match I scored 32 to 0 and in the final, after scoring 20 to 0, I got the tapout from back mount again to become absolute champion,” says Tagarela.

The fighter was focused on MMA for the last two years, during which he won four times in four fights, three coming by way of submission and one by knockout. Now his focus returns to gi Jiu-Jitsu. Tagarela confirms he will be participating at the IBJJF Opens.

“I’m training with my students in Miami focused on the Miami Open, Chicago Open and Honolulo Open. I’m returning my focus to the gi. And I’m setting it up so next year I’ll be back at the Atos training center in Rio Claro training hard for the main IBJJF events,” he says in closing.