Ricardo Cavalcanti, our GMA in Las Vegas / Photo: Carlos Ozório/GRACIEMAG.com

Ricardo Cavalcanti is always looking to leave a good legacy in Jiu-Jitsu, and he does social benefit work as well. The Carlson Gracie black belt found out about the outreach project Ação e Reação via the internet and decided to help out with the campaign underway in the Brazilian state of Ceará. First, he donated gis. Last week, he arranged for new mats. “I’m now part of the Ação e Reação family; I help the kids there out whenever I can,” said the Jiu-Jitsu professor, our GMA in Nevada.

Besides the example he sets by helping out with a good cause, Ricardo is offering readers a position with which to bolster their Jiu-Jitsu in the lead-up to the IBJJF Worlds. In the video he teaches some variations of a choke to perform using the lapel. Enjoy your training.

Teachers at Brazil 021, a GMA academy, André “Negão” Terêncio and Hannette Staack put together a mini documentary on the team’s endeavors to help needy neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro. “We present our schools in two communities in the Tijuca part of Rio. It’s a project we’re doing with the help of some unofficial partners and students who pay a symbolic fee, just to cover the cost of the teacher and the facility’s upkeep,” recounts André, who dreams of the project reaching new heights.

FREE JIU-JITSU

“I want everyone to soon be able to train for free. That’s right, for free; but working in conjunction with a school,” he remarked. Initially, the official Brazil 021 campaign is meant to provide the basics for students to take their first steps in the gentle art.

“We still have a large chunk of the Brazilian population that can hardly get enough to eat, much less pay for a Jiu-Jitsu academy. Our objective is to acquire gis of all kinds, sizes, new and old. With a gi, young people can start practicing Jiu-Jitsu, and that will surely keep them away from a lot of issues and help them become upstanding citizens,” he said in conclusion.

Anyone who can help Brazil 021 can make contact via email: – andre.terencio@brazil021.com or andre@andrenegaobjjclub.com.

To become better acquainted with the project, drop by www.brazil021.com.

Check out a video of the Brazil 021 Project:

Origin founders Pete Roberts and André "Dedeco" Almeida / Publicity photo

GRACIEMAG supporter Origin burst onto the scene last year with some innovative products that include the OrangaHang grip training system. Origin’s COMP 550 gi was ranked the number-five gi in the 2011 Aesopian Gi Survey, opening a lot of eyes in a very short time. Well, keep your eyes open because Origin just launched their 2012 product-lineup video, and this year they are gunning for the number-one spot. As seen in the video, Origin is pushing the technology of their gis and gear. The video was shot in the foothills of Western Maine, where Origin is headquartered. Origin is owned by Pete Roberts and Andre “Dedeco” Almeida – both active competitors.