GRACIE BARRA FULLERTON

PROFESSOR:

Black Belt Gustavo Pires

ADDRESS: 217-A North Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, CA, ZIP: 92832

PHONE: (714) 883-8855

WEBSITE: www.gbfullerton.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/Gracie-Barra-Fullerton

ABOUT:

The Gracie Barra School in Fullerton, California, offers world-class level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction for individuals, families, and Law Enforcement Officials of South LA County and is being developed to become a reference for physical education, character development, self-defense, and world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training at the communities of Fullerton and surrounding neighborhoods.

The GB Fullerton classes are aligned with the Gracie Barra Program Structure developed by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. to meet specific learning needs from people with different ages, gender and levels. Our clean, friendly and progress oriented environment allows the students to have a challenging, inspirational and warm learning and training experience that always make them feel like coming back.

Our school is for everyone and anyone who is looking to get in shape, learn self-defense, and improve the overall quality of their lives. In addition our family-oriented environment is a perfect place to teach your children to feel safe everyday not only when they are at school or outside playing, but also in developing their self-confidence and discipline.

At our school, you will receive hands on attention from our world class instructors who will monitor your progress in a clean, safe, and family-friendly environment.

Our Professors and Instructors were trained under the Gracie Barra Curriculum created by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and their work is supervised by our Head Instructor and 3rd degree black belt Professor Marcio Feitosa.

The GB Fullerton’s goal is training everyone with or without martial arts background and make them feel part of the Gracie Barra Family.

VIDEO:

Paul (right) and his GB Fullerton black belt instructor, Maycon Carvalho. Photos: Deb Blythe

One day, Paul discovered a small martial arts school by his house, and decided to give it a shot. The main focus of the school was karate, however he found that he loved taking the Jiu-Jitsu classes they offered.

Then, Paul watched Marcio Feitosa compete and win at the Abu Dhabi’s in Long Beach, in 2005. He held him in such high esteem, he drove to his Gracie Barra school in Lake Forest to check it out. He loved the atmosphere so much he immediately signed up. “I learned Jiu-Jitsu from master Carlos and professor Marcio. I loved it. When I became a blue belt, I decided in my mind that I wanted to have my own school.”

Paul (right) and some of his GB Fullerton students

He just walked the whole day – he didn’t have to use a wheelchair. His mom called me crying because he recently submitted another kid on the mats” Paul Barbosa

Eventually the housing market crashed and Paul knew it was time for him to do what he needed to do. He started looking for locations and saw the potential in Fullerton. “The first place I looked at is where we are today.” In April of 2008, Paul received his purple belt from Carlos Gracie Jr and a year later, he opened GB Fullerton.

“The main reason I opened the school was to help change people’s lives for the better,” Paul says, “Jiu-Jitsu made such a huge difference in mine, I wanted to give back.” Before Jiu-Jitsu, Paul was overweight and very shy. “It made a positive change in my confidence level and after six months of training, I lost those 50 pounds. I wanted to share my good fortune with everyone.”

At first, Paul was uncertain if he’d made the right choice. “It was really scary in the beginning,” Paul says, “It was such a big change from real estate. I’d never done anything like this before, but people always say, ‘if you do what you love, you’ll be successful.’ That statement is true. I have such a big passion for the school. We built it and now the students are coming.” GB Fullerton currently boasts about 170 students.

Paul with some of his GB America training partners

What took Paul by surprise were his reactions to his smallest students. “I would want to cry when parents came to me and said Jiu-Jitsu had changed their children’s lives,” Paul says, “I never thought I could have that kind of impact on someone’s life.”

I’ve really never stuck to anything in my life except my wife and Jiu-Jitsu” Paul Barbosa

Like most people, Paul found himself drawn to something he couldn’t explain until he explored the psychological implications of it. He realized how much he loved the kid’s classes and how passionate he was to help them in any way he could, but he didn’t know why. He didn’t understand why he felt this way until he really contemplated his motivations and then it struck him.

“When I was about 13, my parents got a divorce,” Paul reflects, “I didn’t see it coming. It was hard on me because I felt very alone. I was in 7^th grade. I withdrew from everything. I lost all my happiness because I was close to both of them. We always did things together as a family. We were always close. They got back together my senior year, but those years in between had such a big effect on me.”

Paul didn’t realize what that experience had meant to him or how long he’d been harboring those emotions. What he did discover is that Jiu-Jitsu gave him his confidence back and elicited in him the desire to help his young students out. “I really take to the kids on the mats,” Paul says, “They touch a cord in me. I want them to have what I have now. I don’t want them to have to go through what I went through.”

Paul training at GB America

Paul goes on to say, “We have a kid named Leandro. He’s about 9 years old. The first time he came in to train, his mom told me that he was a little deaf in one ear and had a little bit of a speech impediment. He also had a few other medical issues that he had to deal with, like he had to sit in a wheelchair when he went to Disneyland, because his legs would cramp up.”

Leandro’s mom was upset because he was teased on the playground. Paul told her they would treat him like every other child so he didn’t feel different on the mats. “He’s now caught up to all the other kids and he’s just like them,” Paul says, “He just walked the whole day at Legoland – he didn’t have to use a wheelchair. His mom called me crying because he recently submitted another kid on the mats. She was so happy to see his confidence build. His behavior’s completely changed at school. He used to be very shy, but not anymore. He’s just a normal kid. Jiu-Jitsu changed his life.” Paul says the story represents his dreams coming true. “Changing kids’ lives is my greatest reward.

Paul with members of his GB family

Another reward Paul values and likes passing on to his students is being a part of the Gracie Barra family. “People aren’t sizing you up and wanting to kill you on the mats,” he says, “They make you feel welcome. We never have to tell our students to be nice to new people coming into the school. I hear them in the locker rooms greeting new people and offering to help them on the mats. We treat people like family here. Gracie Barra is my family. All my friends; everything I am and everything I have is because of Jiu-Jitsu. It’s changed my life in such a positive way.”

Paul recently had two very important events take place. He received his brown belt and GB Fullerton enjoyed its one-year anniversary. “Getting my brown belt was a milestone,” Paul says, “I’m one step closer to my black belt. I’ve really never stuck to anything in my life except my wife and Jiu-Jitsu, so it was really emotional for me. I felt a big sense of accomplishment.”

Paul thinks that many people just live their lives one day to the next, hating their jobs, their lives, and where they’re at, but they don’t do anything about it. “When I decided to dedicate myself to Jiu-Jitsu, it was one of the best choices of my life,” Paul says, “I wish I’d started it a long time ago.”

As for the one-year anniversary, Paul threw a big party for his students at the school. “Watching all my students enjoy the party made me realize what that one choice, to try a Jiu-Jitsu class, has done for me. Everyone was there because of it. If there’s one thing I learned from my journey through Jiu-Jitsu, it’s to follow what makes you happy.”

Paul says he has found his true passion. “The feelings I have about this school and my passion for this life are indescribable. No amount of money could ever compare to it. I live the life I love; I love the life I live.”

Maycon winning Gold at the 2009 No Gi Worlds, alongside friend Rodrigo Clark of GBSB

Carvalho grew up in Teofilo Otoni, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It was a small town that had no Jiu-Jitsu. One day, a friend who was a purple belt, came to visit from Rio and stayed with him for 6 months. They trained together in Carvalho’s home, and that was all it took for Jiu-Jitsu to enter his blood stream, “I knew then that Jiu-Jitsu was my life,” says Carvalho. “From the first time I rolled in my living room with my friend, after that moment, it was always a part of my life plan.”

Carvalho’s friend went back to Rio, and Carvalho was left in his town without Jiu-Jitsu. Two years later, when Carvalho was 18 years old, he went on vacation to the city of Maceio. He was at the beach and went looking for some Acai because he knew he’d meet some Jiu-Jitsu guys there, “I wanted to train so badly,” Carvalho says, “As luck would have it, I ended up meeting a GB guy and went to train with him. I was hooked for life… again.”

Carvalho ended up staying in Maceio, “My mom called me to come home because I was supposed to be starting university. Once I’d found GB Jiu-Jitsu, though, I knew I was never going back. My parents knew how much I wanted to pursue it, so they backed my decision to stay.”

Two years later, Carvalho moved to Belo Horizonte, in his home state, and joined Professor Aldo Caveirinha’s team as a blue belt, “I owe Professor Aldo a lot,” says Carvalho, “He let me stay with him so I could train. All he asked was that I teach at his school once I became a purple belt, which I did.” In fact, Carvalho stayed with Caveirinha for about nine years. They became very close over the years, “He’s still my best friend today,” Carvalho says.

When Carvalho became a brown belt, he left Belo Horizonte for Rio to train with Carlos Gracie Jr. He remained there for two years, “The first time I went to train with Master Carlos, he was so nice to me. He helped me out, and let me stay and train there. He welcomed me with open arms.”

While in Rio, Carvalho talked to Caveirinha every week. Carveirinha told Carvalho that he had to go to Europe for three months and asked Carvalho to return to Belo Horizonte, “He asked me to be head instructor of his school while he was away. I couldn’t believe he trusted me with the job, even though there were other black belts there.”

Carvalho says the experience changed his life, “The opportunity he gave me inspired me to teach for life. It showed me, more than anything else I’d ever done, that this was my life path.” When Caveirinha returned to his well-managed school, he gave Carvalho his black belt. Carvalho says it was the greatest moment of his life.

Maycon and his partner, Paul Barbosa of GB Fullerton

In 2007, Carvalho went to Long Beach, California, for the Worlds with Philipe Della Monica and Marcus Neuenschwander, “We decided to stay and teach here,” Carvalho says, “We wanted to represent GB.” The three black belts were training at the GB Lake Forest school to prepare for the Worlds. That was the only GB school in Southern California at that time, so there were no teaching jobs, “Professor Flavio (Almeida) told me about a new school in Danbury, Connecticut,” Carvalho says, “So, I moved to help with the school there. I stayed for 6 months.”

Then, in 2008, Carvalho returned to Southern California for the Pan. Professor Flavio asked him whether he wanted to help open a school in Arkansas, “I said I would do it. I stayed in Jacksonville for five months.”

At the end of his tenure in Jacksonville, he received a call saying that Paul Barbosa was opening a school in Fullerton, California, in January 2009. Carvalho was invited to move to Southern California to be the head instructor at GB Fullerton, “Life is really good,” Carvalho says, “I love California. The people are nice and my best friends live here. Training at GB America in Irvine is amazing. Master Carlos Gracie is here. If you love Jiu-Jitsu, you want to be in Irvine.”

Ever since settling down in the state he so loves, Carvalho has seen some great events come to pass. Last November, he won gold at the No-Gi Worlds, “I trained a lot for that. It was very exciting!”

But Carvalho’s passion remains teaching, “I’m changing lives,” he says, “I love seeing a student progress. I feel like I’m working with a rough stone and making it smooth and perfect. Watching a student perform a good technique that he learned from me, then seeing him perfect it in class, and then watching him take it to competition and use it there makes me feel really good.”

Maycon coaching on the mats at GB Fullerton

Carvalho says his goal is to fill GB Fullerton with students. He really enjoys working there, “Paul (Barbosa) is the best partner. We have a great friendship. I want to teach for life and be a professor forever. I want to breathe BJJ every day.”