From left: DJ Jacke, Gui Valente and Thierry Henry (photo by Mauro Samagaio/Gracie Miami publicity

On Jan. 5, Guilherme Valente, a Jiu-Jitsu professor at Gracie Miami, was kicking back on vacation in Rio when he remembered to invite his friend Jacke, a famous DJ in St.-Tropez and Europe, to check out samba school Unidos da Tijuca rehearsing at the Sapucaí carnival grounds.

There the two bumped into Thierry Henry, the 35-year-old French superstar on top British soccer club Arsenal, who struck up a conversation about the UFC and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Gui Valente extended an invitation for him to practice the gentle art with him.

Passing through the land he helped devastate by winning the final of the 1998 World Cup, Henry still found time to get in some samba dancing.

Now, as for Gui Valente, he’s been dropping in at Gracie Humaitá in Rio, and next weekend will be returning home to Florida.

Thierry Henry cai no samba e elogia o Jiu-Jitsu no Rio, com Gui Valente e o DJ Jacke (de preto). Foto: Mauro Samagaio/Divulgação Gracie Miami

No último dia 5 de janeiro, o professor Guilherme Valente (Gracie Miami) estava curtindo férias pelo Rio e lembrou-se de convidar seu amigo Jacke, um dos mais famosos DJs de St. Tropez e da Europa, para assistir ao desfile da escola de samba Unidos da Tijuca, na Sapucaí.

Os dois se encontraram lá com o craque Thierry Henry, 35 anos, jogador do Arsenal, que conversou sobre o UFC e o Jiu-Jitsu brasileiro e recebeu um convite de Gui Valente para treinar a arte suave.

De passagem pelo Brasil, o artilheiro francês e carrasco da seleção no futebol aproveitou para sambar um pouco.

Já Gui Valente tem visitado a Gracie Humaitá, no Rio, e no fim de semana retorna para a Flórida.

The Valente Brothers, from Gracie Miami, held a huge belt ceremony recently.

They had the presence of Royce Gracie, graduated 14 students to the black belt and were also honored with the keys to the city of  North Miami Beach.

Read all about it here.

Now they released a video of that day’s events.

For more info, go to graciemiami.com.

Rickson ensinando Jiu-Jitsu no Rio. Foto de Carlos Ozório.

Confira o que rolou no seminário do faixa-coral Rickson Gracie em Miami, na academia dos irmãos Valente, nossos GMAs e parceiros de GRACIEMAG na distribuição de revistas no exterior. O aulão para mais de cem pessoas contou também com mestre Relson Gracie e até com um senador dos EUA. Veja e aprenda um pouco.

Rickson teaching Jiu-Jitsu in Rio / Photo by Carlos Ozório

Check out what went on at the Miami academy of our GMAs the Valente brothers when red-and-black belt Rickson Gracie paid them a visit. Over a hundred participants attended the class that Master Relson Gracie helped to conduct, and there was even a US state senator there. Watch and learn.

And you, what have you done to spread Jiu-Jitsu in the society? Tell us.

Guilherme, Pedro, Joaquim Valente

It’s still far away but the first week of December should be one for the books at GMA member school Gracie Miami.

The Valente Brothers will host a one of a kind Royce Gracie seminar on December 5th.

It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn direct from the man who shocked the world at the first UFCs and influenced so many to begin their lives in Jiu-Jitsu.

If you are interested, call 305-354-2060 or email to info@valentebrothers.com.

The cost is US$ 100 and Guilherme Valente just confirmed to GRACIEMAG.com the presence of Grand Master Pedro Valente Sr., recently graduated to the red belt.

To make the occasion a perfect one, on December 7th will take place the winter belt ceremony at Gracie Miami.

Here is a video of what happened in 2010.

For more info, go to graciemiami.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMK1W3oTLPg

Action-movie persiflage aside, what is it Bruce Lee teaches in this scene? He teaches, among other lessons, that an armbar should be practiced repeatedly so it will be performed just right. Otherwise, in a real fight situation, you could leave an opening for your opposer to defend, with tooth and nail. More tooth than nail, in this case.

“At the gym we always teach that, first of all, bites don’t win a fight,” stresses our GMA Guilherme Valente, of Gracie Miami. “Now, for a practitioner to eliminate any risk of a bite, what’s important is that training always be geared towards self-defense. That’s our main objective. We teach and train with that in mind. Just as a competitor’s thoughts are on the points associated with each position, we concentrate on possible vulnerabilities, like bites, in each movement.”

Valente thus concludes: “The armbar during a street fight should always be carried out quickly and decisively. The leg should always fit up against the aggressor’s neck, just below the jaw, and the other on his chest. It’s important to remember that a layman’s reflexes during a fight are completely different from a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner’s.”

So remember Bruce Lee. Talk to your Jiu-Jitsu teacher about how each move is best adapted for self-defense, and be a more well-rounded practitioner.