GMA member Itabora Ferreira of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu San Francisco has announced that Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles Maciel will be teaching a seminar at his academy on Sunday, Sept. 14.

The 2013 ADCC champion and 8-time world champion will teach from 1:05 p.m. to 4:10 p.m.

Learn the decorated techniques of his mastermind’s game.

Pre-registration is $119 + tax and at the door the cost will be $150 per person.

You can reserve your spot now here: https://itaboraevents.ticketbud.com/cobrinha-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-seminar 

For more information about GMA Alliance SF, visit http://alliancebjjsf.com/

GMA member Itabora Ferreira has invited black belt world champion Lucas Lepri to host a seminar at Alliance San Francisco on Saturday, May 17. With Lucas currently preparing for the 2014 World Championship on the west coast, he has spared some time to teach his winning techniques to the Bay area.

The seminar will be held from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at GMA Alliance San Francisco: 837 Industrial Rd, San Carlos, CA 94070.

The cost is $90 for all non-Alliance members, but all teams and affiliations are welcome.

For more information you can call 415-793-2988 and to reserve your spot, please paypal the registration fee to the address: itabora@yahoo.com

Learn more about GMA Alliance San Francisco here: www.alliancebjjsf.com

Caio at the 2013 SF Open. Photo: Ivan Trindade

The 2014 IBJJF San Francisco Open is scheduled for Feb. 9 at the Kezar Pavilion. Athletes are filling up the divisions including one black belt world champion named Caio Terra.

The tournament is one of the only IBJJF events prior to the prestigious Pan American Championship so many athletes are aiming towards the big one while preparing with the local events. Don’t miss your chance to get some competition mat time into the books of 2014 before you travel to Irvine for the big one.

Also in attendance will be both local master men, Marcos Yemaso Torregrosa and Itabora Ferreira.

The Kezar Pavilion is located at 755 Stanyan St. San Francisco, CA 94117.

Registration ends on Feb. 1. You can register at www.ibjjf.org

Professor Itabora Ferreira is the head instructor of GMA Alliance San Francisco and currently battling cancer. In efforts to help the 2013 Masters and Seniors World Champion with medical expenses during his treatment, Bruce Tafoya will be holding a seminar.

All proceeds will be donating to Itabora and the set price is up to each participant. Bruce is a 5-time International Master & Senior
Jiu-Jitsu Champion, five-time Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Champion and more.

The date is Nov. 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Alliance San Francisco facility:  837 Industrial Road, suite A, San Carlos, CA 94070.

For more information and to reserve your spot at this charity seminar go to www.alliancebjjsf.com

Professor Itabora Ferreira of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu San Francisco with Master Romero ‘Jacare’ Cavalcanti. Photo: Itabora Ferreira

Coming up in November GMA academy Alliance Jiu-Jitsu San Francisco will add Jiu-Jitsu and anti-bullying classes for kids to the schedule.

The enrollment is open now for a seven week program with emphasis on basic Jiu-Jitsu techniques for kids. This will include a self-defense curriculum as well as an anti-bullying program.

Each class will be taught by professor Itabora Ferreira, a qualified and experienced Jiu-Jitsu black belt with forty years of teaching experience who encourages a respectful environment.

The age group group for this first program is for six-year-olds up to twelve-year-olds. Classes will start on Monday, Nov. 4 and will run until Friday, Dec. 20.

The schedule is: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

If anyone is interested in enrolling their children in the program please leave a message at 415-793-2988.

Tijuca Tenis Clube welcomes Rio Open, Master & Senior

This past weekend the IBJJF International Masters and Seniors Championship ran alongside the Rio Open to give the 30+ crowd its wo shining glory. Located in the Tijuca Tennis Club the four-day event catered to legends and novice competitors alike from white to black, master to senior 4 categories.

Two of GMA members traveled to the tournament and accomplished three medals.

Black belt senior 4 competitor Itabora Ferreira took home the gold in the middleweight category representing the Alliance banner. His team back home in San Francisco serves as the Alliance headquarters in Northern California. A cancer survivor, Itabora lives a fulfilled life of teaching and also proving his skills on the mat whenever he can.

Amal Easton was also present at the championship and he placed first in his senior 2 heavyweight division as well as second in the absolute. A Renzo Gracie black belt fighting under Gordo Jiu-Jitsu, he heads Easton BJJ academies in Boulder and Denver, Colorado.

Learn more about their academies and more in our GMA directory here.

Eduardo Telles e Saulo Ribeiro no Internacional de Masters 2012. Foto: Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG

A rotina não é moleza para quem pratica Jiu-Jitsu, e por isso somos mais fortes e confiantes para a vida lá fora.

Quando o praticante tem mais de 30 anos então, a coisa endurece mais: tem o trabalho, o convívio com os familiares, as responsabilidades em geral. Mas, se você não tem uma hora do seu dia para cuidar da saúde e da mente, você não está aproveitando direito as 24 que temos diariamente à disposição.

Recentemente, GRACIEMAG trouxe em suas edições dois exemplos de inspiração para quem está afastado dos dojôs ou quer começar a treinar depois de “coroa”.

Um deles é o multicampeão Vitor Shaolin, 33 anos. Afastado dos campeonatos fazia 11 anos, voltou com tudo, no ano passado, no Mundial de Master & Sênior, e beliscou o ouro acima de 30 anos.

“Minha esposa botou a maior pilha. Ela disse que eu estava muito chato em casa, sem competir… Além disso, vi que grandes amigos iam lutar, como Robinho Moura, Gustavo Dantas e Ricardo Bastos. Isso me animou e decidi me inscrever. Depois de inscrito, encontrei um tempo razóavel para treinar, o que não é fácil tendo que dar aulas e cuidar de três filhos”, disse o professor radicado em Nova York, ao repórter Ivan Trindade.

Outro exemplo destacado em nossas páginas foi o do faixa-preta Itaborá Ferreira, de 53 anos. Itaborá tinha todos os motivos para ficar em casa – entre eles, um câncer na próstata.

Mas ele competiu com sucesso no Mundial de Sêniors também: “Vou ao hospital todos os dias. Estou fazendo radioterapia e quimioterapia, mas não abri mão de lutar aqui em Long Beach. Isso é a minha terapia, o meu parque de diversões. Aqui me sinto vivo”, ensinou.

E você, ainda precisa de mais inspiração para ir treinar Jiu-Jitsu?

Relembre, no vídeo em anexo, a garra dos masters no Pan de 2011, e prepare o kimono para uma grande temporada 2013.

>>> E, para assinar sua revista preferida HOJE, com uma moleza inédita, clique aqui! Basta assinar e ganhar um kimono grátis!

Eduardo Telles and Saulo Ribeiro at 2012 International Masters (Photo by Gustavo Aragão/GRACIEMAG)

A Jiu-Jitsu practitioner’s routine is no walk in the park, and that’s precisely why we’re stronger and more confident even outside the academy walls.

When a practitioner is over 30 years of age, though, things get even tougher: there’s work, family life, overall responsibilities. But if you haven’t got an hour of your day to take care of your health and mind, you’re not making the most of the 24 hours per day at your disposal.

In a recent issue of GRACIEMAG, we featured two stories to serve as inspiration to those who have been away from the academy or are thinking to take up the practice once they’re already “getting up there”.

One of them is the decorated 33-year-old Vitor Shaolin. Not having competed in 11 years, he decided to try his hand in competition again last year at the inaugural Master & Senior Worlds, and he rediscovered the taste of victory.

“My wife was on my case. She said I was a nuisance at home, with no competition to go to… Besides that, some of my great friends were going to fight, like Robson Moura, Gustavo Dantas and Ricardo Bastos. That really going me going, and I decided to compete. Once signed up, I came up with reasonable enough time to train, which is no easy task when you have class to teach and kids to take care of,” the Jiu-Jitsu teacher living in New York told reporter Ivan Trindade.

Another role model from our pages is the black belt Itaborá Ferreira, 53. Itaborá had every reason in the world to stay at home—among them, prostate cancer.

But he too hit the mats at the Master & Senior Worlds and won: “I go to the hospital every day. I’m doing radiation therapy and chemotherapy but I wouldn’t let the chance to be here in Long Beach pass. This is my therapy, my fun park. Here I feel alive,” he said.

What about you? Still need inspiration to get out there and start training Jiu-Jitsu?

Refresh your memory of the tough old war horses of the 2011 Pan with the video above, and get your gi ready for the big 2013 season.