What benefits does a Jiu-Jitsu instructor offer to individuals and the community where they work?
EDUARDO INOJOSA: In addition to spreading the fundamentals of self-defense, respect, and discipline, we, Jiu-Jitsu instructors, empower individuals in terms of healthy living, both physically and mentally. I refer to encouraging self-confidence, self-control, and enabling people to overcome adversities. We motivate students to adopt positive values, fostering resilience and better decision-making under pressure—not only on the mat but also in daily life.

Besides teaching Jiu-Jitsu, you have a successful career as a competitor. What have been your main achievements, and what have you learned from them?
For me, it was during my purple belt in 2007 when I won the IBJJF Brazilian Championship, one of the first major competitions I entered. I was also the runner-up in the black belt category in 2015. In 2017, I realized a dream by becoming the champion at the Brazilian Team Championship, representing Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu. I also stood out in the AJP Grand Slams in Rio in 2021 and 2022. Throughout this journey, I learned a lot about discipline and resilience, as preparing for and participating in these competitions requires athletes to be in top form, both physically and mentally, and to always work with a long-term perspective.

What is your main goal for the future of your career?
My goal is to focus on training for competitions and return to competing, as this will enhance my skills as a black belt and help me practically demonstrate what I teach my students in class. Competing allows me to gain much more knowledge and accelerate my evolution. As we know, knowledge never ends; there’s always something new to learn in the gentle art.

When someone hesitates to train Jiu-Jitsu, what do you usually say to convince them to put on the gi and start their journey in the gentle art?
First, I try to listen to the person and understand their goals so that I can identify how Jiu-Jitsu can add positive values to their life.

Who is your greatest idol in your career, the person who serves as a guide in your major decisions? Why?
My idol is my fellow countryman Xande Ribeiro. Because of all he has achieved and represents for Jiu-Jitsu, he is a humble man who has never changed his way of being due to success. I was already a fan of his in 2016 when I had the privilege of spending a lot of time with Xande. I learned a lot from him during training. He is a great reference as an athlete, businessman, and person.

What motivational phrase do you like to repeat to yourself when going through a difficult situation?
“Never give up; you are one centimeter closer than you were yesterday. Today is a new day. I can!” Moreover, my family and those I love motivate me more than anything. If they are well, healthy, and happy, that’s all I need. I just know that everything will turn out fine.

*Article by Andrea Warner, from GB Salt Lake City

After a decade-long journey, I finally achieved my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt. It’s been a path filled with challenges, growth, and profound lessons. Each belt I earned symbolized not just progression in skill but also personal development. Here are the ten fundamental lessons I’ve learned throughout this transformative experience.

1. Relaxing under pressure
In the beginning, I often tensed up during sparring, wasting energy and making mistakes. Over time, I learned to stay calm and relaxed under pressure. This shift not only improved my performance on the mat but also in everyday stressful situations, teaching me the power of a composed mind.

2. Mastering self-doubt
Self-doubt was a constant companion, especially during plateaus. Learning to master it meant acknowledging my doubts without letting them control me. I discovered that persistence and self-belief, even in the face of uncertainty, were crucial to my success.

3. Importance of flexibility and strength training
Flexibility and strength are the foundations of effective jiu-jitsu. Incorporating yoga and strength training into my routine not only enhanced my performance but also prevented injuries. This holistic approach to fitness became a cornerstone of my training regimen.

4. Problem-solving skills
BJJ is often described as physical chess. Each match is a puzzle requiring strategy, adaptability, and quick thinking. This constant problem-solving sharpened my mental acuity, enabling me to think several moves ahead both on and off the mat.

5. Helping others succeed
One of the most rewarding aspects of my journey was helping others achieve their goals. Whether it was offering encouragement or sharing techniques, I found that helping others succeed brought immense satisfaction and reinforced my own understanding of jiu-jitsu.

6. How to be a teacher
Becoming a black belt also meant becoming a teacher. Teaching required me to break down complex techniques into understandable steps, improving my own mastery and deepening my appreciation for the art. It also taught me patience and empathy, essential traits for any instructor.

7. Not giving up
There were countless times when I felt like giving up, especially during tough training sessions or after a demoralizing defeat. Pushing through these moments taught me resilience and the importance of perseverance. Success is often just beyond the point where we want to quit.

8. Humility
BJJ has a way of humbling even the most confident practitioners. Losing to a more skilled opponent or making a beginner’s mistake reminded me that there is always more to learn. This humility kept my ego in check and my mind open to continuous improvement.

9. Staying present and in the moment
Jiu-jitsu requires intense focus and presence. Being fully engaged in the moment, whether during a match or practice, enhanced my performance and enjoyment of the sport. This mindfulness transcended into my daily life, helping me stay present and appreciate each moment.

10. Patience
Progress in jiu-jitsu is often slow and sometimes imperceptible. Patience became a vital lesson as I learned to trust the process and enjoy the journey rather than fixating on the destination. This patience also helped me become more compassionate towards myself and others.

Conclusion
Earning my BJJ black belt was not just a testament to my skills on the mat, but also a reflection of the personal growth I experienced over ten years. These lessons have shaped me into a stronger, more resilient, and compassionate person. Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art; it’s a journey of self-discovery and lifelong learning.

Master Carlos Gracie Jr. with Marco Réss. Photo: Reproduction

Text: Marco Réss

I started training Jiu-Jitsu in 1991, in São Paulo, with the late Marcelo Behring. What piqued my interest was an MMA event in São Paulo, in which Jiu-Jitsu athletes faced Full Contact and Kung Fu fighters. I remember how easily Jiu-Jitsu dominated all the matches and that impressed me.

Right at the beginning of my career, I was met with a challenge: the address of Behring Jiu-Jitsu changed as soon as master Flávio Behring, who graduated me to blue belt, took over the team, a fact that made it impossible for me to continue training there. I started training at Companhia Paulista with Professor Rich Kowarick and stayed there until I reached brown belt.

Before Jiu-Jitsu, I practiced karate for 10 years and judo for 4 years. I practiced judo as a complement to Jiu-Jitsu. Competitions have always been very present in my life, but even brown belts were fewer, the main ones only happened in Rio de Janeiro and, at the time, Jiu-Jitsu was still very amateur. From purple belt onwards, more competitions started to appear and everything became more professional.

In 1998 I moved to the interior of São Paulo and, as Jiu-Jitsu was not widespread, I had to look a lot until I found somewhere to train. I trained for a while with master Orlando Saraiva, who is responsible for my brief stint at MMA, but distance, a constant hindrance in my athlete life, led me to change course yet again.

In 2001, I started training in Poços de Caldas, in the state of Minas Gerais, and I received my black belt the following year at the hands of Professor Paulo Resende. The good memories of that period may not seem like it, but they are directly linked to Jiu-Jitsu. That’s when I got married and the kids came. My wife has always been my haven and she is directly responsible for our professional success, for helping and encouraging the family to stay in the gentle art. With this essential support, my life as an athlete became easier and it was during this period that I won my most important competitions. There were several Brazilian Championships, International Masters, and a valuable silver in the Pan of the IBJJF, as well as classic State Championships of the FPJJ, victories in the NABJJ, and other federations.

 

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Uma publicação compartilhada por Marco Réss (@marcoressbjj)

A very common fact at that time for many fighters is that we had to be athletes and teachers at the same time. This worked well for me as I always used my experiences as a fighter to improve my repertoire as a teacher. A point I learned as an athlete, and that I always tell my students, is that whatever is your goal in life, dedication, selflessness, and commitment are essential factors for success. This allowed me to win in Jiu-Jitsu and still train a lot of good athletes.

In 2021, I completed 16 years at Gracie Barra. Being received in GB was a turning point for me, as master Carlinhos’ vision of bringing Jiu-Jitsu to everyone greatly expanded my perception of teaching the gentle art. I started to contemplate a more complete Jiu-Jitsu that considers self-defense as an important part as any other, attracting more people to the practice. Today, we work together with all GB schools around the world. All in the same harmony and taking us, through Jiu-Jitsu, to a better world. The training of athletes is the result of this work, always looking for excellence.

Rolls Gracie. Photo by Ricardo Azoury

Rolls Gracie would be 65 years old if he was still with us in 2016. Victim of a paragliding accident in 1982, the 15th son of Grandmaster Carlos Gracie had only 31 years to leave his mark within the gentle art community. Here are 5 lessons Rolls left us through his accomplishments in life on and off the mats.

1. Don’t be afraid to innovate

Rolls was one of the first ones to tape matches and study it later. He tested himself in other styles like wrestling, sambo and judo. He also included extreme sports in his lifestyle to keep active and unwind the stress of the mats.

2. Don’t let yourself be limited by labels

Rolls was a skinny guy, never weighing more than 155lbs. Even so, when competing, his style was to be on the offensive, shooting for takedowns and playing on top. He was known for pushing the pace and searching for constant evolution in his technique and style of fighting.

Rolls Gracie Photo: Family archives

3. Leadership is earned, not demanded

Rolls had all the characteristics of a true leader. Charismatic, fearless, intelligent and loyal, the Gracie always knew what to say to his students and friends in times of doubt and challenges. His teachings are still passed on to new generations by those who had the luck to learn from him.

4. Always make the best of your time

Rolls had only 31 years to live, but he did more in life than the vast of majority of people do in 80 years. He learned, taught and competed in Jiu-Jitsu, surfed, rode horses, flew paraglides, got married, had two kids, travelled the world, etc. He used his time on earth to the fullest and so should you.

5. Challenge yourself

Rolls loved to go after new challenges, be it a sambo competition, a karate tournament or a wrestling championship. He was down for anything, like he himself liked to say. For those who knew him, that was one of the main reasons he was so ahead of his time. “Persistence made a phenomenon of him,” once said Carlson Gracie.

Photo: Gustavo Aragão

We all know how powerful Jiu-Jitsu is for changing anyone’s life. The gentle art is an awesome tool to help one abandon unhealthy habits and work on a cleaner lifestyle. On GRACIEMAG #151, we dove into the actual ways BJJ can help you achieve a better, longer and happier life.

Here’s what we came up with after we searched the wisdom of Master Carlos Gracie Jr.

1. Philosophy: We all age (if we are lucky). There’s no pointing in fighting the passage of time. What we have to do is adapt our lifestyle to each stage of life. Our body will tell us what we are capable of doing and what we are not capable. once we do that, we can achieve a state of mind where we search for pleasure without incurring in hedonism. What you have to seek is satisfaction.

2. Sleep: Sleeping is rebooting your vitality. The more active you are, the greater is your need for rest. Master Carlos Gracie Jr. is know for not allowing himself to sleep less than 8 hours a night. The lack of sleep is the entry way for illness, bad performance and a shorter life.

A video posted by GRACIEMAG | English Edition | (@graciemagazine) on Jan 7, 2016 at 4:53pm PST

3. Breathing: Anxious, tense, jumpy people breath like they are constantly drowning. On the other hand, people who project confidence breath in a calm and constant rhythm. Master Carlos Gracie Jr. performs a breathing warmup prior to every roll. It consists of a series of perfectly paced breaths that compress the diaphragm followed by a long intake of air to fill up the lungs.

4. Nourishment: It is simply impossible to be healthy if you don’t mind what you put inside your body. Master Carlos is a fine example of how the wholesome attitude promoted by the gentle art can influence our entire lives. he likes to choose and prepare everything he will intake. Also, he learned how to read the signs his body is sending. You need to know when your organism is telling you it is satisfied, full, hungry, thirsty, etc.

5. Exercise: Looking good is great, but not enough to stimulate you to have a continuous routine of physical activities. The true incentive, according to Master Carlos, needs to come from how you feel on the inside and not how you look in the mirror. As you get older, you will fell more and more the results of your choices. So, if you haven’t started to live a healthy lifestyle yet, do it asap.

With Jiu-Jitsu gaining popularity by the day, the number of Jiu-Jitsu Professors also grows by the day. How can you know which ones are for real and which ones will hurt you more than help you? On GRACIEMAG #179, the cover story addressed the 10 fundamental qualities a great Jiu-Jitsu Professor needs to have. Here are 7 of them. Here we go.

1. Motivate the student: Carlos Gracie Jr. says that the teacher’s mission is to develop the ability to motivate students to fulfill their dreams. Rickson Gracie says that the first thing he does when a new student comes in is to find out what are their interests and goals. If you know it, you’ll be able to help them more efficiently.

2. Motivate yourself: Teaching the techniques is not the hard part. The really difficult part is to figure out if teaching Jiu-Jitsu is really your life’s mission. Carlos Gracie Jr. says that the question you need to answer is: “Is Jiu-Jitsu what I want to do for a living?” If the answer is yes, the hurdles in the way will be much easier to jump over.

3. Develop an effective method: It may take a while, but once you find an effective method to teach, things will get easier. Carlos Gracie Jr. says that what he does is to at first stimulate students to repeat movements until it’s become muscle memory, then he aims to make students get creative and try to find solutions for problems using what they know.

4. Cherish the essence of the art: You cannot inspire others if you don’t believe in the essence of what Jiu-Jitsu is, and that means self-defense. Master Jose Henrique Leão Teixeira says: “Every teacher needs to know self-defense. It helps to teach new students with no previous martial arts experience.”

5. Team work, tight-knit group: Carlos and Helio Gracie had one of the most well-ran Jiu-Jitsu academies in history. They would attend to every detail of the operation and would know every student personally. Discipline and method were the back bones of their success.

6. Serve as an example: Just like any other teacher, the Jiu-Jitsu professor is an educator. That means people will look up to you for guidance and you know actions mean a lot more than words. A clean gi, a fit figure, good maners, humbleness, so and so are all qualities a great Professor needs to possess.

7. Convey knowledge in a concise manner: There are great champions who just don’t know how to teach. Passing the knowledge is an art, just like Jiu-Jitsu itself. Develop an effective way to teach others what you know and also pass on the importance of Jiu-Jitsu in people’s lives.

Three-time open class black belt world champion Marcus Buchecha turns 26 this Friday, January 8.

We celebrate the occasion with this video shot after the 2014 Worlds where he shares 10 lessons he learned throughout his career.

Click play and learn from one of the best competitors of all times.

The best of 2015

Bernardo Faria, Dominyka Obelenyte, Felipe Pena and Mackenzie Dern finished the year of 2015 as the standouts of the competition circuit.

Faria and Obelenyte shined at the 2015 Worlds with double-gold campaign after strong performances that allowed little chance for their opponents in each of their matches.

Pena and Mackenzie were the main names at the 2015 Worlds No-Gi when they won the black belt open class with dominant showings.

So, we sked ourselves what our readers can learn from such successful competitors. What were their secrets to beat their opponents and celebrate their titles in 2015? Here is what we found out.

Mackenzie Dern

Mackenzie Dern, 2015 black belt open class no-gi world champion

Mackenzie was one of the most active competitors in the black belt division in 2015. He was present in all major events, Gi and No-Gi, throughout the year. Despite the busy routine, she was able to keep a high-level performance and achieve great results, including her first ADCC gold medal and also the open class division at the Worlds No-Gi. She told GRCIEMAG what her secret was: “To compete trains your mind and your body. I think that’s why I am able to control my adrenaline so well at major tournaments. I have gone through the process so many times; the weight cut, the anticipation, testing myself against so many different people. In the end, I just love to compete and it will be hard for me to stop anytime soon!”

Felipe Pena

Felipe Pena at the 2015 Worlds No-Gi

With seven submissions in eight matches, Felipe pena was on fire at the 2015 Worlds No-Gi. He also made all the way to the final at the 99kg division of the ADCC, losing in a tough match to Rodolfo Vieira. Pena also talked to GRACIEMAG about the ways he is able to achieve great results. It has a lot to do with not settling with what is confortable and accepting new challenges. “I didn’t like to train no-gi at all. When I won the Brazilian trials for the 2015 ADCC, I was forced to dive into no-gi Jiu-Jitsu and my game started to change. With the gi, I depend a lot on the grips. Nowadays, I can honestly say I like to train no-gi as much as I like to train with the kimono.”

Dominyka Obelenyte

Dominyka at the 2015 Worlds

The Lithuanian 19-year-old shocked the Jiu-Jitsu world with a virtually flawless performance at the sports biggest stage last June, at the 2015 Worlds. Dominyka became the youngest black belt, male or female, to with the open class division and she thinks that the key was to have a very balanced game and just hanging on to it. “I think the golden rule of Jiu-Jitsu is not to have the most muscles, the most developed berimbolo, the strictest diet, or the best cardio, but to just persevere until things get easier. As I have said before, there were many times when I was younger when I wanted to quit. When this sport just seemed so overwhelming and made me feel like an abnormal kid and teenager, but pushing through that pain and every tough situation I encountered along the way just made me stronger.”

Bernardo Faria

Bernardo Faria at the 2015 Worlds

Bernardo’s moment finally came in 2015. With four gold medals in the two most important events of the year, Pan and Worlds, he wrote his name in Jiu-Jitsu’s history. Many times said to have a one-dimension game that relies too much on the half guard, Bernardo proved without any shadow of a doubt that his game is more than qualified to make him one of the greatest of all times. Here’s the lesson he left us all: “I would advise him to keep an open mind and try to learn it all. Even if you don’t use that position too much at the competitions, it’s useful to know it so you can defend it well. So, my advise is to try to learn as much as you can, but be smart about it and find out which ones work for you and which ones don’t.”

Another year is over, so it’s time to set new goals for the next period. Maybe you weren’t as dedicated as you should be in the past 365 days, so we put together 10 reasons why you should put your act together and give the gentle art that special effort. The benefits will be overwhelmingly greater than the effort put.

Your opponent. ”He is my friend and biggest foe. If he didn’t exist, it wouldn’t be the same and maybe I wouldn’t train as much, always going to my limit,” said Rodolfo Vieira the other day about archrival Marcus Buchecha. If laziness knocks, remember your adversaries are out there practicing and correcting flaws in order to catch you by surprise next time. One great, unsettling reason to get your ass off that couch.

Your professor. If you chose your BJJ school wisely, your professor is not just there to take your money in exchange for classes. They do what they do for love, and few rewards can mean as much to them as your technical and personal evolution. Make your master proud; get moving.

Your body in the mirror. You remember how flaccid and feeble you were before you started training, don’t you? Wanna see that sad picture again? Didn’t think so.

The black belt. Yes, we do repeat over and over that thinking about belt color is not the best attitude for the smart Jiu-Jitsu practitioner to have. Haste and anxiety may lead to frustration, and squandering time thinking you are not headed anywhere may hack away at your mindset. So ignore what belt you wear today. But do think about the black belt. One day it will be yours, believe it. And then you will see the whole journey was worth it. Remember the lesson by Rorion Gracie, who said a BJJ black belt that’s honestly earned is worth more than any Harvard degree.

Your children. Training BJJ is not an individual, selfish activity. Soon you are going to be able to roll with your kids, have fun with them and give them health and vitality. Persist and have a perfect pastime to do together.

The unpredictable. We train Jiu-Jitsu in order to never have to use self-defense techniques, but imagine some maniac grabs your neck tomorrow and today you missed a class on that very move? Go practice and protect yourself.

The detail. Strive to drive away the torments of the drubbings and moves that have been causing you trouble. Focus on the detail, on little objectives: to not fall for that same old move, to keep your posture in the guard; to improve upon that guard pass, to not lose the mount.

Those that can’t train.While you sit there under the reins of tiredness, work and whatever else, there are people facing much tougher physical problems who wish they could move like you. Get your gi and find an hour in the day to get your Jiu-Jitsu on.

Your dreams. Persevering in BJJ can help you realize your most improbable dreams, from that elusive job to that woman you’ve got your eye on.

Nothing. Don’t give yourself a choice – just get your gi and go! Thank Jiu-Jitsu later for that indescribable post-practice feeling.

Doesn’t matter if it’s in training or in competition.

The feeling of losing over and over again can be frustrating and even reason enough to make you want to quit Jiu-Jitsu.

As we don’t want to see anyone giving up, we have rounded up 10 valuable advices from fierce competitors who had to live through tough defeats and lived to see a brighter day after that.

Here we go.

1. Set new goals immediately

In 2011, Rafael Lovato Jr. had a disappointing campaign at the European Open, in Lisbon. Days later, he jumped in another competition in Poland and ended up the champion after submitting no other than Bernardo Faria. From that experience, he extracted the lesson: “Following a tough defeat, analyze your mistakes and correct them. Once you’ve done that, immediately set new goals and use the recent defeat as fuel in your pursuit of a future victory.”

2. Rekindle the old flame

Five-time world champion Romulo Barral lived the toughest period of his career in 2010 and 2011. A knee injury that would not go away even after surgery made him think of retiring from competitions. He even called it quits after a disappointing campaign at the 2011 Worlds. Barral explains how he changed his mind: “When the pain in my knee came back I thought of quitting. Then, one day I stepped on the mat in my academy and I felt that same old desire to train and compete. I knew I was not done yet!” After his return, Barral won two world titles and an ADCC  gold medal.

3. Don’t waste time blaming others

Bernardo Faria is known for putting all out there whenever he competes. He recalls on one event at the 2011 European Open when he thought he was hit with a bad call by the referee. After a burst of anger, he tells us how he regrouped to keep on going and achieve one of his goals for the event. “I worked on my mindset after the bad call at the open class. I needed to overcome the hurt and feeling of injustice and be 100% ready for the heavyweight division that would play out the next day. I did that and ended up winning it.”

4. Defeat is okay; quitting is not an option

“If I had never lost, how could I know my own flaws?” With this question, world champion Rodrigo Cavaca sums up the importance of taking the most of each setback. It may seem a cliché, but it is actually one of the most important things ou can do in life, on and off the mats. Whenever defeat comes your way, embrace it and learn with it. The only thing you can’t do is use it as an excuse to quit.

5. Expect the unexpected

Guilherme Mendes suffered one of his toughest defeats at the 2010 Worlds. One of the favorites for the gold medal, he lost to Paulo Melo in his first match. An unpredictable injury during training hampered his weight loss programa and forced Gui to lose too many pounds too close to the event, which drained his stamina and power. Then, he said: “I learned there are many factors that can lead to defeat. The formula to get back on your feet is to expect the unexpected and keep focused.”

6. Just keep going 

Roger Gracie, the most accomplished competitor of all times, was once plagued with an incredible streak of four defeats in the black belt open class division final at the Worlds. Bad refereeing, wrong strategy and though opponents were the reasons the gold medal wouldn’t rest on his chest. In 2014, when asked about that, Roger looked back and saw the bright side of his ordeal: “I’m sure that those defeats were the main reason I kept going and ended up winning the open class division three times. I knew I could be better and each year I would work harder to be better”

7. When there’s time, there’s hope

Three-time open class black belt world champion Marcus Buchecha is known for never giving up on a match before time runs out. He won some of his most important titles in the last seconds of the finals, like the 2012 absolute at the Worlds and the 2014 open class at the WPJJC. The lesson Buchecha leaves us is: “If I look at the clock and there’s 5s left, I know I still have time to do something. I see people giving up with two minutes left. That doesn’t make sense to me!”

Marcelo Garcia getting the tapout in the ADCC / GRACIEMAG.com archive photo

If you’re going to compete this weekend, the order of the day is to rest your body and mine, because your preparations are already done.

So how about relaxing with an exciting video, full of sweeps and inspiring finishes carried out in daily training by Jiu-Jitsu monster Marcelo Garcia at his New York academy?

Have fun.

Bibiano Fernandes (in white) against Jonatas Tagarela at 2006 World Championship, one of the last tournaments he was in before migrating to MMA / GRACIEMAG archive photo

Bibiano Fernandes, a 32-year-old black belt, boasts a game of lightning-quick transitions and major explosiveness. And now, after a sterling career on the mats and 12 wins in 15 fights in MMA, “The Flash” shares his performance secrets in GRACIEMAG #187.

In the interview, Bibiano recollects how his nickname first surfaced, in fighters’ favorite Jiu-Jitsu magazine.

GRACIEMAG.com sifted through the FACE TO FACE section to bring you a couple of the more enticing excerpts, in case you haven’t picked up a copy at your local bookstore yet:

1. How to be a speedy fighter:

“I think that speed in martial arts is part explosiveness, part in your head. Before going in to fight I’d try and analyze the whole fight in my head. That way, I think I was always a step ahead of my opponent in thought. And that way you push the pace in the fight. Even when I’d roll with a teammate in training, I’d have two, three submission options in mind,” says Bibiano.

2. How do you enhance your lung capacity?

“I think that speed in martial arts is part explo When I started training with Osvaldo Alves I’d do a lot of running on the sand, sprints on the beach. We’d do a light run and then do 20 under-20-second sprints. But want to know what the secret to endurance is, boss? Let’s say you’re in the middle of a roll at training and you start feeling fatigued. Your mind says, “I’m done.” Well, that happens to everyone. And what do you do? You stop or ask to stop. That’s wrong; your body’s being blocked by your mind. The big secret is to push on,” the Amazonas State native teaches, among other ultra-useful odds and ends.

Want more pointers on how to up your performance in training? Then head to the nearest bookstore and get a copy!

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