Quais os benefícios que um professor de Jiu-Jitsu oferece às pessoas e à comunidade onde ele atua?
VALTER PESSANHA: Quem pratica Jiu-Jitsu desenvolve as valências físicas, como a flexibilidade, o gás, a resistência… Porém, o que considero mais vantajoso é o benefício mental, a autoestima que o esporte desenvolve nas pessoas. Um professor de BJJ, portanto, é aquele que proporciona mais qualidade de vida aos alunos.

O seu filho é uma dessas pessoas que alcança uma ótima qualidade de vida através dos benefícios do Jiu-Jitsu, correto?
Sim, meu filho é certamente o meu aluno mais assíduo. Ele se chama Bryan Pessanha e vem desfrutando do estilo de vida de um grande campeão de Jiu-Jitsu infantil. Já foi tetracampeão panamericano Kids pela IBJJG, tricampeão brasileiro pela CBJJ, bicampeão sul-americano pela IBJJF, campeão do Naga Virginia. Uma juventude ligada à saúde, ao esporte, à socialização nos eventos e na academia e, claro, longe dos perigos das ruas, das drogas etc.

Qual é o seu grande objetivo para o futuro da carreira?
Quero seguir transformando vidas em comunidades do Rio de Janeiro por meio do meu projeto social. Minha missão vai além de inspirar; meu objetivo é tirar crianças de circunstâncias desafiadoras, oferecendo oportunidades que transcendem o reino dos esportes. Buscamos incutir valores de respeito, disciplina e resiliência, capacitando os jovens a desbloquear todo o seu potencial e fazer contribuições significativas para o mundo. Recentemente, por exemplo, levei dois juvenis para competir nos EUA, treinaram comigo e foram campeões do Fort Lauderdale Open e do Pan Kids NoGi.

Quando uma dessas crianças do Projeto Social hesita em treinar Jiu-Jitsu, o que você costuma dizer para convencê-la a vestir o kimono e começar a jornada na arte suave?
Eu simplesmente explico a minha missão, que é para que esses jovens tenham a oportunidade de um futuro melhor dentro do esporte, onde possam se tornar atletas de alto nível, instrutores ou até mesmo montar sua própria academia de Jiu-Jitsu no futuro. Ou seja, eu mostro oportunidades, apresento caminhos. O Jiu-Jitsu salva!

Since 2007 on YouTube, with single videos surpassing a million views, Graciemag’s YouTube channel has now shot past 150,000 subscribers. Exclusive content focused on BJJ and MMA, and lots of lifestyle, Gracie Diet and tips to help you train more and better, have been our strong suit over the course of more than a decade.

To commemorate this journey, below we highlight 15 videos that reflect the essence of Graciemag online, with lessons, advice, historic moments and that old backstage pass that lets you in on everything going on in the world of the gentle art.

Watch and let’s celebrate our time together. Oss!

1- Mendes brothers seminar — marked the age of our webinars

2- Victor Hugo vs Tommy Langaker at Spyder — marks Graciemag’s international coverage

3- Leandro Lo vs João Gabriel at Rio Open 2014 — marks our presence at the biggest Brazilian events

4- Marcinho Feitosa showing a guard pass — marks the age of Graciemag’s studio in Barra, with the blue mat that welcomed many of the greatest

5- Interview with the Miyaos — marks our good relationship with elite athletes

6- Carlinhos Gracie teaching how to make juice at his home in Florianópolis — marks our concern with the reader’s health

7- Press conference at the first edition of UFC Rio — marks our status as pioneers in online MMA coverage

8-  Arthur Gogó and Alberto Ramos’s training — marks our divulgation of the important work being done by teachers

9- Rorion Gracie teaches how to get started on the Gracie Diet — healthy eating and well-being are never forgotten

10- Rodolfo Vieira and João Gabriel training for the ADCC — special attention paid to no-gi

11- Fernando Tererê teaches the “naughty one” — marks our team’s dedication to bringing you precious technical details

12- Zé Beleza and Roger Gracie — marks our access to bring readers even top-secret training sessions

13- IBJJF Pan Kids — marks our attention to the future of BJJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exeJ-7Lorec

14 – World Master Championship — our respect for those who paved the way

15- Roger Gracie on his last jiu-jitsu fight — marks Graciemag’s presence at historic moments of the martial art

Desde 2007 no Youtube, com vídeos únicos que já bateram a marca de um milhão de espectadores, o canal de GRACIEMAG no Youtube chegou à marca de 150 mil inscritos. Conteúdos exclusivos, focados no Jiu-Jitsu e MMA, com muito lifestyle, Dieta Gracie e dicas para você treinar mais e melhor, foram o nosso forte ao longo de mais de uma década.

Para comemorar essa caminhada, relembramos abaixo 15 vídeos que refletem bem a essência de GRACIEMAG no mundo virtual, com aulas, conselhos, momentos históricos e aquele passe VIP dos bastidores para que você fique sempre por dentro de tudo que acontece no mundo da arte suave.

Confira e vamos juntos. Oss!

1- Seminário dos Irmãos Mendes – Marcou a era dos nossos webnários

2- Victor Hugo x Tommy Langaker no Spyder – Marca as coberturas internacionais da GRACIEMAG

3- Final Leandro Lo x João Gabriel no Rio Open 2014 – Marca nossa presença à beira das áreas de luta dos principais eventos no Brasil

4- Marcinho Feitosa mostrando passagem de guarda – Marca a era dos estúdios da GRACIEMAG na Barra com o antológico tatame de cor azul que recebeu todos os bambas

5- Entrevista com os Miyao – Marca a boa relação de nossa equipe com os atletas de elite

6- Carlinhos Gracie ensinando a fazer suco na casa dele em Floripa – Marca a preocupação da GRACIEMAG em promover o estilo de vida do  Jiu-Jitsu

7- Coletiva do UFC Rio em sua primeira edição – Marca o pioneirismo de GRACIEMAG na cobertura de MMA na internet

8- O treino de Arthur Gogó e Alberto Ramos – Marco da divulgação especial para o trabalho de nobre professores de Jiu-Jitsu ao redor do globo, por meio do clube de vantagens GRACIEMAG INDICA, o GMI

9- Rorion Gracie ensina a começar a Dieta Gracie – Alimentação saudável e bem estar dos nossos leitores é pauta sempre

10- O treino de Rodolfo Vieira e João Gabriel para o ADCC – Atenção especial à modalidade sem kimono

11- Fernando Tererê ensina a Safada – Marca a busca de nossa equipe para trazer detalhes das melhores posições

12- Zé Beleza e Roger Gracie – Marca o passe livre de nosso time para conferir e trazer aos leitores os melhores e mais sigilosos treinos do Jiu-Jitsu

13- Pan Kids da IBJJF – Marca nossa atenção ao futuro do Jiu-JItsu mundial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exeJ-7Lorec

14 – Mundial de Masters – Nosso respeito e admiração àqueles que pavimentaram a estrada do Jiu-Jitsu

15- Roger Gracie fala da sua última luta de Jiu-Jitsu – Marca a presença de GRACIEMAG em momentos históricos da arte suave

Continuing with the theme studied last week, Renzo Gracie and Leo Tunico teach fundamental techniques starting from the open guard, further widening your range of options so you never again have to feel unsafe when your opponent opens your guard. You will learn that the space and mobility your opponent has when they open your guard can be used against them, as if the guard player were throwing bait to attract the passer toward devilish traps. In your lifestyle lesson, check out the testimonial by Olympic judoka Travis Stevens, who shows how you can benefit from the winning mindset of a high-performance athlete.

This week of Renzo Gracie Online Academy is organized as follows:

• Seven lessons about open guard techniques.
• One lifestyle lesson.

Day 1: Monday

Lesson 1: Back-take via collar drag

When your opponent opens your guard and bullfights in search of side control, you can control their collar, thus controlling their moves and attacking too. It’s what Renzo Gracie teaches in this special lesson about the open guard, shifting between chokes and collar drags. Note that it’s important for you to place yourself sideways at all times, providing your hips with mobility and also widening the angle that will make your collar pull extra powerful.

Lesson 2: Sit-up guard controlling the near sleeve

As you hug your opponent’s leg in order to play sit-up guard, you have multiple options to grip the passer’s gi: lapel, belt, sleeve on the opposite side, or the sleeve closest to you (same side as the leg you’re controlling). Tunico demonstrates a sweep that uses this last type of grip. Pay attention to the details of Tunico’s spin designed to unbalance his opponent.

Day 2: Tuesday

Lesson 3: Choke from the open guard

Renzo Gracie shows how the cross collar is a very effective support point for you to stay protected with your guard open. Note that Renzo uses the grip on it as a sort of shield, controlling the distance in relation to the passer’s body in a dynamic way. The second his opponent approaches more than necessary, Renzo grips his jacket with the other hand and squeezes. Pay attention to how Renzo gets his opponent’s neck close to his stomach. If the passer moves away rather than closer, Renzo uses the collar control to pull abruptly and then move to the back.

Lesson 4: Sit-up guard to single-leg

Leo Tunico draws attention to the possibility that your opponent may break your grips the moment you arrive on the sit-up guard. In this case, a great option is to move to the single-leg. Pay attention to the positioning details so that you can stand, and don’t forget to use your shoulder to take your opponent down.

Day 3: Wednesday

Lesson 5: Tripod sweep

Leo Tunico teaches one of the most basic sweeps from the open guard — one that is recommended for when your opponent tries to pass your guard standing. One hand controls the sleeve; the other controls the heel. One leg hooks the opponent’s free leg while the guard player pushes the passer’s hips with their other foot. After he fells his opponent, pay attention to the details that Tunico teaches for you to easily get on top.

Day 4: Thursday

Lesson 6: Lasso defense

One option you have to play with the open guard is the lasso guard. Leo Tunico tackles the defensive aspects of this position, revealing tricks for you to wrap one of your opponent’s arms with your leg and contain their passing attempts. Pay attention to the way Tunico grips his opponent’s sleeve.

Day 5: Friday

Lesson 7: Lasso sweep

Leo Tunico analyzes the lasso guard from an attacking perspective. When his opponent tries to get to side control without getting rid of the leg that’s wrapping his arm, he becomes extremely vulnerable to getting swept to the opposite side he’s attacking. Tunico draws attention to the importance of not losing the grip on the sleeve, among other details.

Lesson 8: Lifestyle/ Competition

Travis Stevens believes the training plan of a high-performance athlete can be applied to the life of anybody faced with a challenging goal. In this lesson, Travis draws attention to the fact that you need a clear, realistic vision of who you are and what your true potential is at each stage of your journey.

Renzo Gracie Online Academy

Renzo and his team have built a weekly lessons program to supplement your training, routines, and your lifestyle in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Sign up now!

• Sete aulas sobre técnicas da guarda aberta.
• Uma aula sobre qualidade de vida.

Dia 1: Segunda-feira

Aula 1: Ida para as costas através do “gola drag”

Quando o adversário abre a sua guarda e tourea as suas pernas a fim de alcançar o domínio lateral, você pode dominar a gola do paletó dele, controlando sua movimentação e atacando também. É o que ensina mestre Renzo Gracie nesta aula especial sobre guarda aberta, variando botes de estrangulamento com puxadas de “gola drag”. Repare como é importante que a todo momento você se posicione de lado, dando mobilidade aos seus quadris e também ampliando o ângulo que vai tornar a sua puxada de gola poderosa.

Aula 2: Guarda sentada dominando a manga mais próxima

Ao abraçar a perna do adversário, a fim de jogar com a guarda sentada, você tem diversas alternativas para fazer pegada no kimono do passador. Lapela, faixa, manga do lado oposto ou a manga mais próxima, do mesmo lado da perna que você domina. Leo Tunico demonstra uma raspagem que se utiliza deste último tipo de pegada. Preste bastante atenção aos detalhes do giro que Tunico faz com o corpo para desequilibrar o oponente.

Dia 2: Terça-feira

Aula 3: Estrangulamento da guarda aberta

Mestre Renzo Gracie mostra como o domínio da gola cruzada é um ponto de apoio muito eficiente para você se manter protegido com a guarda aberta. Repare como Renzo usa tal pegada como uma espécie de escudo, controlando a distância em relação ao corpo do passador, de forma dinâmica. No momento em que o oponente se aproxima além do necessário, o mestre faz uma pegada no paletó com a outra mão e arrocha o estrangulamento. Preste atenção em como Renzo aproxima o pescoço do adversário para perto de sua barriga, durante o arremate do golpe. Caso o passador se afaste em vez de se aproximar, Renzo usa o domínio da gola para uma puxada brusca, progredindo para as costas.

Aula 4: Da guarda sentada para o single-leg

Leo Tunico chama atenção para a possibilidade de o adversário estourar suas pegadas no momento em que você chega à guarda sentada. Neste caso, uma ótima opção é transitar para o single leg. Preste atenção aos detalhes de posicionamento para que você consiga ficar em pé e não esqueça de usar o ombro na hora de derrubar o adversário.

Dia 3: Quarta-feira

Aula 5: Raspagem tripé

Leo Tunico ensina uma das raspagens mais básicas a partir da guarda aberta, muito recomendada para ser usada quando o adversário tenta passar a sua guarda em pé. Uma das mãos domina a manga do kimono; a outra controla o calcanhar. Uma das pernas engancha a perna do oponente que está livre, enquanto o guardeiro empurra com o outro pé os quadris do passador. Ao tombar o adversário, preste atenção ao detalhe que Tunico ensina para você ir para cima do oponente com facilidade.

Dia 4: Quinta-feira

Aula 6: Guarda laçada defensiva

Uma das alternativas para você jogar com a guarda aberta é através da guarda laçada. Leo Tunico aborda os aspectos defensivos da posição, revelando macetes para você envolver com a perna um dos braços do oponente e conter suas tentativas de passagem. Preste muita atenção à forma como Tunico faz pegada na manga do kimono do adversário.

Dia 5: Sexta-feira

Aula 7: Raspagem da guarda laçada

Nesta aula, Leo Tunico analisa a guarda laçada por uma perspectiva de ataque. Quando o oponente tenta chegar ao domínio lateral sem se livrar da perna que laça o seu braço, ele se torna extremamente vulnerável a ser raspado para o lado oposto ao que ele ataca. Tunico chama atenção para a importância de não perder a pegada na manga do kimono, entre outros detalhes.

Aula 8: Qualidade de vida / Competição

O judoca medalhista olímpico Travis Stevens acredita que o plano de treinamento de um atleta de alto rendimento (o que inclui a construção de sua força mental, a maneira como organiza a rotina, o autoconhecimento para compreender virtudes e pontos fracos, entre outros aspectos) pode ser aplicado à vida de qualquer pessoa que esteja em busca de um objetivo desafiador, como conquistar uma vaga de emprego muito concorrida. Nesta aula, Travis chama atenção para a necessidade de você ter uma visão clara e realista de quem você é e de qual é o seu verdadeiro potencial, a cada etapa da sua trajetória.

Renzo Gracie Online Academy

Renzo e sua equipe montaram um programa semanal de aulas para suplementar seus treinos, suas rotinas, e seu estilo de vida no Jiu-Jitsu. Confira aqui!

Igor Gracie demonstrates a true arsenal of locks and chokes so that you can tap people out from their back. Ezequiel, RNC, cross-collar choke, kata-gatame, clock choke, armbar and much more. Don’t miss out!

Week 6 of the Renzo Gracie Online Academy program is organized like this:

• Eleven techniques of finishing from the back.
• Koshi guruma: Often used in competitive BJJ, this takedown is also useful in self-defense.
• Lifestyle: Bruno Fernandes advises you on how to overcome injuries.

Day 1: Monday

Lesson 1: Ezequiel from the back

When you control your opponent from their back and they try to block your rear naked choke, a good opportunity arises to shift to an ezequiel choke.

Lesson 2: Cross-collar choke

In the moment that you control your opponent’s back and they manage to get rid of one hook, watch out as you persist on the position with only the second hook, because that leg can get trapped in a half-guard. Watch the best way to act in this scenario and finish with the cross-collar choke.

Lesson 3: Armbar

When your opponent tries to defend against an attack from the back, they usually leave some body part vulnerable. In this video lesson, as he defends his neck, Leo Tunico exposes his arm to Igor Gracie.

Day 2: Tuesday

Lesson 4: Adjustment details for the cross-collar choke

You are outside your opponent’s field of view, which is one of the main advantages of attacking from the back. So don’t expose your hand when you control their collar, because then they can see it and neutralize it. Understand how to become invisible.

Lesson 5: New adjustment details for the cross-collar choke

There are numerous little adjustments to make your attack from the back efficient — like how you position your head, which can result in your opponent having less space to defend in. Learn this and other valuable details.

Day 3: Wednesday

Lesson 6: Armbar through the kimura control

If you want to become a good back-taker, you need to know how to easily transition between the seat belt control and the control with the kimura, the latter of which is recommended for those who like finishing via attacks on the arm. Igor Gracie will get you there.

Lesson 7: Clock choke

If your opponent tries to escape from your back control by getting on all fours, you can submit them with a classic move: the clock choke.

Lesson 8: Lifestyle (Avoiding injury)

Injuries can keep you away from the gym, drastically affecting your training consistency and progress as a fighter. So check out five key tips to avoid getting hurt in training.

Day 4: Thursday

Lesson 9: More adjustments for the cross-collar choke

Your opponent is too strong and uses both hands to block your squeezing of the choke from the back. Watch this video and learn how to move to open up new spaces and be able to use your own leg to break the blockade.

Lesson 10: A feint to sink the ezequiel choke

A great way to surprise your opponent when you attack them from the back is to feign the traditional cross-collar choke and then, when your opponent tries to foil that, to shift to an adjustment via ezequiel.

Day 5: Friday

Aula 11: Kata-gatame from the back

Igor Gracie usually takes advantage of the back control with the seat belt adjustments in order to quickly spin his body, ending up with the kata-gatame locked in place. Watch the walkthrough for this sensational coup.

Lesson 12: Rear naked choke

You must know how to finish your opponent via RNC. It is, after all, a back attack that requires no grips on collars or lapels — one you can employ in classical and no-gi BJJ as well as in self-defense scenarios. Check out what Igor Gracie has to teach about jiu-jitsu’s most emblematic move.

Lesson 13: Koshi guruma

The koshi guruma mechanic is often used in competitive BJJ, but you will also recognize it from numerous self-defense moves, like the punch-blocking technique where you counter-attack by throwing your opponent over your shoulder. Watch for a comprehensive walkthrough.

P.S.: Improve your jiu-jitsu with Renzo Gracie’s team – RGOA

The RGOA schedule:

Week 1: Attacks from closed guard

Week 2: Guard retention

Week 3: Side attacks

Week 4: Escape from side control

Week 5: Back-takes

Week 6: Attacks from the back

Week 7, 8, 9 …, 998, 999, 1000: Surprise! Each week a new topic.

Plus: Takedowns, Self-Defense, Lifestyle tips, Documentaries, Interviews, etc.

Until the end of 2017, 50% OFF ->> Enroll now and join the planet’s most complete and modern online BJJ school.

Alvinho Romano and Xande Ribeiro. Photo by Meredith Carlson/GRACIEMAG

*The title above reflects my simple concept for a fighter’s productivity. If you follow the three items in the sequence I write them in, your training will certainly yield more. If you swap the order — or, worse, repeat one of them, — your training will not produce the expected results.

Through years and years as a coach and BJJ black-belt, I observed many athletes which suddenly got into a state of overtraining. It is important that you observe and evaluate your own behavior, because some symptoms of overtraining are visible: irritability, insomnia, lack of appetite, excessive tiredness, and a very palpable one: an increased baseline heart rate.

Many athletes and coaches usually do training periodization — something vital to a fighter’s maintenance. However, today there’s always flexibility, because factors like professional commitments and injuries force the athlete to go back to heavy training.

Recovery training is very important within the physical preparation program. But it’s vital that you follow the order of the phases in the title of this article.

After the training, the athlete needs to recover their energies and replenish what the training drained. Thus, it is important that the time between the end of the training and the next meal not be long. Then comes rest. Many allege that they don’t feel sleepy or simply cannot rest. It’s important, however, that you lie down, even without somnolence. Trust me — you must rest for at least two hours. You will feel the result in your next session.

Some tips to avoid overtraining and keep up your productivity:

1. Follow the order: training, nutrition and rest. Never repeat any of them consecutively.

2. Always warm up well, with stretching and breathing techniques.

3. Hydrate during training.

4. Respect your body’s limits. If you feel too tired, something isn’t going great. Immediately talk to your team of coaches to tweak the training.

5. Upon finishing the session, do the many breathing techniques found elsewhere in my writings. Reserve at least ten minutes to lie down with your legs stretched, performing slow, deep abdominal breathing.

6. Finish the session wanting to train! That way you will perform well tomorrow.

And remember: physical preparation is there to help you perform your specific training — that is, to prepare your body and mind, and prevent injury. The important thing is for you to get worn out only in your specific training.

*Alvaro Romano is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under legendary Master Rolls Gracie Carlos Gracie Junior and Rickson Gracie. Founder and creator of the Ginastica Natural method, he has participated as a Physical Conditioning coach in various MMA, Jiu-Jitsu, Surfing, Bodyboarding, Soccer, Alpine skiing events.

Photo: Gustavo Aragão

Still in doubt as to what to eat before heading to training? GRACIEMAG has three suggestions for high-octane fuel to intelligently fill your tank and get you firing on all cylinders in Jiu-Jitsu, without leaving you feeling bloated or lacking in energy.

1. To drink: açaí mixed with apple juice and sweetened with date syrup.
To eat: sweet potato – bake the potato, then add cream cheese to taste.

2. To drink: papaya juice mixed with coconut water.
To eat: two slices of wholewheat bread with cream cheese.

3. To drink: guava juice, coconut water, and pieces of dates mixed in blender.
To eat: wholewheat pita bread with white cheese.

Clean nails and feet, as you can see, are essential in Jiu-Jitsu. Photo: Graciemag.com

*In Jiu-Jitsu, as with any martial art, training generally takes place in an indoor environment, with plenty of physical contact, heat and sweat. Jiu-Jitsu, by and large, is practiced by healthy people. Nevertheless, besides being healthy, practitioners have to be meticulous in tending to their personal hygiene.

First, they need to get a full health assessment by having a good medical check-up, and that includes with a cardiologist, since recent events in soccer and volleyball have shown us even young athletes can have heart problems when performing prolonged exertion. Once you’ve undergone a good medical evaluation, training will be a good deal safer for you and the teacher.

As for hygiene, anyone who trains on a regular basis will now and again encounter a training partner whose gi reeks, whose fingernails and feet are filthy, who doesn’t take the trouble to care for their personal hygiene. In some instances, a mat mate is visibly suffering from a cold or is sick. These problems aren’t just unpleasant; they’re a health hazard to everyone else training in the same environment.

If you train on a regular basis you should have at least two gis, since gi fabric is heavy and takes a long time to dry. The stench could come from the gi not having been properly washed, but it could also come from the gi being damp, not having been fully dried. It’s in precisely these moist conditions where fungi and bacteria thrive and multiply.

If you’ve come down with the flu or some virus, keep in mind that by training you might end up spreading the illness to everyone else at the Jiu-Jitsu school, even to those who don’t come in physical contact with you. Disease doesn’t spread only by air, but by cross infection, whereby the virus is communicated directly to a colleague, who then passes it on to a third person with whom he has contact. Often even the teacher isn’t spared. That being the case, infirm athletes shouldn’t take part in collective training. When in doubt, consult a doctor to find out whether it’s all right to train with others.

You need to be conscientious, because it isn’t easy for a teacher to keep tabs on the health and hygiene of all his students. Mat mates can help by giving a “nudge in the right direction” to anyone who repeatedly neglects to take proper care of themselves or uses an unserviceable gi. After all, Jiu-Jitsu is synonymous with health.

*Dr Carlos Augusto de Mattos is the head of the sports traumatology and arthroscopy department at PUC University in Campinas and a member of the Brazilian societies of orthopedics and traumatology.

By Luca Atalla

Because people know nutrition is one of my chief concerns, I receive tons of email, Facebook messages and tweets asking about my diet. My approach to responding to these questions is the same as when a Jiu-Jitsu student of mine asks me to conjure up some magic position to teach them that will keep them from getting swept: “Let’s work on your posture instead.” I could get into the specifics on guard passes or ways to safely open guard but posture is, hands down, the most important principle in that matter. In much the same way, I could make you a list of all the foods I eat daily. The problem is, that list varies a lot. What doesn’t change, though, are the fundamentals. So I crafted my main principles into the following list.

1. PLANT-ORIENTED, NOT PROTEIN-ORIENTED

People ask me a lot, “Where do you get your protein?” I always reply, “What do you want protein for?”. Protein is so overrated. Your body can even absorb protein from dead cells. Besides that, whole grains, nuts, seeds, algae and even fruits have protein. If I had to pick just one lesson from the many useful ones taught by Grandmaster Carlos Gracie, it would be his fruit-based approach to meals. Protein is very acidic, and what your body doesn’t metabolize takes tremendous effort to expel. My motto is: watermelon over turkey.

2. WHOLEFOODS, NOT SUPPLEMENTS

Man often thinks it can outsmart nature by finding out what’s good in a plant or food, extracting the substance, and concentrating it in a capsule. According to Colin Campbell and many other re- searchers, there’s no evidence that even vitamin-C supplements are effective. What there is proof of, however, is that groups that eat vitamin-C-rich foods have better resistance to some diseases. Eat a carrot, not a beta-carotene capsule. That’s the same principle behind why refined sugar is worse than sugar-cane and sea salt is much better than refined salt.

3. SUPERFOOD

Superfood is just a food a lot richer in nutrients than its peers – especially in antioxidants. Just compare kale with romaine lettuce. According to Whole Foods Market ANDI (Aggregate Nutrient Density Index), kale scores 1000 whilst lettuce scores 389. Which should you choose, if you had to pick just one? The principle, there, is no different from the Jiu-Jitsu cornerstone of ‘Always seek the technique that achieves the most desirable result with the least effort. Other density-rich foods in this category: goji and other berries, açaí, spirulina, broccoli, Brazil nuts, hemp seeds, maca, pomegranate, mushrooms in general, and many others.

4. ORGANIC

This one’s quite logical: You don’t want to ingest pesticide, do you? I believe that if your body is healthy it can handle it; however, my goal when eating is to give my body as little work to do as possible and to keep it from having to put out fires. That’s the reason I go organic whenever I can. It’s more expensive, right? Unfortunately it is. But medical bills are way higher, especially when we’re talking chronic diseases. You don’t want to cut corners to save money on priorities like health.

5. DON’T GET HUNGRY

This is the most personal advice on this list. My friends often think I have iron will. The secret I’ll let you in on today is that I don’t; I’m just wise enough to avoid temptation. I realized that the more I get hungry, the more I crave something convenient and not so healthy. In other words, three bananas will satisfy me only if I eat them before hunger rears its head.

Based on the teachings of Grandmaster Carlos Gracie:

1 – Do not leave soft drinks in the fridge or candy in the cupboard. Break the temptation at the root.

2 – Do not sleep in rooms without air circulation and renewal.

3 – Sleep in loose, comfortable clothing.

4 – When you awake, stretch well before getting up, and always think positive before getting out of bed.

5 – Walk barefoot more to exchange energy with the ground. When you need to wear shoes, avoid rubberized shoes with soles that do not cause isolation of your body to the ground.

6 – Always look for the food of the season and the area where you are.

7 – Before you act, think.

8 – Do not eat more than you need.

9 – Eat more honey, açaí, avocados and nuts. Foods with plenty of calories are sometimes necessary — don’t shun them!

10 – Shun white food. Usually white foods, such as bread, rice and potatoes, have lots of sugar — which is energy that is burned quickly and soon makes you hungry again.

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.