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!

To subscribe and get the most complete Jiu-Jitsu magazine on the planet delivered to your doorstep every month, click here.

Caio Terra “keeps the imaginary opponent at bay” with a hip movement that’s vital in Jiu-Jitsu defense. Photo by  Terence Bordon/GRACIEMAG.

To become a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and one of whom a teacher can be proud, the first thing you have to do is say, “Yes!” and accept the invitation to do your first Jiu-Jitsu training session. After that, though, it’s all about saying, “No!” and keeping a number of unnecessary things out of your life.

For every no, you lose a dozen kilos and gain a dose of self-confidence.

Recently, your favorite Jiu-Jitsu magazine printed a list of 42 things that don’t go together with the life of a clear-headed Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. What follows are just five of them.

Missed out on the article? Subscribe to GRACIEMAG here! And email sac@graciemag.com to find out how to fill in the gaps in your collection.

1. Say no to shortcuts!

Endurance, strength, skill—it all comes with time. Don’t resort to performance-enhancing substances. It won’t be long before you pay a price you can’t afford, if you do.

2. Say no to arrogance

Don’t underestimate anyone at the Jiu-Jitsu academy. That “old-fogey” stretching over in the corner of the dojo may well be a master of whom you’ve never heard. That newcomer who showed up for the first time could turn out to be a stalwart sparring partner. Train seriously and with safety in mind, always.

3. Say no to omission

Don’t hide Jiu-Jitsu from your friends—get them to train at your school with you. You’ll see how much more fun it makes training.

4. Say no to envy

You can have as many role models in Jiu-Jitsu as you see fit. But don’t be envious of the way someone else’s trajectory or game is going. Repeating your teacher or colleague’s history is next to impossible. Don’t get frustrated because you’re not

at the same level as one of your mat mates. One day, when you least expect it, you’ll be a role model to someone who thinks you’re great.

5. Say no to heroism

There’s no room for heroics at a Jiu-Jitsu academy. If the hold is in snug, tap out without thinking twice. The trauma you may cause your teacher, friends and your very self isn’t worth it—not to mention the weeks sidelined from training.

To learn more and keep your Jiu-Jitsu up to date, subscribe here.

Claudio Calasans hangs on to Lucas Leite (in white), their eyes on the scoreboard, in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Ivan Trindade/GRACIEMAG.com.

Last Sunday in Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu black belt Claudio Calasans captured his third title in the WPJJC under-82 kg division.

Despite encountering his fair share of hardships, the São Paulo State native overcame adversity and came up with the gold. “I went to Abu Dhabi in pursuit of my third title at weight but the flight over there wore on me some. I was in the United States training at Atos San Diego but needed to get back to São Paulo and two days later head to the Emirates, so I didn’t make it there in time to get over the jet lag, and my body was kind of sluggish during the competition. Even so, I managed to get the points lead in all my matches, which was really important, since the match duration there is six minutes. And I managed my main objective, which was the treble,” he told GRACIEMAG.com.

“PRACTICE COMPLETE JIU-JITSU”

Pleased with his triumph, Calasans decided to share some pointers with our reader/practitioners. “The secret to training is to do lots of repetitions both on the left and on the right, to be ready for any mistake your opponent may throw your way. You have to train complete Jiu-Jitsu, always looking to improve your Jiu-Jitsu in all situations; that way you’re not so likely to get caught off guard in competition,” said the fighter from the town of São José dos Campos, who has a new mission in mind.

“Now it’s all about the Worlds. That’s my primary focus. This year I’m feeling really good, and I’m confident that my time to win it is now. I’m going to train like I never trained before. I’m only going to do the weight group this year, since I’ll have lots of other World Championships to go for gold in the absolute,” he said, without mentioning the bronze he scored in the 2009 absolute and the silver he came up with in 2010 in the middleweight at the Worlds.

Watch Claudio Calasans against Victor Estima at the 2012 Pan.

Junior Assunção attending a Jiu-Jitsu event in Recife / Photo: Junior Samurai/GRACIEMAG.com

After rattling off seven triumphs in a row, just one of which came in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Jiu-Jitsu black belt Junior Assunção suffered a setback at the hands of Ross Pearson at UFC 141, in December, 2011. The misfortune yielded him his walking papers. Not having fought since, Assunção spoke with GRACIEMAG.com at a Jiu-Jitsu championship in the Northeastern Brazilian city of Recife, where he addressed his “temporary” exit from the world’s most recognized cage, broke down the TUF Brazil scenario and offered up a pointer for our reader/practitioner’s.

“THINK ABOUT THE POSITION, AND THE FINISH WILL COME”

Assunção, who is looking over some career offers at the moment, urges practitioners to conceptually analyze positions before rushing for the submission. “You don’t finish a guy before securing the position on him. So let’s think about the position, and the result will be the finish,” he preaches. Portuguese speakers can get the pointers straight from Junior Assunção’s mouth in the video below.