Angelica Galvao and the 100+ females on the mats at AOJ. Photo: Personal Archive

On Saturday, April 26, over 100 females entered the mats at GMA Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, CA to learn from Angelica Galvao. It was a day for females to get together and train with one another through the lead of Atos’ leading female. Angelica is a brown belt under husband and mentor Andre Galvao at the Atos Jiu-Jitsu Academy in San Diego.

The hosts of the event, Rafael and Guilherme Mendes were thrilled with the outcome: “We feel honored to have a champion like Angelica teaching at our academy. We chose to invite her because she is a great image of a strong woman–wife, mother and a champion. The girls had a great time on the mat, Angelica taught some good techniques and we could celebrate another great day for our sport! We want to have girls’ open mats more often and help to share the Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle to the women of our community.”

We also asked Angelica a couple questions about her experience leading such an event and how it speaks to the female Jiu-Jitsu community as a whole:

GRACIEMAG: What was your expectation or goal with your seminar at AOJ and did you accomplish it?

ANGELICA GALVAO: Yes, what I saw there was beyond my expectations, way beyond. I was expecting a good group but not a huge group. Anyway, when we compete, we get used to that group of competitor women and it’s growing so much. But what I saw yesterday was an amazing group that is behind the scenes, non-competitive women who love our sport so much. This group is also growing from kids to senior age, moms, wives, doctors, successful business ladies and I really believe that this group needs attention as well. It was priceless for me. I have never been on a mat with so many ladies together, it smelled like flowers haha.

Do you think having women-only seminars is the key for building the women’s community?

I do believe that events like that are essential for a strong growing of the women’s community in Jiu-Jitsu. It’s natural for us ladies to appreciate a special time only for us, and that is how it works in events like that, a time just for us, in between us, learning and practicing techniques that are good for our game. It is pleasant to gather together with other women that have the same passion. It was a great experience for me not only as a BJJ player but as a woman as well.

To follow all the Mendes brothers’ endeavors into the female community as well as their future events, go to www.artofjiujitsu.com

For more of Angelica Galvao and her Atos academy, go to www.galvaobjjsd.com

On November 17 the annual Rickson Gracie Cup unfolded in Tokyo, Japan for its 2013 edition. Our GMA members Guilherme and Rafael Mendes entered the competition and earned two gold medals with outstanding performances.

Guilherme won the featherweight division, Rafael won the lightweight division and the pair closed out the open weight division alongside Roberto Satoshi.

All of their fights were determined by submission finishes.

Check out some videos from their instagram @mendesbros.

Rafael in his first match:

Guilherme in his first match:

You can check out the rest of their videos on their instagram/facebook page: www.mendesbrosfans.com

Today, March 9, marks the deadline to sign up for the 2011 Pan paying a reduced rate. The deadline was extended due to technical issues suffered by the IBJJF website over the weekend, as discerned by GRACIEMAG.com.

So there’s no time to lose: secure your spot at the best part of the gymnasium in Irvine, California: on the mat! As the most masterly masters profess, there’s no losing: you either win or you learn.

Among the stars signed up are big names like Rafael and Guilherme Mendes, Ian McPherson, Ryan Hall, Gilbert Durinho, Claudio Calasans, Adriano Silva, and absolute champion of Europe Alexander Trans. And there’s plenty of good guys yet to sign up…

Check out the timetable, who’s in and how to go about signing up online, visiting the IBJJF website here.

Pick up some tricks from the Mendes’ below, and don’t miss the coverage on the GRACIEMAG Pan Blog, clicking here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIgAh3sF55I