At GMA Renzo Gracie Newark, Professor Marco Teixeira is teaching valuable lessons to law enforcement officers from all over the nation. Here is an interview with the black belt under Renzo Gracie who speaks about his time with the men and women of these agencies and teaching alongside Master Renzo:

GRACIEMAG: For how long have you been training?

Marco Teixeira: I have been training in the martial arts for over twenty years. I am a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie. Currently am the head instructor at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Newark, NJ.

For how long have you been teaching Jiu-Jitsu to the Law Enforcement Community (SWAT)?

I’ve been teaching for over ten years of police tactical training with numerous Law Enforcement Agencies, including Austin Texas SWAT, New Jersey State Police. I have taught dozens of other officers from the states of Texas and New York at their respective SWAT conferences over the past 10 years.

Tell us a little bit about this opportunity to teach Jiu- Jitsu to the Law Enforcement Community (SWAT)?

In my opinion, training these brave young men and women to keep themselves and the members of their community safe was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I want to take the opportunity to promote the art of Jiu-Jitsu for all members of the law enforcement community. A substantial number of my students are members of the law enforcement community. I have had the honor of training Federal Air Marshals, F.B.I. special agents, D.E.A. special agents, New Jersey State Troopers, and numerous local officers from many different states.

And how was the experience to teach Jiu-Jitsu to the Law Enforcement Community (SWAT) together with Renzo Gracie ?

It was amazing! Recently, I had the honor of traveling to the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association’s 2014 SWAT conference in Houston, TX. It was truly a humbling and rewarding experience to be able to teach and train with my master, Renzo Gracie. It was incredibly surreal to learn and share such an experience with Master Renzo and the various members of the Texas Law Enforcement Community.
To do it alongside one of my heroes made the experience even better. We even had a visit from special guest Vinicius “Draculino” Magalhaes.

In your opinion , what’s the importance of teaching Jiu-Jitsu to the Law Enforcement Community?

It’s very important. Jiu-Jitsu is easy to learn, you do not have to be athletic, and it is incredibly effective in self defense. Due to the fact that an estimated 65 to 85 percent of altercations end up going to the ground, Jiu-Jitsu is a vital tool.In addition, due to the high occurrence of injury, it is the only martial art where you may train at 100% resistance in every class. Training in the art also has incredible physical fitness and mental strength benefits.

Leave a message to the Jiu-Jitsu and Law Enforcement Community.

I would like to thank all the Jiu-Jitsu and Law Enforcement Community and also thank Master Renzo for the contributions he has made to the world of Jiu-Jitsu and the martial arts, as well as his selfless dedication to the members of the Law Enforcement Community. I would also like to that the Texas Tactical Police Officers Association for giving me the opportunity to train and learn from some of the most dedicated Officers I have ever met.

To learn more about Marco Teixeira and his training at Renzo Gracie Newark, please visit www.renzogracienewark.com

Foto de Thiago Silva após prisão na Flórida. Foto: Sheriff.org

O lutador Thiago Silva, atleta da divisão de meio-pesados do UFC, foi preso na noite desta quinta-feira, de acordo com informações da rede de televisão NBC. O incidente teria acontecido na academia Pablo Popovitch MMA, na Flórida, EUA.

Segundo relatos, Thiago teria invadido a academia, onde treinava junto de sua esposa, Thaysa Silva, e teria ameaçado pessoas no local. A polícia foi chamada e Thiago teria se evadido para sua residência, onde foi cercado por policias da SWAT, força especial americana.

GRACIEMAG buscou a ficha do lutador no site da polícia da Flórida. Lá constam três acusações contra o brasileiro: tentativa de agressão com risco de morte, resistência  com arma letal e obstrução da lei sem uso de violência.

Thiago Silva, que estava com luta marcada contra Ovince St-Preux, no dia 15 de março, no UFC 171, deve ficar de fora da disputa. O presidente do UFC, Dana White, se pronunciou e disse que o atleta “nunca mais vai lutar no UFC”.

Our GMA in Mexico Mario Delgado, a representative of Renzo Gracie academy, spreads the word on Jiu-Jitsu in a variety of different ways. Beyond the traditional classes teaching the martial art, where even top-tier fighters like UFC heavyweight-title challenger Cain Velasquez stop in from time to time, Mario plays an important role in the training of the Mexican police force and army. Recently, the black belt conveyed some indispensible lessons to the special forces of the country’s federal police.

“I was at the Federal Investigation Agency, the equivalent of the US’s FBI. I also went to the Army Special Forces, an elite, green beret-like troop. Last, I went to the High Command Special Forces Group, which in Brazil would be called Bope (like US Swat force),” recounts Delgado.

“We held this capacity-building exercise three years ago and it was reported that Jiu-Jitsu techniques were used successfully a great number of times in their operations,” he added.

Finally, the Renzo Gracie black belt takes the opportunity to call on all Mexican practitioners to attend the most important event in the nation.

“On November 20 we’ll hold the 5^th National Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, overseen by the federation of which I am the president. There will surely be a lot of soldiers and police officers who train with us participating,” he says in closing.

Cena do filme "SWAT", de 2003. Foto: Divulgação.

Keila Garcia Rodrigues Scurbani, de 32 anos, é a única brasileira recém aprovada para ingressar na Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), a polícia americana altamente especializada que nos acostumamos a ver nos filmes de Hollywood. O professor responsável pelo caso de sucesso foi Paulo Felipe Ananias, o Paulão da academia Companhia Athletica: “Em 27 anos, esta foi uma das minhas maiores conquistas”, comemora ele.

Keila, que trabalha na Polícia Civil de São Paulo há sete anos, treina Jiu-Jitsu, mas parou para se concentrar no teste:

“Eu praticava Jiu-Jitsu mas parei tudo para treinar intensamente para o teste. Pretendo recomeçar em 2010”, diz ela, muito satisfeita com a conquista. Keila passou pelos testes de currículo, teórico e prático, e na pré-seleção ficou entre outras 50 candidatas. “A dedicação e o amor à profissão foram superiores ao impossível. O Paulão treinou a primeira brasileira que conseguiu passar num teste de aptidão física da SWAT”, diz emocionada, após chegar na academia vestida com a camisa da polícia americana.

Scene from the movie "SWAT". Photo: Publicity

Keila Garcia Rodrigues Scurbani, 32, is the only Brazilian female to pass the recent Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) exam, the selection process for candidates in the most highly specialized police force in the USA. The teacher responsible for her success is Paulo Felipe Ananias, of Companhia Athletica Academy. “In 27 years, this is my greatest conquest,” “Paulão” says in jubilation.

Keila, who has been an officer for the Civil Police of São Paulo for seven years, trains Jiu-Jitsu, but took some time off to concentrate on the test:

“I practiced Jiu-Jitsu but stopped everything to train intensely for the test. I intend to take it up again in 2010,” she says, thoroughly pleased with her achievement. Keila passed her tests regarding her CV, theory and practice, and the qualifying phase among 50 other female candidates. “Dedication and love for the profession overcame the impossible. Paulão trained the first Brazilian female to pass a SWAT physical aptitude test,” she says with emotion, after arriving at the academy wearing the t-shirt of the specialized American police force.