Pedro Lott and his team during an IBJJF competition in USA. Photo: personal archive

Team Carlson Gracie is assembling, again, a strong competition squad for Jiu-Jitsu tournaments around the world. Currently a resident of Canada, Pedro Lott is a strong arm in this restructuring, and has as his mission, alongside Master Carlson Gracie Jr, the task of providing his athletes with opportunities to train at a high level, travel and compete in the main IBJJF tournaments and, above all, to have a career plan.

Pedro, a black-belt since 2008, spoke of how the roots of team Carlson Gracie — one of the biggest competitive forces of the aughts — remain strong, and how they plan not just to make good athletes, but for them to have solid careers in the sport.

“Master Carlson Gracie Jr. has been restructuring the team in such a way that all of today’s athletes will tomorrow have a future on the team, because competition is a short stage in the life of an athlete,” he said. “Today we’re champions, but tomorrow we have to pay bills, support families, and that’s what’s most important. The preoccupation of our master with these athletes is for them to be able, tomorrow, to live off the sport with dignity.”

The team’s most recent competition was the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation’s (CBJJ) Brazilian Nationals, where it was represented by 126 athletes ranging from blue-belts to black-belts, including Guthierry Barbosa, Matheus Nascimento, Alexandre Molinaro — the team’s black-belts.

“From blue belt to black, we have lots of athletes,” said Pedro. “The names mentioned above, as well as Rerrison Gabriel, Cleison Santos, Yago Oliveira, Filipe Assis, Wesley Teixeira, Maria Raniele, Luiz Eduardo, are some of our athletes in the colored belts. They’ve been making some noise in the recent tournaments. They are students under Profs. Juan Lopes and Douglas Rufino, who are teachers with our team Carlson Gracie. We have other names that are greatly standing out, and you’ll know about them soon.”

Pedro, who leads his own gym on Canada’s West Coast, went on to talk about the challenges the pandemic brought — but also, on a better note, about the strides the sport has been making around those parts.

“BJJ on the West Coast of Canada was evolving at a pretty fast pace in the last seven years, but with this pandemic and the regulations by the Canadian government, things greatly slowed down around here,” he said. “In the last 19 months, our gym was closed for 12 months in total, opening and closing within the period. But the community will go back to growing again, and it has all my support to do so.”

He added: “At our gym, in Canada, we have many students who have been standing out in the masters; we have many IBJJF world champions. There’s a 23-year-old black-belt who won the Orlando Open in his first year as a black-belt, in 2020.

Chayse Diekema, Pedro’s student and Pan champion. Photo: personal archive

“I should mention my student Chayse Diekema, who, in the space of a year and a half, became champion at the European Championship in the blue belt without getting scored on, and in the same year, already wearing the purple belt, was champion at the Pan with a submission in the final. This year, she was runner-up at the No-Gi Pan with an arm that was injured from the quarterfinals on. At the gi Pan, she finished her opponents in all her fights, in an incredible performance. Her mindset in on another level; she’s going to take the brown belt by storm, and in the black belt she’s going to be in the top five of the world, without a doubt.”

Pedro ended the interview by talking about the legacy of the late Carlson Gracie.

“The fact that our team bears the Carlson banner makes our athletes and all our teachers stronger due to knowing that we don’t represent only a team, but rather a legacy that shaped the greatest athletes and representatives of the sport in the world. Carlson Gracie was Jiu-Jitsu’s ‘SWAT team’ for decades. When Jiu-Jitsu needed someone to defend its name and honor, it was Carlson or someone from his team who was there to defend the legacy.”

Established in Florida, GMI Fábio Leandro brings tips to improve your Jiu-Jitsu teachings. Photo: GRACIEMAG Archives

Founder of Alliance Angra dos Reis and Grip Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, our GMI Fábio Leandro is no stranger to the challenges faced by Jiu-Jitsu instructors. With his base established in Florida, where he acts as an investor partner of Alliance Venice, the black belt balances a routine of athletes and gentle art teachers.

In conversation with GRACIEMAG, Fábio shared a little of his experience in the area and left five tips to teach Jiu-Jitsu more effectively. Check it out!

1. Have a basis as a teacher: Many new students check the history of the academy and the black belt who teaches there before enrolling. You wouldn’t go to a gym without knowing where it comes from or who’s the teacher at it, right?

2. Teaching beginners’ classes: These are the most important classes for a black belt to teach. There are a lot of black belts who are world champions and they tremble when they need to teach a white belt because he cannot just go training on the first day. The white belt needs to have a beginner’s class with lots of self-defense and needs to understand what is leverage, posture, and balance to make the positions.

3. Identify the student’s goal: You need to understand to direct your student in the right way and not to end up losing him after 5 or 6 months. It’s necessary to have a chat with the student, first of all, understand what he is looking for and what the objectives are so that you can keep this student for many years.

4. Define a class system: Having separate classes for beginners, intermediates, graduates, and self-defense is very important for the longevity of your academy. It is very important to have and follow this system. For example, imagine if a white belt appears in a class focused on black belt competition. This student may end up getting hurt and you might end up losing him because you didn’t have the wisdom to direct him to the correct class.

5. Represent a great team: There are very good academies that do not have a flag, but having a membership expands your resources. Your background is checked by the team, monitored, a base and structure are offered for you to follow. Furthermore, teaching is standardized. What I teach here in the USA is the same thing taught in the rest of the world. That way, you have a higher quality of teaching.

After a successfull 2020, Igor Paiva talks about his plans for this year.

Igor Paiva, 30, is living one of the best phases of his career as a BJJ athlete. In 2020 the black-belt from Soul Fighters won at the Pan, Houston Open, Austin Open and American Nationals. It all resulted in new middleweight and absolute titles, plus great wins over Xande Ribeiro, Alexandre Ceconi, Marcelo Mafra, Jake Mackenzie and more elite competitors. Igor even bagged a silver medal at the Master Worlds, the last event held by the IBJJF, in Orlando, FL.

“It was a very good year,” he summarized in a recent interview. “I won every championship in which I competed at middleweight, except for the Master Worlds, where I was runner-up due to the judges’ decision in the final.

“I won titles in the absolute too — it was very memorable. There was my fight against Xande, Alexandre Ceconi and other heavyweights that made me very confident to take on any challenge. They are legends of the sport, and to me it was an incredible experience to have fought them. The year 2020 was very complicated, but I managed to reach some goals. I hope to win double that this year.”

Igor, who was also victorious in Fight to Win and Kasai Pro, added:

“I love competing; I feel alive when I’m there on the mat. I really like testing my jiu-jitsu. I’m always open to understanding the lessons that competition can teach a human being; and, hard as it may be to believe, the silver at this last Master Worlds was the one that left the biggest mark in me. It came down to tenacity! I had just lost two close friends due to covid-19 in Brazil in the week of the tournament, and besides that, I had to deal with some problems in the two weeks prior to the championship that really directed my focus elsewhere. I was sad because of the things that happened! But since I was already there, I fought. Through all the obstacles, I managed to reach the final against Victor Oliveira. We drew the match, and the judges decided in his favor. To be honest, it was the silver medal that I’m gonna keep with the most love. Every time I look at this medal, I remember how strong our mind and our heart can be.”

Igor’s plans for 2021 reflect the changing times.

“The growth of the digital world became even greater in 2020 because of the pandemic we’re living,” he said. “The internet showed us how far we can get in such a fast, effective manner. Many BJJ gyms remained open thanks to videoconference classes.”

He continued: “I’ll be preparing jiu-jitsu content to make available online this year too; I’m looking for partnerships to make this happen. Nothing will replace in-person classes, but the online classes are coming in strong as an extra help for the students’ learning process. So be aware of the value that online classes have, but don’t forget to show up for in-person training frequently. One complements the other. And remember: There is no theory without practice.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooA-r3jLJtY

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.

Here are 10 tips from world renowned Jiu-Jitsu Professors for you to get through the first phase of your gentle art journey with lots of fun and confidence.

“The first tip is to seek a good Jiu-Jitsu academy, with responsible, accredited teachers.” Johnny Faria of Gracie Del Mar

“Jiu-Jitsu is not a hundred-yard dash – it’s a marathon. Believe me, the hardest thing about this martial art is not teaching or learning – it’s convincing oneself, right in the first training sessions, that Jiu-Jitsu is much more than great aerobics for your body. It’s about a lifestyle to keep with you forever. If you think this way, you will never be in a hurry, for your biggest goal will be that of practicing Jiu-Jitsu for the rest of your life.”  Professor Andre Terencio of Brazil-021

Jiu-Jitsu must be learned and taught from A-Z – not from Z-A. I.e., in order to know how to fight one must crawl, then walk, and then run. Training Jiu-Jitsu can be likened to someone building a house. No one starts by the roof. First comes the foundation, which is the base for everything: learn how to fall forward, sideways, and backwards; rolling, hip escaping; the bridge, the technical lift; the oopa, self-defense, basic submissions and escapes. Then we erect the lateral beams and the walls separating the rooms: those would be takedowns, the mount, guard passing; sweeps and submission, attacks and defenses. Finally, we work on the details, which to my understanding arrives when a student has passed all of this basic and intermediary process and steps into advanced zone. So don’t try to run if you can barely toddle.” Professor Andre Terencio of Brazil-021

“The biggest hurdle to learning in Jiu-Jitsu is the ego. It’s being afraid to tap out, afraid to ask, afraid to get into tough positions to improve. That can only hinder your evolution at the gym.” Diego Moraes, professor to UFC champion Anthony Pettis

“Competing in Jiu-Jitsu is for some; training Jiu-Jitsu is for all. Focus on improving daily at training, but if that whole adrenaline is not your cup of tea, that’s fine.” Kron Gracie

“Be complete – standing, on top, on the bottom. But fight with a plan, drawn in accordance with the strong qualities of your opponent.” Claudio Calasans

“Remember: you are not the only nervous one. Everybody feels some sort of adrenaline, from the rookie to the currant black belt world champion. And that is a good sign, an indication that you’re primed, seeking a win. Dry mouth, butterflies, sweaty hands are normal – all of us fighters go through this.” Braulio Estima

“Value your training partners. Jiu-Jitsu is an individual sport, but it’s always practiced in a collective way. No one gets too far by themselves – only with the help from colleagues. “Prof. Anderson Pereira of IconJJ / Carlson Gracie

“Develop a healthy lifestyle. Rolls don’t lie and rolls are the MRI of your conditioning. One of the reasons you hear that Jiu-Jitsu changes lives is because students understand that taking care of their health will improve their time training and sparring and consequently learning. Watch your eating habits: keep a clean diet, develop a healthy lifestyle, and Jiu-Jitsu will take you on a great life journey.” Prof. Itabora Ferreira of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu San Francisco

“Make your family a part of your hobby. Help them comprehend the benefits Jiu-Jitsu provides you with, and thus they’ll get you and motivate you even more.” Rodrigo Freitas of GB Manhattan Beach

One of the most valuable components in Jiu-Jitsu is the desire to be at a higher point than you were yesterday. And this is only achieved with constant, consistent training.” Rickson Gracie

Let’s celebrate the date with an exclusive GRACIEMAG.com video of Draculino teaching three ways to pass the guard.

Hannette Staack, Andre Terencio Seminar

GMA members Hannette Staack and Andre Terencio have a special invitation for you.

They will be in Jacksonville, NC, this next February 9th for a Jiu-Jitsu seminar.

They will also take part in the Grand Opening ceremony of Combat Club Martial Arts & Fitness, a Brazil 021 affiliated academy.

The cost for the class is $60 for B021 members and $80 for non-members.

For details, call (910)616-9592.

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

For more info, go to brazil021.com

Milton happily teaching at a Paragon affiliate / Photo by Erin Herle

More often than not, a black belt competitor has two roles: competing and teaching. The two roles are very commonly associated with one another as the ability to train full-time is a luxury that few can afford. In order to financially support themselves and extend their own training they teach at either their own or an affiliate’s academy. If you are teaching Jiu-Jitsu, it not only gives you opportunities to train but also to learn– a common notion supported by athletes like Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles Maciel and Ryron Gracie.

“I like teaching more than competing,” says Milton Bastos, a black belt competitor who grew his name when he won his adult division at the 2009 No-Gi World Championships as a brown belt. The championship was not just a major win for him at the time but it also ended his 8-year break from Jiu-Jitsu. After Milton received his brown belt, he quit training Jiu-Jitsu in 2001 to seek out grappling in another realm– wrestling. He remained in that sport, competing and teaching some of the top guys in Jiu-Jitsu like Fabbio Passos who cross-trained with Milton. In 2009, Fabbio urged Milton to return to BJJ competition and tag along with him to the No-Gi Worlds in Long Beach, CA baiting him with a trip to the states as well as a chance to use his wrestling for Jiu-Jitsu gold. Milton agreed and won every match to the top of the podium; he pulled guard in every match.

After the tournament he made connections with GMA member Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller, head of the Paragon team and began teaching at the Ventura academy shortly thereafter when Fabbio visited Brazil. He has stayed ever since, becoming one of the busiest professors around. Although, don’t tell him I called him that due to his insistence that you just call him by his first name.

Milton training with a student / Photo by Erin Herle

Today, Milton can be found up and down the west coast at any of Paragon’s affiliate academies given that he acts as a substitute teacher. Normally a main instructor at the academy in Ventura, he willingly drives as far north as Santa Maria or as far south as Hollywood to fill in as a teacher should one be needed. It was at the Hollywood affiliation where I was able to sit down with Milton and talk about his love, style and advice for teaching.

“I’ve been teaching since I was fourteen years old. I was a green belt teaching kids classes,” says the now 30-year-old. Milton is a playful guy that makes sure his classes are fun and he is seen more as a friend than a dictator. His main influence was Leo “Leozinho” Vieira whom Milton trained under for some time.

As a way to further his teaching ability, he tries to learn every style out there. In order to do so, he willingly trains at other academies like GMA members Caio Terra’s Institute of Martial Arts in San Jose, CA and Romulo Barral’s Gracie Barra Northridge in Northridge, CA. “Franjinha encourages me to seek out training in other gyms so that I can better teach the students about different styles,” he claims. Beyond that, Milton makes coaching a large priority and enjoys seeing his students win more than he enjoys winning himself!

In this list of advice, Milton offers tips to better your teaching abilities:

• Make class fun. Incorporate games, music, jokes. Be playful with your students and be less formal. You can still gain respect from your students without being serious all of the time.
• Have an open mind. Try to learn everything to be able to teach your students all the different styles out there. Visit other academies and/or train with other people. Don’t think that you own Jiu-Jitsu. Don’t be afraid to branch out to other styles of grappling, either, such as judo and wrestling.
• You don’t own your students. Be on their level and be friends with them. Should a student leave your academy, respect their decision.

[flickr set=72157632174602906]

Hannette celebrates the 2011 Worlds gold winning flying armbar

GMA member Hannette Staack is one of the most accomplished female competitors of all times in Jiu-Jitsu.

The co-leader of Brazil 021 is known for her acrobatic moves and technical skills. In this video, she teaches a flying armbar, the same she used to become the 2011 middleweight World champion, her 7th world title in the gi.

If you want to learn personally with Hannette, you have a chance to do it this next weekend in Toronto, Canada.

For more info, go to hannettestaackevents.eventbrite.com

Enjoy and learn, but remember to always practice in the presence of a qualified instructor/professor.

Go train with Hannette Staack

GMA member Hannette Staack invites one and all to her training camp in Canada, next November 17-18.

The Jiu-Jitsu hall of famer will be teaching some of the techniques that helped to put her on the top of the female gentle art.

The camp is to take place in Toronto, at Mark Stables BJJ at Bang Fitness.

Enroll now at hannettestaackevents.eventbrite.com

Last January marked three years since the death of the great Grandmaster Helio Gracie, whose legacy helped inspire our team in putting together “10 fundamentals your Jiu-Jitsu teacher needs to know”, the article that starts on page 48 of the new GRACIEMAG issue. I was plenty pleased with the piece.

I have a feeling it will cull kudos from a good number of qualified teachers. I just regret that, for lack of space, we couldn’t lengthen the list to 15, 20 or so fundamentals. The selection criteria we employed was ruthless: only 10 topics made the cut, which in a way is pretty cool, since it makes the manual all the more concise and challenging. On the other hand, some real gems ended up getting yanked.

One good example of such an anguishing snub was “Encourage your student to use the least force possible”. Could we have been imprudent in not fitting that one in there? A feeling of guilt arrests me when I reread an old statement from Helio Gracie: “Everything I know about Jiu-Jitsu a lot of other people know too. The difference is that I execute the same moves but without using force”…

Want to read the complete article? Go get your new GRACIEMAG #179 and see our Editorial.

Are you still not a subscriber? Click here.