The 4th Annual Big Apple BJJ Open will be on May 17 at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in New York City. The tournament run by Vitor Shaolin of GMA VSBJJ, Jen Sung and Mario Guerrero offers the New York Jiu-Jitsu scene an opportunity to compete in a structured environment and friendly atmosphere.

Registration is still open and for a discounted price of $100 per person until April 27. After that date, the price will go up to $110 per person until registration completely closes on May 10.

Divisons are available for adults, both men and women. Please note that brown/black belt divisions are only available for males and the weight classes are 154.5 lbs, 181.5 lbs and over 181.5 lbs. Women can sign up for white, blue and purple divisions.

The location for the venue is 122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023.

Register at this link: https://events.membersolutions.com/event_detail.asp?content_id=45915

For more information visit www.bigapplebjjopen.com

There have been cases reported from all over the country of many victims, young and old. To play the game you must sneak up on an unsuspecting person and punch them as hard as you can. The reward for those who succeed in knocking their victim unconscious is inflated social status among peers and a disturbing sense of pride.

Don’t be a victim by staying aware of your surroundings at all times. Training Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t only allow you the techniques to defend yourself but the confidence and awareness to keep yourself safe. The techniques you know probably won’t come of use if you never see the attack coming so it’s important to take preventive measures as well.

Professor Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro of GMA VSBJJ in New York City offers tips below for how to keep yourself safe while out in public:

Shaolin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Last weekend, October 11 to 13th, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Camp united three famous schools in NYC. The camp created by New Jersey attorney James J. Sexton took fifteen students of all levels that came from different parts of US to sharpen their BJJ skill with Rio de Janeiro’s legends Renzo Gracie, Marcelo Garcia and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro. The camp founder said he created the camp to help students from all over the USA and abroad recognize the amazing BJJ training opportunities to be found in Manhattan. “We’ve got three incredible academies within less than one mile of each other,” said Sexton.

The Day One of the Camp kicked off with a two-hour seminar at Shaolin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro who worked on a variety of half guard escapes and sweeps. After the seminar campers remained for regular Friday afternoon classes at the Shaolin Academy and enjoyed training with his students. In the evening they attended training at the Marcelo Garcia Academy. The Fundamentals Gi class provided the BJJ students, of all levels, with a great training experience, learning close guard opening techniques. The Blue Belts and above remained for the Advanced Gi class. The camp, which attracted all levels of students from white to black belt, started off Day Two on Saturday with a “white belts only” class at Shaolin academy. This was followed by an advanced class and rolling with Shaolin’s students. On Saturday afternoon, the Camp offered a three-hour seminar with Gerry “Kid Peligro” Costa reviewing closed guard sweeps. Sunday morning, the Camp concluded with the completion of the “trifecta” of  NYC Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies. The Campers attended a private class at Renzo Gracie Academy taught by Igor Gracie and UFC fighter Rafael “Sapo” Natal.

NYC Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu camp founder believes the camp encourages students to visit all of the academies of New York City without hesitation. “They all greeted our group with open arms and made us feel incredibly welcome. It’s a testament to how unifying and positive the brotherhood and sisterhood of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu really is.” Completed Sexton.

Renzo Gracie Academy