GB Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

July 4th Schedule

2008-06-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

The academy will be closed from June 30 through July 6 for all classes. Regular classes will resume on Monday July 7.

June Jiu Jitsu

2008-06-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

June 7 In House Tournament - Bring your friends and family for a great day of jiu jitsu competition at Gracie Barra Boston BJJ. No classes or open mat.

June 14 Instructor Meeting - Noon - all GBBJJ instructors should try to attend.

June 21 Self Defense Seminar - This will take place during the advanced class and all are welcome. Please bring your friends and family. Beginner class and open mat will still happen.

June 28 BJJ Network Seminar and BBQ. Seminar theme will be X-Guard and Butterfly Guard (offense and defense). Instructors: Roberto Maia, Pat Barbieri, Nate Ryan, Jim DeLuca, Phil Myers, Chris Page, and several other BBJJ black belts

Check out www.bbjiujitsu.com for more details

May Happenings

2008-05-01T13:26:00.001-07:00

Events at Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu May 2008

Sunday May 4 White to Blue Belt Seminar
- There will be a White to Blue Belt Seminar with Roberto on Sunday May 4 at 1 pm. Attendance at one of these seminars is mandatory for 4 stripe white belts moving to blue, but can be done with any amount of stripes on the belt. It is open to all members of GB Boston BJJ and network schools.

Thursday May 8 Needham High School Demo
- Roberto will be doing a demonstration of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Needham High School at 2:45pm in the Wrestling room. All middle and high schoolers are welcome to attend.
Saturday May 17 Professor Flavio Almeida Seminar
- Professor Flavio Almeida will be doing a seminar at Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on Saturday May 17 from 11-3pm. All are welcome. Professor Almeida is a 2nd degree black belt that has been studying jiu jitsu with Master Carlos Gracie for more than 15 years. He is a two time Mundial champion, a Pan American champion, 2nd place at ADCC 2007, American National Championship, plus multiple Brazilian Nation and Rio de Janeiro State Championships.

Saturday May 24 Buddy Day
- Roberto will be teaching a free self defense and introduction to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for all members of the academy who bring a non-member to the academy from 10-noon.

Monday May 26 Memorial Day No Classes
- The academy will be closed on Monday May 26 for all classes in observance of Memorial Day.

Choosing a School

2008-03-20T07:44:00.001-07:00

I had a conversation with Vittorio and he told me of all the schools popping up on the South Shore around him in Taunton and it got me thinking about the factors that go into choosing a school.

It used to be that there were only a few schools around Massachusetts and you probably went to the one closest to you. (We used to have guys drive 2+ hours from NH and RI just to train and they were doing this like 2x-3x per week, that's dedication). Geographic proximity really isn't the number one factor anymore with so many schools to choose from. Our network alone has 8 schools in it in 4 different states.

So what factors go into choosing a school?

Atmosphere, Community, Tradition, Facilities, Proximity - were some that I thought of. I am not sure what the number one is. It is probably different for everyone.

Atmosphere - What is it like there? Are they speaking your language - literally - English? and figuratively - do you get along with instructors? Are they sensitive to your goals? Are they teaching in a way that works with your learning style?

Community - Is the school active in building a community within and outside? Is it a place you look forward to going to? Is it a positive place?

Facilities - Are they clean? Do they have enough mat space? Does their schedule fit yours and are there options?

Tradition - What is the history of the school? Is it readily available or sketchy? Are the instructors legitimate? Can you trace their lineage? Do they bring good people to help teach? Are they constantly refining their methods? Is there collaboration with their tradition?

Proximity - Is the school close to where you live? Can you use public transportation to get there? Do the class times allow you to get there and train?

Now the answers (and maybe a little sales pitch too or, if you are already a member, it will give you ammunition to get your friends and family to join).

Atmosphere - We are constantly collaborating and trying to refine our teaching so everyone is learning at their maximum potential. We have a career educator on staff with a Master of Education working to help the instructors teach at their highest level. All of our classes are taught in English with Portuguese bilingual instructors also on staff. We work to teach to everyone's goals whether it be the hobbyist using the gym to get in shape or the competitor looking to compete at the Mundial and the spectrum of students in between.

Community - We work to know everyone at the school and get to know them personally. Our school is a positive place from when you set foot in the door to when you leave. Many of our students are very close friends and hang out with each other outside of class and engage in other activities besides jiu jitsu (I didn't know there was such a thing, certainly no other conversations exist besides those pertaining jiu jitsu, go figure).

Facilities - Clean. Everyday. We work everyday to bring you the cleanest facility possible. (Just last week I was up on the ladder, scrubbing the walls with a bleach solution - that was fun) We keep a cleaning log and would be happy to show it you if you like. We use the best sanitizer available to clean the mats - Kenclean. It protects against all known pathogens that can be transmitted in all of the sports that we do. We work to make sure our students are clean with instruction on how to keep their uniforms clean, their nails and skin safe and their overall bodies' healthy.

Tradition - Did you know that Gracie Barra is the winning-est school in all of Brazil? Well it is and you are part of that tradition. We trace our lineage from Roberto Maia to Carlos Gracie Jr. to Carlos Gracie Sr. (co-founder of modern Gracie Jiu Jitsu with Helio Gracie)to Gastao Gracie to "Count Koma" Maeda to Jigoro Kano himself. That's fewer steps than from Phil to Kevin Bacon. We always have visitors teaching seminars and classes who are top level coaches and athletes. Did you know Roger Gracie spent a month with us when he was a brown belt before he started tearing it up? Roberto Tussa Alencar has been a regular visitor and we look to welcome Flavio Almeida in May. Take a look at their competition records. Impressive. We are the longest running school in Boston. We are almost to our 13th year and have more diversity of rank and number on the mat at any given time. More blackbelts per class means more chances to get your questions answered.

Proximity - We have morning, noon and night classes. We are open 7 days a week. I think we can accomodate almost every schedule. Hopefully there is a school in our network that is close to you. If there isn't, there probably will be one soon.

12 points

2008-03-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

These are the 12 points that Chuck Norris says guide his life

I will develop myself to the maximum of my potential in all ways.
I will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements.
I will always be in a positive frame of mind and convey this feeling to every person that I meet.
I will continually work at developing love, happiness and loyalty in my family and acknowledge that no other success can compensate for failure in the home.
I will look for the good in all people and make them feel worthwhile.
If I have nothing good to say about a person, then I will say nothing.
I will give so much time to the improvement of myself that I will have no time to criticize others.
I will always be as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
I will maintain respect for those in authority and demonstrate this respect at all times.
I will maintain an attitude of open-mindedness toward another person's viewpoint, while still holding fast to that which I know to be true and honest.
I will always remain loyal to God, my country, my family and my friends.
I will remain highly goal-oriented throughout my life because that positive attitude helps my family, my country and myself.

Another one for you older guys and girls feeling your age - "Old age and deception will overcome youth and skill every time." (Bill "Superfoot" Wallace) I know he is a karate guy but I read an interesting article about Paulho Filho training with Rickson and he described his experience similar to this quote.

Same As It Ever Was

2008-02-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

Well not really, but sort of. Ok so the new year has started out great and brought us many new students. Many of our new students have come from other fight gyms which is great. We are happy to have them and their experience. They have left because of changes there - increased tuition, decreased parking. Whatever. Somethings are unavoidable with the times. Aren't all the candidates running on Change?

That made me think. Have we changed?

We have produced a few fighters. You have probably heard of them. They trained in the exact same way we do today. They led class. They took classes with Tony leading them, myself, Steve Medina, Chris Page. They took classes with Roberto who smiled and treated them like everyone else. They competed in tournaments, busted their asses in tournament class and went through the ranks, just as you are doing. They didn't take any shortcuts because there aren't any. There is no trick or secret to this art. The people who are good did it through mat time and study.

Nothing has changed here.

Well maybe a few things. Roberto is on the mat more. We have classes seven days a week - morning (you guys are hardcore), noon (big thanks to Al), and night. We have a bunch of crazy kids that run around at 4 every Monday , Wednesday and Friday with all sorts of colored belts. (Big thanks to Joel, Jonny, G, Rob and Ika with them) Chris Page and many of the black belts teach extra tournament classes for free and they are free to attend. (Pssst they don't count as one of your classes). We are having an in house tournament to help people get their feet wet with competition before jumping in head first. We have top guys coming through here like Tussa, Renzo, Carlinhos, Daniel Gracie...I can go on and on...

We don't care what you do with what you learn here - get in shape, make friends, take it and go somewhere else (don't do that - I will be sad), compete at the lowest and/or highest level. Its yours. We are gonna give everyone who walks through the door the same training opportunities - whatever their goals are. We give it pretty freely and hope you will do the same with it. Because once you learn it, its yours and that is how the art grows and changes and evolves.

...and we have lots of free parking. And if you can't find a spot, put it behind my car.

99% Of Life...

2008-01-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

...is just showing up. I don't remember who said it, but it is so true. You want to pass college, go to class. You want to be good at jiu jitsu and reach your goals, show up to class.

I know its not that easy, but one of the things I have found that has been successful with me is to set a schedule. I train jiu jitsu Monday night, kick boxing Tuesday night, train jiu jitsu Wednesday night, train kick boxing Friday, and do open mat every other weekend. I don't deviate from that unless there is a holiday, injury/sickness or special occasion.

Don't flash train. I see these guys that are gung ho for a week and then they burn out. Even if you are coming off an injury and jonesing for it, make a schedule and stick to it.

Even if you can just come once a week and the second day is variable. Make that day. No excuses. Get in the car, get on the T and get here. The rest will take care of itself and you are always glad you did afterwards.

Things taste better, the couch feels comfier.

Execution

2008-01-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

After watching this highlight of Rafael Lovato Jr (below), I got to thinking about another aspect that makes a practitioner advanced.

Execution.

You can learn all the techniques in the book but if you can't execute them during the roll what good are they?

The only way to learn to execute is by rolling with all ranks all the time; getting beat, trying new things. Lowering your defenses, taking chances, playing out of your comfort zone are also ways to increase your ability to execute. They come with risk but so do all great things.

So to you guys who show up consistently and consistently get beat on, take heart, you will be executing while those who have decided not to train with tough guys will be wondering why you the blue belt is kicking their black belt ass.

Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJzxLCCgJ8M

Because O'Hara's is getting a little beat!

2008-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

According to Sharon and inspired by Stephanie (who has been an invaluable partner for the academy), I have decided to kick it up a notch in the new year for the Friday night excursion post training. No more will Tyler have to settle for the chicken sandwich at Woody's. We are going to experience the culinary treasure that is Boston. Every other week we will try to go to a new place. Hopefully more people can join us as we may be closer to where they live. Look for the sign at the academy for when we are going.

This Friday - Sunset Bar and Grill corner of Brighton and Harvard Ave in Allston - over 100 taps and they serve food until 1 am. We will meet there are 9:30 pm.

Some of the places I would like to go with y'all:

Pizzeria Regina in the North End and maybe a little canoli afterwards at Cafe Vesuvius
La Verdad for the best Fish Tacos this side of San Diego ...and the margaritas ain't too bad either
Matt Murphy's
Neptune Oyster House - best lobster roll in Boston
Publick House
Myers and Changs - Chinese Diner in the South End
Charlie's Kitchen Harvard Square - Pitchers and Cheeseburgers baby!
Chinatown - Ginza?
Red Bones - Davis Square
Brown Sugar Cafe for Thai
Parish Cafe
Rattlesnake Grill - roofdeck
Union St - porch and million dollar renovation
Middle East
Om - Grendel's Den, men - women divergence and convergence

New Year's Goals

2007-12-30T13:47:00.000-08:00

I have to thank Dmitry for inspiring this post. In the middle of last year, we had a conversation about goals and he told me that he had written his goals down as they are more likely to be accomplished if they are written and can be referred back to. I have put my personal goals down, but I wanted to share some jiu jitsu goals that I think are worthwhile and have been my goals throughout the years. Some of these are in concert with things I have seen written in Gracie Magazine.

1. Compete at every level. Start with white belt and compete often. It just gets easier. Every time I have trained for competition I have watched my jiu jitsu get better regardless of the outcome in the competition. It is a great way to progress.

2. Learn Portuguese or another language.

3. Learn to Teach.

4. Encourage a friend, family member, child to start jiu jitsu. Think of what it means to you and what it would mean to you and another if you could start them down the same path.

5. Try acai, guarana antarctica, churasco, feijoada, or corazon de galinha. (See me if you don't know what any of these words mean)

6. Know the history of your art. Pick up the book The Gracie Way by Kid Peligro. Watch UFC 1-20. Go back and watch Mundial videos for the last 10 years.

7. Supplement your training. Judo, Yoga, Crossfit, Muay Thai, Gi Jiu Jitsu for all you mma guys reading this. It will only make you better, more flexible, stronger, etc.

8. Take an unforgettable trip to train, compete or watch something jiu jitsu related. UFC, Pan Ams, Mundials, Brazil...

9. Reflect on your mistakes. After growing from them, shed them from your shoulders. (taken from graciemag.com)

10. Let go of the submission and keep the flow going - literally and figuratively.

Happy New Year!

Vegas Wrap Up

2007-12-14T11:38:00.001-08:00

So needless to say WE HAD AN AWESOME TIME IN VEGAS! It was the perfect amount of time as Joel can attest to my disposition on the last morning.

Sharon and I can't stop looking for more deals to go back. No we didn't get manicures and the most "foodie" thing that we did was on Thursday night at the Social House, but I also didn't expect the Margaritas to be so good either. We pretty much threw the schedule out the window. (Bittersweet Symphony is playing right now on accuradio.com so appropriate!) It was great to have an event to plan it around (TUF) and we are looking to do another trip within 9 months.

I want to thank everyone for coming and helping out with this especially Joel and to thank you to Rachel Byrne who us undoubtedly the coolest mom ever. (Ika and Rob, my mom took me on 18 hour car rides to Florida to visit Grandma, not Vegas) I promise not to corrupt Ika and Rob when they turn 21 but I can't say the same about Joel.

My last word (yeah right): I had the coolest crew around for the weekend and wouldn't ask for any less, but my hope is that more people come next time and enjoy it too.

See you at O'Hara's tonight,
Owenz out

2007-12-14T10:55:00.001-08:00

Vegas Day Three

2007-12-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

So my Saturday starts by smuggling Krispy Kreme donuts from the newstand into the coffee shop. I am eating them from under the table while waiting for my coffee. What is wrong with me? Which of the seven deadly sins is gluttony again? 4th or 5th? And then I pile on a bananas foster waffle on top. My insulin levels are dangerously high. Still.

"So that's what I would look like if I was a girl?" Oh leave it alone John. John then proceeded to teach me how to play craps which is really fun when the table is going and you don't have to lose that much to play for a long time, but John does anyway. But then gets it back. But then loses it later.

The following was sent via text at 11:14 am to Demon, Savold, Pete and R.M. Of course, Tyler was already with me.

- Margaritaville roofdeck-
- I just did my first shot -

Of course things would degenerate from there. Kind of a cloudy day in Vegas about 50 degrees or so and they had the heaters cranking on the roofdeck of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (the next trip will be sponsored by them btw). A little Dave Matthews, a little Jimmy Buffett... I never listen to this stuff. It sounded pretty good then.

Last nights events were reviewed and laughed at. Some of the guys were given like $120 by a cab driver to get them in to one of the places and they didn't have to pay him back or something and he said that he trusted them and they went in and... None of this story makes sense, but the hoodie story ties in from yesterday. Ask the guys about it. Maybe it was the liquid lunch.

So we met over at the Palms for the show. Joel placed a little wager for me on Paul. He was getting good odds. We had to get over there early because Paul was fighting first (3pm). The Pearl at the Palms is the place to see a show. It maybe seats 3k people? We had last row tickets and we were still looking directly into the octagon. Tyler was buying beer and shots so...(my preface? excuse for being an ass?)

Paul came out first and stood with Goulet. His stand up looked much improved. He clinched with Goulet and got taken down but managed to pull half guard and then get up. He then rocked Goulet with a straight punch and followed up for the kill but kind of fell into a double that put Paul down while Goulet was recovering. Goulet then passed and mounted. Paul gave up his back to avoid the mount but was choked in the process. He didn't tap and went out. It was a good effort and Paul can say he never tapped out in the Octagon if he is, in fact, done with the UFC. I may or may not have yelled "You're going no where Goulet!" at the end of the fight as loud as I could which was classless and mean spirited even though it is probably true. Maybe he can get on TUF Canada or something like that... but that hair? C'mon.

The rest of the fights were awesome. When War Machine bump swept J-Rock, the entire place went nuts. What a fight! The final fight was all fury as well. I thought Guida had it but technique and heart paid off for Huerta. We were about 5 rows back for that fight. We moved. The place was kind of empty.

Afterwards, it was chow time. We hit the buffet and they had all you can eat crab legs so I ate all I could - crablegs and thats it, well maybe some dessert. Ex-Boston BJJ student and UFC hopeful (I guess they told him he has the look at the the Xtreme Couture training center), Adam Schneider, joined us for dinner. He left after dinner to go home and let the dog out!? (Whatever. I have heard it called weirder things.) We all had a mean case of the giggles and I was offering obscene amounts of money for cheap shots but... you'll have to ask someone about that.

We met Paul at the food court after dinner and made our way up to the Playboy club where we may or may not have drank War Machine's vodka. Ahh the Playboy Club. I think Ferris Bueller said best: It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend...

Okay we did drink War Machine's booze, which is messed up because he fought his ass off, but so did Rude Boy and Hightower and a bunch of the other guys. I left early because I was tired from the 12 hour festivities and I had to meet the girls over at the Wynn. Lame, but I did see some middle eastern kids younger than me playing 1000$ hands at black jack table. Yowza!

Back at TI I teach Sharon's friend how to play blackjack at about 1:30am or so. She sits down at an empty table, starts to play, no lie, in five minutes the table is full of guys and she is winning. Or at least not losing enough to have to get up so I leave her there. The temptation is too much. I have to play so I sit down at the next table and win 40$ so I leave on a winning streak. Cool. She is still playing and making all sorts of friends. So Sharon and I leave her there.

We find out the next day she played until like 4am only losing about 60$. When she is done, two of the guys that stayed are like - what are we going to do next? Let's go to the fountains at Bellagio! She says I am going to go up to my room and go to the bathroom. She goes up and never comes down. I wonder if those dudes are still waiting for her.

We crash. Am I getting to old for this? NEVER!

Tomorrow. Check out.

2007-12-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

Vegas Day Two

2007-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

Friday started out well, coffee and a long walk to Bellagio to see the flowers in the lobby. That was way too long of a walk and the stairs? Come on, they need those power ramps everywhere. Caesar's Palace is like as big as Newton. On the way back, I needed a little refreshment so Sharon and I stopped at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Who cares if it was 10:30 am, I'm on vacation.

Little did I know this would be the outpost for much of the weekend. Sharon went shopping and I returned to... well. Margaritaville with Ty. Demon and Savold would meet up with us... and we spent way to long there. Good margaritas.

There was a big rodeo in town for the weekend. Everywhere we looked there were cowboys. Boots, hats, huge belt buckles. And their shirts - they looked like big Kev's gi - all patched up with sponsors and what not. And they were popular guys too. At Margaritaville, there were some wasted chicks doing push ups for the cowboys during lunch falling out of their clothes. These cowboys were about 50 and pessadissimo and the girls well they were... uh... I might have seem at the high school I work at. Oh boy Vegas.

We finally exited our tall stools and met up for the weigh-in and headed over to the Palms which is off the main strip. The Palms is the home to the only official Playboy club in the whole world but more on that later. The weigh-ins were cool. Paul told me they took like 4 hours but in actuality only took like 20 minutes. We saw Matt Hughes and Joe Rogan and many of the other fighters. Kenny Florian came over and said hello and was super cool taking pictures with many of our crew. We saw Jeff Goldberg, the announcer, who is jacked by the way. Medina would be jealous and probably still talking about him.

We had some time to kill before dinner so we hit the tables. Despite playing for a very charitable cause, Tyler and I both lost forty bucks. Sorry Joel, the poker gods were not smiling down upon you. Pete K on the other hand was killing. Every other hand I was yelling "Yeah Pete!" But then Min(g?) came back and we all got up. We were tired of being yelled at.

We had dinner with Paul at a place called Arivia, or something like that, at the Gold Coast casino across from the Palm's. Not bad, but not good either. Think Olive Garden without all the bacon flavoredness. Ariviria - sounds like a drug for people who can't get where they are going or something.

Anyway my night stops here. Nature was calling and I needed to head back to TI for a nap. I fully was intending to go out again but wrestling was on and I crashed. The other guys may or may not have gone to about three clubs (hey-zeus! pick one already), some of the others may or may not have had their Cirque Du Soleil dreams shattered (watch out - Phil will pull your man cards if he finds out), still others may or may not have spent one dollar at the Spearmint Rhino to check their hoodie and yet still others may or may not have spent a whole lot more there...

...but this is all hearsay and not admissable in a court of law.

More on the greatest TUF finale ever tomorrow.

Vegas Day One

2007-12-10T10:37:00.000-08:00

"Hey man, I can't go to Vegas." That's how my Friday started as I was doing about 50lbs of laundry. So I think to myself, who can go to Vegas on 5 hours notice? My brother. Nope. He is at Jay Peak. "It's epic up here man and I can't get to Logan in 4 hours." The demon. "I'll call you back in half an hour." Phone rings five minutes later. The demon is in. Lesson: Dmitry can to go Vegas on 3 hours notice for a weekend. Aaah, the life of a hitman.

Get to the airport on the good old T. Only 2$. There's Savold outside security eating a donut with Dmitry. Not only can he go to Vegas on short notice, he beats me to the airport. Nice start Savold. A donut? Really? "They won't let me past security with it." Sharon has to throw out her Bliss spa cream. She is pissed. The storm only lasts a ten minutes or so and we are at the bar with my main man Tyler. I guess I can learn to like UFO, way better than bud.

Direct 5 hour flight. What is this movie? Unaccompanied Minors (sounds like a porno). Pete has the best line here: "They should show nothing but the Ocean's 11 movies and Casino Royale" on the way to Vegas. We arrive on time. A few of us meet up for sushi at the Social House at the hotel. Unbelievable yellow tail-jalapeno and kobi mini-burgers. The dessert too. Oh man. Ice cream with fried corn that tastes like Corn Pops...anyway you had to be there.

Treasure Island is a decent hotel. The beds were super comfortable but the check-in procedure sucks. You reserve a room, but you get the last rooms if you check in at the end of the night. So our rooms were smoking and we had two beds instead of one for my wife and I. Not ideal and probably the last time at TI. The place overall is a little seedy and the free pirate show was dark. I gotta lot of votes for Caesar's Palace, Mandalay Bay and other hotels for next year, but they had Krispy Kremes so I was relatively happy.

Friday coming soon...

Vegas Adventures

2007-12-05T20:13:00.001-08:00

Here is a schedule of activities we have put together. Totally optional. We will meet at the places at the times.

Thursday

Sushi Social House in Treasure Island – Midnight
Texas Hold’em Tournament at Treasure Island – 2 am (daily 2a,7a,11a – 2p,7p,10p) 65$ buy in, 3500 in chips, pays 6 places

Friday

Training – Xtreme Couture – Muay Thai 10:00 Muay Thai, 11:00 Beginner Jiu Jitsu, 12:00 S & C Kettlebells, 2:00 Boxing, 3:00 MMA – 25$ day pass – bring your gear if you want to train
Lunch with TUF Fighter Paul Georgieff- place TBA – 1 pm
Freemont Street Downtown – Beauty Bar – Manicures and Martinis – 3 pm
Dinner Samba Brazilian Steakhouse – the Mirage – 8 pm
Weigh – In?
Cirque du Soleil
Mermaid Lounge - Silverton Hotel, 3333 Blue Diamond Rd

Saturday

Gun Range with Joel - leave from TI 10 am
Lunch at Bouchon – 1 pm
TUF – Doors at 3:00
After Party - TBA
Celine Dion Concert (psyche! if you got excited seeing this, you are on the wrong trip)

Sunday

Brunch
Tigers at Mirage with Joel 10 am

Vegas Trip Taking Shape

2007-12-03T13:29:00.000-08:00

The itineraries for the TUF Finale Las Vegas trip have been delivered. Since we are such a large group, Sharon and I have been putting together an itinerary with some meet up points for people and you can hang with us at those meet ups or do your own thing. On the list so far:

Sushi - late Thursday night at the Social House in TI
TUF Finale on Saturday - doors are at 3:00pm

Some things we are considering:

Dinner at Samba Brazilian in the Mirage
Dinner at Bouchon in the Venetian
TI poker tournament (I am definitely down for this, $65 buy in, starts at six times daily, all that has to be determined is the time)
Drinks at the Mermaid Lounge
Freemont Street experience with manicures and drinks together downtown at the Beauty Bar - Sharon is leading this one, but lets see how manly you guys really are!)
Sharon will be leading a trip to the Wet Spa for massages
Joel is leading trips to the gun range and a Cirque du Soleil show on Friday night

Should be a great trip, stay tuned for more info!

History, Tradition, Respect - Part 2

2007-11-27T14:52:00.000-08:00

Many people ask me about Roberto's history and when he started training. So I thought I would get it straight from him.

"I started training in Brazil in 1982 with Carlinhos. Carlos, Crolin, Rilion, were my primary teachers. Leao Texiara, Renzo Gracie, Jean Jacque, Johnny, and Rigan Machado at Carlos Gracie Jr academy not called Barra Gracie yet. In 1988, I got my black belt. "

One of Roberto's first students was Patric Barbieri. I stole this post off the mass bjj site and thought I would share it with everyone:

"I am very thankful for the people I trained with years ago. Everyone I trained with had an open mind and no ego. It was just about learning. They were humble, respectful and they truly exhibited martial arts values. Anyone who came in that did not cultivate this did not last for long and never really would be able to be taught or listen to what they needed to learn.

Prior to training at Boston Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I worked out many years with a group of guys who were into grappling. I then began to teach jiu-jitsu at a karate studio. One of our students was going to B.U. and we needed a new place to train. He organized the club, got us space, and we started to have structured classes there. This was called the Boston University Brazilian jiu-jitsu club which is still running today. I met Roberto through a friend of mine and I started to also train at Boston Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I wanted to spend more time training at BBJJ and I planned to leave the B.U club. I left the teaching responsibilities to a student who was a black belt in judo and was training with us in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a few years.

I continued to intensely train and teach at Boston Brazilian jiu-jitsu six days a week for 4-5 hours a day. I didn’t do it because I needed to train for a fight or grappling competition, I just did it. I didn’t think about goals other than trying to be the best I could be. Jiu-jitsu training for me was an obsession. So many hours sparring, drilling, weight training, stairmaster, Yoga, taking supplements (I drank so much Myoplex I get sick everytime I see an advertisement for it) was just a daily routine we did year after year. I trained this routine until I was about 38 years old. I was lucky that I never had any serious injuries that kept me off the mat too long, although I did have knee surgery and had a back problem for a short while.

Getting on the mat and just rolling was something that I needed to do every day. Furthermore, I was determined to progress each day and would never be satisfied by just going through the motions of training. My training partners where great and we had a group of serious practitioners that progressed very fast, we really push each other. Many of us had backgrounds in kickboxing or boxing and we shared our expertise. Mixed martial arts training was very important to our weekly routine.

We had many students come in and train very aggressively in the early days. It was all about testing if jiu-jitsu was for real. Many people who were in martial arts had a glimpse of the UFC and wanted to try it out. For me this was great. I wanted the challenge. Training with high level jiu-jitsu players was good, but training with unorthodox wrestlers or people who were just strong and athletic was just as good. When I trained with another jiu-jitsu player it was easier to relax because I knew what to expect. There was a tempo and flow that you were familiar with. When you went against a wrestler or someone who was very strong and they just went wild trying to take your head off, that was when you really tested your ability to use jiu-jitsu. If you just look good going with another jiu-jitsu player how functional is that? It frustrated me to see many people who were good at jiu-jitsu just fold when a strong athletic guy went at them; they were not able to generalize their techniques that they were learning. This is when I realized that teaching jiu-jitsu needed more of a focus on mental training; you just couldn’t learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques and expect it to work.

Back in the early days we had many opportunities to go against people who were coming in to test their skills against jiu-jitsu. Roberto’s first school location was about the size of our back room at our academy and we trained on foam mats. You would be laden with bits of mat material all over yourself after you were done training. We simply just vacuumed it up and trained again. There were only about 20 guys or so at the most and only die hard martial artists would hear about the school. I remember when someone would come in that was big and it was evident he wanted to go hard, Roberto would always say, “O.k. Patric, I want you to go against this guy when we spar. Make sure he knows what jiu-jitsu is.” Roberto would always have a smile on his face when we started sparring.

To be continued…"

2007-11-16T14:19:00.001-08:00

Thank You

2007-11-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

I see so many guys helping out during open mat with others. I see Phil rolling, teaching, here everyday - the Iron Man of Jiu Jitsu. I see Al and learn from him every time I am on the mat with him. I see Roberto's enthusiasm on the mat. I see Chris Page and Marlon kicking my butt with a smile on my face. I see Steve Medina taking time out of seeing his new beautiful daughter to spend time with other families. I see Rob stepping up to fulfill a need. I see Joe and Alex coming in regularly. I see Johnny working with our smallest students with a smile. I just wanted to take a minute to thank these guys and all of you that make the academy what it is. I see a bright future.

BJJ vs. Skin Infections

2007-10-23T13:22:00.001-07:00

With MRSA and the Staph in the news recently, I wanted to post prevention measures that everyone can take to keep their skin clear of infection.

Prevention:
1. Always train in a clean gi, Fungus and bacteria love to grow on dirty gis. Besides, how would you like it if your training partner wore a dirty gi? Remember the golden rule: Dirty Gis Spread Disease!

2. Make sure fingernails and toenails are clipped short before you train. Not only can you injure your training partner with long nails, scratched skin allows easy entry for fungus. Also, fungus loves to grow under long fingernails and toenails. We sell clippers at the academy for 2$, get your own and keep them in your bag.

3. Wash arms and face immediately following training. Don't wait until you get home; that may be too late to prevent infections on the surface of your skin from taking root. If you have far to go to get home, consider using the Academy shower.

4. Immediately shower when you return home after training. If you go to sleep without showering, millions of fungus may be sleeping with you. Try to explain that to your wife/girlfriend/kids/etc.

If you do become infected with MRSA or Staph, go to the doctor immediately. Do not wait. MRSA can be treated but it is a very fast moving bug. Read the post on MRSA for symptoms. Regular staph is really dangerous too. Don't wait, go.

If you become infected with Ringworm (see post for details), you can use natural alternatives such as tea tree oil or commercial meds like micatin, lotrimin.

Note: The information contained above is not meant as medical advice; but, rather, as suggestions you might want to explore on your own to protect your health. Any treatment you choose is ultimately your responsibility and the Academy, Academy Owner and Preparer of this informational post will not be liable for any adverse health effects encountered in connection with the above information.

History, Tradition, Respect - Part 1

2007-10-22T07:36:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to write this post for some time. It has been daunting though and I was not able to focus my thoughts until this weekend where my wife and I took a nice fall walk through Mt. Auburn Cemetery which I highly recommend. Such a beautiful spot and a really nice observation tower in the middle with views over all of the changing colors of the landscape this time of year.

One of the first things that new members ask me about before they join is the history of the academy. I tell them that we are in our thirteenth year, ten in Watertown and two in our new location in Newton. But this is just time, here are some of the details.

1995-1997
The academy was located first in an office building on Walnut St in Watertown adjacent to a gym that used to be there. Roberto founded it with inspiration from his cousin Renzo who was successful with jiu jitsu in New York. Mark Fishman and Peter Macero might be able to tell you about the place. I wasn't there at the time. I know that they used to roll on foam without the cover and go home covered in small pieces of it as it would come apart as they rolled. Roberto had some real monster sized guys at the time and he used to tell me how sore he was when he got home from class.

1997-1999
Eventually the gym moved downstairs into the first level. This is the incarnation of the academy that I walked into. Nice grey matted area similar to now with padded walls and another room that was used for privates, adjacent training etc. The bathrooms were so bad, but eventually Roberto fixed it all up and it became very professional with an office and front desk. During this time, Patric, John Frankl, Kenny, Keith, Kirk Florian, the Balmes, Fishman, Peter Macero, the Kali, Will Kabat-Zinn could be found training on the mat with Patric and Kenny leading many of the classes including tournament classes. All of the classes were all levels at the time since we didn't have the numbers to differentiate them into beginner and advanced. Open mat was a little bit like the wild west and guys would come in from all over the place trying their skills with no intention of becoming members. They would usually get the Florian welcome and be on their way.

2000-2005
Good old Herb who can still be seen in the odd day class with Al when he isn't biking through Uzbekistan or complaining about the deer in his yard on the news owned the building but eventually sold it. The new owners moved Roberto upstairs next to the strangest boxing club you will ever go to, removing the sign from the road and making us nearly impossible to find. I still remember coming back from Vermont to find someone on the phone giving turn by turn directions to the place and the person on the other end still not finding it. Even though the location stunk, it was another very professional array complete with two rooms and the addition of showers which were nice.

Roberto was still doing construction full time as well as trying to run the academy. Babu and Tony and Richie Dimino were responsible for keeping the academy afloat during much of this time and should be commended for keeping it alive. Myself, Medina, Jay, Fred, Pellegrino, Aaron, Phil, Al, Jim DeLuca, Babu, Ikaro and many Dans were on the mat though I moved to Vermont in 2001 and didn't return until 2006.

2005-Present
With the lease closing on the location in Watertown and the building not anxious to renew (we were a bit loud for our neighbors), Roberto found the place in Newton. I can still remember coming in from Vermont for a visit and watching that industrial space being transformed by Babu and Roberto. At first it was a workshop, plugs every fifteen feet, radiant heat on the walls and some decrepit bathrooms. Man our place used to be cold. I have watched Roberto go wall to wall with mats, improve the bathrooms, build bleachers, paint and re paint, fix and re fix, have classes seven days a week, plus much more. Many of our conversations today revolve around continual improvements for the place.

He is never satisfied and always looking for the next project. I wouldn't be surprised if another academy or two emerged in the next year. Keep your eyes open for one opening in an neighborhood near you.

To be continued...
(old timers please email me with thoughts, corrections, etc. so I can add them - owenc@rocketmail.com)

Academy Rules

2007-10-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post the academy rules so everyone knows what the expectation is at the academy. These are in progress. If you have a suggestion, send me an email. Thanks, Chris

Rules of the Academy

1. Keep a respectful posture on the dojo.

2. Classes begin with students lining up in descending grade order.

3. Classes end with a handshake to the instructor and everyone.

4. For safety reasons, if you are late sit by the side of the mat and wait for the permission from the Professor.

5. For safety reasons, if you need to leave the mat or leave earlier you must ask permission from the Professor.

6. Shake hands with your partner before and after practice.

7. Talking should be kept to a minimum level and should relate to the class subject.

8. Absolutely no foul language inside the school.

9. Keep finger and toe nails short and filed (not sharp) for everyone’s safety.

10. No Solicitation of non-sponsored academy events including ticket sales

11. The Kimono must be washed after every practice. A dirty kimono is a sign of disrespect.

12. When tying the Kimono, face the wall.

13. The belt represents your progress. Keep it on.

14. All metal objects, jewelry, piercing, necklace or other such items should be removed.

15. No shoes, food or drink on the mat.

16. No Cell Phones in the dojo area.

17. Nobody should be shirtless on the mat or out of the locker room

18. No neck cranks, knee-bars, heel hooks, intentional slamming during takedowns or guard work

19. Work out within your physical limits

20. Have fun!

Remember we train together not against one another

Thank You

300 Workout

2007-09-29T21:56:00.001-07:00

...So I just finished watching the 300. Again and have been thinking of modeling an off mat workout based on what the actors went through at gym jones.

I read this article on it and thought I would share it from Web MD. Not only does it provide interesting information about the process, it makes some excellent recommendations for those seeking an ACCREDITED personal trainer.

The 300 Workout: Can You Handle It?

The training regimen that whipped actors of the movie 300 into fighting shape may be too much for most of us.

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

At the start of the movie 300, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) bids farewell to his beautiful wife, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) as he heads out to lead the Battle of Thermopylae. In it, 300 Spartans fought to their death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army in 480 B.C.

In the movie scene, Butler is dressed for war, shirtless with a crimson cape flowing behind his broad, chiseled shoulders. As he looks into Gorgo's eyes, much of his sentiment unspoken, moviegoers are drawn into the dramatic, macho moment.

But anyone who has struggled to get fit or stay fit can be forgiven if they get a little distracted here, wondering as they look at Butler in those skimpy Spartan battle duds: How did he get those six-pack abs, that whittled waist, and those rock-hard thighs? Could I ever look that buff and toned?

The Secret's Out

The now not-so-secret training regimen, discussed all over the Internet in messages complete with how-to videos, is called the 300 workout. It's the brainchild of Mark Twight, a self-taught exercise guru and former world-class mountain climber who apparently still clings to the "no pain, no gain" mantra.

At Gym Jones, his invitation-only, no-frills gym in downtown Salt Lake City, where he says there's no air conditioning, no mirrors, and no place comfortable to sit, his mission was to whip the 300 actors and stuntmen into warrior-fighting shape, most of them in eight to 10 weeks. Butler trained for 12 weeks. Twight warns that his Spartan workout is not for the faint-hearted, nor the out-of-shape.

Traditional exercise physiologists who took a look at the 300 workout for WebMD agree with him, and they caution that Twight is not certified as a trainer by conventional organizations.

The 300 Workout

The workout gets its name from the total number of repetitions. But those 300 reps weren't done daily, as some media accounts report, Twight says. Rather, the 300 workout was the finale of months of training, a kind of graduation test, after actors had weight lifted and trained with tools such as medicine balls and Kettlebells (cast iron weights with handles).

It's daunting, and includes these weight-training moves:

25 pull-ups
50 deadlifts at 135 pounds
50 push-ups
50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
50 "floor wipers" (a core and shoulders exercise at 135 pounds)
50 "clean and press" at 36 pounds (a weight-lifting exercise)
25 more pull-ups -- for a total of 300 reps

There's no rest between movements and the score is based on total time, Twight says.

Behind-the-Scenes Work

But before that graduation test, Twight says, there were months of work, transforming the actors and stuntmen not just physically but mentally, he notes. "Zack [Snyder, the director,] wanted the Spartans to appear as though they had been fighting together since they were children," he says.

When they arrived, the men were at various starting points, says Twight, who trained Gerard, many co-stars, and stuntmen but not the women in the film. "Guys ranged from 40 pounds overweight to being in perfect, lean, hard-fighting shape," Twight tells WebMD.

The Regimen

The regimen was varied based on the person’s starting point, Twight says. "Some days guys did high-intensity circuit training. Some days guys lifted very heavy loads for a few reps. Some days guys did a series of miniworkouts that added up to an 'interesting' total load and volume. Some days guys did hard interval training on the Concept II rowing machine." And some days, the exercisers were asked to train for balance by doing their tasks blindfolded.

"Some days were punishment days where our intent was to break guys physically and psychologically," Twight says.

Training for the actors required 90 minutes to two hours a day, five days a week, Twight says, plus the same amount of time fight training. Stuntmen trained 90 minutes to two hours, five days a week, and another four to six hours fight training, Twight says. Everyone was given just enough food to recover from the workout, he notes.

The Results

At the end of the training, about half of those who trained took the 300 test, Twight says. Andrew Pleavin, who plays Daxos, leader of the Arcadians, was the only actor to take it. He finished in 18 minutes and 11 seconds.

Exercise Physiologists Burst Our Bubble

Before you head out to see if you’re good enough to pass the 300 test, heed the caution from William J. Kraemer, PhD, professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. “This [program] was done for a stylistic effect, to look like a Spartan," he says. Forget about trying to do the graduation test right out of the box, he says. "The out-of-shape person who starts [the 300 graduation test] is going to be dead the first day. No one could do this without prior training. You have to progress."

Even if you start out slowly, Kraemer recommends proceeding with caution and checking in with your doctor first.

The breakdown of muscle fibers, for instance, may be severe enough to be toxic to the kidneys, he says. "If you have [heart problems] or are not screened, you could have a variety of exertional problems [with this workout], from serious tissue breakdown to heart attack to kidney problems," he says. "It's too extreme for the average person."

Walt Thompson, PhD, a professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University in Atlanta, agrees. "This kind of workout is for a very, very small subset of the population," he says. "The person who could probably benefit from the Gym Jones workout is the person who already has a long and extensive 'career' in exercise. It's not for a beginner."

Advice for Beginners

That does not mean if you are a beginner all hope is lost. Thompson and others recommend beginners start out slowly and consider hiring a certified trainer to learn proper form, especially for weight training. The top three certifications, in Thompson's opinion, are those offered by the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Council on Exercise.

Hiring a trainer who is certified by one of those groups, if even for a few sessions, he says, will help ensure you learn proper technique and form in weight training and other muscle-strengthening exercises. "It helps to keep someone from being injured," he says.

Next at Your Local Gym?

Even though the entire regimen is viewed as too intense for the average person, don't be surprised if a modified version of the 300 workout appears at your local health club, says Brooke Correia, a spokeswoman for the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a Boston-based industry group that has 4,000 U.S. health clubs in its membership.

"Remember Striptease, the movie with Demi Moore?" she asks. Soon after that 1996 movie was released, striptease pole dancing classes began to be offered at health clubs nationwide, she says.

2007-09-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Steve Medina and Paul Georgieff at the 2nd UVM BJJ Tournament

Competition

2007-09-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Competition is a big part of the brazilian jiu jitsu art. It is a place where we see amazing technique and are inspired by those who step into the public eye to do their best. This is the place where teams and schools come together to support one another.

The result of competition is often emphasized but shouldn't be that important to the competitor. I read a quote from Marcio Feitosa about competition and his mentor, Carlos Gracie. To paraphrase, he said that it never mattered what the outcome was in competition. After the match, Carlinhos would always point out something that he did well in the match and something that he could improve upon.

It is my belief that everyone should try competing at least once in their jiu jitsu career. This should not be taken lightly though and the practitioner should increase their training as well as their off mat exercise to be prepared. Just the journey alone will make you and better jiu jitsu player. No matter what the outcome, you will learn a lot about yourself and your jiu jitsu.

A couple of rules for competing for Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

We don't compete against each other in a tournament. Even though it feels like it is you against another in the gym, you are both working together to improve. When you are at the tournament, you are teammates and should support each other as such. You should try to make sure that people of your same rank and weight are on the other side of the bracket. If you run into your teammate in the tournament it should be predetermined who goes forward. If in doubt, ask your coach before or at the tournament.

Also referees that are judging matches. Please get another ref if there is a teammate of yours that is in the match that you are about to ref. You are suppose to be a fair arbiter of the participants in the match and regardless of what happens it is impossible to view you as such. You either will favor your teammate or overly-favor the other in hopes of being viewed as impartial. Take yourself out before this happens.

From Teddy Roosevelt (not the usual "critic doesn't matter" quote):

Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered with failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that know not victory or defeat

Open Mat

2007-09-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have learned probably half of my jiu jitsu during open mat. It is invaluable time at the academy. I encourage all to use it. Plus its free for all members.

We have been encouraged by a lot of our peers (owners of other academies) to get rid of it. Unstructured time can be dangerous, but we feel that the exchange of ideas that happens there is absolutely crucial to the advancement of jiu jitsu. I can also tell you that Friday advanced classes are more open mat then anything. Its like the ideas start flowing Friday night and extends through Saturday afternoon (it probably really would if we still had our overnight boarders, you know who you are.)

Just a couple of quick things though that I want to make everyone aware of:

1. The teenagers class may begin to start using the time for an open mat of their own too. They are allowed to roll with each other, brown and black belts for their safety and the safety of everyone. If someone turns you (re: adult white, blue, purple belt) down for a roll, this is probably why. If I pull you apart from a teenager, don't take it personally. We just want to keep everyone safe.

2. Regarding the higher ranks I see at open mat, I see them instructing and giving a lot of people pointers and showing technique. This is great and should continue. Lower ranks, however, should not come to expect this. Sometimes the higher rank just wants to get a sweat on and get out of there and go about their day. Trust me, you are learning if you are tapping.

If you are looking for additional instruction, I highly recommend our private lessons. You can get them really reasonably, just see the desk and you can have your own higher rank devoted to you for an hour at a time.

Carlos Gracie Jr Seminar

2007-09-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Carlos Gracie Jr will be here to do a gi seminar on Saturday Oct. 6. We will also be celebrating the 2nd year anniversary of the academy in the our new location. There will be many promotions. More information to follow. We are going to celebrate again like last year. BBQ and a fee limited edition T Shirt. All good. Mark your calendars!

Donations to Benefit a Fallen Child

2007-09-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

From our friends in NH:

KICK - A - THON
To benefit the Lalime Family
Henri Lalime is a 6-year-old member of our karate family. Thursday, August 16th, Henri was hit by a car while riding his scooter. He is currently at Children's Hospital Boston. His family needs our help as he recovers.

Mike Worobel Martial Arts will be running a benefit Kick-A-Thon on September 8th and all collections will be given to the Lalime family. Don't know a student to pledge, but want to make a donation? Contact us at (603) 964-5886, or email info@mwmartialarts.com and we will graciously take your donation.

You can also leave a donation at GB Boston BJJ and we will make sure they get it.

The Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle

2007-09-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that I have been back here for a year! I was reminded of this when a Todd G's sister-in-law came in to buy him a birthday gift. She had come in the previous year and it was like history repeating. I realized a cycle had happened. I am truly fortunate to have been able to return to the academy that has given me so much and am blessed to be allowed to now help give back to this academy.

The culmination of a years worth of discussions on how to improve training at Boston BJJ has been the idea of the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle. Roberto grew up with this and has lived it his entire life. I am relatively new to it and it is something I realized after moving to Vermont just after 9/11. I was a little burnt out from working nine to five and training six days a week. When I moved, I decided to take some time off. I taught snowboarding at Stowe that winter and figured the weather and the exercise would suffice. After the winter was over, I committed myself to yoga but something was missing.

I realized it was Jiu Jitsu. I tried to train at the local school in Vermont but was turned away because of my affiliation so I started the club up there. It wasn't so much that I wanted to spread Jiu Jitsu, I just missed training so much. I knew then it was in my blood and I would never get away from it.

Roberto, myself and the entire staff are constantly looking for ways to improve training, decrease injury, elevate the level at the academy and create an overall enjoyable community. This idea of the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle includes all of these things plus wellness and community both outside and inside the academy.

There are so many things we are working on with this idea of the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle in mind. For example: the Vegas trip. We hope that this will be just the first of many travel experiences that we can make available including travel packages to some of the major competitions, events, and academies throughout the world that have shaped and will shape the history and future of Jiu Jitsu.

We are going to focus on wellness outside of the academy also. We will be making resources and suggestions to everyone to improve everyone's overall health and fitness. Take the suggestions or toss them, but we will also be providing some ideas on ways to save money and everyone likes that.

We are committed to the promotion of the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle since many of us live it everyday. It might be in your blood already and you just don't know it yet. Some of you may be away from training and feel something is missing. Roberto, myself and every at GB Boston BJJ invite you to find the Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle with us in this new academy that is improving everyday.

The Ultimate Fighter 6 Website

2007-08-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Fighter 6 website is up! Check out this link for information about former UVM BJJ club member and GB Boston purple belt, Paul Georgieff.

Roberto Tussa Takes Silver at the Mundial

2007-08-29T12:26:00.001-07:00

Our friend and fellow GB Black Belt Roberto Tussa took the Silver this past weekend at the Mundials in California only losing in the finals to last year's open champion Xande Ribeiro. He was quick to call Roberto with the great news.

Congratulations to Robertao (big Roberto) on this tremendous accomplishment! We hope to see him back again this year for a seminar or two! Lets hope the weather is better this time!

Daniel Gracie Mentioned in Boston Phoenix

2007-08-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

From Bouncers Tell All in regards to the author of the the upcoming Fight: Or, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ass-Kicking but Were Afraid You’d Get Your Ass Kicked for Asking, due this fall from HarperCollins, by the extraordinary Eugene S. Robinson

"Robinson quizzes gangsters (including South Boston’s own Kevin Weeks), wrestlers, and Ultimate Fighters, but the real story is the author’s bruising quest for his own limits, which are discovered at the hands (and feet) of the fighters he periodically challenges. A bout with the kickboxer Cung Le, for example, puts him in the hospital with a ruptured quadriceps tendon. (“The last guy I saw with an injury like this,” murmurs the doctor, “had been kicked by a horse.”) Wrestler Rico Chiapparelli smilingly forces him into submission with an ankle lock. Brazilian arch-grappler Daniel Gracie takes him to pieces: “I was watching the world’s smallest horror movie AND I was starring in it.” Robinson is Bouncer Lit’s Norman Mailer. And occasionally, in the time-warped, Finnegans Wake seconds before someone chokes him out, its James Joyce."

It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one who Daniel toys with while grappling.

Las Vegas UFC Finale Venue

2007-08-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

UFC Las Vegas Trip Details

2007-08-22T16:18:00.001-07:00

We are going to Vegas baby! Check out the details:

UFC Fight Night Trip to Las Vegas through Liberty Travel
Includes Three Nights Hotel, Airfare and Tickets to the Event

Thursday December 6 through Sunday December 9
Flight 8pm Thursday arrive Vegas 11pm
Flight 5pm Sunday arrive Boston 1 am

Accomodations based on double occupancy
(We can help you find a roommate if you need one)
Treasure Island Hotel and Casino
4 Star Hotel located in the middle of the strip, the heart of Vegas

Includes Tickets to Las Vegas Fight Night Finale of The Ultimate Fighter Reality show (based on $100.00 ticket prices, upgrades may be available)

Non Refundable Deposit of $125.00 due on Wednesday September 5. Get the final prices and all other information at the desk!

Las Vegas Trip In The Works!

2007-08-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

I am planning an academy trip to Las Vegas for December 6 through December 9. As some of you may know, my former student and training partner from Vermont, Paul Georgieff (pictured jump passing at Boston BJJ tournament back in the day) is going to be on TUF 6. December 8 is the finale of the show and all the fighters are fighting including him so I thought I would take a trip out there and invite all of you!

Right now the trip looks like we will leave Thursday and leave Sunday. The trip will include three nights at the Treasure Island hotel right in the middle of the strip, airfare and tickets to the
UFC Finale. I will know more on Wednesday when the travel agent gets back to me and will update you then. Save the date!

Check out Paul's myspace page here.

2007-08-15T14:56:00.001-07:00

Check out the rest of the pictures from the promotion here http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10989&l=f8062&id=533594046

On Belts

2007-08-14T15:56:00.001-07:00

First of all a big congratulations to Jared, Tyler, Sho, Ron, Jon and Bryant on their promotion to blue belt tonight.

Welcome to the advanced class boys!

On a side note, many people are asking me for different size belts (which we currently don't have). Roberto's advice: invest in a nice belt for yourself.

Its not a big deal to get your own belt, you won't offend anyone. I use an HCK, but was given a Keiko Raca (which was Jay's so...). Roberto uses a Koral, Medina a Sirius. Go to siriusathleticwear.com, jjgear.com, jiujitsuprogear.com for options.

2007-08-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Check out all the pictures from the Daniel Gracie Seminar at this link.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10870&l=fbf4d&id=533594046

2007-08-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

White to Blue Belt Seminar Next Sunday

2007-08-12T07:44:00.001-07:00

There will be a White to Blue Belt seminar on Sunday August 19 from 12:30-2:30pm. This seminar is open to all ranks. The cost will be $50.00. Attendance at one of these seminars is mandatory for 4 stripe white belts moving to blue belt.

2007-08-12T06:33:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the GB Boston Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blog

2007-08-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the GB Boston BJJ blog! I hope to update this often with pics and news from the academy as well as my observations about what is going on. Check back often for new content and news.

Thanks, Chris