Matthew Barvo is the owner and head Jiu-Jitsu instructor at Team Beast Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He began his Jiu-Jitsu training in 1999, and has over five years of instructing experience.

Matt is currently training to compete in the No-Gi Panams and No-Gi World Championships. He has cross-trained in Muay Thai Kickboxing, Judo, and Mixed Martial Arts. He is also Boise State University’s only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor.

Team Beast BJJ offers classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu, Fight Fitness and Self Defense. Their training center has over 4,000 sq. ft. of grappling mats and an assortment of over 20 punching bags.

So if you live in or near Eagle, Idaho, stop by and check out Team Beast BJJ & MMA. There can’t be too many people teaching Jiu Jitsu in Eagle, short of going into Boise, so if you want to learn Jiu Jitsu, learn from the best you can, and visit Team Beast.

Matt Barvo, Team Beast BJJ, welcome to USAJJ!

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06/12/2010 Edit

Mr. Barvo’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lineage is under investigation by our officials. Thanks to all of those that pointed out the ongoing Bullshido happening over at : http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=95870

We’ll post our findings as we collect them.

Philip Smith and SmithBJJ Club

Phillip Smith was introduced to Jiu Jitsu in 1996 at Warner Air Force base in Robins, GA. In 1997 Smith began to train with Romero “Jacare” Calvalcanti. After several years training in the sport, and a brief hiatus to earn his Master’s Degree in International Relations, Smith trained under and received his Black Belt from Roberto Traven. He still trains with and is affiliated with Roberto Traven and the Brasa team.

Under the Jiu Jitsu Professor LLC umbrella, Smith owns and operates his academy, Smith Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, in McDonough, GA. Here, Smith has 26 students and four other highly decorated instructors, including a law enforcement specialist and MMA trainer. His top student and fellow instructor Chris Haraszti won his division in the Pan American with no points scored against him.

Smith feels that the future of BJJ is with the children involved in the sport. To further this end, Smith has developed his own children’s program, Dragon Power-Jitsu.  The core of the program is based on developing coordination, self-discipline and agility, as well as setting a solid foundation for Jiu Jitsu. It also incorporates activities from other sports, so that the child is well rounded and prepared for any activity he may be involved with. Smith also likes to include the parents in the training session, and often invites them to join their child on the mat.

Smith joined our Jiu Jitsu organization because he shares our vision of Jiu Jitsu in the Olympics. He feels we are more disciplined and organized than other organizations and will succeed in our dream. Working from that perspective, Smith joined because he wants to be involved from the beginning.

So Phillip Smith, we welcome you to USA Jiu Jitsu and thank you for sharing our vision!

Donnie Tinsley and Team Sprawl and Brawl

Donnie is a 3rd Dan Black Belt in TKD and a Blue Belt in Jiu Jitsu under Morrison Butler. Donnie has been studying martial arts for over 15 years. He started practicing TKD in high school with his parents as a family hobby. Donnie really got into martial arts because, although team work is important, once he’s in the ring, it’s on him, win or lose. Donnie got into Jiu Jitsu after sparring with a wrestler and realized how critical ground technique was when he lost.

Now he operates at the Tae Kwon Do Institute of Self Defense, which has locations in Elizabeth City and Hertford, NC. The Tae Kwon Do Institute is the longest running Martial Arts School in Northeastern NC. With over 20 years teaching experience in the Martial Arts, they offer programs in TKD, submission wrestling, Thai boxing, and MMA to people of all ages. He has about 55 students under his wing.

Donnie is also the co-founder of Team Sprawl and Brawl, the first amateur MMA team to bring Championship recognition to North Carolina. Team Sprawl and Brawl was founded in Elizabeth City June of 2000 by Donnie Tinsley & Mike Kellar. The team has members that practice at both Elizabeth City & Hertford locations. Donnie welcomes all people to join their team.

And as if he isn’t busy enough, Donnie is the owner of Coastal Combat Circuit, which is his organization to host tournaments all over the NE North Carolina area. While just by itself it’s great that someone is bringing MMA and no-gi tournaments to this area, Donnie also contributes a percentage of ALL profits to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation from all of his events. The CF Foundation puts the largest percentage of its donations to research of all other CF charities. Donnie has two students with CF and feels this is a great way to help people with the condition.

Donnie joined USAJJ because of the sense of community and support. There are not many choices in his area for martial arts, especially Jiu Jitsu, and as a member of our rapidly growing Jiu Jitsu organization, he and his students now have more options for learning and competing. He also thinks that our goal of getting Jiu Jitsu in the Olympics is a great idea.

So once again, Donnie, welcome to USA Jiu Jitsu!

Larry, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt instructor, believes that training in Jiu-Jitsu should be learned with consistent and intelligent practice, with impeccable technique, with constant repetition and with excellent use of leverage and timing versus strength and explosiveness. His philosophy is to “train for 30 years, not 30 minutes.” Thus, safety and knowing when to “tap” is paramount. Senseless injuries have never made anyone a better Jiu-Jitsu Player!

Jacksonville Brazillian Jiu Jitsu

Larry’s main goal is to promote the growth of BJJ, and his main method of encouraging this growth is through children with his trademark registered “Kid-Jitsu” program. The program teaches children fundamentally sound principals and techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, while also addressing 26 core values that are at the heart of the Kid-Jitsu Values Program. The techniques taught work for children of all sizes, shapes, temperaments, and athletic ability. Classes are taught in a fun, fast paced, and friendly environment. A significant amount of time is spent on the mat safely sparring with teammates.

Kid-Jitsu is not a program that is running kids through the belts based on how many classes the parents pay for, but instead, belt promotion is based on how much the student learns and progresses. The student must earn the promotion.

And while Larry see’s Kid-Jitsu as the best way to ensure the future of our sport, he doesn’t neglect the adults. JaxBJJ offers many different classes, from beginner to advanced. He also offers several courses based around Jiu Jitsu, including a women’s only self defense class.

So if you live in the Jacksonville area, stop by and talk to Professor Larry Shealy at JaxBJJ. There is a program
for everyone.

And take a look at Larry’s Kid-Jitsu page if your interested in incorporating Kid-Jitsu in your school.

Team CGS of Greensburg, PA

A large aspect of Jiu Jitsu is competition. Nothing is more rewarding than having all your hard work pay off.  And on March 6th, it payed off big for Team CGS.

Four members of Team CGS, Casey Leonard, Jeremy Kosicek, Shawn Miller and Shaun Kelley, traveled to Ashland, VA to compete in the US Grappling Submission Only IX tournament. They competed in both gi and no-gi divisions. All four members of Combative Grappling Systems won 1st in their respective no-gi skill and weight divisions.

Casey Leonard, owner and head instructor of Combative Grappling Systems, went an incredible 63 minutes in the 30+ advanced no-gi absolute, against a 213lb brown belt in his first match of the day. And as if that wasn’t impressive enough, Casey then went on to compete and take first place in three other divisions that day!

This is an outstanding showing by Team CGS. Certainly Casey and his fellow teammates trained hard for this event, and they should all be extremely proud for their accomplishments in this tournament.

So once again, congratulations to Team CGS!

Here’s a link with the full days results.

And don’t forget, if you or your team have news to share, we want to hear about it.

Will Hiott with a few of his students

While many of our member schools have a kids program, Will takes it to the next level. Will volunteers much of his time working with a program called Performance Initiatives. Performance Initiatives is a Savannah based not for profit organization dedicated to helping others by using athletics and fitness. The children the program works with have little opportunity, and live in the rough parts of Georgia. Will has 29 students from this program, all on scholarships.

Will’s mission with his students, who all range between 7-18, is to teach kids to not fight, through Jiu Jitsu. While that may sound odd on the face of it, we all know Jiu Jitsu forces you to learn self-control and self-discipline. Hopefully with these skills taught to them at an early enough age, it will help them stay in school, and off the streets. He wants his students to deal with verbal conflict before resorting to physical conflict. Will says his Jiu Jitsu class for the kids is about developing themselves.

For those of you in the Savannah area, the Performance Intiatives program does rely on volunteers, and Will said he would love to have some help. Right now, he teaches by himself. Will even includes his two year-old twins and seven year-old in his program. It’s never too early to start setting a good example.

Will joined USAJJ because he loves that we’re unifying the sport. Only by working together can we bring our Olympic dreams to fruition. Will also feels that having a Black Belt Council to formally oversee and grant recognition in the sport is a big plus as well.

If you live in Savannah, GA stop by Will’s school for a visit, and maybe volunteer some time. Also, March 20th, Iron Will Jiu Jitsu is celebrating their first year anniversary with a belt test and seminar, so stop by and check out the festivities. You can also connect with them on Facebook.

Jim Kiser receiving his black belt from Rigan Michado

Jim Kiser began his martial arts training in February 1998 under Jason McCormick of Karate World in Surfside Beach, SC.  At present, Jim is a third degree black belt in Zen Ketsugo karate and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu under Rigan Michado.  Over the years, Jim has competed in numerous sport karate and Jiu Jitsu events.  Most notably, winning the SKIL world championship in adult self-defense and forms in 2004 at the Super Grand World Games.

MBMA offers Kick Boxing, Jiu Jitsu and MMA training.  They have just opened a 5,000 square foot training center, so there is plenty of room to practice. It’s a good thing too, since Jim’s school boasts over 100 students! That’s incredible, especially since Jim is their main instructor. Needless to say, Jim has very little free time. Of his students, about 40 are adults, and the rest are minors. Falling into what seems to be a common theme among Jiu Jitsu instructors, Jim has a program specially designed for children. It is amazing and wonderful that there is so much commitment to the future generation of Jiu Jitsu practioners among its current competitors.

Jim’s kids program is separated by age, with training style for kids 13 and under and the other for kids over 13. The difference is Jim does not teach submissions to the younger students. He feels that at that young age, positioning should be taught and instilled. Older students are more mature, and able to better understand the risk with submissions. Jim recounted an incident where he saw a young kid at a tournament and the kid was in an arm bar. On the sidelines, the kid’s dad was yelling at him not tap out, which is a dangerous piece of advice. The kid could have had his arm broken. Not to mention, an eight year old doesn’t need to be doing submissions during recess at school.

Jim has been involved with USAJJ since the start. He thinks USAJJ is important to the growth of the sport as a whole. He thinks it is important to have a governing body that is free from egos and politics, not to mention USAJJ is totally non-profit. He feels USAJJ will lead to a more pure sport. And of course, he’s as excited as the rest of us for the Olympics.

Jim’s school hosts a multiple tournament event at his school. It has multiple divisions and only has a $25 entry fee. So if you’re in the area, check it out. Any chance to participate in an event is great, and at that price, it’s fantastic.

You can visit the Myrtle Beach Martial Arts web page for class schedules and more info on their kids program.

Combative Grappling Systems in Greensburg PA

USA Jiu Jitsu is getting bigger every day. Today we welcome Casey Leonard of Combative Grappling Systems!

Casey Leonard is the head of Combative Grappling Systems in Greensburg, PA.

He is a blue belt and trained under Rick Lucero. Mr. Leonard started learning Jiu Jitsu in southern California while serving as a Marine at Camp Pendleton. He won the Army Combative Championship in 2005, as well as other more local events. Mr. Leonard has been teaching since 2001.

Combative Grappling Systems has 35 students, which may seem like a lot, but Mr. Leonard says no. He encourages his students to work closely with each other, and says his students are more like a family. While that may be the case while dealing with each other, Mr. Leonard definitely encourages his students to compete in tournaments and events, saying that he tries to foster a competitive spirit in his students.

As a member of USAJJ his students will have lower entry fees at USAJJ sponsored events.

Also, Combative Grappling Systems focuses exclusively on Jiu Jitsu, though Mr. Leonard did say they would help any fighter train for an event.

USA Jiu Jitsu is proud to have Casey Leonard and Combative Grappling Systems as we move into the future of Jiu Jitsu! Connect with them on Facebook

Boyce's Martial Arts in Winchester VA

We would like to welcome Mike Boyce and Boyce’s Martial Arts to USA Jiu Jitsu!

Mike Boyce is an established instructor in the martial arts community. He has over 25 years of experience in several arts such as Taekwondo, Filipino Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Thai Boxing, Shotokan Karate, Silat and many other systems. He was trained by the world renowned Navy SEAL Frank Cucci and became an official representative of the Linxx Martial Arts System. He has a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Marcelo Alonso.

Mr. Boyce is also a certified Associate Instructor under Ajarn Chai Surisite (Master Chai) who is a world champion Thai Boxer and a Lumpinee Stadium champion.

Mr. Boyce joined USAJJ because he found other organizations lacked support and were not as student centered as he wanted. He feels his students will benefit the most from a relationship with USAJJ.

Of particular interest is Mr. Boyce’s philosophy about martial arts. He does not think martial arts should be about fighting. He thinks it is important to instill a sense of honor and integrity in today’s youth and hopes to firmly implant these ideals in his students. Students at Boyce Martial Arts learn in a non-competitive, supportive, and friendly atmosphere. Their organized and goal-oriented martial arts program allows individuals to focus and concentrate on achievement, and building and reinforcing a strong code of personal excellence.

Boyce’s Martial Arts has also made large gains in teaching disabled students. Currently enrolling two students with Asperger Syndrome, the school has had success with students with other disabilities as well. Mr. Boyce credits the success the school has had with these students to his wife Caroline, who is also an instructor, and the rest of his staff for making the effort to reach these kids. This is a noble endeavor, and really makes the point that martial arts are approachable by anyone.

If you live in the Winchester, VA area, stop by and check them out.

You can also take a look at their web page at Boyce’s Martial Arts.

Once again, congratulations to Mike Boyce and Boyce’s Martial Arts! USAJJ is proud to have you onboard!

KnuckleUp in North Carolina is the 1st USA Jiu Jitsu Charter School in NC

Only a few days after announcing that USA Jiu Jitsu members qualify for an exclusive Jiu Jitsu Insurance policy, KnuckleUp Fitness in the Outer Banks (NC) joins our growing family, and we want to welcome everybody from the OBX into USAJJ.

Morrison Butler, GM for KnuckleUp OBX, has been following USAJJ closely for a while, due to the growing demand for jujitsu classes in the Outer Banks. After a quick talk with USAJJ’s National Tournament Director and founder of KnuckleUp Fitness in Atlanta, Chris Stolzman, Morrison’s club becomes the 1st charter school in North Carolina.

According to Morrison, joining USAJJ was the best way to ensure his students are getting the most qualified support for their training, and a great opportunity for them to join a bigger jiu jitsu community (after all, there isnt much of a bjj scene in the Outer Banks of NC).

USA Jiu Jitsu approved badge

As a Charter School, they have access to a list of benefits that is constantly growing:

• $1 Million General Liability Insurance For Club, Staff, And Students
• Official USAJJ Certificate for their Head Instructor
• Head instructor competes for FREE at USAJJ National Tournament
• 1 free seat at the next Instructor Training Course
• Access to the official Jiu Jitsu International class curriculum

Plus, KnuckleUp OBX can now use the official USAJJ APPROVED badge, which lets students know they’re training with a qualified instructor. The badge is also beneficial to other USAJJ members when on the area, because they qualify for a $10 mat fee at any Charter school.

To all of the staff and students at KnuckleUp OBX, on behalf of the USA Jiu Jitsu organization, welcome!