Special guest, Larry Shealy!

Hey everyone, good news! We’re going to have an Instructor Certification Course later this month. If you are an instructor, an assistant instructor, or just want to be an instructor eventually, you’re exactly who we want to help. Teaching Jiu Jitsu takes a certain set of skills that need to be just as developed as your skills on the mat.

We’re holding it over a three day period, June 25, 26, and 27th. It will be two full days of instruction on Friday and Saturday, then a partial day on Sunday followed by graduation and certification.  It will be at the USA Jiu Jitsu National Training Center, 7841 Rolling Road,Suite D. Springfield, VA 22153.

As a special bonus, we’ll be having a guest instructor, Larry Shealy! Larry has been a member of USAJJ nearly from the get go, and is renown for his involvement in th Jiu Jitsu community. He is also a black belt, and a member of the Black Belt Council.

In 2003, Larry began developing the “Kid-Jitsu®” program along with the “Kid-Jitsu® Values Program”. This trademark registered program teaches children the fundamentals of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, while weaving targeted values into each lesson within the “Kid-Jitsu®” Children’s Curriculum.

So come down to the NTC and learn proper techniques for teaching Jiu Jitsu to other people. It’s guaranteed to be fun, and it will help you become a better teacher. Register online or call the NTC to reserve your spot now. Cost is free to member schools for the primary instructor, $175.00 for individual members, $250.00 for non-members.

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.

Master Kazeka Muniz

Here is some great news if you live in Lancaster or Palmdale California. Master Kazeka Muniz, member of the Black Belt Council, has opened a new academy in Palmdale, CA.  The new school is named Premium Fitness and it is set to bring some much needed Jiu Jitsu love to the surrounding area.

Master Kazeka Muniz obtained his black belt in Jiu Jitsu from Carlos Gracie Jr. of Gracie Barra academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has trained alongside such world class jiu-jitsu fighters as Renzo Gracie, Ryan Gracie, Roger Gracie, Marcio Feitosa, Draculino, Soca, Pe de Pano, Gordo, and the Machado Brothers.

Master Muniz has lived in Krasnoyarsk, Russia and Tbilisi, Georgia (former Soviet Union) training with world and Olympic champions Adam and Bouvaisar Saitiev under world-renown coach Alexander Karniashvili. Master Kazeka Muniz was the strength and conditioning coach for 4 Olympic gold medalists in wrestling from Cuba. He is still welcome to train with both the Cuban and Russian Olympic wrestling teams.

In 2004, Master Muniz helped create England’s number one MMA gym, the Wolfslair, and was the wrestling coach for former UFC Light heavy weight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Ultimate Fighter Season 2 champion Michael “the Count” Bisping.

The Kids Jiu Jitsu class at Premium Fitness

Premium Fitness is a huge gym with plenty of room and equipment for training. And there are a LOT of things to train in. Premium Fitness offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, No-Gi Jiu Jitsu, Freestyle Wrestling, Kickboxing, and of course, a combination of them all for the MMA program.

A lot of attention is placed on the childrens classes as well. Master Muniz offers a Kids Jiu Jitsu and a Kids Wrestling class. It’s never too early to have your child involved in a healthy form of exercise, and starting at a young age will set patterns and behaviors that last a lifetime.

So if you’ve been looking for a  Jiu Jitsu academy in Palmdale or Lancaster, CA, look no further. Master Muniz can teach you what you want to know, and he does offer a free week pass. There’s a reason he is such a highly respected member of the sport and one of the governing bodies for this Jiu Jitsu organization.

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.

Robert Drysdale Talks To Usa Jiu Jitsu

Robert Drysdale is going to do an interview with USAJJ National Director Chris Stolzman! This is an exciting opportunity for USAJJ.

Brazilian-American Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Robert Drysdale has been training and competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 1998. Robert was born in the USA and then moved to Brazil with his family at the age of 6. As a teenager Robert returned to the USA to attend college in Las Vegas. There he began training with the Lewis-Pederneiras (Nova Uniao) association. It was quickly evident that Drysdale was a natural at Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It was during that time in Las Vegas that Robert decided he would dedicate himself fully to the training, competing, and teaching the art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

Robert returned to Brazil in 2000 where he lived until 2008. During that 8 year period Robert Drysdale owned and operated a Jiu-Jitsu Academy in the town of Itu, Sao Paulo, Brazil. While in Sao Paulo Robert trained with the Maromba Club and later with team Brasa Jiu-Jitsu Club. His personal commitment to teaching, training, and competing at the sports highest level was absolute. He trained several times per week with his fellow teammates at Brasa Jiu-jitsu club headquartered in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil. This elite team of world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters is composed of some of the best black belts in the world. It was at Brasa in 2004 Robert received his black belt from Leo Viera. In 2008 Robert relocated to the USA and is currently teaching and training in the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, USAJJ is honored to have Robert Drysdale on the Black Belt Council.

This is going to be a comprehensive interview, and it’s exclusively with USA Jiu Jitsu.

So check back soon to see it. It’s going to be great!

USAJJ All American Winners

USA Jiu-Jitsu proudly announces the recognition of USA Jiu-Jitsu All-Americans.

The board of directors unanimously voted to recognize the USBJJF (United States Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) American National Championship as the precursor to the not-for-profit USAJJ National Championship (to be announced at a later date).

Athletes that placed in the top three medal spots of competition (weight division and/or absolute) in the years preceding the USAJJ National Championships are hereby designated “All-Americans.”

This is one of the many efforts to promote national pride in the efforts of our early Jiu-Jitsu athletes as the organization works with Jiu-Jitsu International to make the Olympic dream a reality.

In the future designated All-Americans will be able to request a certificate recognizing their outstanding accomplishment.

On behalf of the USAJJ board of directors and commissioner we would like to congratulate these athletes and encourage future competitors to strive for this All-American mark of excellence in the US Jiu-Jitsu community.

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!

USA Jiu-Jitsu exists to promote Jiu-Jitsu as an amateur sport in order to encourage the International Olympic Committee to include Jiu-Jitsu in the games.

Your membership supports that effort!

New Breed Jiu-Jitsu owner Johnny Ramirez explains what USA Jiu-Jitsu membership does for the jiu-Jitsu athlete. Watch the video to hear what he has to say.

What do you think? How would USAJJ benefit you? Leave us your opinions here!

"Papa" John Gorman presents BJJ Grandmaster Alvaro Barreto the Professor Emeritus title

USA Jiu-Jitsu is the non-profit organization in the United States
working to promote Jiu-Jitsu as an amateur sport in order for it to be recognized by the U.S. and International Olympic Committees.

Realizing Jiu Jitsu in the U.S. wouldn’t exist without its strong ties to Brazil where it has thrived for nearly a century, USA Jiu-Jitsu is honoring many of the recognized grand masters of the art with a special status.

John “PapaJohn” Gorman, commissioner of USA Jiu-Jitsu and Executive Director of the recently formed Jiu-Jitsu International presented Alvaro Barreto with a certificate naming him Professor Emeritus of USA Jiu Jitsu.

The title illustrates Alberto’s lifelong dedication to the art and USA Jiu-Jitsu’s debt to the masters who helped popularize the sport in Brazil and its immigration to the United States.